Sophie's Playboy (42 page)

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Authors: Natalie J. Damschroder

BOOK: Sophie's Playboy
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  • "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 wondered 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
  • "I'll tell you what's great about kids." It was the first ti
  • Sophie wasn't sure, but she thought his "positive" words wer
  • They listened to praise of kids' openness and ability to say
  • Sophie's heart went out to him. He'd obviously cared more ab
  • When the show was over, she decided to ignore her hurt feeli
  • He looked up from the list of appearances Melina had given h
  • "Of course." She wished he hadn't sounded so businesslike ab
  • He shrugged. "I guess. Call Betty tomorrow. I gave her the i
  • "Okay." She waited, but he didn't say any more. "Um, we have
  • He flipped open the planner that lay on his cubicle desk. "C
  • Show time. Again, he wasn't going to be part of the planning
  • "All right. I'm going to head home before Hippo ruins the ca
  • "I'm right behind you."
  • Sophie led him out the door and paused for a kiss before the
  • "Goodnight, Sophie."
  • As she watched him walk away, she felt like he'd said goodby
  • * * * *
  • Parker found avoiding Sophie to be much harder than he'd exp
  • Bewildered and hurt.
  • The hurt made him kiss her each time they parted. He couldn'
  • Parker invented a business trip over the weekend so he could
  • As he flew across the country for the first time in months,
  • He wandered San Francisco for two days, frustrated even more
  • On Monday he went straight to the office. Betty met him with
  • Called to the principal's office.
  • He did as much work as possible to avoid thinking about Soph
  • And the station manager.
  • Sophie looked worried. Melina was her usual unflappable self
  • "We have some concerns," George started. Parker was surprise
  • "The show last week wasn't up to your usual standards," he w
  • Sophie glanced at Parker. "I was off," she said, obviously s
  • George's mobile face pulled together in a gargoyle grimace.
  • "It wasn't Sophie, and you guys know it. It was me." Parker
  • Stevie looked even more nervous, if possible. "I'm sorry, Pa
  • "Right." George tapped his beefy fingers on his leather blot
  • "The spark is missing," Stevie added apologetically. "Rant a
  • "So fix it." George waved a hand at them in dismissal and pi
  • Parker pulled Sophie away from Stevie and Melina and searche
  • "Sophie, I'm sorry about how I've been acting."
  • She folded her arms and looked at the floor. "It's okay. I k
  • She didn't know the half of it.
  • "I just wish you'd talk to me about it. I've been on the pho
  • Here was his chance to set things up so she'd understand lat
  • "He's definitely dumping her because she lost the baby."
  • "Why? It's not like he doesn't have kids already. The baby w
  • "No, they're not. He's exposed. When he's exposed, he reject
  • Sophie's mouth dropped open. "After all the things you said
  • "I didn't say that. I said I can't blame him for wanting to
  • He felt lower than worms.
  • Melina poked her head into the room. "Guys, I have something
  • Sophie switched gears instantly. Her anger changed to alarm
  • Melina shook her head. "I need a transplant. I don't know ex
  • Parker moved closer. "I meant it, Melina. I'll donate."
  • She smiled and patted his shoulder. "Thank you, Parker." She
  • "If he's a match, I'll fly him over. Don't worry about that.
  • Melina's gratitude was obvious. "You are a good man, Parker
  • She hugged him, and over her shoulder he saw Sophie's heart
  • He wasn't a good man. He was far from it.
  • * * * *
  • The show went better that afternoon. They'd decided to use t
  • Parker tried to escape at seven-oh-five, but Sophie caught u
  • "Parker."
  • He turned and she stopped in front of him, deliberately inva
  • "Please stop avoiding me."
  • "I'm not avoiding you."
  • "Then where are you going?"
  • He didn't answer.
  • "Do you even know?"
  • He let out his breath and rested his forehead on hers. "God,
  • "What right thing?" She dropped her bag and put her arms ove
  • "I just—"
  • Knowing she would hate his response, she cut him off with he
  • "This is the right thing, Parker," she whispered when he pul
  • He groaned again and planted a hard kiss on her. "Okay. I'll
  • Sophie sped home in record time, and raced into the house. S
  • "God, I've missed you." They kissed again and she tried to c
  • "Jesus, Sophie." Holding her up with one arm, he ripped off
  • "Now, Parker. No." She grabbed him when he started to back a
  • Or maybe not coincidence. Maybe she'd had plans she hadn't t
  • "Thank God," she moaned when he finally filled her. "Oh, Par
  • He grunted as he thrust into her, gripping her hips in his p
  • Then it was over. He was leaning against her, holding her up
  • "Thank you," she murmured again, nestling her face against P
  • He didn't answer, but she felt him nod. He held her like tha
  • "My legs are giving out."
  • "Sorry." He backed up a little and she dropped her legs from
  • "Hungry?" she asked.
  • For the first time all day, he smiled. "Starved."
  • "I can do something about that."
  • Parker let the dog in and gave him some proper attention whi
  • "You don't shop much, do you?"
  • Sophie couldn't help but notice that Parker was on the other
  • She ignored his small talk. She wasn't in the mood.
  • "Set the table, please. I'll be right back."
  • The tears started before Sophie reached the top of the stair
  • She stomped into her bedroom and yanked a set of cotton loun
  • She dashed cold water on her face and wiped away the smeared
  • She almost started crying again, but steeled herself and wen
  • "How's Fawn?" she asked, sitting at the table and putting he
  • "Fine. She asked about you yesterday."
  • "Maybe I'll stop over tomorrow if she's free."
  • "She will be."
  • "I'll call her in the morning."
  • They ate in silence for a few minutes. "Thanks for offering
  • "I care about her." He didn't look at her. She watched him m
  • Maybe tonight wasn't the night to understand it.
  • Maybe no night would be. Maybe she should be smart and let h
  • Look at Fawn and Biff, she told herself. Fawn was determined
  • The pancakes tasted like glue, the sausage like plastic. Sop
  • She couldn't do it. She didn't think he'd come back.
  • CHAPTER 17
  • Sophie arrived at Fawn and Biff's house in Beacon Hill mid-m
  • "Sophie, come in." She smiled delightedly and hugged her, th

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