All Chocolate, Extra Cherries

By Jane Drager

Grace O'Dell isn't in the mood to smile. Her mom is dying, her bank account is depleted, and come Labor Day she could lose her job. Mentally and physically tired, she wonders if she will ever be able to have her dream love.

Joe McGann's mission is to make the beautiful woman he spies smile. She looks so sad, and something about her tugs at his heart. He knows a banana split is a great way to break the ice. But convincing her to accept his invitation could take an act of divine intervention.

• Language: Unknown
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Aug 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781509232543

Jane Drager

With a growing backlist of books, Jane Drager continues to write mysteries with a strong romantic element, always with a happily-ever-after. An avid reader as well as writer, Jane has lived her life as diverse as her stories. She was a journalist, sports editor, office manager, firefighter, ambulance captain, caterer's assistant, but retired from her long career as a Respiratory Therapist and instructor. She's married to a wonderful organic farmer who keeps her busy with canning and freezing.

Book preview

Inc.

Then, the familiar tingle from the ice cream shop returned. He looked to his right and saw her on the promenade about thirty feet away, watching him. She clutched her purse strap like the bag would jump off her shoulder and run away. But man-o-man, seeing her, he barely contained a runaway heart. She had that effect, and he liked the feeling. She wore the same clothes, too, but he doubted her uniform deviated. Jumping to his feet, he removed his glasses. I was afraid you wouldn’t come.

Slipping the sunglasses from her nose, she meandered toward him. I can’t believe you did.

Then, a slow smile stretched her luscious lips. Her teeth were brighter than the sun, and he blinked. As she stood before him, he wasn’t sure what to do next—hug her, kiss her, or sigh like an idiot. Instead, he wiped his moist palms along his shorts. Want to stroll on the beach?

We need beach tags. Unless it’s after five o’clock.

He cocked a brow. A what?

Beach tags. Some towns call them badges or passes, but Cape May calls them tags. Either way, it’s a fee to use the beach.

Rats. A glitch he hadn’t anticipated.

Praise for Jane Drager

"THE RIDDLE KEY was quite gripping. The book completely kept me hooked. The author made the plot interesting and kept the story flowing smoothly."

~Krithika S.

~*~

"SECRETS AND ASSUMPTIONS was such a great book, I couldn’t put it down. Nothing pleases me more than a woman who takes charge of her own destiny."

~Elizabeth J.

~*~

"I loved every chapter of INFINITE CHOICES. When Carissa and Mitch collided on someone else’s front lawn, they started their story off with a bang. The suspense grew from that point on."

~Joy. H.

All Chocolate, Extra Cherries

by

Jane Drager

One Scoop or Two

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

All Chocolate, Extra Cherries

COPYRIGHT © 2020 by Jane Drager

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Abigail Owen

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Sweetheart Rose Edition, 2020

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-3254-3

One Scoop or Two

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

To all those who love chocolate ice cream.

Nothing beats the pure joy

of a melt-in-your-mouth experience.

Chapter One

Stuffing the remainder of a hot dog into his mouth, Joe McGann watched the woman on the bench without an iota of discretion. He couldn’t help himself. No woman should look sad, especially one so drop-dead gorgeous. She could make a man choke to death. With all the summertime fun surrounding her, she should be smiling at the bright sunshine or enjoying the happy people passing along the promenade.

The perfect weather brought a steady influx of patrons to the shore community of Cape May, New Jersey. From a business standpoint, he gave an invisible thumbs-up to the money-making potential of so many people. On the personal side, crowds robbed privacy. Not to mention, they obstructed his view of the woman on the bench. Sighing, he waited for a large group to pass. Hurry up already.

With his luck, she’d disappear with the crowd, but his heart gave a happy little thump to see she hadn’t moved. Her attire of a short-sleeved white blouse, black slacks, and black sneakers looked more like a uniform than anything touristy. More likely, she worked as a food server in one of the many restaurants. Such an occupation would explain the downtrodden expression. Since the time was two-thirty on a hot, Tuesday afternoon, she probably just finished a busy lunch shift.

Another large crowd strolled by to block his view. Diverting his gaze, he checked out the vehicles passing along Beach Avenue, the main thoroughfare running parallel to the promenade. The boardwalk—well, not really boards—ran along the beach and consisted entirely of concrete with vinyl benches spaced evenly along the way. The raised platform stood several feet off the ground, and the entire cement structure acted as a barrier to protect the town from a storm surge. Brilliant, in his opinion. With New Jersey as a peninsula state, the coastline storms hit with wicked strength.

Being summer, families, wearing brightly-colored clothes, either strolled the shops or rode bicycles up and down the street. Parents guided children through the fence openings to the beach with arms full of blankets, coolers, and chairs while their kids waved plastic buckets and shouted with joy. On the other side of the street and opposite the promenade, stores and small eateries enjoyed a flow of patrons. Overall, happy faces surrounded him. Everyone left their troubles at home—all except the lone woman on the bench. While sipping a soda through a straw, he let his gaze drift back.

Once the group passed, he released a slow breath to see she hadn’t disappeared. He had no idea why he considered approaching her. His purpose for the three-hour drive was to scout the area. A woman would complicate his plans, but something about her captivated him. When she lifted her face skyward, she revealed a slender neck waiting to be tasted. Such a position dangled a long, auburn ponytail over the backrest of her bench, but her sunglasses intrigued him more. He’d like to see the whole picture, not only the tanned face. He’d bet she had breathtaking eyes.

Unable to resist any longer, he slurped the last of his soda, tossed the container into a