probably the financial means, as well.
The Costas family didn’t.
She gathered her wits and her defenses and pulled on every shred of self-confidence she could muster to go toe-to-toe with him. Her family and Sam’s emotional well-being were at stake. “Okay, let’s agree on a few points, shall we?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Go on.”
“Right now my family has custody and controls access to your niece. You need that access as well as a smooth introduction. Are we on the same page so far?”
“So far, yes.” He studied her with those astute brown eyes.
“I’m also sure you don’t think we’re just going to hand Sam over to a complete stranger, blood relation or not. We’re going to want to know what kind of home you plan to provide for her. Fair?”
He inclined his head but didn’t answer.
She studied his expression closely. A muscle ticked in his jaw, telling her that something she’d just said had put him on edge.
She intended to push him a little further. “Are you married?”
“No.”
“Engaged?”
He shook his head.
“So you’re a single guy then. Interesting,” she said, referring to more than his ability to raise a teenage girl. “You mentioned that your sister ran away when you were young, but you never mentioned other family. Are your parents still alive?”
“Yes.” His expression grew more shuttered.
She narrowed her gaze. “That’s it? Yes? Do they know you found your sister’s child?”
“Yes.” His jaw tightened, almost imperceptibly.
“Yet they aren’t here with you.”
He paused, then said, “We thought it best I come down and check out the situation first.” The tick in his jaw became more pronounced.
She made a mental note to have Quinn look deeply into their family history. If he had been thirteen when his sister ran away, what had his parents done about finding Faith before the trail had grown cold? Ryan Baldwin’s silence spoke louder than any words could and perhaps whatever was behind that reticence would provide her with the leverage she needed to stall his revelation to Sam.
She sidled up beside him, this time more aware of his expensive cologne, a scent that under other circumstances she could definitely get used to. “I’d like to propose a deal. A quid pro quo of sorts.”
“Again, I’m listening.”
“You just can’t spring this on my family or Sam. She’s fragile and needs to get to know you first.”
He nodded in understanding, his expression softening. “That sounds fair. What are you proposing?”
“Katherine, the social worker, has put off the final evaluation a few weeks while she’s away on a family emergency. They’re so overburdened they can’t spare anyone for this case. I suggest you hold off telling Social Services or Sam who you claim to be.”
“Who I am.”
She shook her head, refusing to accept him at his word just yet. “Whatever. What I’m suggesting is that you continue your charade. Pretend to be a social worker and come by as often as you like during these last few weeks of the evaluation period. You’ll get to know Sam and see her in her element here.”
He frowned. “That sounds awfully one-sided. What do I get out of this?”
“My cooperation in getting to know Sam. If you dump this news on her, I can promise you every defensive mechanism she has will surface, and your chances of winning her over will be slim. She considers me her sister. She trusts my judgment. Like it or not, you need me, Mr. Baldwin. So do we have a deal?” She held out her hand.
He hesitated for a second, before grasping her hand. If Zoe thought the first sparks between them were a fluke, she immediately discovered she’d been mistaken. The man might have lied from their first meeting, might be the biggest threat to the Costas family since her father’s bout with cancer, but somehow the attraction was there, strong and undeniable.
She gathered her composure—which wasn’t easy when she liked the feelings he evoked—and yanked her hand back. “One more thing.”
“What’s that?” he asked, flexing his fingers as if he needed to shake himself free of her touch.
She understood and had to force herself to focus on their predicament. “When Sam gets her birthday gift, you will grin and laugh and look the other way.”
“What’s the gift?” he asked warily.
“You’ll see.” Despite herself, she couldn’t help but grin.
Ryan tried to make himself comfortable at the party. With the truth out in the open between himself and Zoe, he felt as if he’d just dodged a bullet and also knew for a fact that he’d bought