Saving Anna (A Sweet Life Novel, Band 3) - Softcover

Struth, Sharon

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1516103602 ISBN 13: 9781516103607

Verlag: Kensington, 2018

Inhaltsangabe

Germany’s sparkling Rhineland is the perfect place for a fresh start . . .
 
Warming people’s hearts with true accounts of kindness is what columnist Anna Kelly does best. But no one knows the private misery she endures in her abusive marriage. Still, leaving is difficult—until a deeply personal bequest from a beloved elderly neighbor compels Anna to travel to Germany. There she begins an unexpected adventure of paying it forward that will take her far from her complicated life in Brooklyn.
 
Arriving in the historic and picturesque city of Mainz, on the breathtaking Rhine River, Anna settles in at a cozy guesthouse filled with colorful residents. But fulfilling her task will require the help of a translator and knowledgeable guide.
 
Josef Schmitt will gladly shuttle the American visitor around if it distracts him from his dark thoughts. Ever since a serious accident sidelined him at the local excursions company, he’s been unable to forget the pain he caused or forgive himself. Now, accompanying Anna on her mission takes them both to surprising places—and they just may find the courage to truly set themselves free . . .
 
Praise for Sharon Struth
 
“Struth has a gift for layering stories within stories while keeping them all connected.”
—Library Journal
 
“Struth is an author to watch!”
—Laura Drake, author of RITA-award winner The Sweet Spot
 
“Sharon Struth writes a good story about love and loss. She knows her characters and has a path she wants them to take.”
—Eye on Romance
 
“The plot is refreshing and will definitely keep the reader turning page after page.”
—Fresh Fiction

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Sharon Struth believes you’re never too old to pursue a dream. The Hourglass, her debut novel, was a finalist in the National Readers’ Choice Awards for Best First Book. She is the author of the popular Blue Moon Lake series, which includes Share the Moon.
 
When she’s not working, she and her husband happily sip their way through the scenic towns of the Connecticut Wine Trail, travel the world, and enjoy spending time with their precious pets and two grown daughters. She writes from the friendliest place she’s ever lived, Bethel, Connecticut. For more information, including where to find her published essays, please visit sharonstruth.com or visit her blog, Musings from the Middle Ages & More at www.sharonstruth.wordpress.com.

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Saving Anna

The Sweet Life

By Sharon Struth

KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.

Copyright © 2018 Sharon Struth
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-5161-0360-7

CHAPTER 1

If Anna had known surviving would come down to this moment, she might never have married Patrick. She stood on the sidewalk outside their Brooklyn brownstone, doing her best to act natural despite the rapid thump of her heart.

He opened the taxi's back door, poked his head in. "LaGuardia Airport."

The driver popped the trunk and hopped out his door just as Patrick lifted his golf clubs. "Hold on, sir. Let me get those for you." He sprinted to Patrick's side and took the clubs while Patrick nodded his approval.

Maybe the driver hoped for a big tip after catching a glimpse of Patrick's thick Rolex watch or his well-tailored sports jacket. Her husband had impeccable style. Or maybe the driver caught a whiff of Patrick's unwavering confidence and wanted to stay on his good side. A simple lift of his thick, dark brows always commanded authority.

Patrick turned and approached Anna. His handsome face glowed with a smile masking the real demon inside, his scrutiny intense as he searched her the way a zoologist watches a caged animal for signs of distress.

She slipped her hands into the pockets of her lightweight tunic top, comfortable for this September day. But now goosebumps prickled up her arms as she contemplated what he might be thinking. The least suspicious response was to return his smile, so she did.

When he got close, he drew her to him, securing her arms around his waist. His voice softened. "I'll miss you, Anna-belle."

The nicknames, the dazzling and disarming sweetness. His charms had lured her when they'd first met and throughout their courtship. But she now knew he was a human Venus flytrap. She swallowed back a vile mix of hatred and fear. "I'll miss you, too."

He tilted his head, watched her with his unnerving stare. "What are your plans while I'm gone?"

She could practically see the gears in his mind churning. The wrong response would flip his sunny mood upside down. But she'd gotten better at this game and played it up with a flirtatious smile. "You mean besides missing you?"

His tight expression unwound, and he laughed. "Yes. Besides that."

"I plan to finish my column for work, maybe go see an exhibit at the Brooklyn Historical Society. And of course, treat myself to Thai food the nights you're gone."

He nodded, the silent approval making her tense body relax. "Good. When you go out, bring your cell phone. In case I need to reach you."

"I always do."

Satisfaction glinted in his dark eyes. She despised herself for pandering to his control, though doing so had become her means of survival.

Patrick's gaze dropped to her neck. He lifted the delicate heart charm hanging from a thin silver chain.

She wanted to shudder but held it in.

"While I'm down in Florida, I'll look for some earrings to match the necklace," he said softly.

She swallowed the urge to tell him she hated the necklace. "You're always too good to me."

He circled her in his arms, squeezing her in a tight hug. Pain pulsed in her upper arm, but she didn't dare complain. Not after he'd slammed her against the bathroom wall two nights ago because he hadn't seen her wear the necklace in a while. She'd kept her mouth shut and worn it every minute since. He leaned back and carefully brushed his lips to hers, the severe contrast to his harsh actions of that night mind- numbing.

He released her and stood back. "Wish me luck golfing. Tom and I have a serious bet going on this year's tournament."

"You'll do great. But good luck anyway."

He got into the cab and winked. "Love you, babe."

"Love you, too." Saying the words carried the bitter tang of a bite from a lemon, making her almost cringe. But she'd never be forced to say them again. "Have fun."

She waited by the steps. The driver fussed with something in the front seat, turned to Patrick to speak, and they both laughed.

Hurry. Leave! Her heart skipped a beat. Breath stalled. For three weeks she'd waited for this chance to leave town before the divorce papers were served.

The cab finally pulled away and she inhaled a deep breath. Patrick waved from the window. She smiled, waved back, and watched until the cab turned at the end of their tree-lined street and merged with the main road's busy Saturday morning traffic. She exhaled a sigh of relief and sprinted up the steps. She had a lot to do.

As she reached for the knob, the front door to the adjoining brownstone opened.

A woman dressed in a navy blazer, holding a lockbox in her hands, came out and glanced over to Anna. "Oh! Hello. I hoped I'd run into one of the neighbors." She stuck out her hand. "Maria Rossi, Coldwell Banker. I've been put in charge of selling this place for the estate."

Anna shook her hand. "Anna Kelly. I've only got a quick second — "

"I know you! You're the gal who writes a column in the Times. The one about people doing nice things for others."

"That's me. Kindness Connects."

"I love your stories. People are so cynical these days, but every time I read one of those, I think about how there are still good people out there. You know, my mother always says, love and kindness are never wasted."

"Your mother sounds like a wise woman."

Maria placed a well-manicured hand on Anna's forearm. "Oh, there was one story I adored about ..."

Anna slipped on a polite face, listened, but worried about the time. The flight to Germany would leave with or without her.

Soon as she saw a spot to break in, she said, "Thank you again. I'm sorry, but I've got an appointment and don't have much time. You had some questions?"

The realtor asked about the neighborhood and if she had or knew anybody with kids in the schools. Anna hurriedly filled her in. If she and Patrick had children, she'd have been able to answer the questions more fully. They hadn't, thank God. The idea he might hurt them, like he did her, made Anna sick.

After a few minutes, Anna said, "I've really got to run. Sorry."

Maria waved. "Don't worry one bit. I've got to finish some things, then I need to get out of here, too. I appreciate the help."

Once inside, Anna flew up the stairs and went straight to the spare bedroom. She flung open the closet door and grabbed her suitcase. Back in her room, she layered the luggage with previously organized stacks of clothing she'd planned to bring to Germany. Enough clothes to carry her through the cooler month ahead. Four weeks away. Hopefully, enough time for Patrick's anger to dissolve, because she damn well knew he'd be furious.

She zipped the bag, tossed on the combination lock, and hurried downstairs.

In two days, Patrick would return to LaGuardia airport and take a cab directly to his office at Goldman Sachs. The lawyer said he'd have the divorce papers served there around lunchtime. By then, she'd already be on another continent. Far away from the physical abuse he'd want to inflict on her once the papers were in his hands. Of that, she felt certain. He'd smacked her around for lesser infractions, starting just days after they'd returned from their honeymoon.

Even though she would be leaving the country to stay safe, he deserved a note. A note would be easier than a conversation.

At the kitchen island, she found a pad and steadied a pen on the paper.

Dear Patrick,

If you're reading this, it means you're back from Florida and have realized I'm not...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Kensington
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2018
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1516103602
• ISBN 13: 9781516103607
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 225
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Dietmar Rusche; 15110751138; rusche.dietmar@gmx.de; ; Dr.-Willi-Bergmann-Str. 13; St. Andreasberg; 37444; Deutschland