Cavanaugh Standoff. Marie Ferrarella

that way and it was a love that lingered to the present day.

      “No, but I whipped up a new cake if you’re interested.”

      “I’m always interested in cake, you know that,” Brian said, taking a seat at the extra-long, custom-made kitchen table. He grinned ruefully. “Lila says if I keep this up, I’m going to have to go on a diet. I thought I’d just remedy the situation by putting another notch on my belt.”

      “That doesn’t mean what it used to, does it?” Andrew’s wife, Rose, asked as she came into the kitchen. She smiled warmly at her brother-in-law.

      Brian laughed softly. “Not since before Jared was born,” he told her, referring to the first of his four adult children, three of whom were police detectives. The fourth, Janelle, was an assistant DA.

      “Okay, other than my cake, what’s brought you out on a school night like this?” Andrew asked, placing a healthy slice of amaretto cake in front of his brother.

      Fork poised over his serving, he looked at Andrew and Rose. “You two aren’t having any?” Brian asked. “I feel strange, being the only one eating.”

      “Like I believe that.” Andrew laughed. “But I’ll have a small slice to keep you company. Rose?” he asked his wife as he cut himself a slice that was half the size of the one he’d just given his brother.