Sophie's Playboy (37 page)
Authors: Natalie J. Damschroder
- "You don't now?"
- "No." The answer came quickly and without elaboration. Sophi
- "What happened to your mother?"
- Parker frowned. "Why do you keep assuming people are dead?"
- "Because you keep talking about them in past tense!"
- He sighed. "Mother is remarried to a count or something and
- Sheesh, the man had family problems. "What happened between
- He shrugged again, this time in a very European manner. "I'm
- "So you have a young stepmother," she prompted.
- Sophie could see real affection in his smile. "Fawn's a swee
- "How old were you when your father remarried?"
- "Which time?"
- "Oh."
- "Yeah, 'oh' pretty much says it all. Mom and Dad divorced wh
- He quieted, and Sophie wasn't sure if she should pry any mor
- "I guess you felt pretty abandoned."
- He nodded slowly. "I guess I did. I don't think I've used th
- "How come you haven't seen her? I mean, you don't sound like
- His face hardened. "Oh, I blame her. Not for leaving us. I u
- Ouch, Sophie thought. I guess he doesn't now.
- "I blame her for not coming home. Not sending for us for a v
- "Did she have more children?"
- "No."
- Sophie reached across the gearshift and rested her hand on h
- "You only know half of it." But they were pulling into the l
- "Nervous?" Parker asked. He parked the Porsche instead of le
- "No. In my old job I had to meet crowds of strangers on a re
- To her surprise, though, she knew much of the crowd. Dave, o
- "Love your show, Soph!" was a common refrain, as was "When y
- "So you're a dabbler," she commented when they were momentar
- "I guess you can call me that." Parker lifted a chilled shri
- Sophie grinned, then turned that into a polite smile for the
- "Ah, Sophie Macgregor. The Mouth of Boston, or something lik
- She really hoped he wasn't coming on to her.
- Sophie retrieved her hand and turned her polite smile to the
- "Thank you so much for making the trip out here. It's lovely
- Parker snorted behind Sophie, then turned it into a throat-c
- "Thank you for having me, Mrs. Cornwall."
- Fawn tittered. "Oh, please, call me Fawn. There are four oth
- "Where's your sister? And the boys? She promised to come."
- "She will, Dad. She'll be here. You know it can be crazy try
- From the look on his face, Sophie suspected Biff knew no suc
- "She could have help." He scowled and motioned to a waiter p
- "Mare wants to raise her kids on her own, Dad."
- They each took a glass. Sophie noticed she was the only one
- "If it weren't for that no good jerk she married..."
- "Old refrain, Dad. Here she comes." He pointed with his glas
- And the boys crashed into Sophie. They wrapped their arms ar
- "Hey, guys! Boy, do you look spiffy!" She hugged them both,
- "Thank you, ma'am." Josh dissolved into giggles as soon as t
- "Well, at least he remembered to try his manners," Mare said
- "Of course, of course. Safety first. This isn't a swimming p
- Then the interrogation began.
- "So," Mare said, casually licking barbeque sauce off her thu
- "I wanted to get to know his family. We work pretty closely
- Fawn tilted her head at her. "You don't have any ... feminin
- Sophie felt herself blush and focused on the German potato s
- Both women burst out laughing.
- "Sophie, dear." Mare laid her hand on Sophie's shoulder. "Th
- "Every woman has a feminine interest in Parker," Fawn said.
- Sophie waited until they'd stopped chuckling. "I won't say P
- "I hope you're not lying to yourself that way."
- Sophie frowned. "I like you, but you're starting to sound li
- Mare grinned. "Good. I want to be."
- Shocked, Sophie only stared. "What do you mean? You hardly k
- "Parker talks about you all the time." Mare finally returned
- "So you see why Parker and I would never work, then."
- "Why not?"
- Sophie waved her fork. "You just explained it. I can't chang
- "Ron."
- "Ron. Parker doesn't want to get married and have children.
- Fawn looked wistful. "Parker would make such a good father.
- "Parker doesn't want to hurt anyone," Mare agreed. "And, of
- "Why?" Sophie looked over her shoulder at the charismatic ma
- Fawn waggled her long red fingernails at her stepdaughter. "
- "I never knew my grandfather," Mare cut in. "How do you know
- "I'm Biff's wife," Fawn said. "Not to be snotty, but I know
- "Anyway, his father was cold and hard, his mother weak and c
- Mare was staring at Fawn. "For a woman everyone considers a
- Sophie gasped, but Fawn chuckled. "I know."
- "Why do you put up with him?"
- She sobered, and the lines Sophie had noticed earlier seemed
- Well, well, well. Complicate the family dynamic some more. S
- Before Mare and Fawn could attack her again, Parker approach
- "You ladies getting along without picking me apart?" He slun
- "Actually, we weren't talking about you at all."
- "Talking about me, then?" Biff's deep voice came from behind
- Fawn held out a hand to Biff. She looked excited. "Let's tel
- Biff grumbled but looked proud as he settled next to Fawn on
- Fawn beamed. Sophie sensed what was coming and tried to move
- Fawn took a deep breath. "We're going to have a baby."
- Shocked silence was clearly not what she expected. Sophie lo
- "You're not happy about that," she said quietly. Before her
- "Nonsense," he boomed. "They'll be thrilled. Just need to ge
- Mare blew out a breath after they'd moved away. "Wow." Parke
- "I suspected. At the anniversary dinner you missed."
- "I wonder how Dad feels about it."
- "He can't be surprised. He knew when he married Fawn that sh
- He abruptly stood and strode away. Sophie looked after him,
- "Give him a minute," Mare advised quietly, "then take him to
- "What about you?"
- "Oh, me." Mare scoffed. "I'm fine. I knew it would happen ev
- Sophie raised her eyebrows and put her hand on her chest. "M
- "Yes, you. He will change for you, Sophie. Some people do. N
- Sophie stared at the tall man ahead of her, at the uncharact
- She went.
- CHAPTER 9
- Sophie stepped slowly across the sloping lawn. Anger grew in
- But when she saw Parker leaning on the rail of the gazebo, s
- "Parker." She came up the steps to his side. He didn't move.
- He shifted, not obviously away from her, but enough so her h
- "What do you mean?"
- Parker pivoted away and started to pace. He seemed to be tal
- Sophie sat on the bench and watched Parker mutter. From what
- "What are you afraid of," she asked abruptly to shut off her
- He stopped pacing. "You've met my father, right? I've told y
- "I know what you fear for the baby. What about you?"
- He blew out his breath and sat next to her. "I really don't
- She blinked back tears and put her hand on top of his, watch
- "That's not what I meant."
- "But you do feel that way, don't you?" When he didn't respon
- Parker stared up the hill toward the party. "She'll have to
- Sophie chewed her lip for a moment, wondering if what she wa
- He frowned at her. "What do you mean?"
- "What if your father has changed? What if he does right by t
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