Hot Item

by Carly Phillips

  But to his never-ending shock, Lizzie didn’t argue. Instead, she nodded. “I’m sorry,” she said to Spencer. “It wasn’t my secret to tell.” She glanced down and away.

  Spencer’s eyes opened wide, stunned at her admission. “That’s a very mature thing for you to admit,” he said at last.

  “My shrink says taking responsibility is important.” She glanced around the room, suddenly distracted. “Hey, Dad, isn’t that Brandon Vaughn?” She pointed to the retired football player who’d married Sophie’s sister Annabelle.

  Riley felt certain the middle sister couldn’t be far away and he stiffened in preparation for that meeting, as well.

  “It sure is Brandon Vaughn,” Spencer said, before Riley could respond. “Would you like me to introduce you?” Spencer asked.

  Lizzie’s head bobbed up and down. “Can I go with him, Dad? Please?”

  Riley didn’t hesitate. “Of course you can go.”

  Over Lizzie’s head and eager bouncing, Spencer met Riley’s gaze—gratitude, appreciation and more in his solemn expression.

  A silent understanding had just passed between them, Riley realized. The first awkward bridge had been crossed.

  As he watched his daughter, his pride and joy, walk off with her grandfather, an unfamiliar emotion swelled in his throat. Lizzie would have another adult to look up to in her life.

  It came at an important juncture, when she was impressionable and vulnerable all at the same time. There had been a time when Riley wouldn’t have envisioned Spencer Atkins as any kind of role model, especially not for Lizzie. But so much had changed in such a short time.

  Nothing could alter the fact that the other man had ignored Riley for the first part of his life. But Riley had also learned that Spencer hadn’t lived a carefree existence during these past years. He’d suffered plenty, too. Riley admitted to being curious about the details, and he’d always had a burning desire to understand the father he’d never really known. He finally had his chance.

  There was nothing except his pride to prevent them from going forward from here and he wasn’t about to let it get in the way of what he’d wanted his entire life.

  SOPHIE WAS RUNNING LATE. Unintentionally, but she was still going to end up making an obvious entrance. That was something she’d have preferred to avoid, but not even her uncle’s wedding reception could change the fact that she had an upset client who’d demanded her attention.

  But she was here now, and though she’d spent hours planning the details of this event, tonight she was simply a guest. Lola had hired a staff to see that the night ran smoothly. Sophie would rather be preoccupied with the details, but Lola had insisted she relax and enjoy the evening.

  She smoothed the beading on her long gown, drew a deep breath and walked inside the ballroom of the beautiful hotel.

  “You’re late!” Annabelle grabbed Sophie’s arm the moment she set foot inside the room.

  “I had a work-related emergency.”

  “Nothing serious, I hope?” Annabelle asked.

  Sophie shook her head.

  Annabelle exhaled with relief. “It’s just that the break-in and other problems are still fresh in my mind.”

  “Mine, too,” Sophie admitted. “Spencer said he’d taken care of things. He won’t say what he did or who was responsible, but he swears it’s over. And you know Spencer—when he holds on to a secret, nobody finds out.”

  “Not for decades anyway,” Annabelle said wryly. “Okay, on to other things. You look beautiful,” she said, kissing Sophie’s cheek.

  “Thanks.” Sophie stepped back and took in her sister’s formfitting light blue gown that set off the color of her eyes.

  Annabelle’s pregnancy was over but its effects remained, her already voluptuous curves even more pronounced. As always, Annabelle looked statuesque and gorgeous, Sophie thought. “You look fabulous yourself.”

  “I second that.” Annabelle’s husband, ex-pro football player Brandon Vaughn, came up beside his wife, linking his arm through hers. He turned to Sophie and grinned. “You’re looking pretty damn good, too, little sister.” Vaughn treated her to a brotherly wink.

  Sophie laughed. “Thanks. You clean up pretty nicely yourself,” she said, taking in his black European-cut tuxedo.

  Annabelle rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t boost his ego. He already thinks he’s the stud of the night.” But it was obvious by the way she devoured her husband with her eyes that Annabelle agreed with Sophie’s assessment.

  Vaughn tipped his head to one side. “You mean I’m not?”

  Sophie chuckled once more. “Where’s my sweet little niece?” she asked.

  “You didn’t really think I’d turn down a kid-free night out on the town, did you?” Annabelle asked, grinning.

  Sophie shook her head. “No, you’re a normal mother who needs a break.”

  “But who’s called home every hour on the hour,” Vaughn said.

  Annabelle shrugged off her husband’s words. “Like you’re any better? The sitter told me you’ve been calling in between my check-ins.”

  He flushed guiltily.

  “Hi, guys.” Micki joined them, rescuing Vaughn from further embarrassment. “What are you doing huddling in a corner? We should be mingling!”

  “My wife, the people person.” Micki’s husband, Damian, stepped up behind her and slid his arms around her waist, pulling her close.

  Vaughn glanced at the two. “Newlyweds,” he said, and groaned.

  “Don’t tell me you have a problem with public displays of affection?” Micki teased as her brother-in-law absently rubbed his own wife’s back with one hand.

  “None at all when I’m the one involved. It’s watching other people do it that turns my stomach.” Vaughn laughed.

  Damian glanced at the women in the family, his attention lingering for a moment on each. “You ladies are looking gorgeous tonight.” He nodded approvingly, his stare settling on Sophie. “You’re looking particularly hot.”

  “Oh, brother.” Micki laughed.

  So did Sophie. “You always forget there’s no more need to charm me, Fuller. I finally decided I like you even if you are a ballplayer.”

  Micki patted her husband’s arm. “He can’t help himself. He sees a beautiful woman and he has to react.”

  Damian shook his head. “Not since I met you, babe.” He pulled Micki tighter against him.

  Sophie sighed and tried not to focus on the fact that she was the odd woman out in this sea of couples. They only needed Uncle Yank and Lola to make the unit complete, but those two were due to have their own special entrance in a few minutes.

  Looking past her sisters, she scanned the room and she caught sight of Riley. Even surrounded by other men in formal attire, Riley Nash stood out. He was devastatingly handsome in a tuxedo—as well as out of it, as she remembered all too well.

  He appeared happy and relaxed, flanked on one side by his daughter, Lizzie, and on the other by his father. His real father. Riley and Spencer appeared to be having a civil conversation near the bar. An actual smile lifted Riley’s lips into his trademark heart-stopping grin.

  She felt her stomach flip, unnerved at seeing him for the first time since their conversation in his apartment. She recalled that moment as more like a monologue than a conversation, and she still hadn’t mentally recovered from all he’d had to say to her that night.

  Yet here he was, apparently over the scandal of his real parent being revealed, and making inroads with the man, whom he’d sworn he would keep at arm’s length. My, how things had changed, she thought. Riley was clearly giving Spencer a chance.

  Something she hadn’t been willing to do for Riley, himself. He’d said that she was so afraid of the things she couldn’t control that she would risk walking away from him first, before he walked away or left her. When she’d run away, she’d backed up his claim. By being here tonight and socializing with Spencer, Riley was, in sports terms, one-upping her.

  He was showing her up by be
ing brave. He was the ultimate risk taker and the one person Sophie couldn’t predict or control. Just like she couldn’t control her love for him, and that love still surrounded her, making the air she breathed so heavy and thick that she couldn’t inhale easily.

  She needed space, not just from Riley but from the happy couples surrounding her. “Excuse me,” she said to her sisters, who were already involved in other conversations.

  Sophie lifted the hem of her dress and headed for the ladies’ room located outside the ballroom doors. No sooner had she entered the empty powder-room area and begun to rummage through her purse for lip gloss, than the door opened wide and someone stepped through.

  Sophie glanced into the mirror and saw Riley’s daughter staring back. “Hi, Lizzie,” Sophie said immediately, hoping to break the ice that had still remained between them since last time they were together.

  “Hi.” A tentative smile curled the girl’s lips, surprising Sophie.

  “Beautiful dress,” Sophie said, admiring the lilac gown the teenager wore.

  Lizzie’s smile grew wider. “Isn’t it cool? My mom took me to buy it.”

  Where was the hostility? Sophie wondered. The sullenness? The anger? And then she realized the cause for the young girl’s friendly attitude: Sophie was no longer dating her father.

  Sophie had achieved Lizzie’s good favor at the expense of Riley’s. Pushing that thought aside, she refocused on the teen. “Well, you can tell your mother for me you both have great taste. Of course, I bet anything you put on would look stunning on you.”

  Perhaps Lizzie was encouraged by their civil tone, because she slowly edged closer to the mirror where Sophie stood.

  “Can I talk to you about something?” Lizzie asked.

  Sophie nodded. “Of course.”

  The girl bit down on her lower lip, her nerves showing. “I…um…I wanted to say I’m sorry for…you know, being such a brat back in Mississippi.”

  Another shock, Sophie thought. “You already apologized at the airport. You don’t need to do it again,” she said softly. “But I appreciate it.”

  “I hope so, because I mean it this time.”

  Sophie tried not to laugh and failed. She wanted to explain that she wasn’t laughing at Lizzie but the teenager spoke first.

  “I know why you’re not seeing my dad anymore.”

  Sophie blinked, stunned into utter silence. Lizzie claimed to know what Sophie couldn’t even explain to herself. “You do?” she asked, buying herself time to come up with another, more appropriate response.

  Lizzie nodded. “It’s because of me. Because you think I’d be miserable if he was still with you and because you think I’m too horrible for words.”

  This time Sophie managed not to laugh at the teen’s over-dramatic words. “You’re wrong,” she assured the young girl. “You have nothing to do with it.”

  “But—”

  Sophie held up a hand, forestalling an argument. “I’m willing to bet that whatever you believe I think of you is one-hundred-percent wrong.” Sophie drew a deep breath. “Because I happen to think you’re a teenager going through normal teenage stuff,” she said. “Added to that, you have parents who love you but are divorced, so you have to share your mom with her husband, but you’ve never had to share your dad. Right?”

  Lizzie nodded, still not looking up.

  “So you copped an attitude with me. Big deal. I’m an adult, I can handle it. Especially since you apologized.”

  “You mean it? Because I told my shrink that it’s my fault that you left and my dad’s been a major grump ever since.”

  Lizzie waited for her to respond, finally meeting Sophie’s gaze with wide, hopeful eyes.

  “I mean it,” she assured Lizzie. Though Sophie wasn’t sure what shocked her more. That Lizzie was seeing a therapist or that Riley had been miserable ever since they’d been apart.

  But she had to focus on his daughter now. “I have two sisters, one older and one younger, so I know girls,” Sophie told Lizzie. “I also deal with star athletes and, trust me, many of them throw bigger tantrums than a teenager with attitude.” She grinned, liking her analogy a lot. “Do you believe me?”

  “Yeah.” Lizzie nodded. “You know what?”

  Sophie tipped her head to one side. “What?”

  “You’re not so bad.”

  Sophie had to laugh at that. “But would you say that if your father and I were together?”

  “You know what? I know that I would.” Lizzie’s eyes shone bright with approval.

  Sophie didn’t kid herself that if she and Riley were a couple, there wouldn’t be rough patches with this kid, but for now, she had Lizzie’s seal of approval. But what was she going to do with that acceptance?

  “You’re not so bad yourself.” Sophie smiled at the teenager and winked.

  “I have to go to the bathroom,” Lizzie said, and headed for the other room.

  Sophie reached into her bag and swiped some gloss over her lips. Her heart raced a mile a minute and she was uncertain as to why. Then again, all the unexpected developments tonight were enough to bring on a case of full-blown anxiety. With that in mind, she stepped back out to the ballroom, uncertain of what awaited her next.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  THE BALLROOM LIGHTS had been dimmed, making it more difficult to locate people inside. Sophie hoped she could use the cover of darkness to gather her thoughts.

  “There you are!” Cindy made a beeline for Sophie, pulling her aside. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

  Sophie smiled. Despite the chaos she was feeling, she was happy to see her friend. “Well, here I am.”

  “Looking fabulous,” Cindy said. “Gosh, I envy you that silky blond hair.”

  Sophie had had her hair blow-dried straight for tonight’s party. Meanwhile her friend had a headful of glorious red curls falling over her shoulders and striking a perfect contrast with her emerald-green dress.

  Sophie shook her head. “Why is it we always want what we don’t have?” she asked lightly.

  “I have it now!” Cindy said, her words not making any sense but her excitement tangible anyway.

  “I don’t understand.”

  Cindy drew a long, deep breath. “I always spent my life witnessing other people’s happiness. You know, the beautiful girl gets the gorgeous guy. I never thought it would happen to me.”

  Realization began to dawn. “I see now. This is about Miguel, isn’t it?” Sophie asked.

  “Yes! That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you,” Cindy said. “Miguel and I both agree it’s too soon to talk marriage or engagement, only because he’s a traditional man and he hasn’t met my family—well, the people from the restaurant back home that I call family. And I haven’t met his parents and relatives. They’re in the Dominican Republic, but he booked us a trip. First to L.A. and then to the Caribbean!” she explained in a long-winded rush, her eyes glittering with joy. “And just so that I don’t think he isn’t serious, he gave me this.” Cindy held her right hand out to reveal a huge emerald ring.

  “It’s gorgeous,” Sophie said, finally able to get a word in. “And so are you. Gorgeous and glowing with happiness. I couldn’t be happier for you.” She pulled her friend into an embrace before stepping back.

  She no longer believed Miguel Cambias was anything other than a rival agent, despite them never having solved the mystery behind the sabotage at the office. Without another incident to go on, the police had pretty much stopped searching for more clues. The NYPD had more important things to do than investigate a dead end. And in her heart of hearts, Sophie refused to believe that a man who made her friend this happy could be the culprit.

  “You deserve all good things,” Sophie said, squeezing Cindy’s hand once more.

  “No more than you do.” Cindy’s meaningful gaze bore into Sophie’s, as if she could transmit the message and make Sophie believe it, too.

  Sophie swallowed hard, the lump in her throat as painful as the hole in
her heart. “Don’t you have a Latin hunk waiting for you in the other room?” she asked, forcing a light laugh.

  Cindy nodded. “You can’t control everything, but you can control your own choices. Think about it, please. Before it’s too late.”

  Sophie opened her mouth to speak, but words wouldn’t come. Just then, a loud drumroll sounded into the hall. “Would everyone please gather around?” Spencer’s voice reverberated from the microphone.

  “Saved,” Sophie said, too low for anyone to hear. Then she turned and followed Cindy back into the ballroom.

  The next few minutes passed in a hazy blur. Spencer introduced the newlyweds and Uncle Yank blustered about how lucky he was that he hadn’t lost Lola long before now. Many of his reminiscences had Sophie laughing aloud. Some nearly had her in tears.

  But one thing became clear as she stood in a room surrounded by Uncle Yank, Lola, her sisters and her new brothers-in-law. All of her life, she’d told herself that as long as she had her family, she would be fine. But tonight, for the first time, she was surrounded by every single family member she adored, and yet she was still completely alone. As alone as she was in her apartment night after night. As alone as she’d be for the rest of her life if she didn’t do something about it.

  She didn’t have to look far for the courage to act, either. All around her were examples of people who’d fought their inner demons and won. Bravery surrounded her. From Annabelle and Vaughn to Micki and Damian, from Uncle Yank to Spencer, she was faced with people who’d confronted their fears and let themselves trust—in both love and in a future.

  She could be like them, like the brave woman who’d gone parasailing with no fear, or she could remain alone wondering what might have been. She could walk out of here tonight without taking a chance on Riley, and accept a future of being alone and lonely. Or she could take that leap of faith and trust that Riley would catch her.