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grew cold. But make no mistake, Sam is my niece.”
    â€œAnd?” She spat out the word.
    â€œAnd I want to bring her home.”
    â€œWhat if that isn’t what Sam wants? After years of being shuffled from foster home to foster home, she finally has a family. Here. With us.”
    If Ryan had admired this woman before his revelation, her spunk fired his blood now. Even their differences didn’t stop the desire racing through his veins.
    â€œDo you really think you can show up, wave some documents that proclaim you’re a blood relative and whisk her away? Think again. You’re years too late to do Sam one bit of good.”
    He swallowed hard, because Zoe had voiced his biggest fear. But that didn’t mean he’d back down. He leaned closer, getting into her personal space. “No court’s going to hold it against me because I was too young to track Sam down sooner.”
    Court? Zoe grew dizzy, feeling the blood rush out of her head. Her family might pass inspection with a social worker. But if a judge was faced with choosing between this man, who had blood ties to Sam and who seemed impeccably normal, or her wacky family, the Costas clan didn’t stand a chance.
    She understood this just as she understood the ramifications of Ryan Baldwin’s claim. A claim she intended to check out ASAP. In the meantime, while she got Quinn and Connor digging into the man’s past and present, she needed to buy her and her family some time.
    No way could he reveal the truth to Sam or Social Services just yet. “Please don’t tell me you think you can snap your fingers and all will go your way,” she said with sugared sweetness.
    He shrugged, but there was a definite arrogance to him she hadn’t noticed earlier. Hadn’t wanted to notice, she was forced to admit. She’d been taken in by his good looks and suckered by his claim that he was a public servant.
    Now that she allowed her training to kick in and looked more closely, she realized his European suit was more expensive than any social worker could afford and his voice held a trace of a fine New England accent. Which meant he not only had the intent to fight her family in court, should it come to that, but 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.”
    â€œRight 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?”
    â€œSo far, yes.” He studied her with those astute brown eyes.
    â€œI’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?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œEngaged?”
    He shook his head.
    â€œSo 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?”
    â€œYes.” His expression grew more shuttered.
    She narrowed her gaze. “That’s it? Yes? Do they know you found your sister’s child?”
    â€œYes.” His jaw tightened, almost imperceptibly.
    â€œYet they aren’t here with you.”
    He paused, then said, “We thought it best I come down and