Hot Item

CHAPTER TWELVE

SOPHIE COULDN’T BEAR to remain in her office. The crews worked on fixing her door, which had also been broken, and cleaning up the broken glass. She headed for the small kitchenette, poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the little table and chairs in the room.

“May an old man join you?” Spencer stepped inside and pulled out a chair.

She gestured for him to sit. “Since when do you go around calling yourself old?” she asked the handsome man.

“Since I started feeling that way.”

She wrapped her hands around the hot mug. “And would that have anything to do with the news hitting the papers?”

“Actually, it started when my son told me he wanted nothing to do with me.” He bowed his head in dismay.

Sophie sighed. “Are you upset because he wants you to keep your distance or because you finally realize what you put him through all those years?” she asked softly.

A smile lifted his lips. “You’re too smart for my own good,” he said, laughing.

“What can I say? It’s easier to figure out other people’s problems than my own.” She stared into the muddy coffee. Somebody had to teach Nicki how to measure coffee grounds before they overdosed on caffeine. “Spencer?”

“What’s on your mind?” His hazel eyes, so much like Riley’s, stared into hers.

“I owe you an apology.” She said what had been on her mind since she’d seen him at the police station in Florida. “I had no right to judge you or the decisions you made. I couldn’t begin to guess what you were feeling back then.”

He reached out and squeezed her hand. “No need to apologize. I was an ass then and now, to quote one of your uncle’s favorite phrases.”

“Still, I am sorry.” When Spencer had stepped up and taken responsibility with the police, assuming the break-in had been related to him and his issues, Sophie had seen how seriously he took his role as a protector of the people he cared about.

She’d seen him make decisions for his clients that were in their best interests, not his own. She should have trusted in Spencer and his motives regarding his son. It wasn’t for her to criticize him. She wondered if it was too much to hope that one day Riley would come to feel the same way.

“So this is where you two are hiding.” Yank stood in the doorway. “Sophie, they want you in your office.”

She stood and paused to hug Spencer before heading to deal with the mayhem once more.

SPENCER WATCHED Sophie leave the room and his best friend take her seat. He was grateful to these people who’d given him unconditional love and acceptance, even after he’d kept a huge secret from them-a secret that could destroy their business, their livelihood, their worlds.

Okay, so that was an exaggeration, but lately everything that had happened felt huge. Larger than life, almost. Devastatingly awful in some ways, and in others, too good to be true. Like his best friend and partner not holding his omission against him. In fact, Yank hadn’t once demanded to know why Spencer hadn’t shared the truth. Instead Yank had given Spencer a pat on the back along with his unwavering support. Humbling, for certain, Spencer thought.

Yank settled himself into the chair. He seemed more agile now than immediately after he’d broken his hip, but he was still more fragile than he had been before. Not that he’d admit it and not that Spencer would mention the fact. Yank was too damn proud for his own good.

“Are you feeling okay?” Spencer asked.

Yank slowly straightened in his seat. “I’m just fine.”

“Good. So we’re still on schedule for this weekend?” Spencer and Yank had planned on keeping John Cashman too busy to think about Miguel Cambias on this weekend before the draft. They’d wine him, dine him, arrange interviews for him and they’d be by his side all the way, giving him no time to fall under their opponent’s spell.

“We’re on, all right, but with everything that’s happened around here, I’m worried ’bout leaving Sophie alone.”

Spencer nodded in understanding. He’d thought about the same thing. “Send her to Annabelle’s for the weekend.”

“Annie’s going with Vaughn to speak at a college in Massachusetts.”

“Can Lola watch over her?”

Yank snickered. “Like Sophie would accept a babysitter? Besides I already suggested it, and Lola wants to do it, but her aunt’s in the hospital and she’s going to oversee her care until she moves to a rehab center.”

Spencer rubbed his palms against his eyes. “When did getting one damn guy through the draft become so difficult?”

“Since dirtbags like Cambias began sneaking around.”

“Well, we’ll show Cashman our proposal this weekend. I’ve got a draft of a five-year plan that includes salary and savings. He also needs to hire a financial advisor, because if he lets his father run his income the way he’s been running his life, chances are it’ll all go on moonshine before his first season’s out,” Spencer said, reciting what he’d been thinking since his last meeting with Cashman.

“That’s what happens when a kid’s mama dies too young. He ends up relying on the adult influence in his life and copying their habits, for better or for worse.” Yank’s eyes glazed over as he obviously withdrew into himself.

“You’re talking about you and the girls, aren’t you?” Spencer had been Yank’s closest friend since before he’d become their guardian. He’d seen what a solid job Yank had done with the “little women” as he’d called them. Spencer had also seen his friend struggle within himself to come to terms with the commitment. Yank couldn’t turn the girls out, but being responsible for them had scared him to death. So he’d pushed Lola away instead.

Heaven only knows why Lola had remained by his side all these years, but she had. Until she’d finally given him an ultimatum and even then Yank Morgan hadn’t come around and admitted he both needed and loved her. At least not right away. Yank wasn’t known as a stubborn bastard for no good reason, Spencer thought.

He met his friend’s gaze.

Yank scrubbed his hand over his unshaven face. “You’re lookin’ at me like you have me all figured out.”

Spencer grinned. “You think I don’t?”

“That still don’t change the fact that I’m worried about Sophie and not just because she needs someone to watch out for her.”

“Yank,” Spencer said, a clear warning in his tone. The other man had already caused Sophie enough trouble.

“I owe it to her to see she finds the right match.”

His tone was insistent and Spencer knew better than to think he’d talk him out of it. Still, he gave it one last shot. “I suppose it would be too much to hope that you’ve learned your lesson after your last attempt at matchmaking?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” Yank muttered.

Spencer figured it was only a matter of time before Yank came up with another crazy plan and he steeled himself for what lay ahead. He silently promised he’d guide Yank so he caused the least amount of damage to the niece he loved. Well, Spencer thought, at least he now had a focus beyond self-pity.

Yank frowned. “Don’t tell me you didn’t do the same thing when you hooked me up with Riley all those years ago. You looked out for your kid same as I want to look out for mine.”

Well, there he had it. The means to guide Yank and help Sophie. He’d be no better than Yank if he acted on the idea spinning around in his mind, but he couldn’t stop the words from flowing. Even if he knew he’d regret the admission to Yank.

“Riley’s a good match for Sophie,” Spencer said. “I saw them together in Florida and they definitely clicked.” And Spencer would love to see Riley with a woman as loving as Sophie.

Yank bolted upright from his chair, faster than he’d moved in ages. He pulled Spencer’s head against his chest and kissed him square on the crown. “You are the best friend a guy could have. Lola!” he bellowed.

Spencer rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, then smoothed his hair with his hand.

“What’s wrong? Who’s sick? Do you need an ambulance?” Lola practically skidded to a halt as she ran into the room.

“Spencer said Riley’s a perfect match for Sophie. How do you like that?” Yank asked proudly.

Lola reached for a newspaper left lying on the table, rolled it and smacked Yank on the top of his head. “You screamed so loud I thought someone had a heart attack!”

“Someone nearly did. When I heard the news, I knew we had the answer to all of our problems.”

“Oh good Lord. Remind me why I married you again?”

Spencer snickered.

Yank ignored him. “Lola, baby, you eloped with me and when you did, I promised you a big old party when we returned, remember?”

She visibly inhaled, searching for a way to calm down. “And what does that have to do with Sophie and Riley? Because I know you, Yank Morgan, and you have an agenda. You always do,” she said, calmer and obviously resigned.

After years with Yank, she’d perfected dealing with him, Spencer thought. He envied them the easy give and take of their relationship. Sometimes he even wondered now that he wasn’t hiding anything, if he’d find a companion of his own.

“Once your aunt’s settled, I want you to plan our party. We can even renew our vows in front of friends and family like we talked about on the ship. Spare no expense and throw a huge bash,” he said, waving his arms in enthusiasm.

“And?” Lola prodded. “Get to the real point.”

“It’s obvious. Get Sophie involved in the planning. Give her a wedding and some romance to focus on instead of all the bad stuff happening around here. Just make Sophie itch for happily ever after. That’s not so hard, is it?”

“No, Yank. It’s not hard at all. But I don’t think Sophie’s going to appreciate being manipulated.” Lola propped her hands on her hips.

Spencer had watched the byplay without saying a word. Until now. “She’s got a point. And the girl’s smart, Yank. She’s going to know something’s up.”

“Only if Lola let’s on. Which she won’t because she doesn’t want Sophie upset. So, Lola, you have your instructions. Spencer and I will handle the rest.”

“Oh, swell. The two great minds of the Western World teaming up to matchmake. We already had a floral shop in this office and a break-in. I wonder what can happen next?”

Spencer narrowed his eyes. “Oh please don’t group me in with his shenanigans.”

Yank waved them away with a dismissive hand. “I meant I’ll handle the rest.” He reached for the phone and dialed. “Riley? It’s your agent. I need to talk to you so get your ass down to my office immediately.” He hung up before Riley could reply.

Spencer rose, his muscles suddenly stiff, his heart suddenly hurting. “I think this is where I make my exit,” he said, trying to sound light when he felt weighted down.

“Spencer, wait,” Lola said, her hand on his shoulder, stopping him from walking out. “Why can’t you make peace with Riley? Start over?”

He inhaled deeply. “Because he asked me to stay the hell away. And since I’ve never done anything he wanted during his childhood, it’s the least I can do for him now.”

Staying away from Riley had never been as easy or as simple as his son obviously believed. But doing so now that they’d had their first face-to-face confrontation, now that Spencer had seen the man Riley had become, was damn near impossible.

And he lived with regret every single day of his life.

SOPHIE CANCELED a photo shoot for a sick client. She returned some phone calls and in between she arranged a Sports Illustrated interview for Roper, who was looking for some positive publicity to counteract the negative and the magazine was doing a piece on athletes in touch with their feminine side-though they promised a masculine title and approach. She did everything and anything to avoid thinking about the fact that the office had been broken into and she might be the target.

But she couldn’t ignore the truth. And it only reminded her that she had no control over anything in her life. She headed to her private bathroom, hoping if she splashed cold water on her face she’d feel better.

After running the water for a while, she let the icy stream hit her wrists. Her body temperature cooled and she immediately felt better. She patted her face with a water-dampened towel, then rolled her neck from side to side, stretching her stiff muscles.

She wished she could visit with Annabelle to escape this nightmare, but her sister was going away for the weekend. Though she could stay at Annabelle’s house upstate anyway, she hated to run away.

Besides, Riley’s note had asked her not to make plans and she wanted to see what he had in mind for them. She still promised herself she’d keep her walls high, but she knew better than to think he’d leave her alone while she was being targeted. And, she admitted, she didn’t have the strength to turn him away just now.

She reached her arms above her head, laced her fingers together and stretched the way she’d learned in yoga class. Come to think of it, maybe going to another yoga class would calm her nerves.

She tipped her head upward and opened her eyes. What looked like the lens of a video camera stared back at her from the lighting in the ceiling.

She screamed.

RILEY HAD BEEN at the gym near Athletes Only when Yank called and left a message on his voice mail demanding Riley meet him at the office ASAP. Riley had been in Yank Morgan’s office long before he heard Sophie’s shriek. He turned and ran, reaching her office half a step before everyone else at A.O. He didn’t see her immediately and spun to find her standing inside the small bathroom.

“Who died?” Yank came to a halt behind Riley, stopping himself by grabbing onto the younger man’s shoulders.

Sophie blushed, her soft skin turning a flattering shade of pink. “Everything’s okay. I’m okay. I’m sorry I scared everyone.”

“You heard her. She’s fine. Everyone get back to work.” Yank waved his hands, shooing everyone away.

Riley waited until everyone except Yank had taken off. “What’s wrong?” he asked Sophie.

“That is wrong.” She pointed to the ceiling.

He looked up. A camera lens had been not so subtly hidden in between the overhead lighting.

“What is it? What’s up there?” Yank squinted at the ceiling.

“It looks like a camera lens. Like the ones they put in department stores,” Riley explained. “Get me a chair, will you, Sophie?”

She nodded and walked out, then returned from the other room, rolling her desk chair in front of her. “Here you go.”

She held the wheeled chair steady while he climbed up on it.

“You know that’s how I broke my hip,” Yank said.

“Leave him alone,” Sophie chided.

Riley tried not to laugh.

“All I meant was that he should be careful or else he’ll end up ass down like I did.”

Riley grinned. “Thanks for the warning.” He carefully pulled the tiny round lens, which protruded from between the light grating, expecting it to be connected by wiring. Instead the lens pulled right out in his hand.

“It’s not connected to anything.” He jumped down to the floor.

Sophie stepped closer.

Her luscious scent assaulted his senses immediately. It had been just one day since he’d seen her last, but he’d gone to sleep imagining he smelled her fragrance beside him and he’d woken up reaching for her. Now she was here, inches away.

“I don’t understand,” she murmured.

He held the tiny piece up to the light. “It’s a dud.”

“As in a practical joke?” Yank asked. “I’m going to kill the bastard who tried to scare my niece that way.”

Sophie exhaled hard.

Beside him, Riley felt her tremble.

“It’s no joke, Uncle Yank,” she said. “It must have been part of the break-in. Someone probably planted this here when they broke all the flower vases.”

Riley didn’t know what was going on. He’d rushed in here so fast he hadn’t noticed the flower shop was no longer in her office. And as for a break-in, he’d seen men fixing the broken glass outside but he’d never considered that it’d been more than an accident. He was unprepared for the feeling of protectiveness that swept over him at the thought of anyone wanting to scare, let alone hurt, this woman.

“I’m going to let the police know ’bout this.” Yank started for the door.

“That’s a good idea,” Sophie said softly. “Uncle Yank? Can you also call your friend Curly who does security? Ask him to come down and see what he thinks of this thing before the police take it away.”

“That’s my girl. Always thinkin’,” Yank said, and left.

She lowered herself to the closed toilet seat. “I just don’t understand who’d want to do this to me.”

Riley placed his hand on her shoulder. He noticed the damp towel in the sink and shut off the still-running water. “How about we talk it through. Sometimes that helps to figure things out.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“If it wasn’t the break-in, if someone else did this, who could it be? Who has access?”

“But…”

“Humor me. Just to cover all bases.”

She glanced down at her hands. “There’s the cleaning crew that comes in at night, the security people who patrol in the evening, and everyone in the office who passes by when I’m not here.”

“Have you fired anyone recently?” he asked.

She shook her head. “We’re a small office and all get along.”

“Okay then, let’s talk about the times you aren’t here. You and I were just in Florida. Could anyone have let themselves in here then?”

“No!” Sophie jumped up from her seat. “No way is it anyone who works for us. We’re like a family here. I’m not stupid or naive, but I refuse to believe someone within this office would do this to me.”

He followed her out of the bathroom back into her office, watching as she paced the room, silently mouthing the expected number of steps across the carpet. He couldn’t control his grin as she reverted to the comfort of counting, the same thing she’d been doing the day he’d come looking for his old man.

At the thought of Spencer, Riley realized that not once since he’d been here had he worried about running into him. Instead his thoughts had been occupied by Sophie.

“There is one person who might be behind all this,” she said, stopping in her tracks.

Her words caught him off guard. “Who?”

“I don’t like suggesting this. It hurts me because he’s dating one of my closest friends, but…”

Riley tipped his head to one side and studied her. “Nobody’s going to do anything without proof, but if your gut’s telling you something, I suggest you listen. At this point we can’t afford to overlook anything, no matter how remote it seems.”

Sophie swallowed hard. “Miguel Cambias.”

“No!” Cindy had entered without Sophie realizing it and stood with her mouth opened in horror. “How could you say such a thing? How could you even think it?”

Sophie’s heart skipped a beat, then began pounding harder. “I’m sorry, it’s just that-”

“What? You think he’d use me to get to you? That he doesn’t care about me? He just wants to sign your uncle’s draft pick? You’re wrong. I know him.” She pointed to her heart. “I know him in here.”

Sophie closed her eyes for a brief second. This was exactly what she’d wanted to avoid. “I’m not saying it is Miguel. I’m just saying it’s possible.”

“And how do you think breaking in here and planting a camera would get him any closer to John Cashman?” Cindy folded her arms across her chest.

“I don’t know.” Sophie looked out the window over Manhattan. “It’s a stretch,” she admitted.

“What about the idea of deflecting Yank’s and Spencer’s focus? If they’re busy worrying about you, looking out for you, then that would leave Cashman open and vulnerable to another agent.” Riley stepped between the two women. “To any agent. Not necessarily Cambias.”

“That’s what I thought.” She shot Riley a look filled with gratitude for attempting to salvage her friendship with Cindy.

“Everyone’s shaken up from the break-in. Sophie’s rattled about finding the camera. I suggest nobody holds anything said in the heat of the moment against the other.”

Cindy, with her pale face and defensive posture, appeared unsure, shaken and still very upset. “I have to go.”

“Don’t say anything to him,” Sophie called out to her friend.

Cindy turned back. “Why not? So the police can handle it instead? I don’t think so.” With that, she was gone.

Sophie stepped forward to stop her.

“Let her go,” Riley said.

“But…”

He grabbed her by the shoulders. “Wouldn’t you warn the person you cared about if you thought someone was out to get them?” The intensity in his eyes was enough to make his question seem infinitely more personal.

Wouldn’t you warn me? he seemed to ask.

Don’t you care that much about me?

She shivered, unable to process the implications and feelings when everything around her was falling apart.

“Listen, I know you need to go down to the police station this afternoon. But once that is done, I think you could use a break from all this.” He swept his hand around the office. “I want to bring Lizzie home to see her grandparents and I’d like you to come with us.”

She knew he’d had something in mind for them this weekend but traveling with his daughter to meet his parents? It was too much for her to take in right now.

“I don’t think it’s such a good idea.”

“You’d rather stick around the city this weekend alone? Worry about stalkers, nut jobs, admirers, cameras in your bathroom and break-ins at your office.”

“I’m not alone,” she said, shivering.

“I overheard your uncle’s secretary making plans this weekend for him to keep Cashman busy. Do you really want to divert his focus the weekend before the draft by having him worry about you?”

“You’re not playing fair.”

“Neither are you, pushing me away. What happened to the brave Sophie who went parasailing with me? Who planned to go to Florida alone to find Spencer without a clue where to start?” He propped one hip against the desk and crossed his arms over his chest, pinning her with a knowing stare.

He was taunting her. Calling her on her fears. Daring her to say yes. She’d grown up with siblings and a dare was something she couldn’t possibly refuse. Apparently, she couldn’t refuse him, either.

Sophie never considered whether she was a brave person or not, but she certainly didn’t want to be known as a coward. “Mississippi?” she asked.

“Brandon, Mississippi.”

She swallowed hard. “I hear it’s nice there this time of year.”

A slow, sexy smile spread over his face. “It sure is.”

“And how’s the mood this time of year with thirteen-year-old girls?”

“Unstable,” he said, laughing.

He was taking her home with him. And that had her more frightened than when she’d found the camera in her ceiling.

YANK WOULD HAVE DANCED if his bum hip allowed it. Before he could get caught eavesdropping, he headed for his office. He couldn’t stop at Spencer’s office to share the news, because his friend had decided to work from home for the rest of the day.

“Work from home, my ass,” Yank muttered. Spencer was just afraid of runnin’ into his son.

After all the years of being aggressive, going after what he wanted and doing things his way, Spencer Atkins was running scared because some pansy politician didn’t want to acknowledge a fruit in his family tree.

Well, screw him, Yank thought. Spencer deserved as much happiness as Yank had in his life, and he was going to do everything he could to make sure his friend got it. And he’d succeed. Things had been going his way of late, after all. First Riley was taking care of Sophie without even having to be told to do it. Why should he stop there?

Lola was going to whip him but good, Yank thought, laughing. But he could handle her. He knew how to keep her happy now, he thought and grinned.

Yep, Yank was going to reunite father and son. Just as soon as he figured out how to bring the two men together without Riley blowing the whole thing by turning and walking away.