My dear friend Parker J Cole has a new book out! The Other Man (Sins of the Flesh Book 2)
And then Anabel liked her too.
So Anabel and I were talking (why, yes, I DO talk to my fictional characters. Don’t even get me started on my conversations with Jared) and she asked me if I would let her interview Leah. I wasn’t sure that was a great idea, but I approached Parker and she suggested we write a crossover of our characters. Because I could totally see Anabel and Leah hitting it off, I agreed.
So what would happen if Leah went over to Anabel’s house? Let’s find out, shall we?:)
(And one more note before I go on–if you have not read Anabel Divided: The Sequel to Anabel Unraveled
“Hi Anabel!” Leah greeted as she walked into the spacious house. “It’s been forever since the last time I saw you.”
“What, since the latest gossip on the Net?” Anabel quipped as she embraced her friend. “You look so good!”
“No, you’re the gorgeous one, girl.”
Anabel shrugged it off. “All I know is I feel like I have this bowling ball in my stomach. How’s married life treating you?”
Leah smiled, but Anabel could tell right away it was fake. “Married life’s great! Yeah!”
Anabel frowned. “You sure about that?” she asked mildly.
Leah didn’t respond right away, looking lost in thought, so Anabel decided it was best to change the subject. “I made you something!” she announced.
Leah slid out of her turbulent thoughts. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”
Anabel was practically giddy as she hurried to the kitchen, and she returned with a tray. “Apple turnovers!” she announced.
“Ooh girl, those look delicious!” announced Leah, helping herself. She took a bite and frowned. “Um.”
Anabel’s face fell. “Oh no. What’s wrong with them?”
“Girl, you put too much nutmeg in them!” Leah didn’t bother to hold back, even with a crabby pregnant woman.
Anabel bristled. “I did not! I put exactly what the recipe said to put in! There is no way that I”—and here she took a bite—“oh. OH.”
“This is why you leave cooking food to people who know how to cook.” Leah rolled her eyes as she took the plate and headed to the garbage can.
“You’re not going to throw all those away, are you? I spent all day making those.”
“That’s even worse. I’ll make you a batch.” The top of the lid opened and with relish, Leah tossed the turnovers into the greedy mouth of the can. As she set to work, she inquired, “How’s Matt doing?”
Anabel slid her gaze away, the indignation over her hard won, tasteless turnovers being trashed fading. “Matt’s fine.”
Leah stared. “You gotta be kidding me.”
Anabel bit her lip, looking nervous. “What?”
“What’s going on with you and Matt? I thought he was perfect.”
Anabel pulled at her hair. “He was. I mean, he is.”
“What is it then? Is he? Isn’t he?”
“It’s just that—“
“Oh my gosh, it’s Jared, isn’t it?”
Anabel’s face burned with heat. There was no point in hiding anything from Leah; she had a sixth sense about her. So Anabel sighed, and leaned against the counter, her head in her hands so her hair made a curtain she could hide behind. “I miss him,” she whispered. “He’s been a fixture in my life for years, and now to just have him gone, I…” She trailed off and stood straighter, exposing her face. Leah saw the tears that had gathered around her eyes as she attempted a watery smile. “I’m sorry. It’s just been hard. He won’t even talk to me. I just get text messages now that say when he wants to talk to Emma and he schedules his visits through her. I haven’t seen him since the wedding, and Meghan is being cold, and I’m just—I’m just—I’m so lonely!”
“What is wrong with you Anabel? How can you be so chummy-chum-chum about the guy who—“
“I know, I’m sick in the head, right? But isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?”
Leah stopped moving, a sudden stillness adverse to her personality rendering her almost foreign. “What do you mean?”
But Anabel wasn’t playing. “Well, what about Vincent?”
Leah turned away, fiddling with her hands. “What about him?”
Anabel cocked her head. “Does he still have the same kind of hold he had on you before?”
Leah snorted. “Of course not. We’re just friends.”
“With benefits,” Anabel added.
“Almost benefits,” Leah shot back. Her dark eyes were almost a flame. “And what’s that got to do with you?”
Sighing, Anabel stretched her arms lazily. “Well, think about it, Leah. Why would you marry Jacob when Vincent is still there?”
“It’s not the same thing with you and Jared, Anabel.”
“Maybe,” Anabel conceded. “But I at least admit—“ she trailed off, not sure what she was trying to say.
“Admit what?” Leah persisted, leaning against the counter in the kitchen.
Irritated, Anabel leaned back against the counter. “I admit that my feelings for Jared are there. As messed up as they are, I don’t pretend that they don’t exist. They’re honest. You’re just lying to yourself. And let’s face facts: Vincent isn’t exactly a toad.”
Leah opened and closed her mouth like fish several times before she finally said, “I don’t get it. Vincent’s not suppose to still be able to affect me but Jacob…”
“What’s wrong with Jacob?”
Leah folded her arms. “What’s wrong with Matt?”
“Nothing, aside from the fact that Meghan insists—when she’s talking to me—that he bullied me into marrying him,” Anabel admitted grimly.
“Well you were pregnant,” Leah pointed out, matter-of-fact as always.
Anabel hesitated. “Er.”
“Er? What do you mean ‘er’?”
She sighed. “We got married in secret. Over a year ago. We didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t…I didn’t…”
But Leah had heard enough. “Girl! What is wrong with you?”
Anabel cleared her throat. “Leah, I can’t do this with you. I’ve already had my heart ripped out of my ribcage by both Jared and Meghan. I know what I did, and while I’m not proud of it, I can’t change it. Matt and I are doing well. It’s just that sometimes I struggle with not having Jared be a part of things. But the fact of the matter is, you cannot let Vincent ruin things with Jacob. You love Jacob. You are head over heels in love with him! And Vincent…there’s something about him, Leah.”
Leah stood there silently for a moment. Then she walked over to Anabel and hugged her. She whispered in her ear. ‘You know, when I invited Vincent to the wedding, I had no idea he could still turn me on like this. I take one look at him and I burst into flames.”
Anabel gave a weak laugh, hearing her own thoughts reflected in Leah’s word. “Gosh Leah, we’re both so screwed up.”
“I think it’s time for food,” Leah decided. “And wine. I’ll drink for you, preggers.”
Want to know what happens with the love triangle in The Other Man (Sins of the Flesh Book 2)