much her heart hurt at the thought of leaving him.
Sam knocked, interrupting Zoe's thoughts. She bounced into the room and plopped herself cross-legged on the bed. 'So we're going home?' she asked, her gaze on the bag.
Zoe nodded. 'It's about time, don't you think?'
'I guess.'
Catching the uncertainty in Sam's voice, Zoe knew the young girl had started to care for her new family and would find it difficult to leave them behind- even if it wasn't for good. The next chapter in all their lives promised to be a challenge.
'You had fun here, didn't you?' Zoe asked.
Sam twirled a long strand of her hair around one finger. 'This last day or so, yeah I guess I did. Even the old lady isn't so bad as long as I keep Ima away from her.' Sam snickered.
'Be nice, you,' Zoe chided, but she was laughing, too.
Suddenly Sam sobered. 'Am I gonna have to come live here?' she asked, her eyes deadly serious and too wise for her fourteen years.
Zoe turned and sat down beside her, joining her on the bed. 'I wish I could say no, but there's a good chance you will.'
Sam nodded slowly. 'I figured.'
Zoe narrowed her gaze, wanting to be sure she was reading Sam's mood correctly. That her lack of tantrums and yelling meant she'd begun to accept the inevitable and even look forward to her future a little bit.
'You're okay with this?' she asked the teen.
'I don't have much of a choice, right? The Baldwins are my real family. I love you guys, but even I know the law and kids always end up with their relatives even if it's not what's good for them.'
That damnable lump rose in Zoe's throat. 'Is that how you feel? That Ryan's family isn't good for you?'
'No,' Sam whispered. She hung her head, shaking it from side to side at the same time. 'They're not bad people. Grandma Vivian said she's learned from her mistakes. A person who says that can't be too awful.'
Zoe smiled. 'Good point.'
'But I feel guilty.'
Sam looked up with watery eyes and Zoe felt her pain like a punch in the stomach. 'Why? All we want is for you to be happy.'
'You guys took me in and wanted to adopt me.' Her bottom lip quivered as she tried to find the words to explain. 'I love you all so much and I feel bad liking these uptight people at all.'
Zoe shook her head, rejecting Sam's guilt. 'Liking them doesn't mean you love us any less.' She reached for Sam's smaller hand. 'You have a big heart, honey. Big enough for everyone in your life.'
'As big as my mouth?' Sam grinned and at that moment, Zoe knew the teenager would be okay.
'When's Ryan driving us back?' Sam asked.
'Actually I thought we'd fly. I didn't want to put Ryan out and- '
'Isn't that for Ryan to decide?' The man himself stood in the doorway, eyeing the open suitcase with an unreadable expression.
Zoe's stomach cramped at the thought of the conversation to come. 'Sam?' she asked pointedly.
'I know, I know, you want privacy,' the young girl said with an exaggerated tone and a roll of her eyes that said she thought the adults in her life were complete dorks.
But Ryan didn't appear anything like a dork. Wearing a light blue short-sleeve polo shirt and khaki shorts, he looked completely masculine and self-assured. He was so sexy he literally took her breath away, reminding her exactly why it was time for her to leave.
Ryan cleared his throat.
Sam jumped off the bed. 'I'm going, I'm going,' she said, ducking underneath his arm.
He stepped into the room.
Sam shut the door behind her and yelled, 'I'm gone.' Her footsteps sounded behind her as she walked down the hall.
'Gotta love her,' Zoe said, forcing a smile.
He strode toward her. 'Please don't change the subject or make light of leaving. This is serious.'
She inclined her head, feeling the guilt Sam had spoken of earlier. She didn't want to cause Ryan to feel bad. 'You're right.'
His gaze bore into hers. 'And I'm serious about you.'
She swallowed hard. 'Ryan.'
'Zoe,' he mimicked, but he wasn't laughing. 'I'm not going to say what you want to hear. I can't make it that easy on you.'
She wondered if he could hear her heart pounding in her chest, wanting to leap out and- she didn't know what her heart wanted. Nor did she know what he desired from her.
'What is it you want from me? From us?' she asked him.
He held up his hand and she laced her fingers through his. His touch was warm, their connection solid, yet she couldn't discount what separated them- physical distance and social differences, she thought.
'I'll take an open mind to start,' Ryan said.
She narrowed her gaze. 'Meaning?'
'Meaning I agree that we have our own individual lives and we need to go live them.'
She blinked, unsure she'd heard him correctly. He was letting her go? 'Say that again?'
'I agree with what you've been saying, that we need to get back to our daily routine and the things that define our lives.'
She nodded slowly. 'Okay, then.' She could zip her suitcase and hop on a plane. He wasn't stopping her. Just the opposite, in fact. He was giving her what she wanted, so why did she feel so bad?
Like her heart had been sliced open and would never heal?
'I'd just like to know that while we're apart, you'll keep an open mind. Remember the good times we shared. Can you do that?' he asked.
His voice soothed her emotions like warm honey and she savored the liquid heat and delicious feelings he inspired. He was giving her time and space. He respected her feelings and, as a result, she respected him even more.
'Of course I can think about the good times.' It was probably all she would think about. 'Besides, we'll keep in touch through Sam.' She forced a smile, refusing to think about how difficult a mere friendship with him would be.
'Definitely,' he said easily.
Too easily.
'Speaking of Sam,' he continued. 'I thought through everything you suggested, and you were right about that, too. You should take her home for the summer. Not only will your parents get time with Sam, but I'll have a chance to organize things around here.'
Zoe waved her arm through the air. 'Her school, her room, things like that?'
He shrugged. 'Things,' he said vaguely.
Well, he was entitled to his privacy no matter how much she disliked being shut out. 'So what did you mean when you said you weren't going to make it easy on me or tell me what I want to hear?'
He curled his fingers around hers. 'I'm not letting you go without reminding you that I love you. And remember, nothing is forever.' He kissed her forehead, his lips lingering. 'Not even goodbye.'
On that enigmatic note, he released her without even a kiss on the lips.
ONE WEEK HAD PASSED since Ryan had driven Zoe and Sam to the airport, and he still felt as if he'd put his heart on the plane with them. Letting Zoe go, allowing her to think he wanted the break, was the most difficult thing he'd ever done.
He hoped it was the smartest.
He hadn't been able to think of another way to force her into realizing that she missed him when they were
