Summer Lovin'

Chapter Seven

WITH ALL THE FAMILY CHANGES on the horizon, Zoe was lured to the wall of photographs going up the stairs in her parents' home. Though unorthodox, her own childhood had been a happy one, as documented by the assorted pictures facing her. Part of the reason she'd never moved out of her parents' house was the feeling of warmth and security she found here, something she never thought she could find anywhere else.

Since her old job had kept her on the road sometimes for days on end, she hadn't missed having a place of her own until recently. And, she admitted, it helped that her parents no longer kept tabs on her, and that she liked their unstructured life.

Was there also an element of inability to commit to anyone or anything, as her father said? She shivered and, instead of dealing with the present, she focused on the wall that showed off her past.

The most recent photo added to the collection caught her eye. The picture showed Sam, Spank the monkey, Ari and Zoe together at Zoe's welcome-home party after she'd returned from her enforced confinement last year. The three of them looked like real sisters. And her parents truly did treat Sam like one of their own children. They'd even become more structured since Sam had come into their lives. Dinner was served at six and they all ate seated as a family. Sam's homework had to be completed before television was allowed, and she had a strict curfew.

Though Zoe wouldn't call her mother June Cleaver, Elena had become more regimented with Sam around because she understood what the child needed. Despite the fact that Elena had become a certified masseuse, she never scheduled a spa appointment after three and she was home every afternoon when Sam returned from school. All these changes had been made because the entire Costas family loved Sam and wanted her to have as close to a perfect childhood as possible.

"Looking at the wall of shame?" Ari asked.

Zoe felt her twin's hand on her shoulder and covered it with her own. "That always was your description." But Zoe knew that Ari had come to terms with her difficulties within their family. "I was just thinking what a great childhood we had."

"We did. Even I can see that now, especially compared to Sam's journey through the foster-care system," Ari said.

"I wanted the same thing for Sam," Zoe said.

"Maybe Ryan Baldwin can provide it for her. You like him and that's no small feat."

Zoe turned toward her twin. "He's a good man, but do you know what his family's kind of life would do to Sam? The rules, the regulations, the criticism that drove her mother to run away." Zoe shivered, mentally placing herself in that same position of being judged.

Thinking along those lines always sent her into an emotional freeze. Her relationship with Ryan worked only because she knew he would return to Boston and there was no chance of a long-term relationship between them. If not for that assurance, she'd run far and fast to escape, just as his sister had.

"You ready to talk to Mom and Dad?" Ari asked. "Quinn's waiting with them in the family room."

Zoe inclined her head. "Let's do it."

Less than ten minutes later, the truth had been revealed. Elena sat on the couch, her head bent, and Zoe knelt down beside her mother, holding her hand. Zoe's stomach was twisted in knots and she hated herself for putting her parents through so much pain.

"So to be clear, this Ryan Baldwin isn't a social worker?" her father asked.

Ari shook her head.

"He's Sam's mother's brother," Quinn explained again.

"Which makes him a liar," Nicholas snapped.

Zoe cringed. "Papa," she said, using the nickname she'd called him as a child. "The lie was my fault. Mom mistook Ryan for a social worker the day of Sam's party and yes, he went along with it in the beginning, but I found out that day…and I convinced him to stay quiet."

While her mother remained uncharacteristically silent, Nicholas let out a litany of Greek profanity that singed her ears. "Why?" he asked. "Why would you do this to your own family?"

Her throat tightened. She rose to face her father in order to explain. "At first I needed to check out if he was who he claimed to be. And then I wanted to make sure he was a decent guy before I revealed anything."

"And then you fell for the man." Elena lifted her head from her kimono sleeve for the first time since hearing the news.

Her mother's words slammed into Zoe with the force of a Mack truck. "Untrue," Zoe protested too quickly. "I just didn't want to cause complete panic until I had more facts. You know how much I love you all. You know I adore Sam. I had everyone's best interests at heart."

Her father strode forward and claimed her in a reassuring bear hug. "You, I have faith in. That man, him I don't trust."

Despite understanding her father's side, Zoe wanted to defend Ryan. She told herself it was for Sam's sake that she needed to redeem him in her parents' eyes, but her rapidly beating heart and the wave of emotions sweeping through her told her that her motives were more self-serving.

"Ryan's a decent man, Papa."

"Bah." Nicholas folded his arms across his chest.

"Ari? Quinn? What do you think of Ryan?" her mother asked.

"You don't need to ask them." Zoe's voice rose, this time in her own defense. "I'm the one who's spent time with him and can judge his character. And I can tell you that he's as much a victim of circumstance as we are. Ryan loved Sam before he ever met her. He came here with the best intentions, to find his niece and give her a good life."

"She already has a good life," her father said, gesturing with his hands to the four walls of the home he'd provided for his family.

"But he didn't know that!" Zoe clenched her fists in frustration.

"Everyone needs to calm down," Quinn said, stepping between them. "This is a shock, so let's take some time to let it sink in before we tell Sam."

"Sam already knows." The object of their discussion walked in from the kitchen, pig in her arms, eyes wide with shock. "That stuffed shirt is my uncle?" she asked, her voice shaking.

Zoe had no words to reassure her. Sam was a smart kid and she'd probably already assessed the situation and realized the possibility of yet another upheaval in her life.

"What are you doing back from Michelle's?" Elena strode forward, taking control while everyone else stared in mute shock.

"She got sick and her mom dropped me off on the way to the pharmacy."

Elena wrapped an arm around Sam's stiff shoulders, but the young girl remained remote and withdrawn.

Watching them, Zoe's heart was close to breaking.

"Don't jump to any conclusions or panic, squirt. We'll get this figured out, okay?" As always, Quinn attempted to be the voice of reason.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever." Obviously not even Quinn's strong presence seemed to reassure Sam. She snuggled the pig tighter against her chest, ignoring Ima's squeals of protest.

Then, without meeting anyone's gaze, Sam stormed out of the room. Nobody dared call Sam on breaking the rules of bringing the pig upstairs. The teen deserved some form of comfort, something nobody else seemed able to give.

Stomp, stomp, slam, Zoe thought, echoing Sam's actions in her mind. The walls shook when she slammed the door, leaving the adults to stare helplessly at one another.

What could they say? There was so much more at stake than just the possibility of Ryan taking Sam back to Boston. Sam's actions proved it. She'd already begun the process of withdrawing emotionally to protect herself from being hurt. Not only had she been handed unexpected and painful information, but she'd heard it through eavesdropping. By the family holding this meeting without her and getting caught, they'd reinforced her biggest insecurity- that she wasn't wanted here, anyway.

And Zoe feared that reaching past Sam's defenses this time would be not just difficult, but impossible.

A FEW HOURS LATER, Ari and Quinn had gone home, while her mother and father had retreated to their bedroom to discuss and absorb the news. Zoe had heard her mother knock on Sam's door and the loud go away she'd received in response. She guessed Elena hadn't pushed the issue because she wanted to let Sam settle for a bit before she forced her to talk.

Zoe figured she'd try and see Sam before she turned in for the night. She paused outside her closed door and knocked lightly. "Sam? It's me."

"Go away."

"No. I'm coming in," she warned. She knew better than to leave Sam alone for too long. With her active adolescent mind, she'd conjure up all sorts of proof that the Costases wanted her gone, anyway.

No, Sam needed to feel the love.

Zoe walked inside. She glanced around, taking in the touches Sam had added that marked the room as hers. The Orlando Bloom stand-up poster from the party, the stuffed animals and the typical clutter accumulated over time. Except in Sam's case, all the stuff had been gathered over the short period during which she'd lived with Zoe's parents.

She'd arrived from her last foster home with little in the way of personal items except for the keys around her neck and she seemed surprised each time someone- Ari, Zoe, Elena, Nicholas or even one of the aunts- bought her something just because they wanted to see her smile.

Sam sat on her bed.

Zoe joined her. "You can't keep your feelings inside." Counseling was Ari's forte, but Zoe tried, anyway, for Sam's sake.

Sam pulled her knees up to her chest and leaned back against the headboard. "I'm not. Ryan Baldwin is a liar and I don't want to be related to him. You knew about the lie, so you were probably helping him to get close to me so you could get me out of your house and have your parents back all to yourself."

Zoe rolled her eyes. "I'm thirty years old. What makes you think I want my parents' attention all on me? I saw this one coming, but I thought you'd come up with a better story than that lame one." She nudged Sam's leg with her elbow.

And got a grudging half smile in return. "Okay, then why did you lie?" Sam asked.

"Because I needed time to find out if Ryan was telling the truth. I wanted to know what kind of man he really was before turning everyone's lives upside down. Can you try to understand?"

Sam shrugged. "Maybe."

She was trying valiantly to show no fear, but Zoe saw her trembling lips and wide eyes, the scared little girl beneath the facade.

Since nothing could make this nightmare go away, Zoe opted to try and make it easier. "And maybe you can find out a little about your uncle? Maybe Ryan can tell you some more about your mom." Zoe prodded her softly, wanting Sam to realize there were benefits to having Ryan in her life.

Sam fingered the keys around her neck, but said nothing.

Zoe tilted her head and scooted a little closer. "You never talked about her. Do you want to? With me?"

Sam shook her head. "I just want to go to sleep." A single tear dripped down her cheek. She ignored it, didn't bother to wipe it away.

Zoe desperately wanted to pull Sam into her arms, but she sensed how much the teen valued her composure. Even at this young age, Sam knew how to keep it together, a function of growing up in foster homes with no one who truly cared.

In her heart, Sam had to know everyone in the Costas family loved and respected her. Enough to give her the space she needed.

"I'd just like you to remember one thing," Zoe said.

Sam reluctantly lifted her gaze. "What's that?"

"We love you, whatever happens." Some words had to be said, Zoe thought, in order to be both felt and remembered.

And then, though Sam had curled into a ball, Zoe pressed a kiss to the top of her head before slipping out the door.

She leaned back, hands flat against the wall and exhaled hard. Despite it all, she felt torn. On the one hand, she wanted to kill Ryan for putting Sam through this pain and on the other hand, she wanted to show up on his doorstep and fill him in on everything that had happened tonight. And then she wanted to let him hold her, make love to her, and ease the pain. She felt that close to him.

What irony. Because if not for Ryan, she wouldn't feel so gut-wrenchingly bad right now.

THE SUN PEEKED through the curtains on the window, but Ryan didn't need daylight to tell him it was morning. He hadn't slept a wink all night.

When he hadn't heard from Zoe by midnight, he resigned himself to not hearing from her at all. Unable to sit still in his small motel room, he'd headed out to a local bar and nursed a couple of drinks. He'd thought he'd consumed enough to put him out for the night, but instead, he'd stared at the ceiling, tortured by the memory of Zoe's enthusiastic moans, groans and earth-shattering climax. A climax she'd had at the same moment he'd come inside her.

He felt as though those memories were some kind of punishment, though he hadn't done a damn thing wrong except be related to Sam. He ran a hand through his hair and rose from the bed, determined to take his and Sam's fate into his own hands.

After a quick shower and shave, he dressed, ready to head over to the Costas home and have this discussion with all interested parties present.

He stepped out of his room onto the catwalk and was greeted by a warm breeze. And then by his uncle Russell walking toward him.

"Well this is a surprise." Ryan strode forward and by habit, held out his hand.

"A good one I hope." His uncle grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug.

The man always had provided the affection his parents failed to give and he was grateful. But he couldn't afford to have him here now, messing up any headway he might have made with the Costas family. Or more important, with Sam.

Ryan stepped back. "It's always nice to see you, but I thought we agreed you'd wait till I told you it was a good idea to come here."

The other man leaned against the railing overlooking the parking lot. "You seemed down when we spoke last night and I thought you could use the moral support."

"So you drove all this way in the middle of the night?"

His uncle inclined his head. "I told you. You're the son I never had."

"And I appreciate the support." More than he was able to express at the moment, despite his mixed feelings about Uncle Russ joining him here.

"I intend to be here for you every step of the way."

Ryan glanced at the sky, wondering when the hell his life had gotten so damn complicated. Then, resigned to the inevitable, Ryan turned to his uncle. "Want to go meet your niece?"

His uncle's face lit up in a way Ryan hadn't seen in years. "Just lead the way, son."

ZOE PACED THE FAMILY ROOM, angry at Sam and furious with herself. Early that morning, the family discovered Sam was gone, missing from her bedroom and nowhere else in the house. No matter how many alternatives they discussed, they could come to no other conclusion than she had run away from home. Common sense told them that Sam had bolted the same way she'd done before, to test the family's loyalty and desire to have her around.

Normally they'd wait her out, give her some time to think, and then find her in an obvious place. She'd be lectured, then grounded, just as Ari or Zoe had been as children- proof to Sam that she was one of them. But in this case, her fear of being taken away was valid, and nobody had wanted to give her too much headway in her escape.

Zoe had anticipated the teenager withdrawing, so why hadn't she insisted on sleeping in her room last night instead of leaving her alone? She slammed her palm against the table in frustration, then shook the sting from her hand.

She hated being the one home waiting in case Sam called or showed up, but her parents had gone knocking on her friends' doors, Quinn and Ari were checking other places Sam might go, like the youth center around the corner, and Connor was asking around at local hospitals.

Zoe walked to the window and glanced out to the street in time to see Ryan pull up in his fancy BMW. God, he was the last thing she needed now. He was also the one person she wanted desperately. It would help to have his shoulder to cry on because despite that they each wanted Sam in their family, they both had her welfare at heart. She needed to share her fear with him now.

She opened the door and watched Ryan…and an older man she didn't recognize as they strode together up her front walk.

The stranger's presence prevented her from acting on her stupid impulse to fling herself into Ryan's arms for comfort and reassurance. Odd things to expect or desire from the man whose very presence had caused the upheaval.

He strode forward with confidence, wearing the suit he'd had on the first day they'd met. He was clean shaven and his hair was neatly combed. His appearance made him look more like the uptight man she'd met at the birthday party than the relaxed guy she'd spent time with lately. Yet his appeal was certain and unnerving and not even the ultra-conservative look changed the fact that the man was drop-dead gorgeous and caused Zoe's awareness levels to soar.

"Zoe? What's wrong?" he asked.

She pulled her thoughts together and forced a smile. "What makes you think anything's wrong?"

He stepped closer, so he could speak directly to her, whispering for her ears alone. "Because I know you and while your smile might say one thing, I see something else entirely in your eyes."

Her internal radar went on the fritz when he stepped closer and she smelled his familiar, sexy cologne, while her stomach churned, warmed by his concern and understanding. Still, he hadn't introduced her to his companion and he held himself apart from her in a way that told her their intimacy seemed to be in the past. Reminding herself that she'd pulled away from him first didn't ease the sting.

"You told her, didn't you?" he asked, guessing accurately.

"Come on in and I'll explain." She pushed the front door open wide and gestured inside.

When they were all seated, she inclined her head toward the older gentleman. His salt-and-pepper hair gave him a distinguished air. "And who is this?" she asked.

Ryan shook his head. "Sorry, my manners seem to have failed me," he said rather formally. "Uncle Russell, meet Zoe Costas. Uncle Russell came down because…He…"

Ryan's voice trailed off and Zoe understood the reason for his sudden discomfort. "He wanted to meet Sam," she finished for him. "Odd considering nobody but you has seemed interested in Sam in years." Zoe lashed out, refusing to hold her feelings back, but unable to meet Ryan's gaze as she did so.

Beside Ryan, his uncle stiffened.

"That was completely uncalled for," Ryan said as he turned suddenly judgmental before her eyes.

"The young lady has gumption," his uncle said in an equally formal voice.

She couldn't tell if his comment was meant as a compliment or an insult. Between the New England accent and the haughty attitude, he hid his true feelings well.

"I always have gumption, especially when I'm protecting family. And Sam is already family. She's my sister. Signing adoption papers is just a formality," she said, forcing herself to speak aloud a conviction she no longer believed was so simple and straightforward.

Ryan set his jaw. "We'll see about that."

She narrowed her gaze. Never in all the time they'd been together, first as adversaries and later as lovers, had this subject come up. They'd each trodden carefully around the other's feelings, wanting what was best for the teenager, and respecting the other's position and desires. Yet in front of his uncle, Ryan took a definitive stand that froze Zoe inside and out.

But she'd started it by mentioning the adoption and suddenly she knew why, just as she knew what was different about Ryan now. His demeanor had changed. Though he'd only been in New Jersey a short time, in the past few days he'd relaxed around Zoe and her family. He'd accepted their outspokenness and come to enjoy their uniqueness, like Elena's kimonos and Sam's pet pig. All things that would never be accepted in his Boston home.

Yet sitting sandwiched between Zoe and his uncle, he was faced with two disparate choices. The Costases' eccentricity versus the values of his conservative relatives. Any feelings he might have developed for Zoe versus his loyalty to his own family.

His worst nightmare had come to life, Zoe thought. As had hers, since it was obvious whom he would choose. Ryan's aloofness and the clothes he'd chosen all put a barrier between himself and Zoe, and proved her gut instinct had been correct all along. More than the physical distance between New Jersey and Massachusetts separated her from Ryan. More separated them than even their desire to claim Sam.

The emotional gulf between them couldn't be greater. Heaven help her when he discovered Sam had run away.

RYAN WAS FURIOUS. He couldn't look at Zoe without wanting to strangle her. Signing adoption papers was just a formality? Since when had she deleted him from the equation, without a thought? That lack of thought was the key to his anger. Throughout this painful process, they'd developed a respect for one another that she'd completely trashed in one split second.

He clenched his fists, then turned to his uncle. "Excuse us for a minute, won't you?" Ryan stood, grasped Zoe's hand and pulled her into the kitchen.

The door swung shut behind them and he immediately turned, backing her toward the counter. He stared into the green eyes capable of bringing him to his knees.

He couldn't afford to lose focus now. "Care to tell me what that was all about back there?"

"What was what all about?" She braced her hands against the Formica and leaned back. Away from him.

"That nonsense about Sam. The cold way you're deliberately distancing yourself from me. When we need to help each other most."

She blinked. "Are you for real? You show up on my doorstep right after I had to break my parents' hearts, wearing your stuffy suit and bringing your equally stuffy uncle in what has to be a show of power and- "

Ryan didn't know what possessed him, but one minute she was hurling accusations that clearly told him how scared and hurt she really was, and the next minute all he could think about was kissing her. He watched those full, sensual lips moving and all he could hear was the blood pounding in his ears propelled by the desire coursing through his veins.

He'd missed her and now he had to taste her or go completely insane. He grabbed her forearms and pulled her close, then pressed his lips against hers. He was hard and demanded everything and she immediately responded, kissing him back, her mouth willing and open, all the pent-up passion and desire and need spilling forth.

He tangled his hands in her hair and angled her head so he could get deeper access into the warm, wet recesses of her mouth. She trembled under his assault and he turned his head so he could trail moist kisses down her cheek and slender neck, inhaling her fragrant scent.

Zoe loved the taste and feel of him. Sensually he lit her on fire, and emotionally he filled the cold, scared places. The intensity between them grew stronger each time they laid eyes on one another. Not even distance or anger could remain between them for long.

His impulsive, take-charge kiss was obviously meant to be a resolution of sorts. She'd seen it with her parents too often to be wrong, and she reluctantly pulled out of his embrace.

"We can't do this." Shaking, she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. "Especially not now."

"Because?" He inclined his head, obviously confused.

She combed her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth the messy strands. "A kiss can't fix our problems. There's too much between us."

A muscle ticked in his jaw and she had to stifle the urge to stroke his skin. "It's a start."

"Sam ran away."

He reared back, her words obviously hitting him hard. "Dammit," he growled, his initial shock giving way to palpable anger.

He swung around and walked toward the kitchen sink. Bracing his hands on the counter, he glanced out the window overlooking the yard. "Because she found out the truth?"

"Yes. She came home unexpectedly and overheard us talking. She stormed off to her room. She was there at bedtime- I know because I checked on her- but this morning she was gone."

"What about that state-of-the-art alarm system your mother promised she'd use?"

Zoe touched his shoulder lightly when she really wanted to grab him and pound him for his innuendo.

He swiveled around to face her.

"Sam likes cool air when she sleeps so my mother bypasses her window so she can open it at night. Would you like to arrest her for making Sam more comfortable?" she asked, her sarcasm deliberately biting.

"I didn't mean it that way."

"The hell you didn't."

"I don't think your fighting is going to help find Samantha."

Zoe turned, shocked to see Ryan's uncle standing in the kitchen doorway. She wondered how much he'd witnessed, then decided she didn't care.

"He's right." Ryan threaded his fingers through his hair.

"My family's out looking for Sam." Zoe didn't want either of these men thinking her family wasn't worried about the teen, or worse, that they were neglectful in caring for her.

"I'm sure they are. Tell me, has anyone checked her room for clues to her whereabouts?" Uncle Russ asked.

Zoe narrowed her gaze. "Well, no. We immediately spread out to check places she's gone to before or might be likely to go to now." Zoe hated that this smug man thought of something her family, including Quinn, had missed. But he had a good point. "I'll go up to Sam's room now."

At that moment, the telephone rang and Zoe jumped to grab it, in case someone had found Sam. "Hello?"

"Hi, Zoe. It's Connor."

"Hey. Any news?" Since Connor had the emergency rooms on his list, she fervently hoped not.

"Not a thing."

Zoe let out a deep breath of air. Covering the phone, she glanced at Ryan. "She's not in any of the local hospitals," she reassured him.

"Thank God." He lowered himself into the nearest chair, looking too pale for her peace of mind.

"Would it help if I gave her room a cursory glance?" Uncle Russ asked.

Zoe waved him away. Let him do whatever he wanted as long as he stayed out of her way. "Connor, thank you for calling. Let me know if you hear from Quinn."

"Will do."

"Thanks." Zoe hung up the phone and strode over to where Ryan sat. "Are you okay?" She was hesitant to touch him in a way that offered support or comfort.

One minute they were adversaries, the next desperate lovers and after that uncertain allies, both concerned about Sam. Zoe wasn't certain what category they fell into right now.

"Did I ever tell you about the day Faith ran away?" Ryan asked, taking her by surprise.

Zoe shook her head. Until this moment, the parallels hadn't occurred to her. But Zoe understood now that Ryan was reliving a painful time in his life.

She pulled a chair up beside him and covered his hand with hers. "I'm listening." Not only because she relished details of his life, but because it gave her something to focus on while she manned the house.

"Faith was a typical older sister. She rarely wanted me around. That is, until the night before she left." His eyes clouded over and Zoe could tell he was remembering vividly.

"Ari and I were twins and sometimes we didn't want each other around," she said, laughing.

"That's what made that last night so strange. But I didn't know it at the time. She called me into her room and I hung out with her awhile. She paced around the room, talking quickly. I don't know if she was high at the time or completely lucid and just excited, knowing she planned to run away the next day."

He would never know, but Zoe wasn't about to say so aloud.

"The only thing I really remember was that she kept talking to me about staying true to myself. Being myself. Doing what I wanted with my life and not what was expected of me."

"She cared."

He swallowed hard, his eyes damp, visibly shaken by the memories. "It was probably the only time she showed it. The rest of my memories revolve around her fights with my parents, slamming doors to get away from them."

"Like mother like daughter." Zoe shook her head. "But it's typical teenage behavior. We expect it."

"My parents didn't." His fist clenched at his side. "Whoever told them to expect perfection from children had definitely steered them wrong," he muttered.

"What happened the morning Faith left?"

"I can answer that."

Zoe stiffened as Uncle Russ, a man she'd come to view as an intruder, walked back into the room. She wanted time alone with Ryan and he'd taken that from her.

Zoe wondered what else Ryan's family would take away.