Maria nodded. “It’s fine with me.”
“Want to go see a monkey?” Zoe asked.
“Heck yeah!” He took off at a run, Maria calling after him.
“Behave,” she yelled, too late for him to hear.
Connor laughed. “He’ll be fine.” He squeezed her hand in reassurance.
She was so used to handling Joe alone that it was difficult for her to let him out of her sight or cede control unless she was working. Now that Connor’s last undercover stint was over and he’d taken on regular shift work, he intended to change all that.
“Let’s go get a drink.” He motioned to the bar set up in the corner of the room.
“What are they constructing?” Maria asked as she waited for her drink.
Connor shrugged. “Quinn mentioned something about a day spa.”
Maria’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I’d love to have a place to come to after a long night of work. Maybe I can even afford it one day.”
The bartender handed her a drink and she let out a long sigh as she sipped the cola. Another thing he’d noticed about Maria, she didn’t drink liquor or beer when her son was around, and as a result, neither did Connor.
“I guess you don’t know what a detective earns, do you?” he asked.
She raised an eyebrow. “My mother taught me it’s rude to discuss religion, politics, and money.”
“Unless you’re with a person who’s looking to make a long-term commitment and needs to know we’re on the same page.”
She choked on her soda and began coughing. “Connor—”
“No. No more avoiding, no more jokes, no more anything except the truth.” He grabbed her hand and held on tight. “I care about you.” He more than cared, but he wasn’t looking to scare her off. If she agreed, he had time to convince her. “And all I want for you to tell me is whether you feel the same. If so, I think we can build something. You, me, and Joe.”
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.”