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He pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant, which faced the water and where they supposedly had an outdoor table reserved

"I'm sure she'll come out of her room eventually" He put the car into park and turned toward her

Zoe sighed "She's not in her room, she's at Aunt Kassie's restaurant Apparently, she's locked herself in the ladies' rooh at Saet Zoe to her surprise party "Is this nor

To his shock, she nodded "It's nore, hormonal behavior That's e call it stomp, stomp, slam, as in, stomp out of the room, then stomp down the hall and finally slaue recollections ofthe same way"

"So you understand e have to head on over there?" She sounded truly disappointed and soe that she really had wanted to go out on a date with him

"Your parents can't handle it?"

She shook her head "Sah the closed door that she'd only talk to e her tantruh Ryan knew this particular episode was faked, he wondered how often Saet attention

"I'll explain on the way, okay?"

Feigning resignation, he placed the car into reverse and pulled out of the parking spot "I need directions, though It was enough of a challengethe way to this place from the map" He treated her to what he hoped looked like a forced s his bit for the charade

"Make a left out of here and get back onto the Garden State "

As he followed her directions, he listened to her insight into his niece "We don't indulge Sam It's just that we're aware of how hard she's had it, and we do our best to balance discipline and understanding Saes her behavior"

"Why is that?"

"Because in her experience, if she ran away or did so ouldn't report it to Social Services, not because they were being compassionate, but because they were afraid if Sam was taken away, they'd lose their monthly stipend from the state"

Her distaste for those past foster families and the systeht as he acknowledged the difficult life Sam had led since her mother's traumatic death

"This is the exit" She pointed and he followed her directions to her aunt Kassie's restaurant

The teenager was fortunate she had the Costas family in her corner and no matter what happened, Ryan would never cut these people out of her life coht He could never be that cruel

"I really adh and what she needs now"