Sophie's Playboy (33 page)
Authors: Natalie J. Damschroder
- "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 redirect 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
- Which meant her mother hadn't been alone, either. Sophie pri
- The knot in her stomach loosened entirely and slipped away.
- "Okay, Mom. We'll stop hovering."
- Brianna looked back and forth between them. She didn't look
- "Now, dear, tell me all about Parker/Biff."
- Sophie stared at her. "Mom, you just said—"
- "But I'm your mother. It doesn't apply to me. I have to worr
- The only way to escape would be heading back to Boston. Soph
- * * * *
- Two weeks went by, and Parker didn't call the show. Sophie s
- She tried to come up with a plan. She couldn't find him at T
- Calling wasn't an option, either. She'd looked up Cornwall i
- "You betrayed me," he complained, "and now you want me to he
- That, she couldn't do.
- She didn't have much better luck with the name Parker. An In
- She'd just about given up—and given in to the restlessness t
- "The show's gotten a little flat." Stevie seemed to have bee
- Make them say it, she thought, though her motor mouth wanted
- "You're fine," Stevie said, holding a hand up in her directi
- "What expectations?" The only thing different was that they
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