Synopsis

An uplifting women’s fiction novel full of romance, intrigue, and a vacation that shapes destiny.

After being dumped by her fiancé, heartbroken Morgan spends time with her best friend, Amanda, hoping to forget her troubles. While looking through old family photographs together, Morgan notices a picture of Amanda’s grandmother, Veronika. The woman looks just like her. Suddenly, meeting her becomes important. The only problem is that she lives overseas.

On a trip to Budapest, Morgan meets Veronika, who is now eighty years old. As the two women get to know each other, Veronika shares a secret with Morgan about a tragic romance that ended under mysterious circumstances. Discovering what happened becomes Morgan’s obsession. Veronika’s happiness is her number one goal. Morgan thinks that if she can fix Veronika’s life, there may be hope for her own.

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Excerpt

The humiliation of the previous week had shaken Morgan. Every time she thought of what had happened, her stomach lurched. She opened the newly purchased anti-aging serum and applied a few drops to her freshly washed face before gazing at her reflection in the mirror. Her skin had no wrinkles; she still looked great. Yet somehow, at twenty-nine years old, her fiancé had dumped her for a nineteen-year-old. “A new version of her,” he had cruelly said.

The memory of Christopher proposing surfaced. It was a hot summer day at the beach, and they sat next to each other, watching a group of kids build a sandcastle when Christopher turned to her and said, “We should get married. What do you think?”

Morgan’s breath caught in her throat. She had waited years for him to propose and couldn’t believe it was finally happening. They shared a passionate kiss after she said yes, Morgan brimming with joy as the man she loved held her in his arms.

She sighed, wondering what had gone wrong. Christopher never complained about anything. Their relationship had been happy until it abruptly ended.

She put the lid on the face serum and set it on the counter, thinking it was better to lose him now than after the wedding.

Morgan headed to the living room and plopped onto the couch. She closed her eyes, intending to nap, but the image of the girl Christopher had left her for popped into her mind, making her feel depressed. The nineteen-year-old was stunning; she radiated youth. Morgan thought about how she looked ten years ago and didn’t believe she had changed much. Her abs were flat, and her behind was toned. Plus, she still had perky breasts. In fact, just last week, a handsome stranger struck up a conversation with her at the grocery store and asked her on a date. She had declined because she had sworn off men until she could better figure them out. But the stranger had proven there was nothing wrong with how she looked.

If that’s true, why do I feel like an ugly troll?

Morgan turned onto her side and curled into a ball. She pulled a plaid wool blanket over herself, wishing to disappear. As she lay there, she reflected on everything that had happened before the breakup and eventually drifted off to sleep.

The phone rang, waking her. Morgan checked the screen and saw that it was her best friend, Amanda.

“Let’s go to dinner,” Amanda suggested after Morgan answered. “Anywhere you like. My treat.”

Morgan appreciated the offer but wasn’t in the mood to leave the house. Before she could decline, Amanda added, “Or I can stop by and bring cake.”

Morgan reflected on her healthy diet and all the hours she spent at the gym. Distraught and feeling that her good habits hadn’t helped, she said, “Cake sounds good. The yellow kind with chocolate frosting.”

“I’m on it,” Amanda told her. “See you soon.”

Morgan’s spirits lifted after she disconnected. Amanda always knew what she needed. Instead of discussing a problem for hours on end, she was the type of friend who could take your mind off whatever you needed to forget.

In what seemed like an impossibly short time, Amanda stood in her doorway, a grocery bag in one hand and a bottle of white wine in the other. An oversized purse, the same color as her blue pixie cut, hung from her shoulder.

“Let’s bake,” Amanda said as she marched into the house.

Morgan followed her to the kitchen. Once there, she unpacked the grocery bag while Amanda pulled a mixing bowl from the cabinet. The two worked together, with Amanda gathering ingredients as Morgan preheated the oven. Then, Amanda opened the bottle of wine and poured a glass for each of them.

Amanda kept Morgan busy with order and structure, distracting her from her troubles. Morgan took a sip of the chilled wine and glanced at Amanda. She was about to start talking about

Christopher but opted not to, choosing instead to watch her friend crack eggs with one hand, mix the batter with a whisk, and pour the mixture into a non-stick pan.

Amanda opened the can of chocolate frosting and slid it across the counter to Morgan. “I got the jumbo size,” she said with a grin.

Morgan grabbed a spoon and dug into the container. The frosting was decadent, literally dancing on her tongue. A tear slid down her cheek as she took a sip of wine to wash it down. Amanda noticed and rushed toward her, giving her a big hug.

“I thought he loved me,” Morgan said through sniffles. “The last three years were so nice.”

About the Author

Kim Cano is the author of six women’s fiction novels: A Widow Redefined, On the Inside, Eighty and Out, His Secret Life, and When the Time Is Right, and The Healing Train. Kim has also written a short story collection called For Animal Lovers. 10% of the sale price of that book is donated to the ASPCA® to help homeless pets.

Kim Cano lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and cat.

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