Hot Item (Hot Zone 3)

Riley and Lisa shot each other amused glances.

“Grandpa!” Lizzie yelled, surprising them both.

Since Lisa’s father had died years ago and Lizzie called Ted’s father Poppy, a sinking feeling settled low in Riley’s stomach. He rose and followed Lisa out of the kitchen and into the foyer in time to see Harlan hugging his granddaughter.

His eyes caught first Lisa’s with a warm smile, then Riley’s.

“So what brings you here?” Lisa asked, shutting the door behind him.

Harlan wrapped an arm around Lizzie’s shoulder. “I stopped by Riley’s straight from the airport. The doorman said he wasn’t home, so I figured I’d take my chances and have the car service drop me here. Riley mentioned yesterday that he’d been spending time here this week and I was hoping I could meet up with all of you. At the very least I knew I’d get to see my favorite girl.” He hugged Lizzie tight. “Can we all sit and talk?”

Oh, something was up, Riley thought. And it couldn’t be good.

“Let me get Ted. He’s doing paperwork in his office.”

Harlan nodded. “That would be a good idea.”

Once they were all seated in the living room, Harlan rose and stood in the center of the room. “I realize nobody in this room has had an easy time of it since Riley’s paternity was revealed. Riley?”

He shook his head, uncertain where the hell Harlan was going with this. “It’s been tough. Locker-room garbage, reporters hounding me, things like that.”

“Lizzie?” Harlan looked at the teenager. “How’s it been for you?”

She stared at her bare feet without looking up. “The kids at school think it’s funny that my dad’s got a gay father. They asked me if Dad’s gay, too.”

Riley and Lisa nodded. They’d heard the stories over the past few days. It broke Riley’s heart that his daughter had to bear the brunt of something that had nothing at all to do with her. After all, being a teenager was hard enough.

“I promised your dad I’d find out who was behind the leak.” Harlan knelt down beside his granddaughter. “Is there anything you’d like to tell us?”

Riley stiffened. “Dad…” he said, warning his father to back off. “Don’t go looking for a scapegoat just because you’re still angry I told Lizzie the truth about Spencer.”

The other man rose slowly, in deference to his age. “I have a hair-trigger temper and I admit I lost it that day, but I can assure you I would never blame my granddaughter unfairly.” He turned to Lizzie. “Would I, young lady?”

Lisa jumped up from her seat. “I don’t know what’s going on here but I don’t like it. If you have something to say, just say it. Stop beating around the bush,” Lisa said, her temper flaring.

Ted placed a hand on her arm, pulling her back down, but staying out of the family squabble at least for now.

“I agree with Lisa,” Riley said. “Just spit it out.” Riley had to admit his daughter, who was still staring at the ground, looked extremely guilty about something.

“My sources tell me that the person behind leaking the news is a man named Frank Thomas. His daughter, Sara, is a schoolmate of Lizzie’s,” Harlan said.

Riley groaned.

Lisa leaned back in her seat and sighed aloud.

Lizzie burst into tears.

AN HOUR LATER, Riley drove his father back into the city so he could drop him off at his hotel.

“It isn’t easy being a parent, is it?” Harlan asked.

Riley shook his head. “No, it sure isn’t.” He paused, knowing he owed Harlan an apology. “I’m sorry I trusted Lizzie with that information. Definitely too much for a thirteen-year-old to keep inside. And now your career is at risk.”

Harlan sighed. “As she explained through her hysteria, she just confided in a friend because she was upset about you and your girlfriend being on TV. It never dawned on her that her friend would tell her father or that her father would sell the story to earn a buck. Makes it hard to be angry.”

“Well, I still trusted her with sensitive information and she repeated it. She needs to learn that actions have consequences. I suppose now she has.” Riley swerved the steering wheel to avoid a taxi who cut him off.

“I hope so,” Harlan said.