“It helped you grow. It helped us grow and change and come to understand you better, too,” her sister said. “And now it’s in the past, right?” Zoe looked anxious as she awaited an answer.

“Right,” Ari said. “I really did have some good times in Vermont and met some good people and friends. It just isn’t right for me anymore. It hasn’t been for some time.” She’d just been too stubborn, too entrenched in the conservative world she’d created for herself to admit it.

“It took my missing-person stunt to prove to you what you knew all along. In here.” Zoe tapped her chest, right above her heart. “But I’m so sorry about the pain I caused all of you.”

Ari nodded. “I know. And you can stop apologizing for it.”

“Now that you’re facing your family and your past, I have one more question for you,” Zoe said.

Ari shrugged. “Might as well get it over with all at once, so shoot,” she said, laughing.

Zoe sobered as she said, “You wasted five years away from your family. How many are you going to waste away from Quinn? The man you obviously love?”

As Ari glanced at her twin and contemplated the question, she wasn’t laughing anymore. Because Zoe was right. She did love Quinn and had for some time. Voicing the truth she’d been fighting made her light-headed and giddy.

She loved him.

She loved his tough-guy exterior and the softness inside he didn’t let many people see. She loved the way he’d created his own family out of Connor and Sam, all the while denying he had anyone in his life he cared about or who cared for him. And she loved how he’d put her before his job, first by admitting her sister was alive and then by taking her to the safe house and risking his career. But she hadn’t repaid him well.

Quinn Donovan was a man with a difficult history behind him, and one who didn’t trust or give of himself easily. He’d given Ari his heart, but not once had she admitted she felt the same. She’d pushed him away, the fear of finding and accepting herself too overwhelming.

She’d let him down and he had every reason to withdraw into himself and keep her at a distance now. Just as she had no choice but to confront him and see if they could try to create a future together.

She glanced up to tell Zoe she was right, but her twin had disappeared, leaving Ari alone with her thoughts. Ari hoped it wasn’t an omen of things to come.

• • •

• • •

Connor led Maria into the Costas house, his hand on her back. An unfamiliar feeling of pride swelled inside him, that he had this woman and her son by his side.

“Connor!” Zoe called out, coming up beside him. “Maria! I’m so glad you could make it.” She knelt down to the boy’s level. “And this handsome guy must be Joseph. Your mommy told me all about you when we worked at the same place.” Zoe held out her hand and the boy took it. “I have the best surprise for you,” she told him.

Remembering what Quinn had said about the reasons for this party, Connor laughed. “You’re gonna like this one, Joe.” He and the boy had settled on the more grown-up name of Joe to replace the childish Joey his mother insisted upon.

“Can I take him to see Spank?” Zoe asked Maria as she rose to her feet. “Just down in the basement. You can catch up with us there.”

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.”

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.