Under the Boardwalk (Costas Sisters 1)

Like Ari, he hated the deceit, but Elena was too unpredictable to trust. She’d just proven she would act on emotion, not common sense. And he was certain Ari agreed or she would have begged him to fill her mother and father in on the situation regarding Zoe, too.

He shook his head, pushing thoughts of the Damon sting out of his mind. He had to deal with Sam first and he walked over to her side. “There are no guarantees this will work,” he reminded her. “Elena and the whole family need to go through the approval process.”

“They’ll pass,” Sam said with certainty. “And then even Spank can be my sister.”

She laughed again, but her words sobered Quinn. There was also a home evaluation they’d need to pass. “I’m not sure the monkey’s going to help this situation,” he said, imagining one of the uptight social workers walking into the house, with construction and various relatives all around them and a monkey diving into their lap. He shook his head. Why couldn’t life ever be easy?

“What are you saying?” Elena asked.

“Is having a monkey living with you even legal in this state?” Quinn wondered aloud.

“Quinn!” Sam wailed, while Elena glanced away.

Apparently she hadn’t checked out the legalities, and he wasn’t one bit surprised. As a cop he had to know many things, but this wasn’t something he’d encountered before.

He ran a hand through his hair. “Okay, one step at a time. Since teenagers are so much harder to place, the department’s been known to put things through faster if something special comes up. Let me make some phone calls and let’s see if we can get the process going. Elena, you and Nicholas are going to have to take eight weekly training sessions.”

Elena swiped her hand through the air, a gesture she seemed to favor. “I raised two children. What can they possibly teach me that I don’t know?”

He rolled his eyes. “Nobody gets out of those classes, so get yourself signed up and start them immediately. They’re three hours each,” he added for good measure.

“Do not tell that to Nicky,” she ordered everyone in the kitchen. “He has no patience for classes, but once he’s there, he’ll do it for Sam.”

The girl beamed and for the first time Quinn realized she wasn’t wearing her hat. Her hair was hanging long down her back, and she was truly happy. He’d just have to make sure this worked out for her or die trying.

“What about Spank?” Sam asked, holding the monkey’s hand. “If my caseworker sees her and it’s not allowed, they won’t let me come here and that can’t happen.”

A long, drawn-out sigh came from the other side of the room. Quinn glanced over at Ari. “I suppose if I can handle a dog, I can handle a monkey,” she said, obviously resigned to doing her part in this scheme. “Since I can’t stay here and get any sleep during the day and since Spank hates the noise, I’ll take her with me,” she explained to her mother.

“Where?” Elena asked, hands perched on her hips.

“I’ll be staying at a friend’s,” she said vaguely. “We’ll work out the details later, okay?”

Elena kissed her daughter on the cheek. “You’re a good girl, Ariana. But let’s see if Aunt Dee and Uncle John can take her first. They’re used to her from spending their days here, and that would keep her close for Sam.”

Ari smiled, but there was no eager light in her eyes.

Quinn wasn’t sure exactly what was bothering her, but she’d offered her help along with his house. Because that’s what Sam wanted.

His gut told him the Costas house could very well be the right place for this child. Sam felt it. Hell, he enjoyed their warmth and giving spirit. Even their eccentricity appealed to him, making him feel at home in a way he’d never experienced before. He felt himself sinking deeper into the quicksand of this family and damn but he didn’t mind at all.

Yet when he looked at the woman who had spent the night in his bed, the woman who was his most intrinsic link to the Costas clan, he realized despite Ari’s offer, she’d begun to withdraw from her family.

And he had a hunch if he didn’t get her out of here, then Ariana pulling away from him would come next.

Chapter Twelve

Ariana couldn’t get out of her parents’ house fast enough. Although the rational part of her knew her family could give Sam a good home, the irrational part of her—the one that hadn’t parted with the adolescent in her who was embarrassed by her odd family—worried about Sam. Thirteen was an impressionable time and, more than most, Sam needed a support system that included friends. Not people who’d laugh behind her back and set her up as the butt of cruel jokes.