Page 99 of Good Girls Don't Kiss and Tell (Rock Canyon, Idaho 7)

Suddenly, Eric was wide awake. He’d sent his book to Jim? Ah, son of a…

“Listen, Jim, I’m—”

“I got to say, son, this is really good stuff.

Eric paused. “Did you read the whole thing?”

“Yeah, your text woke me up, so I figured I’d finish it. Why don’t I pick you up, and we can grab a cup of coffee? I have an idea I want to run past you. I assume you’re worried about what the town is going to think, right?”

“Actually, yeah.”

“Then relax, kid, and trust me one last time.”

* * *

On Friday, Gracie sat in the courthouse lobby, waiting for her turn to be called. Margaret was already there, looking pale and thinner than just the week before. Gracie hated that she was in so much pain, but was too nervous to come up with anything to comfort her.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed, and she pressed the screen to see what it was. An email from Gemma about the Rock Canyon Press.

You need to read this!!! the subject line read.

Curious, Gracie tapped on the email.

Miss Know-It-All Says Good-Bye

Gracie’s heart leapt in her chest, and she kept reading.

Citizens of Rock Canyon. It has been my pleasure to engage you, to thrill you, and, at times, irritate you with my column. Please know that everything I have written has been for the sake of entertainment and not to hurt any of you. Especially the woman I love.

Yes, I, Eric Henderson, have been masquerading as a woman in order to give you titillating gossip. But that’s not all I’ve done.

I have also written a novel, a work of fiction, based on my time as Miss Know-It-All. I realize I may offend some of you, and I hope you know it was not my intention. I wanted to create larger-than-life characters who would jump off the page and make readers love them, hate them, or love to hate them. They are not any of you, however. They are overblown figments of my imagination, with grains of reality at the root. All I mean is, although you may see yourself in a character, it is not how I truly see you.

Take the character of Suzie. She’s a beautiful, selfish woman who plays the hero’s heart like a fiddle. Now, the woman who closely resembles Suzie is kind. She is selfless and loving. She is generous and loyal…

And I am in love with her.

I only hope she sees this final column, and finds it in her heart to forgive. To believe in me and what we have together is very real. And that I want every little piece of her.

“Gracie McAllister?” someone called from the courtroom.

Gracie climbed to her feet, her hands trembling as she turned her phone on silent. Eric had presented her with a grand gesture, a romantic overture in front of everyone. It was a move that would surely gain him some enemies and yet…he hadn’t care. He had stuck his neck out to prove his love was real.

Gracie walked into the courtroom smiling. There was no one there to contest her guardianship, and Margaret spoke of her with such warmth that Gracie wept openly.

When the judge granted her guardianship, Gracie hugged Margaret hard, and they walked out into the sunshine together. Despite the cold wind chill, it was a gorgeous day.

Or maybe that was just the reflection of everything Gracie was feeling.

A rail thin woman in her forties was playing on the front steps with Pip, and when Gracie saw her, she ran down the steps as quickly as she could. Pip held up her arms just as Gracie swept her up and hugged her tight.

Tears pricked her eyes as she whispered, “You get to come home with me, sweetheart. I missed you.”

Pip’s arms tightened around her neck. “Missed Mommy.”

Gracie’s heart somersaulted in her chest. Mommy. I’m mommy.

“Gracie, this is my daughter, Hazel. She’s Pip’s grandmother.”