EPILOGUE
Fourteen months later, Marie was at another book signing and, for a wonder, was enjoying herself. Sales of Be Careful What You Wish For were brisk, and if it didn’t do as well as one of her romance novels, she wasn’t going to cry about it. This was the book she wrote for the pleasure of it, not because she was trying too hard to be what she was not.
This signing was different in other ways, too. For one, Joe and Tony had come with her. Joe, poor bum, had a rather large crush on Tony. Tony was oblivious, but Joe had no secrets from her. She was sorry for him, but not immune to irony. Hopefully after her wedding Joe would recover from his case of puppy love and settle down himself. She supposed it was about time she turned matchmaker, which was another irony.
“Didn’t you used to be Jessica C. LeFleur?”
Startled from her thoughts, Marie looked up and saw Barb, the ICU physician, holding a copy of Be Careful.
“Dr. Barb! How are you? I haven’t seen you since Lynn’s funeral.”
“I’m good, thanks. It was kind of you to come.”
“I was happy to do it. Argh, that came out wrong...she fought to the end, didn’t she?” Barb nodded, and Marie saw the woman’s smile tremble. “Ah—don’t you dare buy that, I’ll give you one of my copies.”
“It’s a wonder you make any money at all. I’ll buy it, thanks.” She flipped the book open and, with a twinkle in her eye, read the dedication out loud. ‘For the late, great Lynn Fredrick, who hung around long enough to show me the truth, then dropped the mic on her way to a better place. We miss her so much.’” Barb smiled and slapped the book shut. “She would have loved that.”
“I wish she could have seen it.”
Barb sighed. “Baby, don’t we all. What’s the new one?”
“Well, it’s not crammed with deathless prose, but it’s not awful, either. It’s kind of a mystery, I guess. I hope you like it.”
“I’m sure I will. I have to run, Marie. It was nice to see you again.”
Before she could answer, Barb was gone. Marie couldn’t help thinking of Lynn’s influence. She’d spent one afternoon with the dying woman, hours she would never forget, and—
“Hi...I know you’re promoting your new book...but I was hoping you could...maybe sign this one?”
Marie looked up and saw an older woman with a kind, lined face. She was neatly dressed, but her clothing had seen years of use. She tentatively handed Marie a battered copy of Love’s Tender Fury, and at the sight of the familiar cover, a tangible symbol of her unhappiness, Marie had to smile. She had been unhappy, yes, dreadfully so. But it was of her own doing. She’d never been a victim, no matter how much it had pleased her to think so.
“No problem at all. What’s your name, ma’am?”
“Karen. I really liked it. It’s my favorite.”
“I’m glad. If you like my style, you might want to try Jayne Ann Krentz or Heidi Cullinan.”
“Oh, I will!”
Tony, returning with coffee and sandwiches for her and Joe, stopped short by her table. “She’s recommending other romance authors! My heart! Can’t...take...the shock...” He set the coffee down and swooned into his chair, because she was cursed to be drawn to weirdos.
Marie didn’t turn around, though her fan looked suitably (and understandably) alarmed. She handed the book back, explaining, “That’s my fiancé. He hasn’t taken his medication today.”
Karen was backing away. “I hope he gets better.”
“It’s extremely unlikely. But thank you. Tony, you’re scaring the customers. Joe, get away from him. He does not need artificial respiration. “
“Oh, look who thinks she’s a doctor now.”
“Will you get off? I said get off him right now!”
“Y’know, I could actually be in some kind of medical difficulty,” Tony said, fending Joe off with an elbow. “You don’t know. Maybe I need the hug of life. Er, not from you, Joe, although you look very nice today...”
For heaven’s sake, she thought, trying not to laugh. I need to get Joe fixed up, pronto. Say...there might be a book in that...
THE END