The Secret of You and Me - Melissa Lenhardt Page 0,120
there. She swayed, but neither Sophie nor I moved to help her. When she saw that, she straightened quick enough to show her weakness for the ruse it was.
“I’m staying in town to take care of Emmadean,” I said. “Logan has another year of high school and, I have to confess, I don’t want to miss it. We might not be able to legally make a family in Texas yet, but the time is coming when we will. You can’t keep us apart anymore, Brenda.”
Sophie pulled me away from her mother and cradled my face in her hands. “I love you so, so much.”
“I love you, too.”
Sophie stepped a little in front of me to face her mother, whose mouth was curled in disgust. “You need to leave. Now. Don’t bother coming back until you can accept that Nora will be in my life—will be my life—from now on.”
“Sophia...”
Sophie turned away and led me down the hall to my bedroom.
When the door closed behind us, Sophie hugged me. I buried my face in her neck, the smell of her perfume comforting, calming me. I clung to her, to the sense of love and protection that had been missing from my life for too long.
When we pulled apart, Sophie rubbed my upper arms. “Are you okay?”
I nodded but still felt a little dazed by Brenda’s claim. “Do you think Pop did it for me?”
Sophie pushed my hair behind my ear. “It sounds like it.”
I sat down slowly on the bed. Brenda Russell had thrown everything I’d thought, felt, believed for the past eighteen years into doubt. Sophie sat next to me and took my hand. “You have to believe, I knew nothing about my mother’s threat. I would have been on the road to you as soon as I knew.”
“I’m sure that’s why she never told you.”
“That’s why you didn’t reply to my letter, isn’t it?”
I nodded. I stared into space with Sophie. “So, my pop wasn’t as bad as I thought, and your mom was worse.”
Sophie breathed a heavy sigh. “She’ll never come around.”
“Does that bother you?”
“Not as much as it should.”
“You were fantastic.”
“I should have stood up to her years ago.”
I placed my fingers over her mouth. “Shh. No more regretting the past.”
“No more regretting the past.”
I took both Sophie’s hands in mine and kissed the ring I gave her the night we promised to love each other until the day we died. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”
“Ditto.”
* * *
acknowledgments
The Secret of You and Me started as a modern-day retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, but it quickly morphed into its own vibrant story when I realized my heroine was in love with her best friend.
Nora’s character came to me first (I envisioned her as my Anne), but I struggled with who the romantic hero would be. No one seemed right. None of them seemed worthy of Nora. The only character who was worthy of Nora, and who Nora was worthy of, was Sophie. As soon as I realized that, everything else fell into place.
I’ve had more fun writing this novel than any of my others, and I couldn’t have done it alone.
There have been many, many people who have helped me with The Secret of You and Me along the way.
To Kat Cook for being my first reader and such a dear friend. I miss you every Wednesday at workshop and still have hope that you’ll come back some day.
To Steve W. for helping me with the AA portions of the story. You are a true inspiration to me.
To Brooke Fossey, John Bartel, and Jenny Martin for your wonderful developmental edits and suggestions. Except you, Bartel. I ignored your advice. (Just kidding.)
To my agent, Alice Speilburg, for supporting and encouraging me no matter how far out of my “lane” I get, and for being able to sell multiple genres to multiple houses.
To my editor, Allison Carroll, and the entire team at Graydon House for loving Sophie and Nora as much as I do, for your enthusiasm, and your support.
To my family and my friends who encourage and inspire me.
To my sons, Ryan and Jack, who humor me when I ask questions about teen lingo but also make me swear never to use it in front of them.
Finally, to Jay. Every scene, every sentence, every emotion I wrote about Sophie and Nora falling in love, I was writing about falling in love with you.
Love is universal.
—ML
discussion questions
What did you think of the title of the novel? What does it mean to you? To whom and what does the title apply?
Which of the two main characters (Nora and Sophie) do you most relate to and why? Do you relate to any other characters in the novel?
Sophie is not living the life she expected or wanted when she was eighteen years old. Does your life resemble the dreams you had when you graduated from high school? Are you happy with the results or disappointed you didn’t follow your dreams?
What are some of the themes the novel touched on?
Family is an important theme in the novel. Discuss the family dynamics shown between Nora, Sophie, Brenda, Emmadean, and Charlie, with each other and with their various families.
We all make decisions in our lives that seem, in the moment, to be everyday and inconsequential, but as we get older, we realize were pivotal moments that changed the direction of our lives, for good or for bad. Discuss these decision(s) and whether or not you’d make the same choice(s) now, with years of experience.
All the characters change over the course of the novel. Discuss how and why. Who do you think underwent the biggest change?
Did the novel surprise you or change you? If so, why?
Discuss setting. How did it enhance the plot and/or the themes of the novel?
Have you read other books by this author? How did they compare with this one?
Share a favorite quote. Why is it your favorite?
Who would you recommend The Secret of You and Me to? And why?
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.