The Romance Reviews Fall into Love Party

Welcome Romance Readers! In this excerpt from Parallel Lives, Part 1, Leah is in New York and has received a message from Irene, who is babysitting for her granddaughter, Zoey, in Florida. (Irene is Zoey's other grandma.)

Leah disconnected from the Internet so she wouldn’t be tempted to check email or get back online. She was about to power her phone off when it beeped. Leah saw that several more text messages had come in from Irene.

“Oh, good. More pics of my little ray of sunshine. Couldn’t have come at a better time.” Leah grabbed her smoothie and brought it with her to the couch, where she stretched out, feet on the coffee table, to enjoy a few moments with her granddaughter before digging into the day’s writing.

In the first picture, Zoey was still in her onesie from the night before. Irene must have gotten there early before Ali had a chance to dress the baby. There was Zoey, a plump little ball covered in the pink and purple hearts of the one-piece pajamas, sitting up in the crib playing with some stuffed animals. She had a big grin, which showed her two bottom and two top teeth.

Leah read the text beneath the photo. “Seeing her get this happy just to see me walk in the room makes getting here at 6:30 in the morning totally painless. Had to share. Hugs, Irene.”

“Oh, I am so jealous! Look at that face!” Leah kissed Zoey on the nose through the phone. She clicked on the next text. Zoey was now dressed in a two-piece pink, purple, and turquoise tie-dye leggings set, trimmed in lace, with a big purple heart in the center of her chest.

Irene wrote, “All dressed up with somewhere to go. Off to Mommy and Me class—or in this case, Grandma and Me.”

Now Leah was really jealous. She longed to have the baby for a day and take her for fun outings. She caught herself in the pout Jonathan described and quickly straightened out her face, running her hands around her lips and between her eyes to smooth out any lines. She laughed out loud and spoke to the photo on the phone.

“Zoey, you would love me, wrinkles and all, wouldn’t you?”

She made a face, probably causing more deepening of the lines, and shrugged. “Grandmas are supposed to have wrinkles.”

She clicked ahead to the next shots, but they weren’t very good. None of them were close enough to get a good look at that beautiful face, so Leah clicked back to the photo of Zoey in her pajamas.

Leah kissed the baby’s face on the screen again and placed her cell phone flat on her chest as she closed her eyes to imagine what it would be like to walk in early in the morning and find that little bundle of joy waiting for her with outstretched arms.

She’d pick that baby up and give her a big hug and special grandma kiss. Then she’d bring Zoey over to the futon on the other side of the room and spend some morning love time playing peek-a-boo and other silly games that delight nine-month-old babies.

Leah could smell Zoey’s sweet baby smell and feel the softness of her smooth face. She could even hear the soft baby gurgly laugh. It sounded so real!

She opened her eyes, and there was Zoey on her chest, poking her, wanting to play more. Leah’s mouth stretched wide open, but nothing came out.

Where was she?

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Hope you've enjoyed the excerpt. Thanks for the visit! 

The Romance Reviews Sizzling Summer Reads Party

Welcome, romance readers! Here's an excerpt from The Prince Charming Hoax to help you answer the quiz question:



The phone was ringing when Leah turned off the shower. She ran to pick it up, her wet feet slipping on the tile and her hair leaving a trail of water droplets as she raced through her bedroom. She grabbed the receiver. “Hello.”

“Leah, where have you been? Why aren’t you answering any of my messages?”

“Doug?” Damn, she should have checked the call screen.

“Yes. Remember me?”

“Look, I’m dripping wet from the shower, Doug. This isn’t a good time.”

“I’ll be in meetings the rest of the day. I have to talk to you, now. Get a towel. I’ll wait.”

Leah walked back to the bathroom and wrapped herself in her terry robe and pulled her hair back in a clip. “What is it?”

“Leah, have you listened to your voice mail or checked your email since yesterday?”

“No.”

“What’s going on?”

“I’ve been busy with Ali.”

“You can tell me about that later. I have some important things to go over with you.”

Leah hated when he took on his corporate “I’m Mr. Important” voice with her, but he didn’t give her a chance to interrupt.

“I'm flying out tonight, and I’ll be away for three weeks,” he continued. “Things are very unstable with the Euro right now, and I have to secure our investments. I won’t be here when you and Ali arrive, but I want you to know that I’ve arranged to have the corporate apartment ready for you. You can stay there indefinitely until I’m able to leave Amanda and get a real place for us.”

“Ali and I aren’t coming to New York, Doug.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m not coming to New York to be some high-price courtesan you keep until you’re ready to leave your wife. I never intended to be the other woman, Doug. You are always on the verge of leaving your wife, but you never do. The deal was that when I came to New York, we were going to be together—out in the open. Not hiding like two criminals.”

“It’s not like that, and you know it. I’d leave Amanda in a second if it weren’t for the kids. I can’t leave right now, but I will. I promise I will, as soon as I can. The important thing is for us to be together, Leah.”

He paused and his tone softened. “I love you so much. And I need you now more than ever. Please, Leah. Be patient a little while longer.”

Leah sat on the bed and closed her eyes. She felt herself wavering. She could see his face, his expression when he looked at her lovingly.

She opened her eyes. “No. If you love me, show me some respect. Acknowledge me to the world. Tell everyone I’m your woman.”

“I will, Leah, I promise. It won’t be long now, I swear. But, there are some things I have to take care of first.”

“You know what? I have some things I have to take care of, too, Doug. Like me and Ali. And she deserves a mother who doesn’t hide in dark corners and corporate apartments.”

“What are you going to do, Leah? You were all set to come.”

“Yes, well, now I’m all set to stay. Roxie has found me a very nice place on the beach. Ali and I will be just fine.”

“Leah, meet me in Paris, and we’ll talk this over. I can get you on a flight tomorrow.”

“No way. Ali graduates next week. I’m not going to Paris. Look, Doug. You go to Paris. Save the world economy. I don’t give a damn any more. I don’t want to hear it, any of it. You were very convincing the other night. You’re right. Your children need you.”

“Leah, please think about it a little more. I need you in my life. Maybe after Ali leaves for college, we’ll go away together. We can go to Napa Valley and stay in one of those wonderful bed and breakfasts. You can go to the spa—”

“I’m not taking another trip with you under an assumed name. I’m not taking separate flights and lying to protect you any more. Don’t you get it, Doug? It’s over.”

“Leah, they’ve buzzed me three times for my meeting. I’ll call you—”

“Don’t. Go to your important meeting, Doug. Go to Paris. Just go. Good-bye.” She clicked off the phone and tossed it on the bed.

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Hope you've enjoyed the excerpt. Thanks for the visit!