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Bruce picked up his phone and opened the weather app. “Weather looks fine here. Gigi and Lou will be all right.”
“Other coast. Looks like it will hit land around St. Simons Island as a tropical storm.”
Many miles away from their Sleepy Ridge destination.
Her phone pinged. Mako.
You guys ready? This is going to be epic.
That was Mako’s favorite word. Everything wasepic.
What time are you heading out?
She typed:Bruce’s mom gets here at 7. The car is packed. We’ll head out then.
A rush of anxiety. Three nights away from Gigi. She quashed it. It was okay. She needed this break. Bruce did. Gigi and Lou had a relationship that should be given space and room, too. It was good for everyone.
So why did she feel sick?
Awesome. Cricket and beau of the moment—what’s his name—will get there around the same time. We’ll all be there in time for the dinner the private chef is preparing.
Bruce blew out a breath, reading over her shoulder. “A private chef? I thought this was going to be more chill—like grilling out,” he said. “Burgers, ribs.”
Hannah felt the familiar urge to mediate, tried to call her brother but only got voicemail. Mako almost never picked up. He liked to distill communication to its most efficient form—or so he said. Hannah suspected that he just didn’t want to be bothered with the messiness and unpredictability of actual human interaction when he could help it.
Another ping from her phone:Tell Bruce the chef is grilling. I know what a carnivore the big guy is. But you know Liza.
He didn’t even acknowledge that Hannah had just tried to call.
Hannah wasn’t sure what Mako meant in this context but was he implying that Liza had put up obstacles to a casual cookout? True, she was not a beer from the bottle, paper plates kind of girl. But also, she was mostly vegan, munching on salads or black bean burgers when meat was served. If she were calling the shots, they would not be grilling meat. Hannah suspected this was a Mako thing.Makowanted the private chef. It was showy in a way that appealed to him and made Bruce uncomfortable. The two men could not be more different, really.
Hannah and Bruce exchanged a glance. Family. What were you going to do?
All good,she typed.Thanks again for this.
This whole “private wellness retreat” at the huge, beautifully appointed, and totally remote cabin was all Mako’s design, and his treat. It was like him to be expansive this way, showy and generous.
Least I can do after all you guys do for me.
Love you,she wrote.See you tomorrow.
Love you both. Can’t wait to just chill and connect.
She almost wrote him back right then.Can we find some time to talk? Alone?
But if she did that, he’d hound her until she told him what was on her mind. He was not a patient guy. And she wasn’t even sure shewantedto talk. She wasn’t sure if it was a good idea.
“What’s wrong?” Bruce asked, as always reading her expression, her mind.
“Nothing,” she said. “Just tired.”
It probablywasnothing.
“We should be paying our own way. It’s not like we can’t afford it,” said Bruce.
“He wants to do this for you, for us. Let him,” said Hannah.
Bruce made an assenting grunt. She snuggled into him. The fake fire danced; Gigi breathed.
