Read Online Summer Lovin by Carly Phillips - Free Book Online Page A

didn’t make a lick of sense. Also not a conversation Zoe intended to have now.
    â€œIf you mean Ryan’s uptight, conservative, and he loves rules and regulations, then, yes, I can definitely see why you’d think you two had something in common.” Zoe met her sister’s gaze and they laughed, a true testament to how far their relationship had come since Ari’s return last year.
    â€œWhere’re Mom and Sam?” Ari asked. “I want to drop off a blouse I borrowed.”
    Zoe glanced around. “Good question. My guess is that Mom has spa appointments and I know Sam went next door for a little while.”
    Ari shifted her purse strap higher onto her shoulder. “I left the blouse on the kitchen table. Can you just let her know?”
    Zoe nodded.
    â€œOh and by the way, I got the guidance position at Ocean Isle High,” she said casually, but Zoe knew how much she’d wanted the job.
    â€œThat’s amazing!” She hugged her sister.
    â€œThe hours are perfect for me and it’s so close to home.”
    â€œYou don’t miss Vermont at all?”
    â€œNot at all. It was a place I ran to. It wasn’t home.”
    Zoe stepped back and grinned. “Home is where Quinn Donovan is, huh?”
    â€œAnd you, too. And Mom and Dad, and Sam and…”
    â€œSpeaking of Quinn, have you spoken with him?” Zoe asked, interrupting.
    â€œNot since he left this morning, but he called earlier and we’re meeting for lunch in a little while.”
    Zoe nodded. “Okay good. Good,” she said, relieved all would be out in the open between them soon.
    â€œGood? Why good? What’s going on?” Ari asked, suddenly more alert.
    Zoe swung her arm over her sister’s shoulder. “Go talk to Quinn and we’ll catch up later.”
    â€œI’m not going to like this, am I?”
    Zoe shook her head and Ari shivered.
    But it wasn’t Ari’s reaction that had Zoe the most concerned. What bothered her most was that after a lifetime of nonthreatening relationships, she was starting to fall for a man who was most definitely a threat—to the freespirited world she’d grown up in and the close-knit family she adored.
    Â 
    A FTER THE KISS , Ryan retreated to his hotel room. He needed a cold shower, but first he wanted to call the private investigator he’d hired and ask him to get more information on the Costas clan.
    Now that he knew they were a force in Sam’s life, he wanted to find out more about their background and what kind of people he was dealing with. He already knew they didn’t have the money to compete with him in court, but each one of them had more heart than his family combined. And that scared him.
    So did Zoe. It was one thing to be attracted to a woman, another to be affected and something about Zoe got to him. Her devotion to a child who wasn’t a blood relative, her kindness to him despite his potential to upset her world, and her free spirit made him feel in a way he never had before. Not in a family that went out of their way to rein in emotion and put up barriers. When he was with Zoe, holding, kissing and laughing with her, there were no walls.
    Which was why he decided to steer clear for the coming weekend. Though it would be damn difficult not to show up at the Costases’ house during the next two days, he intended to stay away from the new women in his life. As far as his cover went, his decision made sense because he doubted a social worker would make house calls on Saturday or Sunday. Instead, he planned to do some work that he’d taken with him and recoup for Monday morning when he’d deal with Zoe and her family again.
    Now fresh from a shower, Ryan sat on the bed in his hotel room. After ordering room service, he decided to check in with his family. He’d informed his parents he was going to New Jersey to follow up on a lead about Faith’s daughter. They knew Faith