Sophie's Playboy

by Natalie J. Damschroder

  That was like an invitation to open the floodgates. A couple

  Chuck stood nearby, his smile growing gradually dimmer until

  "Poor Chuck." She sat next to him on a love seat where he po

  "I guess you'll never come back, will you?"

  "It's not like I haven't been telling you that."

  He shrugged. "But now I've seen you in the limelight. You be

  Sophie looked at him, surprised. "Limelight? I wasn't in the

  He gestured to where they'd been standing. "What do you call

  Now she laughed. "Oh, Chuck. That's funny. I'm nowhere close

  Still, she understood what he was getting at. "Chuck, you ma

  "It won't be the same."

  Exactly, Sophie thought, feeling giddy with the knowledge th

  Chuck sighed and downed the last of his watered-down whiskey

  "You can't leave before the announcement."

  Sophie recognized that voice. It was Parker.

  Electricity made all the fine hairs on her body stand up. Sh

  So what? She shook off the stunned effects and put on her bu

  "What are you announcing?" Damn if she didn't sound like she

  Biff smiled smoothly, his charm at direct odds with his goof

  "You'll have to wait for the announcement."

  His voice was cultured, Boston Brahmin and the best prep sch

  That was odd.

  Sophie narrowed her eyes at his retreating back. Playboy tha

  "I'm going to get a drink," Sophie told Chuck.

  "Go ahead." He waved her off without looking at her, eyeing

  She got her Kahlua and cream and retreated to a quiet spot o

  Did she miss it? She pondered that as she sipped her drink.

  One of those former partners caught her eye and saluted her

  Biff stood near the front of the room and raised his hands f

  When he spoke, explaining the purpose of the Cornwall Founda

  Biff's voice seemed less deep, less rich. Parker's was more

  She didn't know why it bothered her so much to think they co

  Liar, a voice—her sister's voice—echoed in her head. Okay, s

  Geez, she couldn't believe she was thinking like that! The f

  Not that Sophie had heard many complaints. She could see thr

  Weddings. A pang hit Sophie in the chest, hard enough to ann

  The cool air was typical of the Boston spring. The sun sat j

  "Kinda cool to be out here in that dress."

  Sophie closed her eyes. It was That Voice, accompanied by wa

  She turned, stunned to see Biff. Hadn't she just decided he

  "Who are you?"

  His eyebrows formed an unconvincing V over his oh-so-concern

  "I know who you are. I mean, I know who I know you are. But

  "Have you been calling my show?"

  He shrugged. "Have you had any callers named Biff?"

  It was a non-answer, but Sophie didn't feel inclined to purs

  "Why won't you have dinner with me, Sophie?" His voice was l

  "I told you, Biff, you're not my type." Maybe he wouldn't he

  "Your date has abandoned you for a twenty-two-year-old socia

  She loved Biff's scent.

  His hand pressed her gently toward a marble bench. "Sit with

  "Why?" But she sat.

  He shrugged. "Just to enjoy the night."

  The garden was silent and Sophie acknowledged that it was ni

  Biff stretched out his legs in front of him. Sophie leaned h

  "So tell me how you got to be a VP at such a young age," Bif

  She pushed back her usual annoyance at the question. She'd h

  Biff snorted and she wondered if he thought that was a dig a

  "Which meant," he continued, "more and more of the same old

  "Right." Hm. He was insightful. Interesting twist on the pla

  "Which is why you now Rant and Rave," he finished for her, m

  "Now I Rant and Rave. You listen?"

  "I caught a show."

  "What did you think?" For some reason, his answer was more i

  He shrugged. "It has potential. Maybe people will call you i

  "I hope so. I also hope the second half of the show will hel

  "If they listen that long."

  She frowned. "What do you mean?"

  "People tend to listen to the carping and ignore the gushing

  "My callers do not gush!"

  He just looked at her. Sophie remembered one woman on her se

  "Okay, one gushed. But it's not always like that."

  "Too soon to tell. But it might go better if you intersperse

  "I thought of that," Sophie admitted. "But I'm afraid no one

  Twilight had settled firmly over the garden by then, and Sop

  "You're welcome." He took the jacket, but didn't stand. "So,

  Sophie considered. One dinner was no big deal. She'd done mo

  "I'm sorry, Biff. It was a nice, friendly conversation, but

  He stood and jerked on his coat. "Okay, fine. I won't ask ag

  If he'd been anyone else, she would have said she'd hurt his

  * * * *

  "Good afternoon, and welcome to Rant and Rave. I'm your host

  She rattled off the phone number, now memorized, and went on

  "We're going to try something new today. Instead of two hour

  "Joe is on line one."

  "Hello, Joe, what's your rant?"

  "Hi, Sophie, how ya doin'?"

  She tried to keep her sigh inaudible. Every caller asked how

  "Cats."

  "Cats. Can you be more specific?"

  "What more is there to say? I mean, cats are rude, man. They

  "I don't have a cat, but isn't there anything good about hav

  "Huh. Sometimes. Mine bites, though. And the stinkin' litter

  "Wait. You're wife is pregnant?"

  "Yeah."

  "And you're letting her clean the litter box?"

  "Heck, it's her cat."

  Sophie wavered between lecturing and not badgering listeners

  "It may be her cat, Joe, but it would be better if you clean

  "'Course not." His voice turned plaintive. "Can't I just get

  Sophie laughed. "That's between you and your wife. Thanks fo

  "Sophie, this is Marie. I can not believe that guy. He has g

  Marie was the first of many callers who had something to say

  "Great show, Soph!" One of the salespeople waved at her.

  "Thanks! You selling time?" One of the signs of a successful

  "Slowly but steadily."

  "Great."

  She ran back into the studio in time to explain again that t

  Sophie knew who the first caller of the hour was before Meli

  "Parker, welcome to the show."

  "I promise I won't talk about golf today."

  "Hallelujah!"

  He chuckled. "My complaint is of a different sort entirely."

  Sophie tsk-tsked. "Parker, I'm hurt. You weren't paying atte

  "Well, good. I was having a hard time coming up with a compl

  She laughed delightedly, a carefree, casual sort of laugh th

  "Really," Parker said, "I guess since the topic of the day i

  "Oh, there's plenty to say. Pets lower high blood pressure,

  "—ruin neighbors' lawns, chew your good shoes, leave present

  "We covered all that last hour. Come on, come up with someth

  "Let's see. Something nice to say about pets. Let me think."

  Sophie heard a distinctive whine as he downshifted and knew

  The silence stretched. "Tell me, Parker, do you find pleasur

  Oh, Lord, where had that come from? She had had no intention

  "Depends on the woman. And the circumstances. Are there pets

  "None."

  "Thank God!"

  She took the opportunity to redire
ct the subject. "So you do

  "They're okay. My sister has a dog. A hot dog."

  "A dachshund."

  "Yeah, he's tiny. Named him Moose. He loves the kids, but ta

  "He sounds sweet. Dachshund's are my favorite, especially th

  Sophie saw that four minutes had passed. That was too much t

  "Well, thank you for your call, Parker. It's always interest

  "Ditto, babe."

  "Babe!" She disconnected his line. "That guy needs some tuto

  She went on to other callers, but the short conversation sta

  A guy who wasn't her type?

  CHAPTER 4

  Parker dissected their conversation the rest of his way home

  She was on to him.

  On to what, though? What was he really trying to accomplish

  Okay, her preconceived notions. He'd been intrigued by her f

  But he wasn't like that, and he wanted her to know it. The o

  Maybe he'd start sending her flowers at the station. Or...

  He grinned, spinning into his parking garage with an extra f

  * * * *

  "Yes, Pamela, I think we can all agree that's rare. Thanks f

  Sophie was cut off as the door opened, an action punishable

  Mindful of the open mike, Sophie leaned back to it, keeping

  Stevie stepped closer to the guest mike. Sophie quickly flip

  An ominous scratching sound came from the box. Stevie rounde

  "Well, I'm speechless."

  Melina cut in. "First time since the show began, I think. No

  Sophie glared at her. She didn't need to be reminded of her

  What Sophie at first thought was a kitten burst out of the b

  "It's a puppy!"

  Both excited and trepidatious, Sophie took the card Steve ha

  She bundled up the box and stroked the puppy, who'd promptly

  She abandoned format for the rest of that show. There were a

  "Sorry, folks, but you've got to remember. I have no idea wh

  "Speak of the devil," Melina said from the producer's booth.

  Sophie shook her head. "Too bad, we'll have to leave you all

  On cue, Hippo bounced off her lap onto the floor and attacke

  "He's still holding."

  Sophie looked up at Melina, then at the star of their evenin

  Sophie gathered her papers and the dog, dumped them all in t

  "Hello?" Perfect, she thought, just the right blend of disin

  "So you named the poor dog Hippo."

  As usual, his voice glided across her nerve endings and she

  "It fits him."

  "Sure it does." His next words were less playful, more uncer

  Sophie eyed the little fluff-ball, who was trying his best t

  "Yes, Parker. I love him. Aside from the fact that I have to

  "So are you."

  That surprised her so much she snorted a laugh. "How the hel

  "And a picture in the newspaper."

  "A blurry, tiny photo from page 13." The local business jour

  "A beautiful blurry, tiny photo," Parker corrected. Sophie c

  "Do I know you, Parker?" she asked. He didn't answer right a

  "No, Sophie, you don't know me at all. But I'd like you to."

  It was a comment that could have brought to mind stalkers an

  That by itself was scary.

  * * * *

  Sophie had stamped out her ennui well enough that by the tim

  "So, is Mom still in the business of creating uproars?" Soph

  Kira adjusted the baby monitor on the end table to a low his

  "Oh, Lord, I'm in for it," Sophie groaned. She leaned her he

  Kira shrugged. "I can't tell her anything. Her latest intere

  "Is she all right? How come no one called me?"

  "She's fine, and no one called you because you've been prett

  The reprimand was gentle, but Sophie felt it harshly. She pi

  "You've always been busy. But last year you could barely sta

  Last year Kira and Jake had married after twenty-eight years

  Lately it had just been painful.

  Not so much tonight, though. Helping Kira put Joey to bed, S

  She tried to pass it off with a flip answer. "You guys don't

  "Mom isn't tame."

  "Mom is beyond help. Besides, she's having fun." Their mothe

  She sat up to sip from her glass of wine. "So what's she doi

  "Remember the six boxes of your stuff I grumbled about havin

  Sophie nodded. That was during their mother's cleaning out p

  "Brie had sixteen. She's still trying to figure out what to

  The front door opened and Jake walked in. He smiled at Sophi

  The vague ache Sophie had noticed earlier bloomed to sudden

  She wanted what they had.

  Suddenly, unexpectedly, the image of Biff Cornwall flashed i

  What was wrong with her? Why was she shoving Biff Cornwall a

  Now she was. Why? Did she think she could get serious about

  Could she get serious about a guy named Biff?

  She could if his name was really Parker. If there was more t

  She watched Kira and Jake murmur to each other as if no one

  It would be fun to find out.

  * * * *

  Parker wondered what had ever possessed him to bring Vanessa

  One look at his father gave him the answer. Biff Senior was

  But he still sought his approval. Coming alone to a pseudo-f

  "How much longer do we have to stay?" Vanessa's hot breath b

  "Chipper!" Parker motioned to one of his cousins, a young re

  "Chipper, I'd like you to meet my friend, Vanessa. Vanessa W

  Another successful save, he thought as he strolled away whil

  "Not having too good a time tonight, huh?" He slid his hand

  "Oh, I'm having a lovely time," Fawn protested mildly. Despi

  "Do you and Dad have plans for the holiday?"

  "We're going to the Cape house, of course. You're expected f

  "Fawn, a picnic has hot dogs with potato chips and shorts wi

  Her gaze turned beseeching when she finally focused on him.

  Parker looked at his father, who had the audacity to wink at

  The world did not need another person for Biff Cornwall to h

  * * * *

  "So, Sophie, tell us about the show."

  Elyse Macgregor ended a half-hour monologue about her kickbo

  Dessert, however, was apparently Family Time. Sophie was gra

  "It's going great." She described Stevie and Melina and told

  Joey started to fuss in his infant seat.

  "Let me take him." Sophie jumped up when Kira sighed and rea

  Kira smiled her thanks. "I don't think I've eaten a full mea

  Sophie lifted the sturdy but still tiny baby and rested him

  "He can have some of the squash, if you feel like sharing."

  Sophie could tell by the look on Jake's face that he was set

  "More?" He kicked harder.

  "You're good at that, Sophie," her mother commented.

  "It's a gift."

  "So when are you going to give little Joey a cousin? He need

  Sophie concentrated as she fed Joey another spoonful. "I nee

  Brianna snorted. "Mom doesn't care about the son-in-law part

  Elyse shrugged. "I've already got the best son-in-law I coul

  Sophie was wiping a drop of squash off the baby's nose and d

  Silence thundered into the room. Sophie looked up. Both pare

  "What, you think it's impossible for me to have a prospect?"

  They burst into chatter. "It's your first one!" her mother a

  "You don't date prospects," Brianna said. "Only toys."

  "Way to go!" was offered by Jake, accompanied by a victory f

  "He's a playboy, isn't he? I knew it.
I told you so!"

  "Kira, stop crowing." Sophie set down the spoon and stood Jo

  "I do," Brie chimed in.

  "And why did I open my big mouth, anyway? Huh, Joey? Can you

  Joey bubbled spit through his little smile, but his gaze was

  "Tell me all about him," Elyse urged as she began to stack p

  "I'm not telling you anything, Mom." Sophie transferred Joey

  "Did you meet him at the club?" Kira asked.

  "No. I don't think so. I'm not sure."

  Jake laughed and stood to carry the tower of scraped plates

  "I just don't know if he's the same guy."

  "The same guy as who?" Brianna asked, propping her chin in h

  She sighed. There was no way to avoid it. They'd get it out

  "Unique how?" Kira asked.

  "Unique as in over the radio. Anyway, he sent me a puppy. An

  "Why do you think he's the same guy?" Duncan Macgregor asked

  Sophie addressed her normally silent father and tried to art

  "Biff?" Five people roared the name. Five shouts of laughter

  "Cut it out," Sophie growled. Joey began to wiggle and fuss,

  "But you picked him," Brianna pointed out.

  "I didn't pick him. Do you want to hear this or not?"

  Sorries were murmured all around. Sophie took a deep breath

  "Every time I hear Biff's voice and can't see him I think it

  Everyone waited a beat, then jumped up at virtually the same

  "Who wants coffee?" her mom called.

  "Jake, I've got something in the shop to show you." Duncan c

  "I'm going to nurse the baby." Kira went into the living roo

  Only Brianna and their mother were brave enough to stay. Ely

  "Do you want advice, honey? Or are you not as adrift as you

  Sophie sighed and rested her arms on the table. "I don't nee

  Elyse's glance toward the basement door was affectionate and

  "Daddy and I are fine, dear. We have been for a long time."

  "I know, but when you came out of your cocoon, it wasn't a s

  Elyse eyed her two younger daughters speculatively. "Did I h

  Brianna spoke first. "We were concerned, but I wouldn't say

  "No, never that!" Elyse leapt up and rushed to hug Brie. "It

  It had been commented on as long as Sophie could remember. A

  "Gruff and self-centered and blusteringly loving when the oc

  Her mother smiled gently. "You're all worrywarts."

  Sophie and Brianna burst out laughing. "If we are, Mom, then

  "He does. He worries quietly. You're all the same way. Kira

  "I do not hover," she protested.

  "You do, sweetie. You were over here every day when I was go

  But he had, Sophie knew. Kira had been home, but consumed by