Carly Phillips - Under the Boardwalk

“And John, he called the paper. What is the name?” Gus snapped his fingers, trying to remember.

“The National Enquirer,” Ari said, resigned.

“And this was the result.” Aunt Kassie pointed proudly to a photograph of the twins hanging on the wall, with the heading “Alien Twins Invade New Jersey” above it.

Ariana had known she couldn’t stop them from telling the story, but being prepared didn’t stop the humiliation from rising inside her. It was, as the photograph’s enlarged presence on the wall both here and at home proclaimed, her family’s proudest moment.

If Quinn hadn’t run by now, this story surely would do the trick. It had been the start of Jeffrey’s departure. Her father’s fake lie-detector test, purchased at a garage sale, had acted as the final kick out the front door. He’d used the gadget on every one of his daughter’s boyfriends. She could still recall Nicholas’s serious face as he asked her first high school boyfriend-“You sure you like girls and not boys?” The poor boy’s voice had squeaked as he answered.

Then there was Jeffrey, who’d been subjected to the question that had sent him running. Gathering her courage, Ari glanced at Quinn.

He was laughing and he didn’t look taken aback by her family’s stories. The same stories had always been fodder for gossip and teasing by friends and had sent more than one boyfriend ducking for cover. She was amazed at Quinn’s fortitude. Then again, he had nothing invested in Ariana. And the Costas family was always good for a laugh.

She glanced at her aunt and her cousins. “Go away,” she yelled at them, and to her surprise, her family scattered.

She and Quinn shared a burger in silence. She didn’t know why he’d sought her out, and until he was ready to talk she wasn’t about to ask.

When they finished, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet.

“You can’t pay. You’ll insult the family,” she told him. Another thing that bothered macho, I-want-to-pay-my-own-way kind of men.

He inclined his head. “Okay, then let me thank your aunt and we can be on our way.”

“We?”

He nodded. “I need you to come with me.”

She raised an eyebrow, unwilling to accept anything at face value. “Where?”

“I can’t say.”

She exhaled a frustrated breath. “Why am I not surprised? Tell me something, Quinn. What can you tell me?” She was so tired of asking for answers and receiving nothing.

He extended his hand. A peace offering? She didn’t know but reluctantly she placed her palm in his. Her skin tingled and warmth reached all the way through her body. Damn the electricity between them anyway. It was what had gotten her into trouble the other night in his hotel room and was destined to be her downfall with him now.

He curled his fingers around hers. “You shared some of your history with me.”

“Not willingly,” she muttered.

He laughed. “I’m just going to return the favor.”

She had no idea what he meant, but her rapidly beating heart prompted her to go with him. They said goodbye to her family and Aunt Kassie made him promise he’d come back soon. Then Ariana followed him to the parking lot and his familiar black truck.

Dusk had fallen and darkness had begun to settle around them. She glanced back at the rental she’d parked close to the building. “What about my car?” she asked.

“You can pick it up later.”

“I don’t want Uncle Constantin reporting I’ve been kidnapped.” Then she’d have the entire family in an uproar, and that was definitely something they didn’t need.

A smile pulled at his lips and Ariana felt ridiculously validated at the sight. “The cops would have a field day with that, since I’m one of them,” Quinn said, taking her completely by surprise.

“You’re a cop?” she asked, glancing his way.

He stopped short and drew a deep breath. “I meant I’m feeling more and more like one with all this damn watching over you,” he said, correcting himself.

“Aah. Now that makes more sense.” Even if his true explanation caused her stomach to roll over in disappointment. He hadn’t sought her out for the pure pleasure of her company as she’d begun to believe. “So you’re just here tonight to make sure I don’t go over to the casino and ask questions.” Ariana folded her arms over her chest defensively.

“It would make my life easier if that was the reason.” He shook his head and placed his hand beneath her chin.

Warmth spread from his touch throughout her body. Delicious, tingling warmth, and she didn’t want to lose the feeling.

“Let’s just forget about the casino and everything about that place for tonight, okay?”

Ariana found herself wanting to give in.

After all her worrying about her sister, uprooting her life and trying to help out, was it so bad to give in to her wants and needs for a little while?

She swallowed hard and met Quinn’s deep gaze. “Okay.”

• • •

Quinn drove to the rec center in silence. He had no business bringing this woman deeper into his life, but he couldn’t help feeling the desire to do so. He’d seen her reaction to her family, the mortification and embarrassment. Maybe if she saw the kids at the center, those with no family-embarrassing or otherwise-she’d feel better about her own.

And maybe if he spent some time with her away from the casino, he’d get over his growing feelings. Yeah, right.

He pulled into the parking lot and shut off the motor.

“Would you believe I pass this place all the time but I’ve never been inside?” Ari asked.

He nodded. “No reason for you to come here. But there are people I want you to meet.” A scratching sound distracted him and he turned. “Did you hear something?” he asked Ari.

“No. I-”

“Okay, okay, I confess,” a small, familiar voice said from behind him. From much lower behind him.

“Shit.” He reached over and grabbed, coming up with a fistful of clothing, and pulled.

“Ouch!” Sam yelled from her crouched position behind the seat. “I can get up myself.”

“Then do it. Now.”

“Sam?” Ari asked in shock. “How long have you been there?”

“Too long.” Sam sat on the back seat and stretched out her legs, groaning as she moved. “God, Quinn. How long does it take you to eat a stinkin’ meal, anyway? You were in that diner place forever!” she complained.

He glanced at Ari, who was obviously biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

He was pissed at Sam for running away again and even more annoyed at himself for being so distracted by thoughts of Ari, he hadn’t even noticed the kid who’d snuck into the back of the car while he was at the rec center with Connor.

“Sam, you can’t pull stunts like this,” Ari said in her soft voice. “What if someone had stolen the truck with you in it?”

“Nobody wants this hunk of crap.”

“Samantha,” Quinn warned before turning to Ari. “If someone had taken the truck, they’d have returned her and her smart mouth in no time. Get out of the car, miss,” he said to Sam, pulling out his cell phone as he spoke.

“Do your foster parents know you’re here?” Ari asked.

“I’m just about to find out.” He started to dial at the same time Sam burst into tears.

Midnight. Unable to sleep, Ariana paced the floor in her sister’s room. She’d tiptoed in and now glanced around, memories of the past, both happy and sad, overwhelming her. Ariana often wondered why Zoe hadn’t moved out of her parents’ home. Why, beyond college, she hadn’t taken that step toward becoming an independent adult. But any time Ariana asked, an argument had ensued. Zoe would berate Ariana for her feelings toward the family and her need to stay away, and Ariana would tell Zoe she could do so much better than a life as a showgirl/con artist.

One of the reasons Ariana had taken off for Vermont instead of teaching at a local college was so she could escape not just the lifestyle but the constant disagreements. Now Ariana would give anything to have Zoe standing in front of her so they could have a good old-fashioned sisterly fight.

Ariana was already feeling raw and the earlier scene with Sam hadn’t helped. Quinn had returned Ariana to the diner for her car, then taken Sam back to her foster parents, but not before Sam had indulged in a full-blown scene. She’d cried and begged him to let her stay with him, while blaming him for choosing Felice and Aaron in the first place. Ariana’s heart had twisted with pain for them both.

The end result was that Ariana felt twice as guilty over the rift with Zoe, because at least she had family, while Sam had none. And she agonized because she couldn’t find a way to fix things for an innocent child, the victim of other people’s decisions, not her own.

A knock sounded on the door and Ariana turned, startled. Her mother strode inside, tying her black silk robe around her waist as she walked. “I heard noises and thought I’d find you in here.”

Ariana swallowed hard. “I’m sorry if I woke you.”

“It wasn’t you. Your father’s snoring did that hours ago.”

Ariana laughed. Nicholas always fell asleep, mouth open, the most obnoxious noises coming from deep in his chest. When they were kids, she and Zoe would toss popcorn at his open mouth in an effort to see who had the best aim.

She glanced at her mother and grinned. “I don’t know how you stand it.” Her mother had been complaining about her father’s irritating habit for years.

Elena shrugged. “When you love someone, little things like snoring don’t bother you.” Elena placed a hand on Ariana’s shoulder. “And one day, you’ll have feelings so strong, you’ll understand what I mean.”

Without warning, Ariana thought of Quinn. She wondered if he snored-and if she’d ever find out.