Letters from Peaceful Lane (New Americana 3)

On

the way home, Allison picked up a big order of Chinese takeout. She was hungry, and hopefully Burke and Brianna would be, too. Maybe tonight they could even eat together at the table like a real family.

Kate had been a legendary cook, or so Allison had been told by Burke’s friends. Allison’s own cooking skills were limited to the basics, and when she was working, as she’d done most of her life, she didn’t have the time or energy for fancy meals. For tonight, takeout would have to do.

Coming into the house, carrying the large sack, she passed the open door to Burke’s study and noticed that the light was on. He was at his desk, working on his computer. He looked up and gave her a smile. “Hey, that smells good,” he said.

“Chinese. It’ll be on the table in a few minutes. Is Brianna home?”

“I think she’s in her room,” he said. “I can call her phone if she isn’t on it, talking to that long-haired boyfriend of hers. First, how did your afternoon go?”

“So-so. Nothing big to report. I’ll tell you later.”

“Fine. I’ll call Brianna and tell her there’s food down here.”

He sounded good, Allison thought as she unloaded the sack on the kitchen table and set three places. Maybe he’d gotten some rest, or maybe he was feeling better about getting the loan application to the bank.

“Chinese! Yum! I’m starved!” Brianna burst into the kitchen. As Allison filled glasses with ice water, she rummaged in the cupboard and found napkins and soy sauce. “I hope Dad is going to eat with us.”

“He is. Why don’t you go tell him everything’s ready.”

She darted off and came back moments later with Burke. They took their seats and began passing around the paper cartons filled with steamed rice, noodles, dumplings, meat, and vegetables. This is how it should be, Allison thought. The three of them together, everybody eating, nobody sulking or fighting. Why couldn’t this happen more often?

“How was your job today, Brianna?” Allison asked, hoping to start a conversation.

Brianna wrinkled her pretty nose. “I’ve had better days. In the morning, I interviewed the supervisor of the sewage disposal plant for the paper. Then in the afternoon I put in three hours of community service helping clean at the county animal shelter. Those poor dogs. It was all I could do to walk out of there without taking three or four of them with me.” She turned to her father. “I really miss Captain, Dad. Can’t we get another dog?”

“Dogs need a lot of time and attention,” Burke said. “You can’t take a dog when you go back to school—unless you plan to keep living here.”

“But couldn’t you and Allison take care of the dog for me?”

“Don’t even think about it,” Burke said. “Things are going to be crazy enough around here without a dog to worry about.”

Brianna added some soy sauce to her cashew chicken. “Liam loves dogs,” she said. “Maybe he could . . .” She trailed off, as if realizing she’d said the wrong thing.

“Liam again.” Burke’s face had become a thundercloud. “How many times do I have to tell you, Brianna? You can do better than a long-haired biker bum who works on cars and lives over a garage.”

Tears glistened in Brianna’s eyes. “Don’t say that! Liam works hard. He’s saving money for his own business, and he loves me.”

“I love you, too, Brianna. That’s why I worry about your throwing your life away for a man who’s not worthy of you. What would your mother say?”

Brianna rose from her chair. “My mother would say that you can’t judge a book by its cover, and you can’t judge a man without getting to know him. Please, Dad, don’t jump to conclusions until you’ve seen Liam and talked with him face-to-face.” She turned to Allison, her eyes pleading for support. “You met Liam. What did you think of him, Allison?”

“He seemed very nice,” Allison said. “He was polite and responsible, and he even insisted on paying for our dinner. Brianna’s right, Burke. You should at least meet him before passing judgment. Liam might have a few rough edges, but not every long-haired biker is, as you say, a bum.”

Burke’s dark look was enough to let Allison know that she’d come down on the wrong side. But Brianna was right. Liam deserved a chance to prove that he was a worthy man.

“I’ll think about meeting him,” Burke said. “But don’t rush me, you two. I’ve got more urgent things on my mind right now.”

“Thank you, Dad.” Brianna sat down again and speared another egg roll from the box. Silence hung over the table.

“I have a question.” Allison broke the silence. “Your boat. I’ve heard your friends mention it, Burke, and I’ve seen it in photographs. I know you have it in storage at the marina. Why don’t we take it out on the water sometime?”

Burke and Brianna glanced at each other. In bringing up the boat, Allison had feared she might be touching on an emotional subject. Evidently she’d been right.

“We haven’t taken the boat out since Kate passed,” Burke said. “It wasn’t that we planned it that way. But without Kate, there just didn’t seem much reason to go on the water. As time went by, I had the boat put in dry dock because it was cheaper and easier on the hull. Lately I’ve thought about selling it. If we run short of cash, I might have to.”

“Oh, no, Dad!” Brianna cried. “You can’t sell the Lady Brianna! Mom loved that boat. I love it, too. And I’d love to go out on the water again! We could take Allison. We could even take Liam if he’ll come. You could teach him to fish.”