Carly Phillips
Summer Lovin'
The second book in the Costas Sisters series, 2005
To Brenda Chin and everyone at Harlequin- you gave me my start and you worked hard to make sure I stayed home.
Brenda, who'd have thought when we started that one day we'd be doing hardcover together? Thank you! You're the best!
To the Plotmonkeys- Janelle Denison, Julie Leto and Leslie Kelly. Not only do we need a stinking plot, but we need each other!
Happy 40th to us all. XXX OOO.
And a special acknowledgment to the Greek friends in my life:
my college roommate Ariane Economon Mastrototaro and Tony and Lori Karayianni. Thanks for answering a question or two, and please…don't hold any mistakes against me!
Chapter One
THE COSTASES' BACKYARD was packed with people all circling the capuchin monkey, who was performing on a makeshift stage set up on the green grass. Though a party would always draw a crowd, these folks had been excited to see Spank, a monkey with a fondness for mooning anyone in sight. Zoe Costas stood with her twin sister, Ari, and watched the capuchin perform in honor of their foster sister Sam's fourteenth birthday.
Sam missed the monkey since Spank had been forced to move out of the Costas family home after they discovered that owning a pet monkey violated the law. Since Sam had lost too many people and things in her young life, they still tried to maintain her strong bond with the animal, whom she loved dearly. Zoe kept in touch with the trainer who'd taken the monkey, and she made sure Spank was present on special occasions like today.
Zoe glanced at her foster sister and smiled. They were celebrating Sam's first anniversary as part of the family and Zoe was glad the teenager would get to experience a spirited celebration surrounded by people who cared about her. The young girl had come to Zoe's parents through Quinn Donovan, Ari's husband. They'd taken the young girl in and now Zoe's parents were on the road to adoption.