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“Exactly!” Hannah gestured with her hand. “That’s why she isn’t happy about the upgrade for the hotel, as Mom is controlling that project, and she feels sidelined.”
“Or she just doesn’t like Tom or his father.” Steph pulled a face. “If I tell you something, it can go no further than the two of us.”
“Oh!” Hannah’s face lit up at the thought of sharing a secret. “You know I can keep a secret.” She snorted. “It’s part of my job—keeping secrets.”
“Yes, but this one doesn’t come with your usual client-patient confidentiality,” Steph pointed out.
“Give me a dollar!” Hannah held out her hand.
“Why?” Steph’s brow furrowed, and she looked at her sister curiously.
“Then you’ve hired me, and I have to keep your secret,” Hannah told her.
“I thought that was for lawyers,” Steph said skeptically.
“Nope, it applies to me as well,” Hannah assured her. “Now give me a dollar.”
“I’m paying you to keep the secret now?” Steph grumbled.
She pulled her purse on the end of the counter they were sitting at toward her and dug for her wallet.
“Here.” Steph handed Hannah the dollar. “One dollar.”
“Thank you.” Hannah opened a drawer near her and put the dollar into it. “Now, what’s the secret?”
“I caught Mom and James on a date last week.” Steph grinned at the look of disbelief on Hannah’s face.
“No way!” Hannah’s voice was barely audible as her eyes darkened with emotion. “Dad’s only been gone for a couple of years.”
“Hannah!” Steph couldn’t believe out of all the sisters, Hannah would be the one to have such an adverse reaction to the news. “Dad’s been gone forthree years,and Mom has been lonely ever since.”
“Are you sure it was a date?” Hannah queried, ignoring Steph’s reasoning.
“Yes, Hannah, I’m sure it was a date,” Steph confirmed and decided not to tell Hannah why she was sure of that.
“Maybe they were having a business meeting,” Hannah suggested.
“Out of all of us, as the psychiatrist, you’d be the one to handle Mom dating much better than the rest of us,” Steph told her. “Lorry is really protective over Mom and Gran. I think she suspects something is going on with Mom and James.” She shook her head, feeling disappointed in her younger sister. “But Lorry is wary of relationships, and I’d expect how you reacted to the news from her.”
“How are you so accepting of Mom dating again?” Hannah’s eyes narrowed. “You were the biggest daddy’s girl out of all of us.”
“Thanks!” Steph’s eyes widened, and she knew it was time to wrap this conversation up before they got into a sibling fight. “Just forget I said anything.” She slid off the chair and picked up her purse. “I’m going to find my room and have a shower. I’m feeling sticky from the drive.”
Steph didn’t give Hannah a chance to reply as she headed out the kitchen door and up the stairs to the room Hannah had said was Steph’s while she was there. She was happy to see the room she’d walked into was the correct one, spotting her luggage. Steph closed the bedroom door and started to unpack her suitcase. Once she was done, Steph hopped into the shower feeling refreshed and not as queasy when she was finished.
Steph had finished getting dressed and was sitting on the ridiculously comfortable bed, brushing her hair, when her phone pinged. She picked it up and saw it was another message from Max. Steph sighed, knowing she’d better message him back, and her heart felt heavy as she read the text.
Steph, I’m glad you got to Palm Beach safely. Please tell Hannah I’m sorry I missed saying goodbye, but I’m sure I’ll see her soon. I miss you and the kids. The house is so quiet without all of you in it.
I think I know when, but I’m just not sure how we managed to get to this place in our relationship. But I do know that whatever it takes, I want to work through it. Take whatever time you need, and I’ll be here waiting for you to return.
Love
Max
Steph’s eyes welled with tears, and she let them roll down her cheeks as she sat staring at Max’s message. Her mind was in a turmoil of confusion, and she felt like she was living a bad dream. Max was her one true love, her best friend, and her soulmate. But since the fire that ended his career, he’d changed so much she no longer recognized him. He was paranoid about his scars to the point where he no longer took his shirt off, even to swim if there were people around.
When they were in the Bahamas nine weeks ago, even when they lay in the sun, Max kept his shirt on. When they went diving, he wore a full wetsuit. When Steph had asked him why he didn’t want to catch a tan, he’d told her he didn’t want to expose his scars to the sun. But Steph knew it went a lot deeper than that for him. Max’s scars were not just skin deep, and he refused to talk toanyoneabout it—not even a therapist. He kept trying to assure everyone who tried to get him to seek help that he was fine.
