Under the Boardwalk

by Carly Phillips

  She blinked, tears filling her eyes. “I care but I’m scared. And I hate you for making me admit that,” she said, trying to turn away.

  “Good.” He pulled her back. “Hating me is a start. Besides, I’m scared, too.” Going out on a limb, he admitted his deepest fears to Maria. It was something else they had in common. “Did you know they say there’s a fine line between love and hate?” he asked her.

  She glared at him, but he saw the beginnings of a smile on her lips. Her smile warmed the coldest places inside him. Like he’d told Maria. It was a start.

  • • •

  From the festive sounds downstairs, the party was in full swing, and Ari was finally ready to face her family and resume her place within it. She walked to the top of the stairs and paused at the wall of shame. As she viewed the pictures from a new, adult perspective, she saw a remarkable collage of family photos. A history few people could claim and one Ari was now proud to be a part of.

  She couldn’t erase the years she’d distanced herself, but she could make up for them now and enjoy the present. As she made her way to the bottom step, she noticed the newest addition to the wall, a picture of Sam and Spank in matching dresses. What struck Ari most was how the young girl’s blonde hair fell around her shoulders, no baseball cap in sight, no attempt to hide from herself or blend into the scenery.

  To Ari, the irony was clear-while Ari had lived here, she’d run from herself. As soon as Sam moved in, she’d done the opposite. In the Costas house, Sam had finally found the sense of security that enabled her to be herself. It had taken Ari much longer, but she’d finally come full circle.

  A smile on her face, Ari strode into the room to join the party. She’d been told only family would be present, and so when she caught sight of Connor, Maria, and Quinn, she felt as if she’d been sucker punched by the unexpected guests. In Ari’s mind, there were two possible explanations.

  The first was her gut reaction: the family had blindsided her by bringing Quinn here. But her mother had sworn she’d learned her lesson trying to matchmake with Zoe and Damon, and so the second explanation that came to Ari’s mind was the more plausible one. Even if it was more twisted in logic.

  This was a family party. Sam was now family. Quinn was Sam’s family, which made him part of the Costas extended family. Since Connor was like family to Quinn, that explained his presence, and he’d brought Maria. All in all, a typical Costas type of gathering, Ari thought.

  If she weren’t so stunned, she’d thank her family, since they’d saved her from having to seek Quinn out on her own. But with no warning and no time to plan how to handle him, she felt trapped, and her stomach bunched into tight, nervous knots. Just because they occupied the same breathing space by no means guaranteed the outcome Ari wanted.

  • • •

  Quinn watched Ari’s entrance. The sense of longing he felt upon seeing her warred with anger because she hadn’t been able to get past her damn fears and walls. Hell, nobody had bigger walls than he had, and he’d torn them down for her. Man, he didn’t want to be here, and as soon as they got past the celebration stage and he could lecture the family all at once about ending their con-artist ways, he was out of here.

  “So glad you could make it,” Nicholas said, coming up to Quinn and pulling him into a bear hug. “I even forgive your… how do you say? Deception for not telling me Zoe was alive. You saved her and that’s all that matters.” The older man hugged him again. “You will always be part of this family.”

  Without warning, a lump rose in Quinn’s throat as Ari’s father offered him the acceptance he’d never had. “Thank you, sir.”

  Quinn felt the heat of a stare at his back. He didn’t have to turn to know Ari was watching the entire exchange. Ari, in the black miniskirt she’d worn on her first trip to the casino and a flesh-colored lace top that made him want to drool.

  Ari was still dressing as if she’d accepted her freer, more sensual side. But Quinn knew better than anyone, Ariana Costas knew how to use clothing to her advantage. Whether she was covering her Costas roots with conservative clothes or, as now, dressing to fit in with her relatives, nothing with Ari was ever as it seemed. How could it be? Inside she was still running, and nothing, not even his declaration of love, could change that.

  He’d given her his heart, something no one had ever received from him before, nor would they again.

  Nicholas shook a finger in front of his face. “It’s a good thing you paid more attention during this case of yours or both my daughters would be gone.”

  Quinn forced a laugh, since the older man seemed to think he was hysterically funny. “Sorry. I got distracted.”

  Nicholas nodded. “Well, I was just reminding you there are no formalities among family. So no more calling me ‘sir,’ ” he admonished. “Oh, look. Kassie’s here.” The older man headed to welcome his sister and her brood.

  “I don’t know what to make of them,” Connor said, coming up beside him.

  “If you mean the family, I understand. They can have that effect on you.” Quinn chuckled, recalling his first meeting with the relatives when he’d been pickpocketed by the monkey.

  Connor slapped him on the shoulder. “You can handle them.”

  “For Sam, I’ll manage,” Quinn said wryly.

  “But I was talking about handling them for Ari.”

  Quinn rolled his eyes. “Not everyone’s finding love as simple and as easy as you. The woman wants nothing to do with me, or haven’t you noticed?” Quinn asked, since Connor already knew Ari had run from him and he also knew why.

  “I know she hasn’t stopped staring at you since she walked into the room.”

  And that could be explained by lust, Quinn thought. God knew their chemistry was explosive. And in the past, with any other woman, that would have been enough for Quinn. But from Ari he’d wanted more.

  Connor didn’t comment further and was soon distracted by Maria’s return from the basement.

  The rest of the evening passed with toasts and thanks and hugs and kisses. Not surprisingly, Ari avoided him the entire time.

  Quinn glanced at his watch. Enough time had passed and he clapped his hands, calling the entire family to attention. It was time to make sure they knew that with a child in the house, their conning future had come to an end.

  And then he was going home.

  • • •

  Ari wasn’t surprised her entire family stopped to listen when Quinn demanded the floor. He had that commanding presence, something she’d noticed from the moment he’d tackled her on the beach.

  “I need to say a few things and then you can all get back to your party,” Quinn said.

  “About what?” Cousin Daphne, the nosy one, asked.

  “About Sam’s future and everyone’s behavior from now on.”

  Sam let out a loud, adolescent-sounding groan. “Don’t say anything to embarrass me, Quinn,” she called from the back of the room.

  Ari chuckled. “If you’re going to live with this family, you’d better get used to being embarrassed. As well as being the center of attention,” she told the girl. But surprisingly, the thought no longer held the bitter memories it once had.

  Quinn glanced her way. For the first time all night, their gazes met and held and a wealth of understanding passed between them. A wave of warmth and security swept through Ari as she realized how lucky she was to have found this man who understood her feelings about herself and her family and accepted her anyway.

  What he didn’t know about was her acceptance of herself. And because she’d pushed him so far away, she didn’t know if her revelations had come in time for them. She needed to get him alone, and there just hadn’t been an opportunity during the party. Not when everyone wanted to thank him for helping Zoe and to get to know him. Ari had given her family the time they needed, since she planned to steal him away later.

  “I noticed the monkey’s not up here,” Quinn said, breaking the silent connection between them.

&n
bsp; “She’s in the basement,” Aunt Dee said. “With her trainer.”

  “New owner,” Sam chimed in. “Did you hear? Spank’s got a new job.”

  Quinn raised an eyebrow. “She’s not mooning in exchange for spare change, is she?”

  Apparently Quinn hadn’t been privy to the recent developments involving the monkey.

  “Spank’s gonna be a star!” Sam said, her excitement tangible. “You see, Ari found a man who’s allowed to own monkeys. Because she didn’t want my caseworker to make me leave here. At first I was so pissed.” She shook her head, obviously catching Quinn’s glare. “I mean I was so mad.”

  “Better,” Quinn muttered. “Go on.”

  “But then Zoe came back, and she told me that Ari’s the conscience of the family. She wants everyone to do the right thing. And giving Spank away is the right thing to do if I want to live here forever. And I do, Quinn. I really do.”

  Ari watched as the dialogue between Quinn and Sam took center stage, his planned lecture giving way to something far different. His expression softened as he listened to Sam’s heartfelt plea. The rest of the family remained silent, taking it all in, too.

  “I agree that Ari wants what’s best for everyone,” Quinn said, surprising her. “Except herself. Then she’s too afraid to stand up for what she really wants.”

  The room was awash with loud gasps.

  Ari raised an eyebrow, her hands coming to her hips. “Of all the unmitigated gall,” she muttered. It was one thing to yell at her in private, but to condemn her in front of her family was something else entirely and she wasn’t about to let him get away with it.

  “Are you telling me I’m wrong?” Quinn asked, obviously challenging her.

  “Ooh, I sense a good argument,” Nicholas said.

  “It’s like one of ours,” Elena agreed.

  Nicholas let out a loud growl. “But ours end up in the bedroom and they aren’t married,” he said in protective-father mode.

  Zoe placed her hands over Sam’s ears.

  Ari cringed. She’d wanted to wait until the party ended to talk to Quinn, but he was obviously spoiling for a fight. And no matter what her father said, Ari refused to discuss her future in front of her entire family.

  “Apparently you forgot you were about to lecture everyone here on morals and upstanding behavior?”

  He glanced at her family. “No more cons, no more games. I’m a cop and if I catch you red-handed, you won’t leave me with a choice but to turn you in. Plus if a caseworker gets wind of anything other than a respectable business going on here, she’ll pull Sam faster than Spank can pick my pocket. Got it?” he asked.

  They all nodded and murmured their assent. It was a miracle, but somehow Ari believed they understood.

  Then Quinn turned his glittering eyes back to her. “I’m finished.”

  “Good.”

  She’d learned more than she realized from watching her mother deal with her father over the years, and now Ari decided to take control of the situation and Quinn. “If you have something to say to me, you can do it in private. Now.” She turned and walked out of the room, not looking back, ignoring the stares of her relatives, the laughter, the knowing looks.

  She’d just executed a typical Costas-woman move by making a scene. Well, Quinn had started the spectacle, and if he wanted to talk, he’d just have to damn well follow her and accept that the family thought she had complete power over him.

  In reality, Ari knew better. Even if he followed, the man had the power to break her heart.

  • • •

  Quinn didn’t know what had possessed him to provoke Ari in front of her family, but he was furious at her and when the opening presented itself, his frustration and anger had spilled over. Now he had to pay in the form of humiliation in front of all her relatives.

  Ignoring Connor, who stood in a corner trying not to laugh, Quinn glanced around the room at the expectant faces, especially Nicholas’s.

  Finally he merely shrugged. “You said it yourself.” He spoke directly to Ari’s father. “It’s the best part of making up.”

  “When you are married.”

  Quinn groaned. “Then tell your daughter to stop running away.”

  “I heard that,” Ari called from the doorway.

  Quinn had had enough. He strode through the crowd, grabbed her hand, and pulled her through the entryway and out the front door.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, outraged, as he opened the door to his truck and nudged her inside.

  “Somewhere we can be alone.” But somewhere he could get to quickly, which didn’t leave him with many options.

  Minutes later, he’d parked near Islet Pier. Once again, he grabbed her hand and led her to the vacant snack shack where they’d first officially met. She didn’t have a coat and neither did he, which suited him fine. It would force her to talk fast and openly or freeze to death.

  No sooner had he pulled her into the shack and slammed the door and the cold wind behind them, than Ari cupped his face in her palms and kissed him. A quick, hard, determined kiss.

  “What was that for?” he asked, stunned at her complete reversal in behavior.

  “For being you. For loving Sam enough to put yourself out for her. For being a master at handling my family. For putting them in their place. For gaining their respect and mine.” As she spoke, she rubbed her hands together to keep warm.

  He knew she was cold but Quinn wasn’t ready to pull her into his arms and provide body heat. “I’m so glad you approve of my actions.” He wasn’t anywhere close to understanding where this crazy female’s mind or heart was, and he refused to let Ari trample him again.

  “You need to understand a few things.” She paced the floor, an obvious attempt to keep moving and stay warm. “You think that I should get the concept of family because I’m so lucky to have one.”

  Quinn shook his head. “Honey, I know exactly what it was like for you.” And he’d offered her as much understanding as possible. “Maybe you need to hear what it was like for me. My mother was a drug addict and a hooker. My father was any one of hundreds of guys who paid for the right to her body. I don’t know and I don’t care. Neither did she as long as she had the money for her next fix. Food wasn’t as important as drugs and because of that, she OD’d one day and I found her.”

  Ari winced. “Go on,” she said, apparently knowing not to offer sympathy.

  Smart girl, he thought. He hated talking about where he’d come from. Now he started pacing the floor, trying as always to outrun what was always there, inside him.

  Ari remained silent, frozen in place, waiting for him to continue.

  “From there it was one foster home after the next. I’ve been on my own for longer than I can remember, and I always lived by rules that I understood. Nobody watches out for you except yourself, and everybody will take off one day if given the chance. Including you. Hell, especially you. I told myself over and over that not only would you leave, but you wouldn’t want anything to do with me long-term. And man, you proved me right.”

  He refused to meet her gaze. “So whatever game you’re playing now, dressing and talking like Ari, I’m completely prepared for you to morph back into your prissy Ariana mode. I’m through trying to convince you I love all parts of you. Hell,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I’m just through.”

  “Good,” she said, coming up beside him. “Because I’m just getting started. Everything you ever said about me was right. I was running. I’ve always been running. Growing up is a scary thing for anyone. Some more than others. I never realized how good I had it. The truth is, you get the notion of family a lot more than I ever did.”

  He shot her a disbelieving glance. “Now, that’s a laugh.”

  “You didn’t have a family and you created one out of Connor and Sam. You met my parents and my wacky relatives and you didn’t judge or condemn. Instead you fit right in and a part of me resented you for it.” She shook her head. “It was just
so easy for you, when it never was for me.”

  Though he warned himself not to, he reached out and touched her arm. “To fit in anywhere, all you need to do is accept yourself.”

  She blinked, tears forming in her eyes. “I know that now. From the minute I heard Zoe was missing until right this minute, I’ve had to really look inside myself.” She bit down on her lower lip.

  The uncertainty in that small gesture tugged at his heart. “I’ve seen inside you all along.”

  She smiled. “I know that, too. You helped teach me to accept myself.”

  “Is this your way of telling me you’re leaving for Vermont, Ariana?” He used her full name for the first time, hating the feel of it on his tongue because it signaled the end.

  “I can understand why you’d think that, but no. I’m trying to tell you that I’m staying. I love my family and I miss them and I want to come home. Well, not to their house. That would be too much for any partially sane person. But home to New Jersey,” she said, her words rambling, coming as fast as her thoughts. “It has to be after I finish the semester, because I really do owe the school and the students that much. Unless of course they don’t need me after all. We’ll see.”

  “That’s all great.” His head spun from the unexpected revelation.

  She met his gaze. “And I’m so grateful to you for helping me reach this point in my life.” She grabbed his hands and held on tight.

  He remained silent.

  “Don’t you have anything else to say?” she asked, hope and something more in those huge green eyes.

  What did she want from him? “I’m thrilled that your family has you back. I am. But I can’t exactly say I’m overjoyed I’ll have to run into you when I come to visit Sam.”

  Without warning, Ari burst out laughing. “Oh, Quinn, I’m sorry. I just replayed that whole conversation in my head and in all my soul-baring I forgot the most important thing.” Her expression sobered, her eyes grew wide and imploring.