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She chuckled. “Ah well. Perhaps I don’t mind being joint last with you.”
A fiery warmth built in his heart. “Same.”
Pushing back to turn toward the others, she gave him a wink. “Anyway. Serves you right for trying to cheat by following me. You might’ve been first otherwise.”
“Yeah,” he replied, following her. “Serves me right.”
Chapter
Fifteen
The kettle signaled the completion of its task, and Maya leaned against the kitchen wall, phone in hand. The previous day, she’d spoken to Elise, who’d told her she had to call Hana. “Because nobody knows better than me that time is short.”
Elise was right, but it didn’t make the job any easier.
Placing the phone into her pocket with a sigh, she poured hot water onto her tea bag, breathing in the steamy, fragrant scent. The doorbell rang, and she frowned. “Who’s that?”
Wondering why she’d asked that question to an empty house, she walked down the hallway to answer the door. When she opened it to find Hana on the other side, it seemed as if the universe was trying to tell her something. Something that made her heart accelerate and froze her to the spot.
“Out of the way,” Hana said, bustling past with a small wheeled suitcase, her dark bob bouncing around her face. “It’s freezing. I keep forgetting how bloody cold it is up here.”
Maya stood to the side, peering out toward the driveway in confusion. “Where’s Rosie?”
“Back home,” Hana called down the hall.
Maya shut the door, following her into the kitchen. “What’s going on? We weren’t expecting you for a few more weeks. And why isn’t Rosie with you?”
Hana was taking off her jacket. “Where’re Mum and Dad?”
“At work,” Maya said, watching her. Hana still didn’t elaborate. “So . . . are you going to tell me what’s happening?”
“Nothing. I just decided to come ahead a little early.” Hana went to the kettle. “Is this boiled?”
“Yeah.” Maya walked over. “Here, I’ll make you one.” Busying herself with the task, she watched her sister out of the corner of her eye. Hana took a seat and rubbed her face, staring out the window.
Maya brought the tea over. Hana nodded toward the garden, and the little property sitting at the end, which housed Yvonne’s physio business. “Is Mum coming in soon?”
Maya nodded. “She should finish around four.”
Hana took her mug. “Thanks.”
Maya sat across from her sister, mug in hand. Here was the ideal opportunity to do what Elise and Liv, and Sam for that matter, had encouraged her to. But her mouth was dry and she didn’t know where to start. “Is everything okay?”
Hana brought her gaze to meet hers. “Why?”
Maya shifted in her seat. “Because you’re here early. Plus, you sounded stressed on the phone.”
Hana sipped her tea, appearing to tighten her grip on the mug. “I am stressed.”
Maya waited for Hana to elaborate, but she didn’t. “What about?”
“What do you think?” Hana snapped. “I work in the biggest law firm in my region. I’ve got so much work on, it’s coming out of my ears, and nobody seems to appreciate the pressure I’m under. Not you, not Rosie.” She shook her head. “Though I wouldn’t expect you to understand, flouncing around on the bloody slopes all day without a care in the world.”
Maya tightened her grip on her mug, that same cold, heavy sensation that usually accompanied a conversation with her sister sinking into her. “Without a care in the world? I lost my job and split with my boyfriend.”
Hana rolled her eyes, and the tension in Maya’s jaw mounted. “You were always moaning about that job, and you didn’t seem bothered when you and Rich broke up anyway.”
The knife of betrayal dug into Maya’s ribs as her sister belittled her life, once again. Fair enough Hana was stressed at work, but that wasn’t Maya’s fault. She put her mug down, her temper beginning to crack. “Why did you tell Dad about my instructor job when I’d asked you to keep it to yourself?”
