Scenes of Passion by Suzanne Brockmann Page A

faintly. “I didn’t.”
    Stevie came down the stairs, his hair still wet from his shower. He stared from Van to Brock to the large pile of suitcases to Maggie. Uh-oh. He was thinking the same thing she was.
    Maggie’s dad came out of the den and shook hands warmly with Brock. “Glad you could join us,” he said, thenturned to Maggie. “Van told us Brock was giving her a ride over tonight, so we invited him to stay for dinner.”
    â€œOh.” Maggie looked back at Stevie.
    He shrugged. “I didn’t overhear that part,” he mouthed to her. “Yo, Van,” he said out loud. “You planning to change your clothes between every bite of your roast beef?”
    â€œI’m staying for a while.” Van’s voice sounded brittle.
    â€œOh, wow.” Stevie looked at Maggie again. They both loved their sister, but it was much easier to love her when she lived under a different roof. “What, is Mitch away on business or something?”
    â€œOr something.”
    Uh-oh.
    The phone rang.
    â€œI’ll get it!” Maggie and Stevie said in unison.
    But their mother picked it up in the kitchen. “It’s for you, hon,” she called to their father.
    â€œI’ll take it in the den.” He disappeared down the hall.
    â€œHelp me get this stuff upstairs,” Vanessa commanded.
    â€œYes, sir!” Stevie fired off a salute as Vanessa and Brock led the way. “She’s staying for a while ,” he muttered out of the side of his mouth to Maggie.
    â€œMatt’s going to be here any minute,” Maggie muttered back.
    â€œMatt?” Stevie was delighted. “The friend you’re having dinner with is a Matt . Oh, boy.”
    â€œDinner’s almost ready,” their mother called from the kitchen.
    â€œI’m going out. I’ve got a business dinner,” Maggie called back, loudly enough for Brock to hear. Except he was leaning close to Vanessa, listening intently to whatever she was saying.
    â€œI can’t hear you with the water running!” her mother called back.
    â€œWhat are you going to do?” Stevie whispered to Maggie. “I know—you could invite him to stay for dinner, too.”
    â€œBite your tongue!”
    Stevie was laughing. “It’s the only solution. You know, this evening is turning out to be much more interesting than I thought.”
    Maggie rammed Vanessa’s suitcase into the back of his leg.
    â€œOuch!” he yelped.
    â€œMargaret!” their father shouted from the bottom of the stairs. “I want to talk to you. Now.”
    Maggie froze, looking at Stevie. Uh-oh.
    â€œGod, what’dya do?” he asked, sotto voce.
    â€œI’m almost thirty years old,” she whispered back. “Why do I feel as if I’m thirteen and I’ve left the basketball out in the driveway?”
    The doorbell rang.
    Uh-oh. “I’ll get it,” Maggie called, desperately trying to sound normal as she hurried down the stairs.
    â€œI’ll help!” Stevie dropped Van’s suitcase and scrambled after her.
    They both nearly crashed headlong into their father, who seemed to materialize out of thin air. He had on his fighting face.
    â€œMaggie, that was just Bob Andersen on the phone,” he said. “He just happened to mention that you quit your job this morning!”
    â€œYo, Mags! Finally makin’ that rockin’ career move?” Stevie said approvingly.
    â€œYou did what?” Vanessa came down the stairs, followed closely by Brock.
    The doorbell rang again.
    â€œShe quit her job at Andersen and Brenden.” Her father shook his head in disbelief.
    â€œWill someone please answer the door?” Maggie’s mom came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.
    â€œI’ll get it,” Maggie said again, hurrying to reach the doorbefore her mother got there. She took a deep breath and pulled it open.
    Matt was