On A Night Like This (Callaways #1)

people who are trying to help," Nicole said. She sat up straighter in her chair. "It's just going to take time that's all, but I'm going to get my son back, and everything will be good again."
    She nodded. Nicole had as much Callaway spirit as the rest of her siblings, but she seemed to be facing some pretty big obstacles.
    "I wonder if I should call Ryan," Nicole added, glancing down at her watch.
    "Ryan is fine," Emma said. "He can take care of his son for a few hours. You need to relax. You should have some more wine."
    "I've had enough wine. I'm not a single girl like the two of you." She gave a slightly wistful sigh. "I can barely remember those days."
    "That's because you weren't single very long," Emma said. "You fell for Ryan hard and fast. One look, and he was the one."
    "He was the one," Nicole echoed.
    Sara wondered if there wasn't just a little too much emphasis on the word was .
    Emma suddenly stiffed, her mouth turning down in a frown, as her gaze fixed on someone at the other side of the room.
    Sara shifted in her chair so she could see who Emma was looking at. The focus of her attention was a good-looking man wearing dark jeans and a gray sweater. "Who's that?" she asked.
    "Max Harrison," Emma replied, her lips tightening. "He's a cop, a very annoying cop. He's working on the investigation involving Sister Margaret."
    "How is he annoying?" Sara asked.
    "He thinks he knows everything when he knows nothing."
    "Sounds like every guy I know," Sara said with a smile.
    "True, but he gets under my skin. I ran into him earlier today at St. Andrew's. He had the nerve to suggest that Sister Margaret might have been responsible for setting the fire, that she might have had some beef with the administration."
    "Wait, what are you talking about?" Nicole interrupted. "I didn't hear about this."
    "There was a fire at St. Andrew's last night," Emma replied. "And Sister Margaret is apparently missing. But I know she did not set that fire."
    "That would be crazy," Sara agreed. "She loved that school."
    "Exactly what I told him, but he didn't seem inclined to take me at my word."
    "I'm sure he's just doing his job," Nicole said. "He might be more objective than you."
    Emma frowned at her sister's criticism. "I have found no evidence to support his theory. If I had, I would keep an open mind."
    "Yes, but that school meant a lot to you, too," Nicole said.
    "I know what I'm doing, Nic."
    "Okay, fine," Nicole said.
    "I just really dislike him," Emma muttered, her gaze moving back to her object of dislike.
    "Or…" Sara said, noting the gleam in Emma's eyes. "You actually like him, and that's why he irritates you."
    "Oh, please," she said with disdain. "That is ridiculous."
    "She's right. You have that look, Em." Nicole exchanged a nod with Sara. "Good call. I'm getting slow. I didn't pick up on that right away."
    "I do not have that look," Emma said, her annoyance now centered on them. "You two are way off base. I am off men for at least a year."
    "You haven't told me about your last relationship," Sara said, realizing they'd skated around that topic. "You mentioned something about a breakup…"
    "It's a long story."
    "Now seems like a good time to tell it. We have a half hour."
    "We'd need a week and maybe a shrink to help us analyze things. It was complicated, messy, awful, wonderful and then awful again. It was too much drama, and too much emotion, and I had to get out. I was becoming this weepy girl, and I didn't like it."
    Sara smiled. Emma had always taken pride in her tough edges. But she'd never been as tough as she thought.
    "Let's talk about something else," Emma added. "Oh, there's Burke." She waved to her oldest brother.
    Burke gave a nod and then headed toward them.
    Wearing black slacks and a charcoal gray coat over a black shirt, Burke drew more than his fair share of looks on his way to the table. With his almost black hair and his blue-gray eyes Burke was an attractive man with a serious, intense edge. He had a commanding presence but he could also put people off. Sara had never felt comfortable around him. He'd been five years older than her, a gap that had seemed like a million years when they were kids. He was a good man, but she couldn't help wondering if he ever had any fun. Although, most people probably wondered the same thing about her.
    "Em, Nic," he said shortly, then gave her a polite smile. "Sara. Sorry about last night. I don't think I was very welcoming."
    "I understand there's a lot going