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If so, she was still a Winslow. He wasn’t going to run and tell his siblings yet, however. No sense raising hopes only to see them dashed.

Rick, no more ducking and hiding. It’s time to chat.

The Winslow family already had too many secrets. Did they have one more?

Chapter

Twenty-Two

The acrid scent of something burnt assaulted Alli’s nostrils when Sam opened his front door later that evening. He’d promised to make dinner for her to celebrate her new job. She’d protested that he didn’t have to do that, but he was adamant that he wanted to. He was going to make his mother’s famous Steak Diane along with a couple of baked potatoes and a salad. Her contribution was stopping at the local bakery and bringing a small fudge cake for dessert.

“I burnt it,” Sam said as she crossed the threshold. “I got a call and got distracted. We now have two pieces of charcoal for dinner. I was trying to time the steaks so they were perfectly rested when you arrived, but that didn’t happen. Alli, I’m so sorry. I’ve never had this happen to me before. I swear to you, I’m actually a pretty decent cook.”

“I’m sure they’re not that bad,” she replied, sniffing the air. “It’s not a preference, but I am capable of eating a steak well done.”

“This is looking at well done in the rear view mirror,” Sam sighed. “Honey, the smoke alarm went off. That’s when I realized I’d forgotten about the steaks.”

Now that he’d mentioned it, she could still see some of the smoke in the air. She followed him to the kitchen where what was left of the two steaks sat on a broiler pan on top of the stove.

Still smoldering.

Oh dear. She doubted they were edible in any way. They looked like two hunks of lava and ash from a nearby volcano. If she hadn’t seen them in the kitchen, she wouldn’t have recognized them as food. He must have been particularly intent on his phone call, because they had to have been burning for a while.

“We can eat the potatoes and salad,” she said, trying to hide her laughter. This was the type of thing that usually happened to her. “And I brought dessert. Chocolate cake. Chocolate makes everything better.”

“The potatoes aren’t done, and I didn’t get a chance to start the salad,” Sam said, his tone laced with frustration. “Listen, I’m sorry about all of this. The private investigator that we hired to look into Mom’s disappearance called, and I got all wrapped up in that. I basically forgot that I was even cooking dinner. I know that sounds stupid, and I wouldn’t blame you for being angry. This was supposed to be a celebration, and I ruined it.”

“I’m not angry,” Alli said, shaking her head. “You didn’t mean for this to happen, and luckily, this town has places we can go where they will cook the food for us and even bring it to our table.”

“I wanted to cook for you.”

“That would have been lovely, but it wasn’t to be tonight. But we can still have a lovely evening.” She hadn’t yet taken off her own jacket or put her purse down, so she turned and picked up his coat from the back of the kitchen chair. “How about we go to Tate’s? A cheeseburger sounds really good.”

“You’re just saying that to make me feel better.”

“I’m not,” she denied. “It does sound good. Don’t tell me that you don’t think so, too.”

“I could eat,” Sam relented. “Although the special is the French dip tonight.”

“That sounds good, too. Let’s go. I’ll even let you pick up the check.”

“Damn right, I’m picking up the check,” Sam said, snagging the house keys from the table near the door. “We can come back here later and have dessert. You did say chocolate cake?”

“I did, and that sounds like a great idea.” She paused at the door. “Should we open a few windows before we go?”

Finally, a smile from Sam. She’d been getting a bit concerned.

“Good idea. Let’s get this place aired out. I’ve already alerted the neighbors of my lousy cooking tonight. Don’t want to do it again.”

“You’ll be laughing about this before the night is over.”

“It is kind of funny, isn’t it?” he replied, his smile widening. “I wanted the meal to be special, but the universe had other ideas.”

“Sometimes, you just have to go with whatever fate decides.”

“You sound like my sister Piper.”

“She must be a wise woman.”