Spotlight: The Stepsisters by Susan Mallery
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Once upon a time, when her dad married Sage’s mom, Daisy was thrilled to get a bright and shiny new sister. But Sage was beautiful and popular, everything Daisy was not, and she made sure Daisy knew it.
Sage didn’t have Daisy’s smarts—she had to go back a grade to enroll in the fancy rich-kid school. So she used her popularity as a weapon, putting Daisy down to elevate herself. After the divorce, the stepsisters’ rivalry continued until the final, improbable straw: Daisy married Sage’s first love, and Sage fled California.
Eighteen years, two kids and one troubled marriage later, Daisy never expects—or wants—to see Sage again. But when the little sister they have in common needs them both, they put aside their differences to care for Cassidy. As long-buried truths are revealed, no one is more surprised than they when friendship blossoms.
Their fragile truce is threatened by one careless act that could have devastating consequences. They could turn their backs on each other again…or they could learn to forgive once and for all and finally become true sisters of the heart.
Excerpt
“By seven o’clock, Daisy thought she might have all the crises in her life a little more under control. Krissa hadn’t thrown up since the afternoon, and Ben was definitely on the mend.
She leaned against the kitchen counter and debated whether to eat dinner or simply have a glass of wine and call it a night. The sensible choice was to eat something and she was mostly a sensible person. But she also had to face Jordan sometime in the next hour or so, and right now she was feeling ill-equipped.
“When is Mr. Jordan coming by?” Esmerelda asked, wiping an already clean counter for the sixth time.
“He didn’t say.”
Daisy had already told the other woman about the phone call. Despite the size of the house, there weren’t many secrets—not from Esmerelda. The housekeeper had figured out Jordan had left before Daisy had. She’d seen the empty hangers in his closet and the suitcase missing from the shelf.
“I have a nice pork chop for you,” she said. “With the green beans and almonds. Or I could make you a salad. I roasted the golden beets you like.”
“I can get myself dinner.”
“You can do a lot of things, but that doesn’t mean I’m not standing here, wanting to do my job.”
Daisy smiled. “You’re very sweet to me.”
“You’re family.”
Employer/employee, but also family. Esmerelda’s older cousin had been Daisy’s nanny when she’d been growing up. Daisy had hired Esmerelda shortly before her wedding to Jordan. Esmerelda managed the house and helped with the kids. Daisy would be lost without her.
“Jordan’s moving into a long-term-stay hotel,” she said.
Esmerelda’s concerned expression didn’t change. “For how long?”
“I have no idea. He’s on his way over so we can figure that out along with what to say to the kids. I’ll eat after I talk to him,” she said.
Esmerelda pressed her lips together. “After you talk to him, you won’t feel like eating.”
“So, hey, a new diet program. We could make a fortune.”
Esmerelda murmured something Daisy couldn’t hear and started pulling packages out of the refrigerator. She placed a small bowl of olives, several slices of cheeses and some crackers at one end of the massive island. While Daisy poured herself a glass of red wine, Esmerelda cut up an apple and added a few clusters of grapes.
“So the wine doesn’t go to your head,” she said, adding a cloth napkin.
“You are wise, as always.”
On an empty stomach, Daisy was a total lightweight. Better to deal with Jordan with all her faculties intact. He was better at fighting than she was. She’d graduated from UCLA with a 4.0 GPA but she lacked the killer instinct to be a really good street fighter—at least when it came to her marriage.
As she picked up a slice of Brie and put it on a rosemary cracker, she supposed not being good at the emotional dig was something she should be happy about. If only she wasn’t always the one getting gut-punched and left on the side of the marital road.
She was just polishing off her snack when Jordan arrived. Esmerelda let him in while Daisy considered pouring a second glass of wine.
“Not the best idea,” she murmured as she braced herself for the upcoming conversation. Figuring out what to tell their children about their separation wasn’t going to be easy. She should have made some notes beforehand. They needed a strategy.
Jordan breezed into the kitchen. In the past, the sight of his tall, lean body and easy stride would have had her stomach doing cartwheels. Several years into their marriage, he’d still had the ability to make her heart beat faster. Just not lately. As her gaze met his, she felt only dread and a longing for when it had been, if not easy, then at least comfortable between them.
“How are the kids?” he asked, pouring himself a glass of wine.
“Better.” She pointed to the back staircase. “You want to go see for yourself?”
He took a big swallow, put down the glass and went upstairs. She followed, wanting to know what was said. A realization that didn’t speak well of the trust between them.
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About the Author
No.1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives – family, friendship, romance. She’s known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages. Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur.
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