The Stone Family Heart - Taylor Hart Page 0,1

things. “I’m fine.”

“Maybe I should join you? I could help with—”

“No.” Her pulse quickened, and the center of her gut tightened.

“Kens, I thought things may have changed after our dinner last week.”

“We had dinner because we were discussing the case. That. Is. All.”

“I’m clean now, Kens. I told you that.” His addiction problems had been the major reason they’d gotten divorced, but not the only reason. “I want you back.”

“I have to go, Jeff.”

“Wait!”

She sucked in a sharp breath and hesitated, even though she knew better than to let the man get in her head. “What?”

“Kens. I …” Jeff’s tone wavered. “I meant what I said last week. I’m so sorry for everything.”

Her thoughts flashed to that night in the hospital bed alone. The night she’d lost everything.

“Sorry isn’t enough.” She hung up.

As Kensi turned down the long driveway to the Stone Inn, she focused on how beautiful the home looked. She’d seen the black-and-white pictures from when it first had been built in 1855, and Ava had made the outside look startlingly close to the original.

After getting out of the car, Kensi painstakingly inspected the gardens; they weren’t blooming as they had been in the summer, but they still looked amazing. She paused next to her mother’s rosebush and put her hand to her chest. Her mother would love this.

Kensi made her way to the front door and pushed her key into the lock. After Trey’s wedding, he and Ava had ceremoniously gathered all of Trey’s siblings and given them paperwork that had explained that they were partners in the inn. Each of them had a ten-percent stake. Of course, Trey and Ava had the rest, but Kensi didn’t care. She was grateful that she was still part of it all. Their gesture had gone a long way in taking the sting out of her mother solely giving the family beach house to Trey.

She opened the huge front door, surprised when it moved easily on its hinges—it no longer stuck like it had when she’d been growing up. She paused, taking a look around. As children, they had called it the mansion house, and even a cursory glance at the place justified the nickname. There was an east wing, a west wing, a ballroom, and a total of fifteen bedrooms that guests could stay in. That didn’t include the library on the third floor, complete with a sliding ladder that she and her siblings used to take rides on. Their father would scold them harshly when he caught them. There was also a music room on the third floor with a grand piano and assorted instruments that they all had taken countless hours of lessons in.

“Hello,” she called out. No one was here, but she felt a bit paranoid. Not too long ago, a thug named Mr. Jones had been chasing the conquistador’s treasure and almost killed Ava.

It was insane that someone would go to such lengths to chase after the treasure that had been the stuff of myths and legends for so long. It was doubly insane that some reporter had gotten wind of the attack on Ava and taken the story to a national level, broadcasting details about the treasure, the revitalization of the Stone Inn, and about Trey and Ava and their second chance at romance.

Trey had said that random people showed up at the inn sometimes, asking questions. Usually, he would be polite, then turn them away. The invasion of privacy was bothersome, but it had been good for business; Trey had reported that the inn was constantly busy, to the point of being booked out all next summer as well.

Luckily, there wouldn’t be too many guests this week. Trey had informed her that September had slowed way down, and that was good with Kensi.

She walked into the kitchen, which was connected to a huge family room and dining room. A little basket sat on the side of the counter with a ribbon attached to the top. A nice touch from Ava. It wasn’t a secret that Kensi’s love language was gifts. Ava was aware of this because they’d grown up together in the summers. She and Trey and Kensi and so many other beach kids had all hung out here. But she and Ava… well, they’d been close.

Until Ava had married Charles, her first husband.

Kensi wouldn’t think of that. That part of their life was over, much to Ava’s great relief, and she and Trey were so happy.

Kensi picked up the little card amidst