Still musing over the letter, Allison climbed the stairs and walked down the hall to Brianna’s room. The family photograph sat in its place on the bookshelf. She picked it up and studied the image of the young girl, a cherished child, lavished with love and attention—a child whose world would all too soon be shattered by the loss of her mother.

Kate’s death would have had a deep effect on Brianna. But the girl had survived to grow up strong and resilient, like her mother. Allison had always thought of her as Burke’s daughter—stubborn, willful, possessive, and quick to defend her territory. But she was Kate’s child, too, loyal and loving, with a woman’s strength.

Maybe if she made an effort to see Brianna as Kate’s daughter, it would be easier to understand and deal with her, Allison thought. That might be worth remembering in the difficult days ahead. Maybe the shared secret of Brianna’s boyfriend would grow into a bond between them. Or maybe not. Maybe, in Brianna’s eyes, Allison would always be the wicked stepmother.

Allison replaced the photograph, closed the door, and made her way down the hall to the master bedroom. A long shower and an old pair of warm flannel pajamas helped relax her for bed, but she still felt restless. Before turning off the bedside lamp, she called the nurses’ station outside Burke’s room. The nurse who answered told her he was sleeping peacefully. Maybe, knowing that, she could do the same.

She turned off the lamp, punched her pillow into shape, and stretched out in the bed. The house was eerily quiet, every small settling sound making her nerves jump. She would have to get used to sleeping without Burke for the near future. A hospital bed and other equipment for his recovery was to be set up in the downstairs guest room, where he would stay until he was strong enough to climb stairs, which could take weeks, even months.

What would their relationship be by then? Would he even want her? Up until the night of the accident, their sex life had been wonderful. But the man in that hospital bed was a stranger behind a closed door. She no longer knew what to expect from him.

She was beginning to drift. Grateful for sleep, she let it pull her under like a riptide, deeper into the soothing dark.

Sometime later her cell phone rang. Startled awake, she turned on the lamp and grabbed the phone where she’d left it on the nightstand.

“Hello?” she mumbled.

“Allison, this is Garrett.”

“What is it?” She sat bolt upright, her heart pounding. “Is Burke—”

“Burke’s fine, as far as I know. But I just got a call from Brianna.”

“Is she all right?”

“She’s fine, except—”

“Except what?” Allison struggled to clear the sleep from her mind.