She blinked, shocked he'd analyzed her so deeply, thoroughly and possibly correctly.
"I'll prove it," he said.
She stiffened, readying herself for another verbal attack. "Go ahead."
"I love you."
She reared back.
And smacked her head against the wall in the process. "Ouch." She rubbed the sore spot with her hand and glared at Ryan. Her heart galloped in her chest, fear of everything Ryan represented rising faster than any other emotion brewing inside her.
He lived in Boston. She lived in Ocean Isle and she couldn't bear being separated from her family. He wore conservative suits and she preferred outrageous miniskirts. No way his fancy partners and their wives would embrace her style. Her family liked a good con and a slimy pig. His preferred the other side of the law and the only person they'd accept on their own terms was Sam because she was blood. Zoe had already been frozen out by everyone in that house except Ryan. At thirty years old, she was too old and wise to change everything about herself for a man.
And in the end, that's what Ryan would not only expect, but what he would need. It's what he deserved, someone who could fit into the lifestyle he had in Boston.
That someone wasn't her.
She realized he'd covered her hand with his.
He squeezed hard. "Did you hear me, Zoe? I said I love you."
A tremor shook her body. "You don't mean that."
"I most certainly do. Because unlike you, I know my own mind and I don't run from something that's threatening." Equal measures of what seemed like satisfaction and disappointment flashed across his face.
"Run? Me? That's a good one. I was a Secret Service agent. I protect people for a living. I thrive on a challenge and on new experiences, so don't tell me I run away."
His lips quirked in a grin that seemed to mock her claim. "Well, how I see it is you're running from me and from what I make you feel."
"That's ridiculous." She rolled her eyes.
"You admitted that I threaten you and your lifestyle." He spoke too smugly for her pride to handle.
"That's true. It's also true and completely like a man to say I love you and when the woman doesn't say it back, claim she's afraid, as opposed to— " Realizing her next words, she clenched her jaw shut tight.
"Go on. Say it. I dare you," he said, getting into her personal space. He'd taunted her, but even in the face of his dare, she couldn't bring herself to hurt him with what she knew to be a lie.
"You can't say it, can you?" he asked, his voice softening. "You can't say, as opposed to admitting the woman doesn't feel the same way about him." He touched her face and lifted her chin to meet his gaze. "It's okay."
To her dismay, her eyes filled with tears and she couldn't speak, not without falling apart.
"You don't have to say 'I love you' back." He wiped the moisture from her face with his thumb. "I can wait and do you want to know why?"
She swallowed hard and nodded.
"Because you're worth waiting for."
Chapter Thirteen
EARLY THE NEX T M ORNING, Ryan, with Zoe beside him, pulled up to a beautiful house in a residential neighborhood. Each property on the street was perfectly kempt and manicured with swing sets in the yard.
"Patty did well for herself," Ryan said, glancing around at the nice neighborhood. "If Faith had gotten her life together…" He stopped and shook his head. "No sense going there. I can't change the past."
Zoe placed her hand on his shoulder and he appreciated her silent support. Last night's harsh words and frank discussion still hung between them, yet she reached out to him when he needed her most. That fact proved to him that their connection went further than any place she could possible run to.
He stopped the car in front of the address he'd gotten from Patty's mother, and together he and Zoe made their way up the flower-lined walk.
"So last time you spoke to Patty, she said she hadn't heard from Faith at all?" Zoe asked.
"Actually the P.I. I hired spoke to Patty. I left it to the professional to follow all leads. I was so emotionally vested, I figured he'd have more success."
Zoe nodded. "Okay, so with a little luck, it's your emotions that'll get Patty to open up now."
"I hope you're right." He rang the doorbell, which set off an interesting combination of chimes. Then they waited.
Soon the door opened and a familiar face appeared before him. His sister's friend looked older, but she was still an attractive brunette, who'd obviously outgrown the punk stage.
"Patty?"
She blinked, staring at him until he saw the recognition dawn in her eyes. "Ryan Baldwin?"
"It's me."
"Wow. It's good to see you!" She sounded genuine, but he also caught the wariness in her expression.
"Patty, this is a friend of mine, Zoe Costas." He gestured to Zoe. "Could we come in and talk to you? It's about Faith."
The other woman shook her head. "I don't know. It's been so long and I probably can't be of any help to you."
"Faith had a child," Zoe blurted out. "Can we please talk? It's important."
Patty's eyes grew wide. Obviously whatever she might know about Faith, she had had no idea about Sam.
"We won't keep you long," Ryan promised.
Patty stepped back and eased the door open wide. "Of course. Come in."
They followed her into a modern kitchen, with white cabinets and dark Formica countertops, and joined her at the table.
"You have to understand how hard this is. Faith was my best friend. My loyalty ran pretty deep." Patty intertwined her fingers as she tried to explain.
"Nobody would be upset if you knew something and didn't tell my parents," Ryan assured her. "At the time, who knows what, if anything, would have brought Faith home and who knows if my parents could have made it work a second time. I appreciate your loyalty to my sister. She didn't have much of that, so I'm not angry if you didn't tell my P.I. something, either."
Patty nodded, obviously grateful. "How did you find out Faith had a child?" she asked, sounding stunned.
"Eventually we got a lucky break that led to her ex-boyfriend who's serving a life sentence. Once I found out that Faith died, we were able to track her last whereabouts and it led to the fact that she had a child."
Patty shook her head. "I had no idea. I wasn't lying when I said I didn't hear from Faith after she ran away. Where is her daughter now?"
"Sam's been living with my family in New Jersey," Zoe explained.