“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 le
aves 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.