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Max’s hand shook as he ripped the note from the refrigerator door. He was rereading the note when his phone dinged, and he absently pulled it from his pocket. It was a message from Steph.
After this morning, I think we need some space to get our heads right. We need to talk when I’m back in four days to a week.
Max put his phone on the counter and leaned against it with both hands. Pain shot through his heart straight into his soul as one thought rushed through his mind—Steph was thinking about leaving him.
CHAPTER 5
Theyhadbeendrivingfor three hours, and Steph was so glad when they pulled into the driveway of Hannah’s Wellington home. She felt queasy and needed a cold glass of water and to stretch her legs.
“Wow!” Liam, Jack, and Tammy chorused as they stepped out of the car and looked at Steph’s large modern Spanish-style house.
“I love your new house, Aunt Hannah,” Tammy told her.
“I liked your house in Key West,” Liam said as Hannah pooped the trunk and the kids pulled their luggage from it.
“I do, too,” Hannah admitted.
“This one is very showy,” Steph commented, smiling appreciatively as Jack took her suitcase and Liam took Hannah’s.
“It’s a lot bigger than the one in Key West,” Hannah told them, leading the way inside through the double wooden door.
The entrance hall was spacious, with marble tiles that led throughout the house. Five doors led off the hall with a staircase sweeping up the right wall. Ceiling-to-floor windows could be seen through the back three entrances.
“On the left is the television room. To the right is my home office.” Hannah talked them through the house. “The door after the office is a cloakroom and bathroom.” She pointed to a facing door on the left. “That’s the kitchen, breakfast room, and sunroom.” She pointed straight ahead. “As you can see, that’s the dining room.” She pointed to the door on the right. “That’s the main living room.” She smiled at them. “It leads through to the entertainment area, indoor pool, and to the outdoor kitchen and barbeque area.”
“Do you have a sauna and gym?” Liam asked.
“Yes.” Hannah nodded. “Through the pool room.”
“Cool!” Liam, Jack, and Tammy said in unison.
“On the first floor is my bedroom and three guest bedrooms.” Hannah looked at Steph and Tammy. “Steph, you and Tammy can take a room on that floor.” She grinned at the twins. “While the two of you get to use the two bedrooms on the second floor.”
“Awesome!” Jack said as he, Liam, and Tammy headed for the stairs. “Can we go up?”
“Of course.” Hannah indicated toward the stairs and looked at Tammy. “Tammy, let Steph have the room directly next to mine. You can choose any of the others.”
“Cool.” Tammy nodded, and the three of them disappeared up the stairs.
“Wow!” Steph gave a low whistle as she followed Hannah into the kitchen. “Han, this is amazing.”
“I sold my house in Key West for a huge profit,” Hannah told her as she filled the coffee machine. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a cup of coffee.”
“Do you have ginger tea?” Steph asked, putting her purse on the white marbled center block in the spacious kitchen.
“I do,” Hannah nodded and frowned at her sister, tilting her head slightly. “Steph, what’s going on?”
Steph was walking toward the window to look out over the extensive garden. She stopped and turned to look at Hannah.
“I’m fine,” Steph tried to assure her but knew not much got past Hannah.
“No, you’re not!” Hannah put the kettle on the stove for Steph’s tea. “Something’s been off with you for a while now.” She pulled mugs from a cupboard. “I know that Max getting injured was hard on the two of you.”
“Yes, it was,” Steph said absently, staring out over the rolling lawns to the summer house at the end of the garden. “You’ve got a summer house.”
“Yeah, it’s empty at the moment,” Hannah told her, standing beside Steph. “I’m not sure what to do with it.”
“What’s going to happen when you and Vincent get married?” Steph looked at her younger sister. Her brow furrowed as she saw a look of uncertainty flash in Hannah’s eyes.
