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“Oh!” Steph pulled a face. “They never mentioned that.”
“They’re fourteen.” Tom laughed. “I doubt I’m a priority in their minds.”
“True.” Steph nodded. “Unless it’s something that directly affects their lives or is a video game, I think it gets automatically sent to their mind’s trash can. Boys!”
“Don’t worry. I can assure you teenage girls are no different.” Tom let out a breath. “I have a fifteen-year-old daughter, Rosie.”
“Yes, I’ve met Rosie.” Steph smiled at him. “She’s a lovely young woman.”
“That’s because you don’t live with her.” Tom ran a hand through his hair, and she saw the pride shining in his eyes. “But, yes, she’s the best, even though she has her moments.”
“My twins are great boys, but they love to argue with each other.” Steph shook her head and stared at the sea. “But they are also best friends and have each other’s backs.”
“Rosie would love more siblings,” Tom told her. “I try to warn her that more means less for her.”
“Do you have siblings?” Steph asked him.
“No, it’s just me.” Tom gave her a tight smile. “I did have an older brother, Wayne, but he was killed while on a mission in the military.”
“I’m sorry.” Steph felt awful for prying.
“It’s okay. It happened fifteen years ago.” Tom’s eyes darkened with emotion. “The worst thing about losing him was that I never got to say goodbye.” He looked down and drew in a sharp breath. “We were also not on speaking terms at the time.”
“Oh, no.” Steph didn’t know what to say. “My grandmother always says that you never walk away from your loved ones angry or on bad terms as you never know what the next second will bring.”
“Trust me, that’s so true.” Tom nodded. “When I was told Wayne was dead—” He shook his head. “I couldn’t believe my last words to him had been horrible.”
“I’m sure he knew you loved him.” Steph gave him a warm smile and gently touched his arm. “When my dad died, everything I wanted to say to him rushed into my head, and I couldn’t believe I’d never have the chance to say them to him.” She dropped her hands into her lap and sighed. “My gran believes that they stick around for a while in case we have anything we need to say to them.”
“Your gran is quite a spooky person.” Tom brought the subject to a lighter one.
“She is.” Steph nodded. “At our birthday parties growing up, she loved to have a fortune-telling booth, and our friends loved it.”
“I’ve been told by many people on the island that they go to her for regular readings,” Tom said. “They swear by her.”
Steph laughed. “Can I let you into a family secret?”
“Sure,” Tom said, nodding.
“My grandmother is a qualified psychiatrist,” Steph spilled the beans on her grandmother. “While much of what she says seems to come true, my sister Hannah reckons it’s just Gran being able to read people so well.”
“Oh!” Tom pretended to look disappointed. “Does that mean I won’t win the lottery this week?” he teased.
“I guess your chances are as good as anyone’s.” Steph laughed. Her eyes widened when she noticed the time. “Oh, shoot. I have a doctor’s appointment in twenty minutes.”
“I take that as our cue to leave.” Tom shot to his feet and helped Steph to hers.
As Tom pulled Steph up, she tripped, and Tom’s arms shot around her to steady her. As they heard footsteps approaching, they turned, and Steph froze.
CHAPTER 4
Maxhadshoweredandwas ready for work as he walked into the kitchen expecting to find Steph there, making sure there was breakfast for their sons. Their teenage boys ate like horses. When he stepped into the living room, which ran into the open-plan kitchen, he was surprised to find that she wasn’t there.
Max frowned, and worry spurted through him until the smell of freshly brewed coffee drifted toward him, and he wandered into the kitchen. He was getting the milk from the refrigerator when he spotted the note taped to the refrigerator door in Steph’s neat handwriting. It read, “I had to get to work early this morning.”
Squinting at the note, Max couldn’t help but feel a little left out. Steph didn’t usually go to work so early, and since yesterday, he’d had this nagging feeling she’d been keeping something from him. While they may have been drifting apart emotionally, Max still knew Steph well, and he could tell when she was hiding something. Her mood, jumpiness, and eye contact avoidance every now and then pointed to it.
Running his hand through his hair, he sighed. Max had forgotten to tell Steph he needed her car today as his SUV was due for a service, and the car company was picking it up today. Max looked at his wristwatch, pursing his lips as he calculated the time. Max had no option. He would have to go to the hotel to let her know in case Steph needed her car. Then she’d have to drop him at work.
