Title: A Brand New Ending
Author: Jennifer Probst
Release Date: October 23, 2018
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Synopsis
Ophelia Bishop was a lovestruck teenage girl when she and Kyle Kimpton chased their dreams to Hollywood. Kyle’s dreams came true. Ophelia’s did not. When Kyle chose his career over their relationship, Ophelia returned home to rural New York to run the family’s B & B—wiser, and more guarded against foolish fantasies. Now Kyle has come crashing back into her life, and all her defenses are down.
Kyle can’t think of a better place to write his latest screenplay than his hometown. After all, that was where he met the heart of his inspiration—his first love. He knows the damage he’s caused Ophelia, and he wants a chance to mend their relationship. If anyone can prove to Ophelia that happy ever afters aren’t only for the movies, it should be him.
As much as Ophelia’s changed, she still has feelings for Kyle. But her heart has been broken before, and she knows that Kyle could run back to Hollywood at any time. She gave up her dreams once, but maybe she can dare to change her own love story…one last time.
Exclusive Excerpt
Kyle glanced at the clock. Time to give Ophelia the next round of meds. He heated up the kettle and fixed a cup of tea, another glass of water with lemon, and some dry toast. Rummaging through the cabinets, he found a tray and loaded it all up.
Easing into Ophelia’s bedroom, he set the tray on the bureau, tiptoed to the bed, and leaned over.
“Holy shit!” She jerked up in surprise.
He jolted back, almost falling on his ass.
Hair a mess of tangles sticking up around her head, skin still damp and flushed from the fever, a dirty T-shirt hanging off one shoulder, she blinked wildly like a night creature awakened by a predator. “You scared me,” she croaked out.
“I think you scared me more.”
She groaned and flopped back on the pillow. “Sorry, I was having some type of crazy dream. I got stuck in the Willy Wonka factory, and they were putting me through the taffy machine.”
His lips twitched. “At least it’s better than the one you used to have.”
A pained laugh escaped. “The one where I’m a female Ben Stiller in Zoolander and the only way to save the world is to walk the runway like a badass, but I trip and fall and rip my skirt and everyone sees me half-naked? Still have that one, too.”
“Always wondered why you never wore underwear on the runway.”
“I was a slut.”
He laughed. “Every time you got stressed you’d wake up screaming from that dream.”
“I’d rather be in a taffy machine than naked in front of a judging crowd.” Her smile was quickly wiped out by a fit of coughing.
He moved toward the bed and laid a hand on her forehead. “Still warm. We should get you into some dry clothes. These are damp.”
“Forget it. I know it’s just a plan to seduce me.”
His lips twitched in a smile. “Baby, as much as I want to see you naked again, you’re too sick for even me to get excited. I’ll help get you into clean pj’s, and then you can try and eat some toast.”
“I already told you not to call me that, and I can do it myself. I have to get back to work anyway.” She pointed to the bottom drawer. “Can you just grab me some sweats and a T-shirt?”
He pulled out a cozy fleece set and watched her ease to the side of the bed, brows knit with determination. He tamped back a frustrated sigh. She was never one to surrender gracefully. The woman would fight with spit and sass till her dying breath.
She slowly stood up, took a few steps, and floundered.
“That’s it.” He swept her up into his arms, carried her to the bathroom, and set her gently back on her feet. “Turn around. I promise I won’t look.”
The pallor of her skin and the glassiness of her eyes softened her mulish expression. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine.”
She fell into another coughing fit, and he gently moved her so her back faced him. With quick, methodical motions, he lifted her shirt over her head and replaced it within seconds. Before she had time to protest, he’d already tugged her sweats over her hips, leaning down to gently untangle the fabric from her legs and replace them with the new pair. He made sure to keep his gaze firmly averted from the tiny scrap of black lace that covered her. Soon, she was fully dressed.
He turned her back around. “See? That wasn’t so bad, right? Let’s get you back to bed.”
He carried her back and propped her up on a few pillows. Then he sat on the edge of the bed and brought the mug of tea to her lips. She took a sip, closing her eyes with pleasure. “Thank you. That’s good.”
“Welcome. Listen, you need to rest again today. You can’t work with a fever.”
“How bad is it out there?” she asked, biting down on her lip. “Are the skiers a lot to handle? Is Aubrey coming back?”
“The skiers are fine—nice guys. Aubrey’s coming tomorrow morning.”
Her eyes widened with panic. “Oh my God, I have to clean ten rooms! I forgot she couldn’t make it today.”
“I’ll do it. Here, drink more and take a few bites. Let’s see if this stays down.”
She moaned through the motions of eating and drinking her tea. “This is a nightmare—do you know how to prep a room properly?”
He shrugged. “Sure. Clean it up and make the bed.”
“Yes, but make sure everything is organized, and the bathroom is spotless, and the toilet paper and tissues are refilled. Use that vanilla-coconut scented spray if it’s a bit funky, and make sure you vacuum.”
“Got it. Take more meds so you can get some sleep.”
She swallowed her pill and coughed. Kyle could tell she had no energy. She lay limply back, barely able to keep her eyes open. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “I never meant for you to get stuck with all this.”
He stroked her hair back from her forehead and dabbed some lingering crumbs from her lips with the napkin. “I could never be stuck with you,” he said quietly. “I like taking care of you.”
“Don’t be nice to me,” she murmured. Her head lolled drunkenly as exhaustion overtook her.
He pulled the covers up to her chin and edged the extra pillow to the side so she’d be more comfortable to sleep.
“Why?”
Her soft voice drifted to his ears in a caress. “Because I can’t fall for you again.” Then she closed her eyes and slept.
About the Author
Jennifer Probst is the New York Times bestselling author of the Billionaire Builders series, the Searching For series, The Marriage series, the Steele Brothers series, and The Start of Something Good, which is the first book in the Stay series. Like some of her characters, Probst, along with her husband and two sons, calls New York’s Hudson Valley home. When she isn’t traveling to meet readers, she enjoys reading, watching “shameful reality television,” and visiting a local Hudson Valley animal shelter.
