“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.”

“I’m not interested.”

To Sophie’s surprise, Anne sucked in a shocked breath. “You may not be interested, young lady, but you will listen to what Sophie has to say. You’re in my home and we treat guests politely here. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Lizzie muttered.

Sophie smiled, grateful for Anne’s interjection. “My parents weren’t divorced like yours, but they died when I was younger than you are now.”

She watched the teen carefully for signs of reaction and was grateful when Lizzie cast her eyes down to her lap. At least Sophie knew she was listening and decided to continue.

“I was raised by my uncle who happens to be your father’s agent. So I know something about not wanting to be left out and I know even more about being afraid of losing someone you love.”

Although Lizzie remained silent, her cheeks had turned pink, making Sophie wonder if she was embarrassed by her earlier outburst.

Sophie paused and thought about what to say next. “I’m here as a guest and I’m a friend of your father’s, but I have no intention of taking him away from you and I don’t want to compete with you in any way. You come first for him. You always will.”

Lizzie didn’t respond. If Sophie had reached her, she had no way of knowing it and the silence around the table grew, until Anne tossed her linen napkin down and rose from her seat.

“Elizabeth Nash, I know your parents have taught you better manners than what you’re displaying now,” the older woman said in obvious frustration. “Sophie was nice enough to reassure you despite your behavior. Now I suggest we go on from here. She asked you a question about the movies and I think you should answer it. Nicely,” Anne added, emphasizing her point.

Sophie hadn’t expected the verbal support and she mouthed a thank-you to Anne. The other woman smiled in return and eased herself back into her chair.

“She’s not my mother and I don’t see why I have to have anything to do with her.” Lizzie’s stubbornness rivaled her father’s.

“Because your father said that you do.”

At the sound of Riley’s voice, Sophie jerked around in her seat.

He stood in the doorway of the dining room, his broad shoulders filling the space. Even though she’d just seen him last night, Sophie couldn’t take her eyes from him now.

He wore a tan-colored shirt and had rolled up the sleeves halfway, exposing his muscular forearms, which he’d folded across his chest as he eyed his daughter with a determined stare.

“But…”

“No buts.” Riley strode into the room. Pausing by Sophie, he leaned down and kissed her cheek, making a statement to everyone in the room.

Especially to Sophie. At the unexpected and blatant gesture, her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught somewhere between her chest and her throat.

As if he’d done nothing out of the ordinary, Riley headed for the credenza, poured himself some coffee and joined the rest of the stunned people at the table.

“Elizabeth?” Riley prodded his daughter. “Either you answer Sophie’s question as your grandmother suggested or you apologize for being rude. Either one works for me.”

Lizzie glanced up, tears filling her big eyes. “You never used to be so mean to me. You used to take my side. Now all of a sudden, you’re ganging up on me and I know why. It’s because you want me to spend more time with Mom so you’ll have more time alone with her.” She jerked a finger toward Sophie. “Mom said you have someone special in your life and I should respect it,” she said, a mixture of disgust and jealousy icing her tone.