I need some answers."
"Are you going to talk to Mitch again?"
"Not if I can help it. I need a more objective person to speak to."
"Any ideas?"
"Leanne's parents, her friends, someone must know something."
She liked his renewed sense of determination, although she couldn't help wondering if getting to the truth would make him feel better. "What if you don't like the answers? Would it be better not to ask the questions?"
He gazed back at her. "I don't think I can do that."
"You might want to try. While I know you're more focused on the personal aspects of your relationship with Leanne, I'm worried that Mitch thinks you had something to do with Leanne's death. He might try to get revenge, Burke. If you start questioning his relationship with Leanne, that might set him off even more."
"I'm not worried about Mitch. I can handle him. In the meantime, I'm going to take a shower."
"Okay." As Burke left the room, she finished unpacking the groceries.
While she appreciated Burke's fearless attitude, she was a little worried that he was underestimating the depth of Mitch's anger.
Chapter Eight
Burke hadn't really wanted to go to Nicole's party. It had been a long, stressful day, and he knew there would still be questions about his black eye, which didn't look as bad as it had but was visible enough to remind everyone what had happened on Friday. But Maddie had looked so eager to see Nicole again, and she'd made some kind of appetizer that smelled like heaven, so how could he say no?
It might be good to get his mind off of Mitch and Leanne and remember that whatever had happened between them had occurred three years ago. The truth might bring him clarity, but it wasn't going to change the end game. Nothing would change that.
"Having second thoughts?" Maddie asked.
"No, I'm good."
"You're thinking a lot."
He gave her a brief smile. "I've been known to do that."
She smiled back at him. "True. I forgot."
He turned down Nicole's street and found a parking spot a few houses down. Judging by the cars he passed, most of his family was already at the party.
"Should we go in separately?" Maddie asked. "Pretend we just happened to arrive at the same time?"
"I don't think we need to make a plan. We'll just see what happens."
Her eyebrow shot up. "Seriously? Not only do you think a lot, as you just reminded me, but you love to make plans."
"Maybe you're rubbing off on me." The truth was he couldn't begin to think of an explanation as to why he and Maddie were together—at least not in the next five minutes.
"So is everyone going to be here?" Maddie asked as they walked down the block to Nicole's house. "All your siblings—all their significant others?"
"I think so. It's hard to keep track. We've practically doubled in size the last two years."
"Just wait until everyone starts having kids."
"It's going to be a madhouse," he agreed, trying not to let the mention of kids remind him of Leanne's pregnancy, but it was too late, he'd already gone there. He forced his mind back to the present. "There will be more than the immediate family present today. My mother's birthday is one of the family events that no one misses, not unless they want to get on my father's bad side, and no one does. He's not only the leader of our family, he's also the oldest of his siblings, so my aunts, uncles and cousins all tend to make appearances at events mandated by my father."
She smiled at his words. "Your dad always had such a big personality. I remember his bright blue eyes and booming voice. He loved to tell stories and when he laughed, it came from down deep in his gut. If he was in the room, you always knew it."
"That's for sure. He's always been bigger than life, and he's always had high expectations for his kids."
"You've obviously lived up to those expectations."
"I've certainly tried. My father drilled into me at an early age that as the oldest I had to set the example."
"Was that a burden?"
"Yes," he said, happy to see that
"Are you going to talk to Mitch again?"
"Not if I can help it. I need a more objective person to speak to."
"Any ideas?"
"Leanne's parents, her friends, someone must know something."
She liked his renewed sense of determination, although she couldn't help wondering if getting to the truth would make him feel better. "What if you don't like the answers? Would it be better not to ask the questions?"
He gazed back at her. "I don't think I can do that."
"You might want to try. While I know you're more focused on the personal aspects of your relationship with Leanne, I'm worried that Mitch thinks you had something to do with Leanne's death. He might try to get revenge, Burke. If you start questioning his relationship with Leanne, that might set him off even more."
"I'm not worried about Mitch. I can handle him. In the meantime, I'm going to take a shower."
"Okay." As Burke left the room, she finished unpacking the groceries.
While she appreciated Burke's fearless attitude, she was a little worried that he was underestimating the depth of Mitch's anger.
Chapter Eight
Burke hadn't really wanted to go to Nicole's party. It had been a long, stressful day, and he knew there would still be questions about his black eye, which didn't look as bad as it had but was visible enough to remind everyone what had happened on Friday. But Maddie had looked so eager to see Nicole again, and she'd made some kind of appetizer that smelled like heaven, so how could he say no?
It might be good to get his mind off of Mitch and Leanne and remember that whatever had happened between them had occurred three years ago. The truth might bring him clarity, but it wasn't going to change the end game. Nothing would change that.
"Having second thoughts?" Maddie asked.
"No, I'm good."
"You're thinking a lot."
He gave her a brief smile. "I've been known to do that."
She smiled back at him. "True. I forgot."
He turned down Nicole's street and found a parking spot a few houses down. Judging by the cars he passed, most of his family was already at the party.
"Should we go in separately?" Maddie asked. "Pretend we just happened to arrive at the same time?"
"I don't think we need to make a plan. We'll just see what happens."
Her eyebrow shot up. "Seriously? Not only do you think a lot, as you just reminded me, but you love to make plans."
"Maybe you're rubbing off on me." The truth was he couldn't begin to think of an explanation as to why he and Maddie were together—at least not in the next five minutes.
"So is everyone going to be here?" Maddie asked as they walked down the block to Nicole's house. "All your siblings—all their significant others?"
"I think so. It's hard to keep track. We've practically doubled in size the last two years."
"Just wait until everyone starts having kids."
"It's going to be a madhouse," he agreed, trying not to let the mention of kids remind him of Leanne's pregnancy, but it was too late, he'd already gone there. He forced his mind back to the present. "There will be more than the immediate family present today. My mother's birthday is one of the family events that no one misses, not unless they want to get on my father's bad side, and no one does. He's not only the leader of our family, he's also the oldest of his siblings, so my aunts, uncles and cousins all tend to make appearances at events mandated by my father."
She smiled at his words. "Your dad always had such a big personality. I remember his bright blue eyes and booming voice. He loved to tell stories and when he laughed, it came from down deep in his gut. If he was in the room, you always knew it."
"That's for sure. He's always been bigger than life, and he's always had high expectations for his kids."
"You've obviously lived up to those expectations."
"I've certainly tried. My father drilled into me at an early age that as the oldest I had to set the example."
"Was that a burden?"
"Yes," he said, happy to see that
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