It went on for hours. Rachel lost track of the time as she sampled the enormous spread Rio had prepared and washed it down with champagne. She danced until her feet went numb and ultimately collapsed to sing Ukrainian folk songs with her slightly snookered father.

“Good party,” Yuri said, swaying a bit, while his wife helped him into his coat.

“Yes, Papa.”

He grinned as he leaned toward Rachel. “Now I go home and make your mama feel like a girl.”

“Big talk. You’ll snore in truck on the way home.”

He leered at his wife. “Then you wake me up.”

“Maybe.” She kissed her daughter. “You make me very proud.”

“Thank you, Mama.”

“You’re a smart girl, Rachel. I’ll tell you what you should already know. When you find a good man, you lose nothing by taking hold, and everything by letting go. You understand me?”

“Yes, Mama.” Rachel looked over at Zack. “I think I do.”

“This is good.”

Rachel watched them walk out, arm in arm.

“They’re pretty great,” Nick said from behind her.

“Yes, they are.”

“And your brother’s not so bad—for a cop.”

“I’m pretty fond of him, all in all.” With a sigh, she brushed a streamer from her hair. “Looks like the party’s over.”

“This one is.” Smiling to himself, he turned away to help Rio gather up some of the mess. If Nick knew his brother—and he was beginning to believe he did—Rachel was in for another surprise before the evening was over.

Zack tolerated the cleanup crew for nearly twenty minutes before ordering Rio home and Nick to bed. If he didn’t get Rachel to himself, he was going to explode. “We’ll get the rest tomorrow.”

“You’re the boss.” Rio gave Rachel a wink as he shrugged into his coat. “For the time being.”

Zack shook a nearly empty bottle. “There’s a little champagne left. How about it?”

“I think I could choke it down.” She settled at the bar and, aiming her best provocative look at him, held out her glass. “Buy me a drink, sailor?”

“Be my pleasure.” After filling her glass, he slid the bottle aside. “There’s nothing I can say or do to repay you.”

“Don’t start.”

“I want you to know how much I appreciate everything. You made all the difference.”

“I was doing my job, and following my conscience. No one needs to thank me for that.”

“Damn it, Rachel, let me explain how I feel.”

Nick swung in from the kitchen. “If that’s the best you can do, bro, you need all the help you can get.”

The single glance Zack shot in his direction was explosive. “Go to bed.”