Anna Marie Sorenson's Secret Affair Read Free Page A

were active in their community, and had raised a family. Pepper had been awarded one success after another from the time she entered the progressive pre-school that her parents had enrolled her and Anna Marie in. After high school, she decided that she wanted to spend her life being a celebrated chef and own a chain of restaurants. Twelve years later, Pepper had obtained her goals. She was a popular chef with her own television show and was about to open a third restaurant in Portland, Oregon, the other two being in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
    Far from being jealous of her sister, Anna Marie was just as proud of her as their parents were. Rarely envious of Pepper, she instead admired her immensely and was happy for her. Just Secret Affair 11
    like everyone, she was dazzled by her sisters beauty, her talent, her unflagging drive and energy, and her self-assurance that allowed no failure in life but only success.
    She certainly appreciated her sister’s culinary talent, because it allowed her to dine on very fine food and wine, which would not have been possible on her limited income as a public servant.
    Being able to eat like a king as often as she did was one reason why Anna Marie was
    willing put up with her sister’s overbearing ways. Such as right now, she thought, as she sniffed with appreciation at the aroma that was wafting in Pepper’s kitchen. Yes, there was definite advantage to having a sibling who was a talented chef, she thought, as she watched her sister flip the filet mignons in their marinating juice and then slip the pan back into the refrigerator.
    “Mom’s worried about you, you know,” Pepper said. “So’s Dad.”
    Rather than counter that with a flip remark, Anna Marie didn’t say anything but instead sipped her drink. It was something that her sister said to her whenever she was over for dinner.
    She had come to think of it as a ritual, part of the routine between siblings whenever they got together.
    “Cam’s office is having a party next weekend. Why don’t you come along? There’ll
    surely be some guy there who you might like,” Pepper suggested.
    Anna Marie barely kept herself from rolling her eyes. She supposed it was a common
    curse for all single adults to be constantly thrown at them unwanted suitors by their happily and safely married siblings. “I’ll think about it.”
    In her domineering way, Pepper took that as an ascent. “Good. Then you and I can go
    shopping for a dress. That’s another thing you need help on.” She looked at her sister’s striped dress shirt and black wool slacks with barely concealed distaste.
    No way was she going to be put through the wringer while on a shopping trip with her sister, Anna Marie thought with grim determination. She would never go through that torture again in whatever time she had left on earth. Once she had her sister in her clutches, Pepper would bully, yell, sharply criticize, lecture her throughout the course while putting her through the grueling pace of putting on one outfit after another, shuttling her from one store to another.
    And it wouldn’t stop at the clothes, either. Pepper would take the opportunity to point out her sister’s other faults besides her choice of clothes, such as Anna Marie’s figure which had too much flab from no exercise and a very inactive life, her dark, thick hair with its uncontrollable Secret Affair 12
    waves and in desperate need of cutting and styling, and her face that was crying out for a good facial and some expert tutoring on makeup and coloring.
    Pepper refilled her glass with more cosmopolitan. “Honey, I don’t know why you insist on living in this rudderless way that you do.” She laid a hand on Anna Marie’s arm. “Is it because you’re not over him, yet?”
    Anna Marie frowned, puzzled. “Who?”
    “Cam. You’re still not over Cam, are you?”
    “Cam? That was nearly twelve years ago.”
    Pepper shrugged. “I know, but you were pretty serious about him. And why