Page 30 of Kiss me Forever

“Oh, I can’t believe you haven’t shared this with me yet. What’s happening?”

“You know I’m not supposed to talk about this, so it stays in this room only,” she demands.

“I can’t believe you’re even saying this. You know what we talk about in this room stays in this room,” I tell her.

“So, my client insists the item she stole is hers, that it was stolen from her twenty-five years ago by her sister-in-law who owns the shop. Apparently, they’ve had a feud for a couple of decades when my client’s husband died, and my client insists his sister poisoned him. She said her sister-in-law took the item from her home and hid it until she decided to put it up for sale in her high-end antique store. My client came in and saw it, and stole it. It’s worth twelve-hundred dollars making the crime a felony. Her sister-in-law said she’d drop charges if my client apologized and admitted she didn’t steal it, and didn’t kill her brother, but my client said over her dead body. We’ve been in court for two days.”

“How does it look like it’s going to end?” I ask.

“I usually have some idea of how it will end, but I have no clue with this one. The entire case has been a circus with the two women yelling at each other through the proceedings. The judge has thrown her hands up a few times and has nearly walked out. I’ve never seen such a circus in that room. There’s no way the judge is going to put sweet little eighty-year-old women in jail, so she does a lot of looking down. I have to fight my ass off not to laugh as I’m sure the jurors are having to do. It’s quite comical.”

“This sounds like a scene from a good sitcom,” I say. “I’d watch this any day of the week. Are you sure this is real?”

“I promise you this is really happening. I wish you could be in there. It’s so much fun. I wouldn’t doubt if this is made into a sitcom, though. Maybe that would make the two women settle their differences, but I don’t see it happening. I think their feud is what’s keeping them alive at this point.”

“Whatever keeps you young is a beautiful thing. I love that you get to do cases like this. It’s so much fun.” I pause as I look at her. “I’ve been keeping something from you that I feel guilty about, but I just finished, and I want your opinion.”

“You’ve been keeping something from me?” she asks with horror.

“I know. I know. It breaks every code we’ve set for ourselves, but I was so unsure of myself that I didn’t want to say anything,” I tell her.

“Well, if you don’t spill right here and now I’m going to kick your ass,” she warns.

I laugh, take a deep breath, then spit it out. “I wrote a book.” I stop as she gapes at me.

“What do you mean, you wrote a book?” she asks.

“I wrote a full length fiction novel,” I say, making it very clear.

She stares me down for a long while, her mouth hanging open. I know she’s wondering how in the world I’ve kept this a secret from her. We don’t keep secrets. I feel even worse I haven’t told her, but I just wasn’t ready yet.

“You’ve written an entire book, and aren’t saying something until now?” she gasps. “How long have you been writing it and what’s it about?”

“For about a year, and it’s a romance book about a librarian who travels Europe and falls in love. I started and stopped a million times, but I’ve been inspired being in my own romance with Magnus, including putting our own dates into the book, and it helps that I’m feeling all high on love myself right now. I like it. I’ve read it over and really do like it, but I need to know what you have to say about it. If I give it to you, though, you have to be honest with me. I might actually try to publish it, but I can’t do that if it’s less than perfect.”

“First off you, better not ever keep something like this secret from me again,” she warns. Then she smiles at me. “Secondly, of course I’m going to read it, and I know it will be great. I want to end this girl’s night right now so I can dive in.”

“No way. I’ve been looking forward to this night all week. We’re watching a chick flick together and talking all night. You can start reading tomorrow,” I tell her.

“Just let me read the first chapter tonight,” she pleads.

I shake my head. “Nope. I’ll email it to you in the morning,” I tell her.

She crosses her arms and glares at me, but then she laughs as she leans over and gives me a big hug. “I love how much our lives keep evolving. Wow, my best friend is going to be a famous author. How amazing is that!”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. It might suck. But I’m pretty proud I got through it.”

“I know it will be amazing.”

“That’s why you’re my bestie,” I say.

We talk some more before we settle back and start our movie. We don’t see much of it as we keep coming up with new things to talk about, but it’s a perfect night, and one that’s been greatly needed. I love this woman with all of my heart. With Magnus in my life as well I feel like I’ve won the lottery. I can’t imagine life will get any better than it is right here and now.

Chapter Eighteen

Piper

I’m driving up a winding road, heading to an address Magnus sent me this morning asking me to come to. As usual, he’s close-lipped, not telling me what he’s up to. I’ve lived in my small town for most of my life, and this area is one I haven’t often come to. There are beautiful homes here with lots of acreage and stunning lawns. When I reach the top of the hill, I turn down a long tree-lined driveway where I see Magnus’s sleek vehicle parked out front.

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