Burning Ambition Read Online Free Page A

ordering?”
    “Enchiladas,” they both said at the same time.
    Faith hid a grin.
    “Beef,” her dad said.
    “Seafood.” Her mother glanced at her. “What sounds good to you, Faith?”
    “Fish tacos, as usual.” She closed her menu.
    Her dad’s cell phone rang and he answered, switching to his business tone and gesturing for Faith to let him out of the booth. She did, watching him walk past the host toward the front entryway.
    The waiter came by to check their chip supply and take their requests. Faith went ahead and ordered for her dad, since she knew exactly what he wanted.
    That turned out to be the wrong thing to do. He strode back in and grabbed the sunglasses that he’d set on the table. “I have to go. Mayor Romero called an impromptu meeting at city hall. You two have a good dinner.” He leaned over and kissed the top of Faith’s head before she could say anything.
    “Tell the mayor he might want to rethink holding impromptu meetings over the dinner hour,” her mom said coldly.
    Her dad nodded, showing no emotion.
    “Dad?” Faith’s plan was falling apart. “Can’t you stay for a little while?”
    “It’s important, honey, or he wouldn’t phone me at dinnertime.” He walked out, waving a goodbye over his shoulder.
    Faith sank deeper into the booth. As she did, she caught a look on her mother’s face—of disappointment. Resignation. Just for a moment.
    After a few minutes of awkwardness, the two of them engaged in small talk, which was what they did best. It was safest to stay away from topics either one of them cared a lot about. Before their food arrived, Faith spotted Joe Mendoza as he walked by their table.
    He turned back when he recognized them. “Faith, it’s good to see you. Hello, Mrs. Peligni.”
    “Good to see you, too,” Faith replied.
    “Hi, Captain Mendoza,” Nita said. “Are you here alone?”
    It was impossible not to notice the way the captain’s black polo shirt stretched to the limit over his shoulders. His long legs were encased in light blue jeans and he wore black cowboy boots. When he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkled, making Faith think he must smile a lot. His dark eyes flitted over her for an extra second.
    “For now. I’m meeting my great-aunt for dinner.” He glanced around, presumably looking for her. “Are you ready to go at it again in the morning?” he asked Faith, referring to their shift the next day.
    “Absolutely. Looking forward to it.”
    “Did you hear about your daughter’s performance in the training drill on her first day of work?” he asked Nita.
    “I did not.”
    “She was impressive. Part of the winning team.”
    “Pair me with a walking legend and it’s hard to screw up,” Faith said drily, trying not to bask in his compliment.
    “Faith has some amazing rappelling skills,” Captain Mendoza continued.
    Nita’s eyes widened and she nodded slowly, politely, but she wasn’t able to hide her true feelings. “That’s good, I suppose.”
    An awkward silence fell over them. Thankfully, his great-aunt, who had to be ninety years old, came whisking up to his side.
    “There’s my Joey,” she said, hugging him and then smiling at Faith and her mom.
    Captain Mendoza introduced them all, and then the two of them made their way to the table the host had originally indicated, on the far side of the room. Faith followed him with her eyes, covertly admiring the view from behind. At the same time she was touched by the way he held on to his aunt’s elbow, pulled her chair out for her and pushed her in at the table. He sat at a right angle to Faith, giving her the opportunity to appreciate his profile. He was good-looking and a gentleman, but he was probably about fifteen years older than her and, much more importantly, her supervisor.
    Their waiter delivered their food, and Faith and her mother returned to their stilted, low-stakes discussion of the unseasonable weather and Faith’s four brothers.
    “You know, Faith,” her