Page 131 of Callahan

Alan clasped my shoulder and said, “It’s nothing like that. She was telling me earlier how you like the blueberry tarts, and that reminded me of the last time I was at Flannigan’s. I watched this poor girl on what had to be a blind date. They ordered a bottle of blueberry wine, and the dude kept talking about how low the alcohol must be because it was so good. She pointed to where it showed on the label that the alcohol content was actually eighteen percent. But he ordered a second bottle after chugging down all but a glass of the first one. An hour later, he proceeded to throw up blueberry wine all over heropen-toedsandals.”

I wrinkled my nose at the scene he’d described. “That poor girl!”

“So that’s what we were laughing about.” He turned toward Lainey, “But seriously, if you find blueberry wine… I kind of want to try it.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

I looked between the two of them while I tried to figure out what they were talking about.

“Wait, what’s going on at seven thirty?”

“Oh, I invited Lainey over to your house for dinner. We’re having steak and potatoes.” He lifted his chin in Brian’s direction. “You’re right next door, right? You’re invited, too.”

Brian didn’t hesitate. “I’ll bring dessert.”

Well, okay then. I guess our night is planned.

~~~~

Brian pulled into his driveway but didn’t kill the patrol car’s engine.

“Angus said you didn’t use all of the ten days he promised you, so take the rest of the day and tomorrow off and spend it with your brother.”

“That’s great. I appreciate it.”

“I’m sure it will be nice to catch up with him.”

“It will be. I haven’t seen him in almost ten months.”

“Do you want me to bow out of dinner tonight so you can hang out, just the two of you? I can talk to Lainey; I’m sure she’d be okay with staying home.”

“No, of course not! Alan loves to hold court. His philosophy is, the more the merrier.”

“But that’s not your philosophy.”

“Admittedly, I am not the life of the party that my brother is. I am far more select in the company I keep.”

“That’s probably because you were in Special Ops.”

“No, no. That has nothing to do with it. Alan was in counterintelligence when he was in.”

“Alan was a Marine?”

“Yep. Ten years.”

“Wow.” Brian’s face split into a grin. “Then I got nothing on why your brother’s so much more likeable than you.”

Chapter Forty-Six

Lainey

Alan had been really easy to talk to when he’d been at the bakery—I don’t think I’d ever laughed so hard or felt so comfortable after just meeting someone. And it was obvious how much he loved his little brother.

It’d been easy to accept his invitation to dinner.

I parked behind a pretty grey Bronco Badlands in the Garcia’s driveway and immediately understood why Adam had wanted to have it in Haven Springs.

I’d opened the rear passenger door where Conor was in his car seat when I heard the screen door on the front porch slam and saw Adam coming down the steps.

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