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Kitty drove up to the McMansion with the fabulous view of the beach So rich Steve was, but looking at this house was a reminder that the man she lived as loaded Not that he acted like it Steve lived like a regular guy He drove a pickup truck (albeit a nice one), cooked his own dinners, and even did his own laundry (along with hers, thank God)

Yes, he was good looking, too, but that wasn’t the reason she’d fallen in love with his about him Like the way he pretended to dislike Viola’s cat when she knew he secretly left treats for hi around their driveway!), or how he’d go bowling with his uncle Gus’s teaame

But most especially, it was the way he made her feel Like she was the only woman in the room On the planet In the universe

He had to love her

No ht of him and his supposed intentions Not Shea and Pilar and the rest of the Bunco Babes or Betty Jean Collins or even her own et to her But no one else was in a relationship with Steve Pappas, except her

She’d thought about tonight all day long and she’d co to tell Steve she loved hiht after she’d come home from Bunco So what if she was the first one to say it? A part of her was nervous, and yes, even a little afraid But deep down in the very core of her marrow, she was positive that he loved her, too

She parked her car in the driveway and ht’s conversation After what her father had told her yesterday, she had no choice but to tell Steve that the entire toas talking about them It simply wasn’t fair that he didn’t know

He must have heard her car drive up because he rabbed her in a long hug and kissed her,her bones melt in relief He had to love her He just had to “Have we ever been apart this long?” he asked, ushering her into the oversized foyer

Kitty took a quick look around the house She’d only been here a handful of times but the place looked completely different Steve hadn’t liked it, but Terrie had had the house staged when it first went on the iggle when she’d first seen it But gone was the leopard print rug in the living rooolden mirror with the cherubs In their places were a simple leather sectional and a few coastal-style pieces that suited the interior nicely

“You’ve been busy”

He raised a brow “You haven’t seen anything Half the fixtures in the kitchen have been replaced”

Speaking of the kitchen… The sarlic hit her empty stomach She hadn’t eaten since breakfast so she should be starved But she was too nervous to think about food

“What’s for dinner?” she asked anyway

“You” He grabbed her by the hand and started dragging her toward the first-floor guest bedroom, a room Kitty was all too familiar with

“Hold on, tiger,” she said, laughing, but it sounded strained to her