Free The Maxwell Sisters by Loretta Hill Page B

ever.
    Phoebe slung an arm around her, nearly bowling her off her feet in her enthusiasm. ‘Isn’t it great, Tash! Heath’s project is finishing early and he agreed to help out with the restaurant!’
    â€˜Finishing early?’ She mouthed the word, wide-eyed.
    â€˜Yes.’ Phoebe misinterpreted her softness as worry. ‘He wanted it to be a surprise so I kept it a secret too. I mean, of course, I hope he gets more work. But for now, he can stay with us and help with the wedding. And that’s a bonus, isn’t it? A big family holiday.’
    Heath raised an eyebrow at her, his lips curling in approval. She knew what he was doing, he was giving her the opportunity to blow the whistle, letting it be her choice.
    Wow. Anger arced through her body. How magnanimous of him.
    As though she would announce to her family now, in front of Spider’s parents (whom she didn’t even know), that their marriage was over and she didn’t want him here.
    She ground her teeth. How had he even known about the wedding, about coming a month early to help with the preparations? Had Phoebe gone behind her back and invited him? But why would she do that when she had specifically said he couldn’t make it?
    Maybe he’d just turned up by chance. Her mind raced at the possible conversation scenario. ‘Hi, guys, I’m divorcing your sister and was in the neighbourhood so I just thought I’d pop by and mention it.’
    Oh yeah, that sounded completely likely.
    So what was his plan? Were they supposed to pretend to be happily married? For how long? To what end? If she’d had an excuse to march him out of there immediately to demand answers, she would have. Instead, she had to play along as Phoebe introduced her future parents-in-law.
    â€˜Tash, this is Patricia and Graeme, Spider’s parents.’
    â€˜Lovely to meet you.’ She held out her hand to shake theirs. ‘Are you staying at the house?’
    Patricia nodded. ‘Yes, we are and looking forward to it too. It’s a beautiful home. You girls were very lucky to have grown up here.’
    â€˜Thank you.’
    Anita walked in with a plate of locally produced brie and cheddar. Tash loved the smoked waxed cheddar made by the Margaret River Cheese Factory that went excellently with her father’s tempranillo.
    â€˜Say cheese,’ her mother joked.
    Tash caught a shadow of movement and realised that Heath was positioning himself by her side. ‘I’ll have some,’ she croaked and immediately followed her mother to the coffee table, where she extended her stay there by cutting slices for everyone else. After a while, she caught Eve studying her carefully.
    Had she noticed anything particularly amiss in her behaviour?
    She dusted her fingers, put the cheese knife down and retreated to the window. In her haste to get away from Eve’s concerned stare, she realised she’d forgotten to cut Spider a piece of cheese. She was just about to return to the coffee table to complete the task when Heath joined her, holding out a glass of her father’s semillon sauvignon blanc, which she took gingerly.
    â€˜So,’ he murmured. ‘Long time no see.’
    Fortunately, she was saved from having to answer him by the sudden and awkward arrival of her father. The doors to the sitting room flung open and John Maxwell himself staggered in, seemingly unaware that he had company. He was thinner, browner and more weathered than she had ever seen him but he looked in fine spirits. Literally.
    The smell of wine had walked in with him, along with a handsome young man. This stranger stared at the gathered group, who had stopped talking to look at them.
    â€˜Er, John …’ He pulled Mad Maxwell’s shirt from behind, causing the old man to jerk back and stop. ‘Is there something you forgot to mention?’
    â€˜What?’ John looked up, taking in first the startled face of Patricia