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“I’ll be right back.”

William’s guest room and Anne’s bedroom were quiet and dark, and Maisie envisioned them both sound asleep under their covers. She headed outside the inn to get the mail, and when she returned, Robert was dressed and starting the coffee in the kitchen.

Maisie handed the package of animal photos to Robert. He looked through the photos and smiled. “These are great.”

She glanced at them. “They turned out beautifully.” She started making breakfast.

Robert said, “I’ll take the photos to the castle to give them to Veronica to frame after we have breakfast, and then I’ll be right back. William will stay with you ladies in the meantime.”

“You don’t have to be in any rush to return. We’re fine for now, and if you need to get anything else done while you’re away, go for it. I just need to be at the castle at two this afternoon to do the photo shoot for Heather and Enrick. We could…meet at your place maybe for lunch?” Maisie didn’t want Robert to feel like she was planning his life for him if he had other things to do, but she really craved spending more private time with him. She was thinking about their time on the island and how nice it had been to be together alone for those hours. “In the meantime, I’m going to look over Colleen’s photos and then get them ready for her to choose which ones she wants also.”

“Absolutely, I would love to have lunch with you. Does noon sound good?” Robert asked without hesitation, sounding just as eager to enjoy some more time with her.

“Yeah. I’ll just drive over to your place, we can have lunch, and then I’ll run over to the castle to do the shoot. I need to go early so I can show Colleen the proofs of her photo shoot also.”

“That will be perfect. I’m going to work on the house a little more before the open house Saturday.”

“If you need any help with anything, just let me know.”

“Sure thing.”

Anne came out of her bedroom dressed, rubbing her eyes. “You two are up early.”

William came out of the guest room and yawned. “I guess it’s morning.”

Anne laughed. “Yes, how can you tell?”

William motioned to the kitchen, where Robert and Maisie were dishing up omelets and bacon. “They’re making breakfast.”

Anne began getting them mugs of tea, coffee for William, and glasses of orange juice. Then they sat down to have their breakfast.

After breakfast, Anne and William took over cleaning the kitchen so Robert could get out of there.

Robert kissed Maisie, giving her one of his wonderfully long and delicious kisses, then they hugged, and he smiled down at her. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

Already looking forward to seeing him at lunch, Maisie waved goodbye, then went back inside, and while Anne took breakfast orders from guests, Maisie began cooking themeals. Even though William had offered to help with preparing breakfast for guests the last two days, they hadn’t needed him to yet. His job was to be there for protection, to watch and make sure that someone who didn’t belong there didn’t show up and threaten Anne or her.

“Lunch with Robert, eh?” Anne said, coming into the kitchen to give her more of the guests’ orders and to start making omelets. “I don’t blame you. I would want to spend every waking hour with him alone and not with a couple of other people within earshot all the time.”

“I love you,” Maisie said, giving her sister a hug.

“I know you do. And I love you right back.”

Once they finished serving breakfast and cleaning up after their guests, Anne went out to take care of the rooms that needed cleaning, William going with her.

Maisie began going over the photos of Colleen and Grant while manning the front desk.

William and Anne returned a lot sooner than Maisie thought they would. She wondered if William had actually helped Anne change the linens on the beds because they’d returned so quickly. Anne put the used bed linens in the washing machine and started it. By the time she arrived at the check-in counter, it was time for lunch.

“I’ll make lunch for us,” William said to Anne.

“Oh, great. Thanks.”

“I’m out of here.” Maisie grabbed her photography gear and her laptop.

“Have fun with the photo shoot. I can’t wait to see Heather’s gown,” Anne said.

“Me either.”