“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.