“So do you have anything to do with the agency side of the business or are you exclusively involved in PR?” he asked.
“I do PR for the most part, but we have a weekly meeting of partners only, so everyone’s up to speed on the key clients and issues. That way nobody’s ever left high and dry in an emergency,” she said, proud of the system they’d made work over the years.
He leaned back in his chair and nodded approvingly. “Although I’m in politics, I do consider myself business savvy and I think that’s a smart way to run things. So you’re close with Spencer Atkins?”
Sophie suspected Riley’s stepfather had been gradually leading to this moment. By questioning her about her business, he’d been able to work his way around to Spencer without being obvious. Well, without being too obvious. She was definitely onto him.
She glanced down, uncomfortable with the subject of Riley’s real father, while buying herself time to think.
“Riley told me he’s trusted you with the information,” the senator said. Reaching out, he patted Sophie’s hand. “If my son trusts you, so do I. I’m sure you realize how sensitive this is. Mississippi isn’t known as part of the Bible Belt for no reason.”
Now Sophie really was uncomfortable. “Senator-”
“Please call me Harlan.”
Either he was as honest and good as Riley believed or he was the ultimate politician. She wanted to believe the former and operated under the assumption that she could trust his word. “Harlan, Spencer’s been like a part of my family for as long as I can remember.”
“So you knew about his…” He loosened his tie and cleared his throat.
“Sexual orientation?” She shook her head. “No, I didn’t. No one in my family knew. But he’s entitled to his privacy,” she said defensively.
“No one agrees more than I do. It’s a shame the way someone chose to repeat what they’d discovered. Whoever it was probably made a huge amount of cash by revealing the truth.”
Sophie frowned. “As much as I know that’s the way of the world, it makes me sick.”
“I know. Now my biggest concern is keeping the news quiet.”
She toyed with the napkin in her lap. Finally she glanced up, deciding to jump into the conversation all the way. “I understand how sensitive a subject gay rights is, but why would your constituents hold Spencer’s affiliation against you? You aren’t even related by blood!” Sophie hated how bigoted individuals could affect so many innocent people’s lives.
The senator rose and paced the floor. “I married the man’s wife when she was pregnant with his child. I raised the man’s son. The implication will be that I condone his lifestyle.”
“That’s ridiculous. Doing something noble doesn’t mean you condoned anything, or even knew the truth about Spencer.” She stilled, recalling Riley’s suspicion about that very thing. “Or did you know the truth?” she asked softly.
He shook his head. “Neither did Anne. All she knew was that her husband no longer wanted to be married. We met soon after and I fell hard. She was wise enough to trust that we could make a lasting union-Anne, her unborn son and myself.”
Sophie exhaled long and hard. She knew how much Riley feared his parents had been lying to him all along. Though she was saddened at how alone Spencer must have been, she was definitely relieved that Riley’s family hadn’t been hiding the truth.
“The fact remains, Mississippi has had a law banning gay marriage since 1997, and in 2004 the voters passed a Constitutional Amendment declaring marriage as being between one man and one woman. It passed by eight-six percent,” he said solemnly. “In my mind that leaves no room for close family ties that make my future decisions suspect.” He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter what I think or feel, that’s the way of things.”
Sophie had no intention of delving into the senator’s true views on gay marriage, even assuming he’d tell her the truth. Nor did she plan on asking him if he’d ever taken into consideration Riley’s right to get to know his birth father.
She suspected the senator wouldn’t like her opinion and opted to remain silent. “I can promise you the truth won’t leak from me. I’m loyal to those I care about.” That much she could say with ease.
Besides, Spencer wanted things hidden, as well. Like it or not, Sophie would stand by everyone’s choices.
Harlan stopped his pacing. “You can’t imagine how glad I am to hear that.”
She wondered what he would have said or done if she’d planned to spill that carefully hidden secret. She glanced into his steely-gray eyes and decided she was darn glad she wouldn’t have to find out.
“I trust Spencer feels the same way?” he asked, unapologetically probing her.
She pursed her lips. “Despite the way things looked over the years, Spencer has always had Riley’s best interest at heart and Riley has asked him to keep silent. I’m certain that’s the end of things as far as Spencer is concerned.” She hated discussing this and wanted the subject dropped.
Harlan gripped the back of a chair in a tight clench. “With all the unfortunate events at your place of business, he’s probably too busy to focus much on himself anyway.”
She leveled him with a curious glance. “How did you know?”
“Riley’s filled me in on the break-in, the camera and those men who just won’t leave you alone,” the senator explained. “I’m sure your uncle and Spencer are distraught with worry.”
Sophie narrowed her gaze. “But I thought-”
“Good morning, everyone,” Anne Nash strode into the room, her mood as bright and cheerful as her patterned silk blouse.
Sophie had been about to ask just when Riley had found time with his stepfather to provide him with all that information since, as far as she knew, he hadn’t had a moment alone with the man.
“Harlan, are you torturing Sophie with stories about Riley as a baby?” Anne asked.
Her husband chuckled and pulled out a chair for his wife to sit. “Actually, I leave those memories for you to divulge. You’re a much better storyteller than I.” He smiled indulgently at his wife.
Sophie resisted the urge to scratch her head. The senator was an enigma. A man with an agenda, but one who obviously loved his family so much it eclipsed anything else in Sophie’s mind.
Footsteps running down the stairs echoed through the house and seconds later, Lizzie joined them for breakfast, scowling when she saw Sophie. She didn’t bother to hide her dislike from her grandparents, who obviously indulged her tantrums and spoiled behavior even more than her father did.
Sophie rose and poured herself more coffee, deciding maybe the caffeine would help her deal with the demon child. Lizzie was Riley’s daughter, and Sophie was determined to win over the young girl.
The teenager chose a chair far away from Sophie, near the other end of the rectangular table. There was some chatter among her grandparents, but Lizzie remained quiet.
“Lizzie?” Sophie asked.
“Hmm.” The young girl didn’t look up from her cereal as she ate.
“Have you seen any good movies? My sisters and I get together for a girls’ night and we’re trying to pick something light and fun. Do you have any suggestions?” Sophie tried to engage the teen in conversation.
“Like you care. You’re just trying to be nice to me to suck up to my dad.”
Sophie gritted her teeth and glanced around the table. The senator had taken a phone call in the other room, which left only Riley’s mother as a buffer.
Anne gave Sophie a sympathetic glance but said nothing in the way of real support.
Sophie was on her own. As much as she wanted to tell Lizzie off and be done with her attitude, Sophie felt sorry for the child who feared losing her dad to some strange woman.
Sophie clasped her hands in her lap and leaned forward. “Lizzie, you don’t know me at all, but I’m going to tell you a little something about myself.”