The Secret Sister by M. DeLuca (leveled readers txt) 📗

“What the hell’s going on?” he gasps, catching my arm. “I thought I’d lost you.”

I turn to Dennis who’s pulled a ball cap low over his eyes.

“This is my dad, Dennis.”

Guy pulls back, his brows knit as he glances from me to Dennis. “I don’t get it – you didn’t say anything.”

“Remember, you said you’d be patient and when I was ready, you’d listen.”

He rakes a hand through his hair. Beads of perspiration glisten on his forehead. “I know – I did, but now’s not the time. Something terrible has happened and…”

I stroke a dampened curl of hair away from his eyes and hold my index finger up to his lips. “I know all about it.”

“How – how’s that possible?” He holds onto the arm of the bench and steadies himself.

I stroke his shoulder. Try to reassure him. “Will you come back to the hotel and let me explain?”

His eyes are wide and startled. He pulls back like he’s trapped. “I don’t know – I mean, you’re scaring me.”

Dennis moves to my side, his body resting against mine as if to shore me up. “My daughter has a good heart, son. She’s got quite a story to tell you, if you’ll listen.”

Guy chews at his lip. I reach a hand out to him. He studies the wedding ring now glinting in the sunlight, then reaches out and, with the tip of his finger and thumb, lightly turns it so the stone is centered.

“No more secrets or lies?” he says.

I clasp his hand and shake my head. “Just the truth, and it starts with my beautiful sister, Birdie.”

A Message from M.M. DeLuca

Thank you so much for reading read The Secret Sister. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! If you’d like to keep up-to-date with any of my new releases, please click the link below to reach the sign-up form for my newsletter. Your e-mail will never be shared, and I’ll only contact you when I have news about a new release. Sign up using the link below!

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M.M. DeLuca

Acknowledgements

My sincere thanks to everyone who read and commented on early drafts of The Secret Sister, particularly my sister, Janet, and friends, Leslie and Kay. Their enthusiastic feedback was invaluable to me.

Many thanks also go to the amazing publishing team at Canelo, most notably my editor, Leodora Darlington, whose unflagging optimism and passion, as well as her insightful sense of story and structure inspired me to produce the best work possible. Also thanks to the other team members who helped make this an incredibly smooth and exciting journey: copyeditor, Jane Eastgate; proofreader, Claire Rushbrook; designer, Lisa Horton; sales and publicity, Francesca Riccardi, supported by Claudine Sagoe; marketing, Nicola Piggott; production, Micaela Cavaletto.

Thanks also to my family: brothers Trevor, Ken and his wife, Linda. Your interest and unwavering support have spurred me to keep on writing. To my son, Mike, and daughter, Laura, your imagination and creativity amaze and inspire me. To my husband, Fausto, thanks for supporting my work and putting up with the hermit in the office!

Thanks also to the beautiful city of Minneapolis where I’ve spent many happy times.

Finally, a huge thank-you to all the readers out there. It’s your love of reading that keeps me striving to produce the best work I can. I couldn’t have done this without you!

About the Author

M. M. DeLuca spent her childhood in Durham City, England. After studying Psychology at the University of London, Goldsmiths College, she moved to Winnipeg, Canada where she worked as a teacher then as a freelance writer. She studied Advanced Creative writing with Pulitzer prizewinning author, Carol Shields and has received several local arts council grants for her work. Her first novel, The Pitman’s Daughter was shortlisted for the Chapters Robertson Davies first novel in Canada award in 2001. She went on to self-publish it on Amazon in 2013 where it reached the Amazon Top 20 in the literary bestseller chart. Her novel The Savage Instinct was shortlisted for the Launchpad Manuscript Contest (USA) in 2017 where it was picked up by independent publisher, Inkshares.

First published in the United Kingdom in 2021 by Canelo

Canelo Digital Publishing Limited

31 Helen Road

Oxford OX2 0DF

United Kingdom

Copyright © M. M. DeLuca, 2021

The moral right of M. M. DeLuca to be identified as the creator of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Ebook ISBN 9781800323285

Print ISBN 9781800323292

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

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