Summer of Love - Carly Phillips Page 0,80
to see?” He wiped a hand over his forehead and lifted the old pages closer so he could see.
Zoe inched nearer and read along with him. His first glimpse was shocking and what he saw only became more horrifying as the meaning and intent in the letter grew clearer.
Nausea rose in his throat as Zoe stepped back and met his gaze. “It seems you were right,” he said dully.
“Ryan, I’m so sorry.”
“For forcing me to see the truth about my uncle? Someone had to shed some light for me.” His laughter sounded harsh and gritty to his own ears.
“Could she have made things up?” Zoe asked of Faith.
“Don’t try to protect my feelings now,” he said wryly.
“It’s possible, isn’t it? Faith might have blamed your uncle for being thrown out of the house and left these notes, hoping your parents would find them when they found her.”
He shook his head. “These sound more truthful than anything I’ve heard in quite a while.”
He was beyond angry that his uncle would betray his sister. He was even more furious that the man would feign such ignorance over the years. Faith had left a thorough diary of her experiences and Uncle Russ’s role in her running away. In fact, if his sister’s words were to be believed, and Ryan did believe her, his uncle had every reason to want to get his hands on the keys. He’d want to see what Faith had left behind, if for no other reason than to cover his own ass.
“What’s next?” Zoe asked.
“It’s time I pay a visit to Uncle Russ.”
She nodded. “Feel free to drop me off sat your parents’ while you go.”
Considering how much she disliked his family and their home, her offer meant a lot. “Actually since this revelation is a result of your persistence, you deserve a front-row seat at the confrontation.”
“I never wanted to find anything incriminating on your uncle. For your sake, I hoped I was wrong,” she said, her eyes huge, her voice imploring.
“But you aren’t surprised.”
She shook her head.
He rose and extended a hand, pulling her to her feet. They started for the stairs when suddenly he turned, and she bumped into him. He grabbed her around the waist to steady her, then lowered his head and kissed her hard. Though he’d taken her by surprise, she responded. Her tongue tangled with his and as he pulled her closer, a soft moan escaped the back of her throat.
He’d needed this, needed her and the reassurance of something good and trustworthy in his life, and she seemed to understand. He deepened the kiss, slanting his mouth first one way, then another, their mutual desire building with each passing second.
Slowly he pulled back with immense regret. He hadn’t had his fill, not by a long shot, but he had gotten the fortification he needed for what lay ahead.
“What was that for?” she asked, her tongue dragging over her lower lip, taking in the moisture he’d created.
“It’s been too long, and I needed sustenance.”
She laughed. “That’s a unique excuse.”
Despite it all, he grinned. “I didn’t know I needed one.”
“Well, I can’t have you thinking I’m yours for the taking, now can I?” She patted his cheek and strode past him up the stairs.
He appreciated her sass and the way she didn’t treat him with kid gloves or pity. Another reason this woman was a keeper, whether she knew it or not.
Baldwin’s department store was located in downtown Boston. With traffic and construction hampering them, the trip took over an hour. A silent hour that left Ryan alone with his thoughts and Zoe with hers.
Faith’s words had been a bombshell, Zoe knew, one big enough that Ryan wanted her by his side when he confronted his uncle, a man he’d always trusted and loved like the kind of parent he should have had. The kind of parent he’d deserved, she thought.
Finding out his idol and mentor had feet of clay had obviously hurt him badly. Zoe saw the pain in his eyes, the disappointment in his expression. She’d even felt the desperation in his kiss. She couldn’t deny him what he needed, and she would be there to see him through this difficult time. Then she would put her plan in motion and begin the painful process of separation—Zoe and her family from Sam—and Zoe from Ryan.
She let Ryan walk ahead of her and, acting on a hunch, placed a quick call to Quinn. He’d been looking into the Baldwin family during the