“I know you’re disappointed and so is Samantha, but it can’t be helped. My mother needs me for another few weeks and my colleagues will be tied up with urgent cases. I hope you understand.”
“Sort of.” Zoe shot a covert glance at Ryan beneath her lashes.
“It’s a compliment and a testament to your family’s skills with Samantha. She’s come such a long way. I know she’s safe and in good hands, so I have no problem with the final evaluation being postponed for a few weeks until I’m back.”
“Okay.” She didn’t want to give anything away to her companion who stood with is back to her, staring at the photographs on the refrigerator.
“My colleagues will need to focus on the more problematic cases in order to cover my absence,” Katherine explained.
“I understand. And I hope things work out for your mother.”
“Thank you, dear. You’ll relay the message to your parents?”
“I certainly will.” Zoe hung up the phone and focused on the stranger in her kitchen.
A man who’d stirred something inside her that had been dormant for too long. A man who obviously had an agenda.
She walked up behind him and tugged on his arm.
“Is this you and Sam?” He gestured to the picture of Zoe, Ari and Sam with orange spray-on tans on their faces and arms, smiling for the camera.
“We were recreating an old childhood memory,” she said laughing, before she caught herself. “Never mind that.”
He narrowed his gaze. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“You’re wrong, Ryan Baldwin, if that’s even your name. Since I just spoke to Sam’s social worker on the phone and I know she couldn’t get someone to replace her, I’d like to know just who the hell you are. And what the hell you’re doing snooping around my family and my house.”
Chapter Two
RYAN REALIZED THE MOMENT his cover had been blown and his stomach churned with a combination of relief that he could end his deception and anticipation that a confrontation was sure to follow. He’d been preparing himself the entire car ride from Boston and he was ready now.
He glanced at Zoe. Gone was the solicitous woman who’d sought to charm and accommodate him. Instead he looked into deep green eyes, which only minutes ago had flickered with warmth and interest, and that now held cold contempt.
“Who the hell are you?” Zoe asked again.
Ryan welcomed the intervention of fate. “I’m Sam’s uncle.”
“Sam has no family.” She folded her arms across her chest defensively. “Care to cough up another lie?”
“It’s the truth. My sister, Faith, was Sam’s mother.”
“Sam’s mother’s name was Sara.”
He reached into his pocket for the papers he’d received from the P.I. and handed them over.
Zoe glanced through the sheets, which acknowledged her words and verified his, and paled. “I’m assuming these are copies?”
He nodded. “Feel free to keep them.”
She rolled them tight, hanging on to the documents with one hand. “Even if you’re telling the truth, wouldn’t you say you took your sweet time coming around?”
“Faith ran away from home when she was seventeen. I was only thirteen. She got involved with drugs and changed her name so many times, her trail grew cold. But make no mistake, Sam is my niece.”
“And?” She spat out the word.
“And I want to bring her home.”
“What if that isn’t what Sam wants? After years of being shuffled from foster home to foster home, she finally has a family. Here. With us.”
If Ryan had admired this woman before his revelation, her spunk fired his blood now. Even their differences didn’t stop the desire racing through his veins.
“Do you really think you can show up, wave some documents that proclaim you’re a blood relative and whisk her away? Think again. You’re years too late to do Sam one bit of good.”
He swallowed hard, because Zoe had voiced his biggest fear. But that didn’t mean he’d back down. He leaned closer, getting into her personal space. “No court’s going to hold it against me because I was too young to track Sam down sooner.”
Court? Zoe grew dizzy, feeling the blood rush out of her head. Her family might pass inspection with a social worker. But if a judge was faced with choosing between this man, who had blood ties to Sam and who seemed impeccably normal, or her wacky family, the Costas clan didn’t stand a chance.
She understood this just as she understood the ramifications of Ryan Baldwin’s claim. A claim she intended to check out ASAP. In the meantime, while she got Quinn and Connor digging into the man’s past and present, she needed to buy her and her family some time.
No way could he reveal the truth to Sam or Social Services just yet. “Please don’t tell me you think you can snap your fingers and all will go your way,” she said with sugared sweetness.
He shrugged, but there was a definite arrogance to him she hadn’t noticed earlier. Hadn’t wanted to notice, she was forced to admit. She’d been taken in by his good looks and suckered by his claim that he was a public servant.
Now that she allowed her training to kick in and looked more closely, she realized his European suit was more expensive than any social worker could afford and his voice held a trace of a fine New England accent. Which meant he not only had the intent to fight her family in court, should it come to that, but probably the financial means, as well.
The Costas family didn’t.
She gathered her wits and her defenses and pulled on every shred of self-confidence she could muster to go toe-to-toe with him. Her family and Sam’s emotional well-being were at stake. “Okay, let’s agree on a few points, shall we?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Go on.”
“Right now my family has custody and controls access to your niece. You need that access as well as a smooth introduction. Are we on the same page so far?”
“So far, yes.” He studied her with those astute brown eyes.
“I’m also sure you don’t think we’re just going to hand Sam over to a complete stranger, blood relation or not. We’re going to want to know what kind of home you plan to provide for her. Fair?”
He inclined his head, but didn’t answer.
She studied his expression closely. A muscle ticked in his jaw, telling her that something she’d just said had put him on edge.
She intended to push him a little further. “Are you married?”
“No.”
“Engaged?”
He shook his head.
“So you’re a single guy then. Interesting,” she said, referring to more than his ability to raise a teenage girl. “You mentioned that your sister ran away when you were young but you never mentioned other family. Are your parents still alive?”
“Yes.” His expression grew more shuttered.
She narrowed her gaze. “That’s it? Yes? Do they know you found your sister’s child?”
“Yes.” His jaw tightened, almost imperceptibly.
“Yet they aren’t here with you.”
He paused, then said, “We thought it best I come down and check out the situation first.” The tick in his jaw became more pronounced.
She made a mental note to have Quinn look deeply into their family history. If he had been thirteen when his sister ran away, what had his parents done about finding Faith before the trail had grown cold? Ryan Baldwin’s silence spoke louder than any words could and perhaps whatever was behind that reticence would provide her with the leverage she needed to stall his revelation to Sam.
She sidled up beside him, this time more aware of his expensive cologne, a scent that under other circumstances she could definitely get used to. “I’d like to propose a deal. A quid pro quo of sorts.”
“Again, I’m listening.”
“You just can’t spring this on my family or Sam. She’s fragile and needs to get to know you first.”
He nodded in understanding, his expression softening. “
That sounds fair. What are you proposing?”
“Katherine, the social worker, has put off the final evaluation a few weeks while she’s away on a family emergency. They’re so overburdened they can’t spare anyone for this case. I suggest you hold off telling Social Services or Sam who you claim to be.”
“Who I am.”
She shook her head, refusing to accept him at his word just yet. “Whatever. What I’m suggesting is that you continue your charade. Pretend to be a social worker and come by as often as you like during these last few weeks of the evaluation period. You’ll get to know Sam and see her in her element here.”
He frowned. “That sounds awfully one-sided. What do I get out of this?”
“My cooperation in getting to know Sam. If you dump this news on her, I can promise you every defensive mechanism she has will surface and your chances of winning her over will be slim. She considers me her sister. She trusts my judgment. Like it or not, you need me, Mr. Baldwin. So do we have a deal?” She held out her hand.
He hesitated for a second, before grasping her hand. If Zoe thought the first sparks between them were a fluke, she immediately discovered she’d been mistaken. The man might have lied from their first meeting, might be the biggest threat to the Costas family since her father’s bout with cancer, but somehow the attraction was there, strong and undeniable.
She gathered her composure—which wasn’t easy when she liked the feelings he evoked—and yanked her hand back. “One more thing.”
“What’s that?” he asked, flexing his fingers as if he needed to shake himself free of her touch.
She understood and had to force herself to focus on their predicament. “When Sam gets her birthday gift, you will grin and laugh and look the other way.”
“What’s the gift?” he asked warily.
“You’ll see.” Despite herself, she couldn’t help but grin.
RYAN TRIED TO MAKE HIMSELF comfortable at the party. With the truth out in the open between himself and Zoe, he felt as if he’d just dodged a bullet and also knew for a fact that he’d bought himself some time at the Costas home. As tough as it was to admit, Zoe had raised many good points, the most important of which was that he needed her. Zoe’s parents were Sam’s guardians, which put them at a legal advantage. Emotionally, they also had the upper hand since they knew Sam and understood how she would react to his sudden appearance in her life. He’d foolishly thought he’d be rescuing her from hell and she’d greet him with open arms. Zoe made him realize Sam might well resent him for all the years she’d suffered in foster care, and now that he thought about it, such a reaction would be understandable.
No fourteen-year-old would be able to rationalize the situation enough to forgive and forget immediately, no matter how much he wished otherwise. Still, he tried to play devil’s advocate, to think through all possibilities. Though there was a chance that Zoe was trying to discourage him with her warnings about Sam’s defense mechanisms springing into place, he decided it was unlikely Zoe would lie about something so important.
As an attorney, he’d learned to read people and trust his instincts, and Zoe Costas, for all her family’s eccentricity, seemed to be honest and upfront. Most important, it was obvious that she loved Sam—enough not to put her emotions at risk. He felt the same way and that’s why he’d agreed not to rush into revealing who he was.
An hour after she’d uncovered his real identity, the last of the guests had left the party and only the family remained gathered in the family room. They were a large group, Elena and her husband Nicholas; Zoe’s twin, Ari, and her husband, ex-cop Quinn Donovan; Quinn’s best friend, Connor Brennan, and his fiancée, Maria; Nicholas’s sister, Kassie, who owned a local diner called Paradeisos; a man named Gus; Elena’s sister, Dee, and her husband, John…the list went on and on.
All except for the monkey, who thankfully had departed with her trainer, but not before dropping her pants and mooning the crowd one last time. Sam had slipped the monkey five dollars, tucking the folded bill into the white-lace panties beneath the primate’s dress. Spank had changed clothing before leaving, much as a bride would prior to her departure with her groom.
Ryan had been speechless. He still couldn’t believe this day, which had been filled with one shock after another. Had his family seen the spectacle of that monkey, his mother would have passed out on the spot while his father would have called for Hilton, the butler, to show the animal to the door. The only one in his family Ryan could picture enjoying the animal was Faith, and she was long gone. Only her daughter remained, her legacy and a testament to her free spirit.
With the huge family surrounding him, he sensed the surprises weren’t over yet. There weren’t enough chairs to hold all the relatives, but no one seemed to mind, and though he tried to give any one of the women his seat, they’d refused. He was the guest, they’d informed him. He knew they meant the social worker and all were on their best behavior.
Only Sam seemed oblivious to his presence as she bounced from person to person, begging for clues about her birthday gift. Nobody was speaking on the subject, leaving both Sam and Ryan in the dark.
Without warning, Ryan heard a drumroll and turned to see Nicholas playing a small set of drums, deliberately building anticipation.
“Come on, I want to see!” Sam said, her enthusiasm tangible and contagious.
Even his stomach churned with unfamiliar excitement. Growing up, the most exciting birthday gift his parents had ever given him was a savings bond. At least he’d had Uncle Russ, his father’s brother, for the kind of fun gifts a kid needed like a bike or the latest gadget.
This large gathering and the love in the room was as alien to him as the young girl who was his niece. Not for the first time, he realized he had his work cut out for him when it came to winning her trust.
He glanced at Zoe, who sat on the arm of the sofa beside him. By the way she glared at him when she sensed no one else was looking, she obviously hadn’t forgiven him for his lie. Despite the fact that they were adversaries, she hadn’t thrown him out, at least not yet. Instead he sensed that for the time being, they were on the same side, though solely for Sam’s benefit.
He owed her for that and as he met her gaze, an odd sense of gratitude filled him. Who was he kidding? When he looked at the raven-haired beauty, a hell of a lot more than gratitude washed over him.
“Introducing Sam’s birthday gift and the newest member of the family!” Elena said, interrupting his thoughts as she walked into the room, holding a leash in one hand.
“Ooh, what is it?” Sam asked.
Ryan tried to see, but she darted in front of him, blocking his view. He heard a loud squeal that could have come from Sam, but his gut instinct told him the sound was from an animal.
Of the swine variety, if he wasn’t mistaken.
“It can’t be,” he muttered.
“It is,” Zoe retorted.
He hadn’t realized he’d spoken aloud.
“And you will be nice about it.” She treated him to a forced smile.
He rose and stepped around the couch to catch his first glimpse of the…pig. A tiny, black-and-white pig. Snout and all. “It’s gratifying to know my hearing’s not going.”
“Your mind’s not playing tricks on you, either,” Zoe said helpfully.
“Gee, thanks.”
Elena leaned down beside Sam and patted the space beside her. “Come sit quietly.”
Sam did as Elena instructed, both women sitting cross-legged on the floor. Everyone else had grown silent, too, respecting the fact that the tiny piglet was shaking like a leaf.
“Sam, meet Ima. Ima, meet Sam,” Elena said, lifting the pig and placing her gently in Sam’s lap.
“Ima?” Sam asked. She paused, her nose crinkling as she thought about the name. “Oh I get it!” she finally said and began giggling.
“I don’t,” Ryan muttered.
Every eye in the room turned his way.
“I’m a pig, doofus,” Sam sai
d, grinning. “Get it? Her name’s Ima Pig.” When Ryan didn’t answer right away, Sam rolled her eyes. “See, Zoe, I told you he’s got a—”
“Samantha!” Elena and Nicholas said at the same time.
Elena gently took Sam’s chin in her hand and turned her face toward her own. “Be nice to Mr. Baldwin. He’s a guest in our home and he’s your elder. In this house we respect our elders.”
Sam glanced down before looking his way, her features contrite. “Sorry, mister,” she said, her hands gripping the old keys around her neck.
Ryan struggled for air. She was being reprimanded for being fresh to him while he sat here and lied to her face. It wasn’t right or fair. The charade he’d begun had already started to weigh on him and he wondered how he’d manage to play social worker for any stretch of time.
“That’s okay,” he managed to tell her. “It’s your birthday and you’re excited. I understand.” Though he sensed it wouldn’t matter what day it was. Sam’s tough exterior had been formed long ago.
Excusing himself, he made his way into the kitchen. Above the whispers of the family, he heard Elena’s instructions about how to care for the animal, how not to scare it, how Ima would think anyone coming for her from above was a predator and so Sam should always approach the pig from the side. She’d obviously done her research on the care and feeding of pigs. If her actions with Sam were any indication, Elena Costas was a loving, caring parent and the thought scared him spitless.
But he was Sam’s uncle. Her flesh and blood. Surely that counted for something…didn’t it?
SITTING IN HER FAMILY HOME and watching Sam unwrap gifts reminded Zoe of past birthdays and holidays. All involving family fun and unbelievable presents. Zoe remembered the dog she’d been given for her tenth birthday. Ari had received a cat. And somehow, maybe because the Costases had said so, they’d all gotten along, she recalled. This feeling of family made her whole and she wanted the same for Sam.
That’s why Zoe had let Ryan watch her family interact with the teenager for a while before she’d come up beside him, and why she gave him a few minutes alone in the kitchen to think things over before joining him in the other room. She wanted him to realize how well Sam fit in with them.
Summer Lovin' Page 3
