Page 1 of Forever Endeavor

CHAPTER 1

Anice, warm slice of humble pie is always more palatable than having to eat a shit sandwich, even one served on a silver platter. Billie knew it would be best to swallow her pride and commence groveling. “I’m sorry, Carmen,” she started, “I know this news isn’t what you wanted to hear today.”

Behind filler-plumped lips perfectly matched to her crimson suit, Carmen Draper’s sandblasted pearly whites gleamed like the publishing shark she was widely known to be. “My dear, haven’t I always had your back? Didn’t I predict that your star would one day shine as bright as Nicholas Sparks or Nora Roberts?”

Billie’s head bobbed in gratitude. “I appreciate everything that you and the Allure Publishing team have done for me.”

“While you haven’t hit the Nick and Nora stratosphere yet, Amethyst Jayde is still a bankable name and one of Allure’s biggest properties. We need you to write more books as the fabulous Amethyst Jayde so we can sell more books. Once we sell more books, we can make money so we all get to eat.”

“I understand this is a business, and I’d love to do my part, but I’m stuck.” Billie sighed. “I think I need a little more time.”

Carmen’s pencilled brows angled sharply. “And I need a big title with buzz in the fourth quarter. Retailers are already planning their holiday season. Shelf space is a premium reserved for bestselling authors promoting new books, not the ones who need more time.” Scooping up a pile of thick manila envelopes, she unceremoniously dropped them onto her desk. “These? Submissions from hopeful writers begging for a chance to become the next Amethyst Jayde.”

Ouch.“In all fairness, I’m one of the main reasons your mailbox is overflowing. I helped make this place the romance dynamo it is today,” Billie said. “But maybe it’s time I faced reality and threw in the towel. Or change my pseudonym and write cozy murder mysteries.”

“You wouldn’t! You couldn’t do that to Amethyst’s fans who are hotly anticipating the next toe-curling, heart-throbbing installment of the Moonlight Chronicles.”

Billie lowered her head. “I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever be able to do it again.”

“Do what?” Carmen’s tone softened.

“Ship two fictional soulmates off into the sunset. I’m not sure I still believe in happily ever after.”

If Carmen had been drinking, she would’ve done a spit take. “Stephen King surely doesn’t believe in homicidal cars coming to life, but he still managed to create one so realistic it made grown men wet the bed.”

“This is different. My husband walked out on me, and my writing muse followed him out the door.”

“Look, Billie, I know it’s been rough since the divorce. I’ve been there myself. Twice. But this too shall pass.”

“I really am trying,” she whimpered, fighting to keep the lump of emotion in her throat from swelling into tears. “But I don’t think I can bring myself to write about everlasting love.”

Carmen pulled tissues from a box and handed them over. “If you give up on Amethyst Jayde, your fans give up on her too. You can’t let that happen. I refuse to let you let it happen.” She finally took a breath. “Have you thought about when the royalties slow to a trickle, and you’ve blown through your advance?”

Averting her eyes, Billie nervously picked at her cuticles instead.

“Oh no, please tell me the advance isn’t gone.”

“I have some left, but divorce attorneys are expensive. Besides, how was I to know that I’d have to replace the furnace and a dead water heater? I had to heave the old bed and buy a new one, then naturally redo the bedroom to match. After all I’ve been through, I thought what the hell? I deserve a new car too. So, I marched into a dealership, pointed my finger at a sporty model the color of cherry cola, and bought it on the spot. So sue me.”

“Don’t tempt me.” Carmen scowled. “That advance was given in good faith that you would deliver a new manuscript earlier this year.”

“I’m very aware I missed the deadline. If you have a magical potion that would help me to write again, I’d be grateful for a sprinkle or two.”

Carmen opened a drawer, reached in, and pulled out…no, not a vial of enchanted elixir, but a check book. She scribbled furiously, tore the sheet, and held it out. “This is neither an advance nor a loan. This is a personal investment.”

Billie eyed up the impressive sequence of digits. “Really, I’m fine. If I must pay back my advance, I’ll find a way, but—”

Carmen flung the check at Billie. “I’m giving you this as an incentive to escape that hellish memory trap you’ve been stuck in. No wonder you can’t make headway living in that house of marital horror. Use this to buy a plane ticket, take a gondola up a mountain, or jump a rocket to Jupiter. Get away from here and get your godforsaken groove back so that you can fork over Amethyst Jayde’s next bestseller in the next six to eight weeks.”

Billie accepted the money in stunned disbelief. “I don’t know what to say, Carmen. Thank you. Any suggestions on where I should go?”

“I always find the turquoise waters and swarthy men of the Caribbean inspiring. Besides, some foreign baloney pony would do wonders for your romance mojo.”

“But I’m a redhead. I freckle in the sun,” Billie pointed out.

“Then pack a heavy-duty SPF along with plenty of condoms. The only thing we want you coming back with is a finished manuscript.”

A working vacation? Carmen was a bona fide genius. Of course, no matter where Billie’s plane landed, she’d still have to hatch a heartfelt Amethyst Jayde romance with a satisfying and sigh-worthy happy ending. Ah, that was a bridge she could cross later. Perhaps while lounging poolside with a tropical drink in her hand and sexy Latino cabana boys at her feet.

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