Sophie's Playboy

by Natalie J. Damschroder

  "And when we were with Mother, it was opera and Broadway—she

  Her heart ached for all he'd missed. Rock music and swingset

  "No, I did. I played baseball and went to school dances."

  "Yet no Bon Jovi."

  He gave her a wry smile. "Private school dances. We had to w

  She gazed at him for a moment, knowing he didn't need or wan

  She stretched up to return his kiss. "As you wish."

  CHAPTER 14

  As you wish. Parker remembered hearing that somewhere. He ta

  Frustrated, he tossed the pen on the desk. He'd come to the

  But all he could think about were Sophie's last words before

  "Last of the letters to sign, boss." Betty carried in a shea

  "How the hell did you finish those all so quickly?" She hadn

  "I'm efficient." She shrugged and pulled the signed letters

  As you wish. The phrase rolled through his head again, like

  "Betty, help me out. 'As you wish.' Why do I know that phras

  "Ah. The Princess Bride." She picked up the last of the stac

  Now he remembered. "It's one of Mare's favorites." The hero

  The idea that Sophie could be doing the same thing stunned h

  Was she pushing him toward the next step with that one gentl

  "Parker."

  He realized he was staring blindly at Betty's elbow. "What?"

  "Is that all, or do you want me to watch you brood some more

  "I don't brood." He picked up his pen again—might as well ti

  "Like I have anything better to do." She went out the door,

  Parker put thoughts of love aside as best he could. He still

  His intercom buzzed. "Parker, Jason's on line one."

  Parker grinned as he picked up the phone. "Jason, buddy. How

  "Getting married, guy. Where've you been? You're supposed to

  Parker searched his brain for the date of the wedding. Octob

  "Don't you want me to be?"

  Jason made a disgusted sound. "I haven't seen you or heard f

  Jason was right. Parker rarely went to the club anymore. He'

  "I'm sorry, Jason. I guess I let ... things get in my way. I

  "Hell, yeah, I want you in the wedding party. Darlene would

  "Uh, well, I'm going to dinner with Sophie's family."

  "Geez. Fine. Blow me off again." But Jason's tone was jolly

  Parker wished all his relationships were so easy to handle.

  * * * *

  He drove the Porsche to Brook Hollow on Sunday. He knew ther

  Sophie didn't comment on the car. She relaxed into the drive

  "Dad is a plumber. He's big and blustery when he wants to be

  "Why?"

  She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Well, I haven

  Geez. "Well, let's not add any pressure, now."

  "Sorry. Mom is a whirlwind and loves everyone. Last year she

  Parker wondered how much of Sophie's recent rebellion and tr

  "Whatever fulfills her. For nearly thirty years it was her f

  Sophie adjusted her seatbelt so that it fell precisely betwe

  "You'd better not do stuff like that in my parent's house."

  His face burned and he realized he was flushing. "Sorry." Da

  "Don't be sorry." Sophie's voice was husky. She laid her han

  His hands tightened and jerked the wheel. "Jesus, Sophie, I'

  She giggled. "The pup tent impression?"

  "Yeah. The 'I-obviously-can't-keep-my-hands-to-myself-but-I'

  "So finish telling me about your family."

  "Okay. Jake and Kira you met, and you know what they went th

  "Speaking of grandparents, Jake's mom and dad are coming to

  Great. Two sets of judgmental parents. "What are their names

  "Fran and Luke. They lived in France for a while. Luke was t

  Which implied he wouldn't otherwise. That eased his misgivin

  "You met Brianna at the station. She's an elementary school

  "I could make some suggestions."

  Sophie glared at him. "Nothing dangerous."

  "With the proper precautions, skydiving and bungee jumping a

  "That's what I'm afraid of. You don't need to push her along

  "Jealous of you, because you have me?"

  "Hm-m." The noise she made neither agreed nor disagreed.

  You do have me. The words made it to his tongue, but he bit

  Relax, he told himself. Wait to see how it goes before you c

  He followed Sophie's directions and parked in front of a mod

  Nothing could have been more symbolic.

  * * * *

  Sophie was acutely aware of Parker hovering behind her, nerv

  She should have told Parker that. He looked six shades paler

  "Mom, Dad, this is Parker Cornwall. Parker, Elyse and Duncan

  "I think I'll stick to Mr. and Mrs. Macgregor for now." He s

  "Oh, no, this is lovely, Parker." She stepped forward and wo

  "Let's all go sit out back," Elyse suggested. "Kids, we're g

  Sophie kept her hand in Parker's as they walked through the

  She didn't want Parker to find her family beneath him.

  Of course, if she was really worried about that, he wouldn't

  "Lemonade?" her mother offered on their way through the kitc

  A chorus of "yeahs" was punctuated by a simple, "yes, please

  Sophie went ahead to the deck and tried hard not to worry ab

  This was completely different.

  "Calm down," Kira said, pulling Sophie's hand away from her

  "You really think she's interrogating him?"

  Kira shrugged and handed the baby to her sister. "How should

  "That's what I was just thinking." Sophie rested Joey on her

  "Don't worry." Kira rubbed Sophie's back reassuringly. "He's

  "What makes you think you know everything?" Nerves made Soph

  "What's she predicting?" Parker set the tray on the glass pa

  "That smile is just like your mama's. Going to have her hair

  Sophie noticed the bemused look on Kira's face. Kira folded

  Parker smiled his charming smile. "I'm trying to make points

  Just like that, Kira was won over. Not that she'd had far to

  Elyse stepped outside then and urged them all to sit and be

  "Duncan and Jake," she called, "stop worrying about that stu

  Sophie had no doubt "the other day" was the day they reveale

  "So, are you any good?"

  Sophie choked on her lemonade. Apparently, her mother hadn't

  Parker opened his mouth, obviously about to answer. Sophie t

  "The station thinks so," he said. "Ratings have skyrocketed

  Elyse smiled approvingly. "He's a gentleman, this one. So fa

  God, did her mother have to be so blatant?

  "I like the rave part of the show, myself," Elyse went on. S

  Jake and her father climbed the steps to the deck. Duncan gr

  Parker nodded.

  "Well, Parker, what are your intentions toward my daughter?"

  Sophie growled under her breath. But Parker just blinked. Le

  "My intentions, at the moment, are whatever Sophie wants the

  She averted her gaze when she heard that. She wanted the who

  "Hmm." Duncan eyed him over his glass. "Good answer." He tur

  "For God's sake." Sophie lurched to her feet. "I want him to

  "Her glass was half full," she heard Kira say before the scr

  Warm hands closed over her shoulders and chased away the phy

  "It's okay, Sophie."

  She shook her head. "I wouldn't have brought you here if I'd

  Parker turned her and cupped her jaw with both hands. "I'm n

  She heard more than he was saying. "Your family cares, Parke

  He dropped his hands
and paced half a circle around the kitc

  "Why does it matter so much?" Stupid, she thought. He's the

  "He doesn't care at all, Sophie." His jaw tensed. "I should

  Sophie grinned wryly. "No, we're here to stir up mine."

  He tilted his head at her. "Do you really have problems here

  Now she looked out the window. Kira and her mother were chat

  "No," she said. "I don't really have any problems here."

  "Then let's just go enjoy the dinner, okay?"

  "Okay." She reached her hand out. He took it, and they walke

  CHAPTER 15

  The aftereffects of the family dinner lingered long after So

  For some reason, that was enough for him. It had always been

  After their initial attack, Sophie's parents had opened up t

  "So what will be?" he asked her. She shook her head impatien

  "If I knew, I wouldn't be taking impromptu trips to L.A. and

  "So you do know those impulsive acts won't fix anything."

  "Of course I do." She handed him a shrewd look with the wet

  Parker refrained from giving her any romantic advice. He fig

  He had driven Sophie home to his townhouse that night. She'd

  And all he'd felt was content.

  No panic assailed him at any moment. He didn't have to swall

  He had hope.

  There was no such thing as destiny, especially one set by yo

  Three days after the Macgregor Family Dinner, he was standin

  It took three rings for him to realize the vibration in his

  "Cornwall," he answered. The amethyst in the back corner loo

  "How bad is she?"

  "I don't know yet." Mare sniffled. "We just got here. I don'

  Parker could almost see her wringing her hands. Or at least

  He didn't want her to lose that baby.

  "I'll be right there," he told her. "I'm about ten minutes f

  "We're on the med-surg floor."

  "I'll find you."

  At the first red light Parker called his office and told the

  "Stevie." He changed lanes while he waited for the reception

  To Stevie's credit, he didn't whine about ratings and advert

  "I'm fine. It's my stepmother. I don't know how bad, but I c

  "No problem. Sophie can handle one show."

  Of course she could. "Uh, Stevie? I'll have to turn my phone

  "Sure."

  Parker left the Porsche in outpatient parking and ran into t

  "God, Parker, I was so scared." Mare folded herself into his

  "Why, what happened?"

  Mare sat on one of the olive green chairs and propped her fo

  Biff and Fawn had a house in Boston as well as the one on th

  "There was blood everywhere. She said she hadn't had any cra

  Details Parker didn't understand and wasn't sure he wanted t

  Tears welled in Mare's eyes and she covered her mouth with h

  His throat burned when he thought of what she must be going

  "How is she?" he asked when Mare had calmed down again.

  "She's fine. They did a D&C and are keeping her overnight be

  "Can we go see her?"

  Mare nodded and stood. "I was just waiting for you."

  She led him to the end of the hall, to a private room outfit

  She looked so young. She sat up in bed, her hair looking str

  Then he saw his father's face, and he knew what the somethin

  "What did you say to her?" he demanded before he could stop

  Fawn's expression didn't change. "Don't, Parker, it's okay,"

  "Like hell it is." He stood in front of his father and dared

  Oh, yes, it was panic. Parker had felt it enough in the past

  It didn't matter. The end result was the same. He'd broken h

  Parker wasn't going to let it happen again.

  "What ... did ... you ... say ... to ... her?" He could bare

  Biff stood and tried to look defiant. "That's between me and

  "He wants a divorce."

  Parker could only stare at her. Even at his worst, Biff had

  "You'd do that to her, now?"

  "I don't have to answer to you." Hiding his emotion under gr

  "No, it's too late for that," he said. "But I can't believe

  Biff glanced at his wife. His normally ruddy face paled, and

  "Fawn and I have discussed it. There's nothing more to be sa

  He almost went after him, but turned back. Fawn needed him m

  "I'm so sorry." He sat on the edge of the bed and took her h

  "I should have expected it," she said. A single tear trickle

  "Fawn." He didn't know what to say. He couldn't tell her tha

  He couldn't say she was better off. Not when her hand still

  Fawn pulled her other hand from his and wiped her cheeks. "Y

  "He'd hide it," Mare said softly. She still stroked Fawn's h

  "I'd still know." She reached for a tissue and wiped her nos

  She looked like she was about to climb out of the bed and st

  "Fawn, he's a bastard. He doesn't deserve you. And you deser

  Fawn studied him, then looked at Mare. "You never told him,

  Mare shrugged. "It was none of his business."

  Fawn snorted. "It was none of yours, either, but you didn't

  "I was a prostitute, Parker. Your father met me in a bar and

  He nodded vaguely, too stunned to really consider the questi

  "I lived it. He took me to his penthouse and fed me and clot

  "I wasn't fool enough to turn him down. I was fool enough to

  "How?"

  "He's not getting his divorce. You can count on that. I've l

  Looking exhausted, she pressed kisses to her fingertips, the

  Parker straightened her bedclothes and followed Mare out int

  "Wow."

  "Well, you always had such a high opinion of her, I didn't w

  "Yeah, right." He started walking down the hall. "How'd you

  "I hired a detective."

  Smart. Smarter than Parker had been. But then, he hadn't car

  Still concerned, he glanced back down the hall. "Are you sur

  "She was given a sedative. It works quickly." Mare looped he

  "Do you want me to come?"

  She shook her head. "Go to Sophie. You need her, and I'm fin

  He didn't believe that, but let it go. He was swimming in co

  Betty stood when he walked in. "Parker, my God, you look lik

  He told her about Fawn's miscarriage and watched her face cr

  "I'll order flowers," she said. "What's her room number?"

  "I don't remember." He told her the hospital and drifted int

  His intercom buzzed. "Parker, Sophie's on line one."

  "Tell her I'll call her back later, please."

  After a pause, Betty said, "All right." Parker got up and lo

  He cleared his desk of busywork, letting his mind worry over

  He didn't believe in signs. He didn't find symbolism in ever

  Sophie's family was complex and diverse, with consequent per

  Contrast the dinner the other night to the scenes in the hos

  How could Parker ever hope to reconcile the two? It was inev

  He couldn't force Sophie into that. He'd let things go too f

  The intercom buzzed again.

  "Charles Whitmer, line two."

  Parker glanced at his watch. It was after five. Betty should

  "Hey, Biff! How's it going?"

  Parker rolled his eyes. He'd gotten used to being called "Pa

  "Chuck. What can I do for you?"

  "You sound busy. I'll get right to the point. MMT is having

  Parker glanced at his "non-urgent" pile. The invitation was

  "Sorry. I've been focused on other things."

  "Understandable. I just wonder
ed if you'd be able to attend.

  Parker leaned back in his chair. "How come you're calling me

  "Oh, yeah, but she sure ain't Sophie," Chuck grumbled. "Not

  "I qualify?" Parker didn't feel important.

  "Without a doubt. But your importance is more than the money

  That was news to him. "Says who?"

  Chuck cleared his throat. "Well, Sophie did a study last yea

  "Why?"

  "Hell, I don't know. I guess people think you're more moral

  Parker began to dig through the pile. "When is it again?" Ch

  "Bring Sophie, will ya? We miss her."

  So do I, Parker thought, and wondered how he'd survive a lif

  "Yeah."

  "Why autism? It's not your usual philanthropy."

  Chuck coughed, but when he spoke his voice was still raspy.

  "Oh, man, I'm sorry."

  "So are we." After a pause, Chuck thanked him and hung up. A

  "Can I go home, now?"

  Parker frowned at Betty. "What are you asking me for? It's p

  "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

  "Fine. Hunky dory. Go."

  "Oh-kay." Betty started to close the door.

  "Wait!"

  She pushed it back open and sighed with exasperation. "What?

  "What do you know about Chuck Whitmer?"

  She shrugged. "Owner of MMT, a highly stable tech company. G

  Parker shook his head. "Where do you get this stuff?"

  "Professional Secretaries International. Why do you want to

  "Just curious."

  Betty tilted her head. "You know, a few years ago, there was

  Perfect. Well, except for the needles in his heart. They'd s

  "Sophie said the rumors weren't true."

  "Yeah, most of us figured that." She waited, but he didn't s

  "Night, Betty."

  The silence of an empty building filtered through Parker's o

  He felt more like his father than ever.

  CHAPTER 16

  Sophie didn't know what had happened. Parker had said he'd e

  For three days she lived in bliss. She spent every night wit

  They breakfasted together, kissed as he went off to work, an

  Then Fawn had her miscarriage. Sophie didn't know what happe

  "What's wrong?" she demanded.

  The look of contempt in his eyes made her gasp.

  "My stepmother had a miscarriage yesterday, in case you didn

  Defensive anger rose. "I wouldn't know, if Mare hadn't calle

  "Fawn is."

  "But.... "Sophie caught sight of Melina's two-minute signal.

  "I can't. I had to reschedule all my appointments from yeste

  "Welcome back to Rant and Rave, the show that lets you get i