For the Love of the Game (7 page)

“I don’t know who’s crazier, you for having the guts to face your family, or Seth for walking into the lion’s den,” Sydney said as she watched the debacle unfolding.

“Would you believe I had no idea who he was?” Morgan asked.

“I can believe that. If it weren’t for your father and brothers you probably wouldn’t know what a football looked like.” She snickered. “Good gracious, he’s even better-looking in person.”

Morgan went for the door but Sydney put her hand on her shoulder. “I know you are a grown woman and can make your own decisions, but those men on that porch care about you in their own obnoxious, overbearing way. They’ve never really met anyone you’ve dated before, and they have to feel like they didn’t just give you to Seth. I know it sounds silly, and it is, but that’s what they probably feel.”

Morgan turned around, amazed at the quiet wisdom of her stepmother. All those years she’d been avoiding her like the plague, trying to keep clear on her feelings for her mother. So she followed Sydney into the kitchen and they fixed something to eat and some iced tea in silence. Eventually the men came in the house, and if she was correct, she even heard some laughter.

“All clear?” Morgan yelled from the kitchen.

“Really, Morgan,” her brother Robert said, “you would think we were animals or something. We just had to check Seth out. MVP last year or not.”

All the men seemed to get a chuckle out of that. It seemed being the MVP had once again been an asset to Seth. A few hours later she gave him a tour of her dad’s house and they ended up in the backyard on a swing.

“So this is where you spent your summer days?”

“Yeah. Must seem really small compared to the sprawling ranch you lived on.”

“Not really. In Texas there’s just a lot of land.”

“Yeah, but still.”

“Morgan, I know you look at us and see so many things that are different. And in this world today people make sure they stick with their kind and promote separatism. I can assure you we have more in common than the things we don’t. And just to let you know, I’ve dated all kinds of women before. But I’ve never dated a bookstore owner.”

“Well, I’ve never dated a jock.”

He made a coughing noise. “I will have you know that I am more than a jock. I got my college degree, and I’m currently taking courses online for my master’s. It fits into my schedule and cuts down on the hysteria sometimes, staying in the shadows.”

“So what are you getting your master’s degree in?”

“Psychology,” he said. “I’m a good player, because I look at all aspects of the game. And a bulk of the game is played in your head before you hit the field.”

“Well, well.” She chuckled and gave him an appreciative look. “You’ve met the immediate family. How do you feel about meeting the rest of them?”

“Anything you want to do is fine with me.”

“I want to go back to your apartment and let me show you my appreciation for putting up with my family.” She waggled her eyebrows.

Morgan let out a giddy yelp as Seth picked her up and threw her over his shoulder and headed for his Range Rover.

* * *

The family party was the following weekend, and Seth had not wavered about wanting to attend. Morgan thought it was sweet he wanted to meet her family and have a public relationship. This would be the first of many steps of acknowledging to the world that they were a couple. She only wished her family wasn’t so outlandish. There was no doubt in her mind that something wacky would happen; she’d had a knot in her stomach all morning. But when Seth grabbed his car keys and her hand and headed for the elevator, she began to feel at ease. She was a nervous wreck and he seemed cool as an ice cube.

By the time they arrived, the family barbecue was in full swing. Morgan held Seth’s hand and made her way to her father and brothers. She gained confidence when she was around those burly, meddlesome men. Some of her cousins came over, and just like she’d imagined, word was spreading that Seth Blake was here with her. Her father made a stern yet friendly quip that Seth was there to spend time with his daughter, not sign autographs or give mock interviews. It all seemed to be going nicely until trouble arrived. Her brother Charles was the first to spot them coming up the driveway to the backyard.

“Well, what do we have here?” Charles said in a thick voice. “Seth, my man, you are in for a treat today. ’Cause this barbecue is about to get interesting.”

Morgan turned around to see why Charles was pointing. Her cousin Charisma had just walked into the backyard with none other than Jason—her Jason—on her arm. Jason must have felt a chill as cold as the Grim Reaper’s hand on his shoulder because his gaze flew up and locked onto hers.

Morgan had gone silent, but her brothers and her father were grumbling something about whooping the guy’s ass. As if they knew they were the center of attention, the guy and girl slowly came their way, with all eyes following them.

The woman spoke first. “Hey Morgan. I know this is awkward and embarrassing as hell, but Jason and I have been trying to tell you for weeks about us. We didn’t know if you would come today, but frankly I’m tired of putting my life on hold for you. We are happy.” Charisma took a step back and rubbed Jason’s arm. “And I am sorry you didn’t satisfy him or he wouldn’t have come to me.”

Morgan stared at both of them in disbelief. Charisma stood there with her arm around Jason like someone had just given her a new puppy. She had to get her bearings. A part of her wanted to ask the outraged questions and let the family drama play out, but she knew in her heart, no matter how it had happened, that she wasn’t terribly upset that someone took Jason. Though her family probably still reeled from the fact that superstar Seth Blake was at their barbecue, she thanked God he was there. First, it took a sting out of this moment of humiliation. Secondly, she also realized Seth was standing behind her with his hand at the small of her back, and she found that very comforting. She would do damage control later. Right now she had to deal with the two would-be conspirators in front of her.

“And what am I supposed to say, Charisma?” Morgan said, musing to herself that the plot just thickened when she said the name Charisma, knowing her cousin lacked any ounce of charisma. “Am I supposed to thank you for taking Jason off my hands?”

“No, I expect you to be a lady and leave us alone,” Charisma said loudly.

Jason decided to speak. “I’ve been trying to tell you. For months now.”

“And when was that? Before or after you proposed we get married? Settle down?”

Jason lowered his eyes. “I wasn’t thinking straight then, and a part of me knew you’d never really consider it. You know, I tried, but you are a hard woman to love.”

“She’s not hard to love. I’m doing just fine.” Seth’s deep, soft, yet firm voice crackled through the air like a cherry bomb on the Fourth of July.

Jason looked up, clearly angry. “Man, who the hell are you? Morgan, who the hell did you bring?”

Seth stepped forward and extended his hand. Jason looked at Seth’s hand, which was damn near double the size of his. “My name is Seth Blake, and I’m Morgan’s husband.” He gave Jason a big ol’ country boy smile.

The barbecue suddenly went silent. People were in corners whispering and Jason looked like he’d just seen his dearly departed grandmother.

Someone yelled out, “Oh, hell no!” and someone else burst into laughter. Morgan knew it was time for this travesty to end.

“It’s rude not to shake my brother-in-law’s hand, Jason,” Charles yelled. “So I guess my sister doesn’t need your half-assed breakup speech anyway!”

Morgan took a step back, resting on Seth a bit. He put his arm around her waist.

Suddenly Charisma went off topic. “You’re Seth Blake. The quarterback for the Titans?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Charisma, you don’t have to worry. I found a man who could handle all of my needs. So you and Jason have my blessings,” Morgan said.

“When did all this happen?” Jason barked.

“Oh, we got married on the island you let her go to all by herself,” Seth said.

“Morgan?” Jason looked at her.

“Jason, you have no right to pretend to be hurt. You’ve got to be kidding me. What you and my half-assed cousin did was months in the making.”

“So you’re leaving me for Seth Blake?” Jason said Seth’s name with such wonder in his voice she wasn’t sure exactly which gambit of emotions he was processing at the moment. He kind of sounded like he wanted an autograph.

“No. Actually you left me. And we’re both better off. Maybe we can both find the happiness we obviously weren’t getting from each other.”

“Seth Blake or not, I’m gonna kick your ass.” Jason lunged closer, but Morgan took a few steps and kneed him in the groin. Jason went down with a loud groan and fell upon his knees. Seth went to intervene, but her father said, “Seth, she got it.” Not one of her brothers moved.

“Jason!” Charisma yelled and bent down beside him. “You bitch!”

“Seth, I think the party is over,” she said as she took his hand in hers.

“You okay?” He kissed her hand.

She nodded. Morgan kneeled down and spoke softly to Jason. “Jason, do everyone a favor and stay down. I didn’t see the Super Bowl, but the man didn’t win MVP for nothing. And you have four very angry men behind him. Do the smart thing for once in your life.”

* * *

Seth was on the phone talking to his publicist. Even though he was pacing up and down the corridor of the private plane, she could hear his responses. He said he was in charge of his personal life. He finished the call and sank down in the white leather chair opposite hers.

“So how bad is it?” she asked.

“Not bad at all. Certainly not anything I wasn’t already expecting,” he said, smiling at her. “Someone called my publicist and asked for confirmation that I broke up your engagement to Jason and stole you from him.”

“Engagement?”

“Yeah.”

“It was probably—”

“No matter who said what, it was going to become public knowledge anyway, Morgan. I don’t want to evade questions any more. I want everyone to know we are married.”

“Won’t this hurt your career?”

“I like to call moments like these media speed bumps.” He laughed.

She smiled in response. “Not that I don’t appreciate it when you said you wanted to cheer me up after that fiasco of a barbecue, but where are we going?”

All she’d been able to see was the plane ascending from the private airport and was now headed in some unknown direction.

“We are going to my ranch in Texas.”

Morgan’s eyes almost bugged out of her head. “Don’t you have to shoot a commercial in a few days?”

“Yes. We will be here three days max, and then we go back.”

“I can’t take off like this, the bookstore…” She huffed.

“I called Michelle and asked if she would do me a super huge favor in return for tickets in my box this season.”

“You are slick, Seth Blake.”

“I prefer the words crafty, spontaneous, and good under pressure.”

“No, slick aptly describes what you did.”

“If you say so, Morgan Blake,” he said as he gazed into her eyes. “That name growing on you yet?”

“I’m warming up to it.”

“Good.” Seth leaned forward and kissed her on the mouth.

* * *

The Twelve Horseshoes ranch was a huge piece of land. Morgan fell in love immediately with the house and the stables. The staff welcomed her and, to her surprise, she didn’t get one strange look. She got a few howdy ma’ams and the house staff addressed her as Mrs. Blake. Again she was in the center of contrasts. His Philadelphia penthouse life was nothing like his ranch life. She wandered around as Seth made phone calls. He seemed busy so she found her way down to the stables on her own.

She walked through the barn, acclimating herself to the smells. This was Seth’s world. Not playing football in some city no matter how much they paid him. She felt his soul resonating on the ranch.

As she walked through the stables, she saw a short, older woman coming her way with a horse. She was dressed in dusty jeans, a red long-sleeved shirt, and had a cowboy hat pulled closely over her eyes. She appeared to be one of the ranch hands. The woman stopped in front of her.

“Hi, there. You must be Morgan,” the woman said.

Morgan peeped under the woman’s cowboy hat and replied, “Yes, it’s nice to meet you. That is a beautiful horse.”

The horse was a lovely brown color with a white patch near the center of his head. He looked serene but feisty at the same time.

“Yes, he is. He’s a new edition to our family. Seth got him last week.”

“I don’t know much about horses, and I certainly haven’t been up close to many, but he’s magnificent.” Morgan breathed as she reached out and stroked his mane. “Have you known Seth long?”

“All his life.” The woman smiled enigmatically.

“What’s his name?”

“Reed’s Fire,” Seth said from behind her.

Morgan turned around and smiled. “Odd name for a horse.”

Seth came behind her and put his arms around her waist. “Reed’s Fire is much like his owner. Sweet and tender one minute and hell on wheels the next. I think you two will get along great.”

It took a moment for the words to sink in. Seth then lifted the older woman, twirled her around, and let out a yell. “It’s good to be home! I missed you, Mama.”

“I missed you too, baby.”

“Morgan, this is my mom, Teri Lyn Blake.” He smiled sweetly.

“No need in running now, honey, you’ve already married my son,” Teri Lyn said with a hearty laugh.

Morgan didn’t realize she’d begun backing slowly out of the barn after Seth’s declaration. “Oh! I didn’t mean…”

“Don’t worry,” his mother drawled, “I’m familiar with the fight-or-flight syndrome.”

“Mama has a wicked since of humor.” He winked.

His mother turned to him. “She is exactly as you described her. I think she and Reed’s Fire will get along great.”

* * *

After two hours of goading and encouragement, Morgan was finally on Reed’s Fire. Seth had saddled up Iris and they were taking a leisurely stroll. As the sun began to set behind a clearing, Seth stopped.