Page 22 of Save the Drama for your Mama
“What is it now?” I asked.
“Uh . . .” Melody flipped the picture around so I could see it. “Why are you kissing Chad’s fiancée in this photo?”
ChapterFive
MELODY
I tapped my fingers on the far end of the counter at Bay Books, waiting for Abigail. The plan was to go to MooTime Creamery on her lunch break, but the customer she was helping would not stop asking her the most ridiculous questions.
“What about an original copy of something from Shakespeare?” the woman asked. “It’s for a friend’s birthday.”
Abigail surprised me by keeping a straight face with her answer. “I would imagine those editions are not even for sale. I'm sure they could give you more information at the Library of Congress or the British Library in London.”
“You can track down just about anything on the Internet these days,” the customer said, pointing at the screen.
Abigail flared her nostrils when the woman wasn’t looking, then said. “Let’s see . . .” She typed something on her computer, then nodded. “You’re right. I see that Christie’s in New York has theFirst Foliofrom Shakespeare at auction this weekend. The starting bid is two-point-five million dollars.”
The customer nodded. “Yeah, I’m trying to keep the gift under twenty bucks, including tax. What about books on strategies for winning rock-paper-scissors?”
I couldn’t stand to listen to this ridiculousness any longer. Stifling a sigh, I drifted over to the table where I had seen Cooper’s book the day before, and picked up a copy ofThe Daredevil’s Redemption.
I was curious what all the hype was about, and why it had sold over a million copies. I opened the book and flipped to the last couple of pages to see how the story ended, since I was positive I would never read the book in its entirety, anyway.
As the sunset bathed the city in purple and orange hues, Fernando gently grasped Penelope’s hand. The world around them blurred, leaving only their intertwined fingers and the rhythm of his heart. In that moment, he knew their journey was not just about redemption, but also about love, a love that had blossomed from the depths of nothingness.
With a soft smile, Fernando confessed, “You’ve given me a reason to believe in second chances.”
Tears of joy glistened in Penelope’s eyes as she replied, “And you’ve taught me to never give up. Together, we can conquer the world.” She took a deep breath, her voice trembling with emotion. “I love you, Fernando. I’ve loved you from the moment we met.”
Fernando’s heart swelled with joy as he cupped her face in his hands. “And I love you, Penelope. You’ve brought light to the darkest corners of my life, and I can’t imagine a future without you.”
Drawn irresistibly closer, their bodies melded, their lips meeting in a fiery, passionate kiss. It was a fusion of souls brimming with desire and affection, a sealed proclamation of their profound love.
The daredevil and the journalist knew their love would be their most extraordinary adventure, forever bound by the ties of affection and the redemption they had discovered in each other.
I closed the book, stunned.
What the hell had I just read?
Had Miffy McPeevish written a happy ending with a kiss?
I double-checked the cover to see if I had the right book.
The Daredevil’s Redemption.
Cooper Galloway.
“Huh . . .” I shook my head in surprise, turned it over to stare at his photo on the back cover, then glanced at the title page he had signed the day before.
My mind struggled to reconcile the romantic ending and the man who had written it. I expected explosions, car chases, mayhem, and destruction to dominate the last pages, not love and happiness.
The unexpected twist threw me for a loop.
A thousand thoughts were running through my head.
Abigail approached, tilting her head to the side. “You look like you just ate some expired cottage cheese.”
I held up the book. “Have you read this?”
