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
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 being 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
“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
