Summer of Love - Carly Phillips Page 0,89

spirit, yet would provide the proper discipline. People who’d be there when she left for school in the morning and when she came home in the afternoon. Most important, people who Ryan trusted not to deny her access to her blood relatives who also loved her.

Sam belonged with Elena and Nicholas Costas.

He spent the next hour explaining his decision to his parents, who, to his surprise, understood. He even sensed their relief at not having to deal with a teenager again this late in life.

After they ate dinner, his mother and grandmother retired early for the evening. “An after-dinner drink?” Mark asked Ryan as he poured himself a cognac.

Ryan shook his head. “How about an after-dinner discussion instead?”

“That would be a novelty,” Mark said.

He had a point, since Ryan and his father hadn’t been close. Ever. Perhaps it was time they began some sort of relationship based on truth and understanding. “When you had your heart attack you cut back on running the business, right?” he asked his father.

“I cut back on traveling from store to store, yes.” He narrowed his gaze. “Why do you ask?”

“In the years before you cut back, were you focused on the nitty-gritty? Like financials and insurance?”

His father waved a hand. “That always was your Uncle Russ’s forte, not mine. In time it’ll go to J.T. I preferred the hands-on dealings, and once I slowed down there, I focused more on golf.” He smiled at his words and swallowed a gulp of his drink. He regarded his son and his expression sobered. “What’s going on, Ryan?”

As succinctly as possible, Ryan began to explain everything he’d discovered about Uncle Russ.

“Impossible,” Mark said.

“Unfortunately, it’s true,” Uncle Russ said as he entered the room and joined them. “I wanted to be here when you heard everything, and I assumed Ryan would tell you tonight.”

“I can’t believe you sent my daughter away. That you made money off of our family’s tragedy and our business.” Mark raised his voice to his brother in a way Ryan hadn’t heard in years.

“It was a long time ago,” Ryan said to his father, expressing some of the things he’d come to terms with over the last week. “And I do believe Uncle Russ thought he was bailing Faith out.”

“You’re defending him?” Mark yelled.

Uncle Russ placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Don’t. You’ll wake the women.” He turned to Ryan. “But that’s a good question. Why are you defending me?”

Ryan drew a deep breath. “You’ve always been there for me. I can’t forget that. Plus I know you, and I have a hard time believing your intentions were all bad. I’m not saying I’m over it or that it won’t take time to rebuild trust, but…” He shrugged. “Life’s too short to waste time hating or holding grudges. Faith taught me that.”

His uncle extended his hand and Ryan took it, going so far as to pull him closer and pat him on the back.

“I’ll leave it to the two of you to deal with the business and the past,” Ryan said to his father and his uncle and started for the door. He hadn’t been involved in the family business before, and he wasn’t about to start now.

“Ryan?” his uncle called to him.

He glanced over his shoulder. “Yes?”

“I suggest you attend to your future.”

Ryan didn’t need to ask his uncle what he meant.

Chapter Fifteen

Zoe let herself into her parents’ house around 3:00 a.m. and quietly placed her keys on the console by the front door. She slipped off her shoes so she wouldn’t wake anyone and silently headed toward the stairs.

“Did you ever hear the expression, too busy to think?”

At the sound of an unexpected voice, Zoe jerked around and shrieked aloud. “Mom! Jeez, I didn’t expect anyone to be up at this hour. You scared me to death.” She placed her hand over her rapidly beating heart.

“What were you doing out so late?” Elena asked, rising from the couch. She stepped forward, nearly tripping on her kimono before catching herself and hiking up the sides of the flowing garment with her hands.

Zoe shook her head but knew better than to comment on Elena’s clothing. “Why don’t you sit, Mom?”

Elena complied.

“I was working covering security at a show tonight.” Zoe’s company, now officially named All-Hours Security Specialists, was up and running and doing extremely well for a fledgling business. “Since when do you keep tabs on me?” Zoe joined her mother on the couch and settled in beside her.

“I just worry about you.”

Zoe