If only I can keep believing that.
“How did it go with the dean?” Allison asked as Brianna climbed into the front seat.
“I’ll tell you on the way,” she said. “For now, let’s just drive.”
Allison wasn’t surprised by Brianna’s news. The dean had made a reasonable decision. Brianna had been a promising student, but with so many applicants for Northwestern’s journalism program, they couldn’t hold her place beyond next semester.
“There are good colleges in Missouri,” Allison said. “I did some checking. Missouri State in Springfield offers a degree in journalism. You wouldn’t be paying out-of-state tuition, and since it’s only thirty-five miles from Branson, you could even live at home and commute.”
“Yeah, in my shiny red BMW convertible.” Brianna sighed. “Sorry, that just came out. I’m trying to look on the positive side, but this whole thing sucks. I can’t be Little Miss Perky-face all the time.”
“Of course you can’t,” Allison said. “If you feel like venting, go ahead.”
“It won’t help,” Brianna said. “And it won’t help my dad. Right now, what happens to him is more important than a new car, or college, or—”
“Or Liam?”
“Don’t. You’ll make me cry. Liam said he’d be there for me, but I’m a big girl. I know things can happen.”
“I got married when I was about your age,” Allison said. “His name was Kevin, and he wanted to be an actor. He was almost as handsome as Liam.”
“What happened?” Brianna asked.
“He got in with some bad friends and died of a drug overdose. But we were happy for a while.”
“Liam would never do that. He’s got plans. He’s working hard and saving to get his own business.”
“I know.”
“And we haven’t even talked about getting married. Liam says he doesn’t want a wife or kids until he can afford to give them a good life.”
Allison gave her a smile. “That sounds a lot like your dad.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” Brianna sounded mildly surprised. “But my dad doesn’t like the idea of my dating Liam. He says I should find someone more suitable.”
Allison didn’t reply. She liked Liam and could see that he cared for Brianna, but she didn’t want to go head-to-head with Burke over his daughter’s future. Give it time, she told herself.
“People think I love Liam because he’s so good-looking,” Brianna said. “But that isn’t the reason. I love him because he’s honest and kind and smart, and because of the wa
y he treats me. He could be as ugly as a troll, and it wouldn’t make any difference.”
“I know.” Allison eased the Lexus into the right-hand lane and watched the signs for the connection to the southbound freeway. “People think I married your father for his money, but he could lose everything and I’d still love him.”
Brianna was quiet for a moment, thinking. “What will we do if Dad loses all his money?” she asked.
“If it were to happen, we’d find ways to manage,” Allison said. “But for now, the best we can do is help him get strong so he can manage the situation himself.”
It would be wise to keep her own plan for helping Burke a secret, Allison reasoned. Knowing Burke, he’d forbid her to get involved in his business. And telling Brianna would only raise the odds of his finding out.
Sooner or later she would have to tell him. But the next few weeks would be a balancing act with Burke recovering at home, Brianna dealing with her legal issues and long-distance love, and Garrett plotting to turn Burke’s business over to the Mob.
She would have to be prepared for the battle of her life.
CHAPTER 10
Brianna sat at the end of the long wooden pier that broke the shoreline of Table Rock Lake. Bundled in her warm coat, she gazed at the reflection of the full moon in the calm, dark water. An eventful week had passed since Allison had driven her home from Evanston with the clothes and other things from her dorm room loaded in the Lexus. In that short time, it was as if her whole life had turned upside down.
After finding her phone in her pocket, she scrolled to Liam’s number. Except for a couple of texts, she’d put off calling him. He worked long hours most days, and at night he could be sleeping or out with friends. Maybe she’d really put off calling because she didn’t want to discover he was dating somebody else. After all, they’d never promised to be exclusive, and women practically followed him down the street.