Love Notes and Football (2 page)

* * *

The Blakes insisted on seeing them off at the private airport. The several reassuring hugs from her in-laws gave her the courage to get on the plane and face what lay ahead in Philadelphia. Morgan ate the lunch the flight attendant served, but she didn’t really have an appetite. Seth talked to Jake about the mini golf course that had dinosaurs and pirates. The sound of Jake’s toddler chatter lulled her sleep.

Seth woke her when it was time to land, and as soon as the plane touched down at eight o’clock that evening, they headed for the hospital.

Morgan spotted her brothers clustered at the end of a hallway. “Any news?” she asked as she waddled toward them.

“They did an angiogram and he has a blocked artery.” Jared hugged her.

Morgan didn’t realize she was hyperventilating until Seth sat her down in a plastic chair against the wall and put a cup of water in her hand. The room spun around her and her mind felt fuzzy, so she closed her eyes. She sat that way for a few minutes, trying to get her bearings. The feel of Seth’s thumb caressing the back of her hand gave her the courage to open them again. The look of worry on his face, coupled with Jake trying to climb onto her lap, brought her back to reality.

She clutched Jake like a security blanket while Seth talked in the corner with her brothers Jared and Robert. From what she could hear, her father hadn’t been feeling well for a while. Why hadn’t anyone mentioned his ailing health to her?

“Avery, are you OK?” Morgan gave her niece a comforting hug as she sat down.

“Yes.” The teen blinked rapidly.

“Uncle Jared told us you sprang into action and called the ambulance when you noticed Grandpa wasn’t feeling well.”

“I remembered the protocol from that crisis management class Dad made me take last summer.” Avery put her head on Morgan’s shoulder.

“I’m so sorry you had to be there alone when it happened.”

“Grandpa didn’t look like himself. He looked—”

Morgan interrupted her. “The important thing is the most level-headed person I know was there in his time of need. I would have freaked out for sure.”

“No, you wouldn’t have, Aunt Morgan. Daddy told me about those disaster relief drills you used to stage when you were little.”

“Actually, your dad and uncles were all late sleepers. I used to do that to piss them off. Your grandpa, the fire chief, thought I was doing my civic duty,” Morgan quipped.

Avery laughed and for a moment everything was normal again.

Seth came up beside her. “Are you hungry? I can make a run to the cafeteria to get us something to eat.”

“No thanks, I don’t think I can eat anyway.” Jake had moved onto Avery’s lap and had fallen asleep. It was well past his bedtime and it had been a long day.

As if the day couldn’t get any worse, Aunt Deborah and Charisma were coming down the hall.

The baby began kicking up a storm. Morgan braced herself for the Snark Patrol, but Seth stepped in front of her, blocking her from their view as they passed.

A half hour later her stepmother Sydney came out to give the family an update.

Morgan stood. “Can we see him?”

“He’s sleeping.” Sydney managed a small smile. “The doctors want him to rest.”

“Is he OK?”

“They say he’s stable. We should all go get some sleep and come back in the morning.”

Morgan felt Jake’s hand tugging on hers. She looked down to see him holding up his stuffed bunny.

“Mommy, give Benny to grandpa.”

It was all she could do not to cry.

“Can’t I see him for just a moment? I promise I won’t wake him.”

Sydney gave her an understanding smile. “Just a few minutes.”

Morgan took a deep breath and gingerly walked into the room, trying not to cry when she saw the tubes and machines connected to her father. A nurse was jotting some things down on his chart and smiled at her. The sounds of the monitors sounded like canons booming in the quiet room. The computer screen on the wall displayed his heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen level but didn’t comfort her, for those numbers could change in a flash. Everything around her stood as a harsh reminder of the delicate balance of life, and how it could all end at a moment’s notice.

Her father looked withered, a shadow of the strong man who used to pick her up when she was a little girl as if she were light as a feather. She couldn’t remember the last time she saw her father sleep. He was always up before all the kids and the last one in bed. Since she’d become a mother she wondered how he managed to be everywhere at once, being a firefighter and watching over them by himself after their mother died.

Suddenly every fight, ballet recital, tea party, skinned knee and consoling, loving moment came rushing back to her. He’d done such a good job as a dad. Had she ever told him? Had she ever thanked him for being both mother and father to her? She wanted to give him one of those life-affirming hugs like he used to give her and tell him everything would be all right.

Morgan got closer to the bed and placed Jake’s stuffed bunny next to her father’s arm. She hoped it would be as comforting to him as it was to her son. When she kissed his cheek, he stirred a bit but didn’t wake up. The sob that had been buried at the back of her throat since she entered the hospital threatened to come forth. She put a hand over her mouth and ran her other hand over her belly, hoping her baby would get a chance to meet Grandpa.

* * *

The next morning, Seth lay in bed with Morgan cuddled against his side.

“How long has my dad not been feeling well?” she asked. “I know you talked to Jared and Robert about it.”

Seth sighed. “A few months. Babe, I know it’s wrong that they didn’t tell you, but they were just trying to protect you.”

Morgan shook her head. “I should have known something was wrong.”

“You can’t see everything. It’s just not humanly possible.” Seth ran his hand up and down her arm.

Morgan shook her head. “I should have known.”

“What would you have done?”

“Forced him to go to the doctor.”

“I talked to Sydney and she’d been on a daily campaign to get your father to see his physician. It’s hard to watch someone you love be stubborn about something as important as his health.”

“Avery must have been scared out of her mind.”

“She’s a smart girl with good instincts. Thank goodness she was there for him.”

“Do you think this will traumatize Jake somehow?”

“I doubt he’ll remember what happened but we can keep an eye on him. I’m just happy you had another Benny the Bunny in his toy chest.”

Morgan cleared her throat. “That’s Benny’s cousin Denny. He knows the difference.”

Seth laughed. “Of course he does.”

“The hardest part about my mother dying was thinking she would be OK when everyone around me knew otherwise. It was like a hard slap to the face. Promise me, no matter what, you’ll always tell me the truth,” Morgan said in a low voice.

“I promise.” He kissed her. “Tell me about her.”

Morgan closed her eyes. “She smelled good, all the time. I can still smell her perfume some days. On rainy days she would let me put on my rain gear and we’d go for long walks. On cold days, she would put my pajamas in the dryer twenty minutes before I put them on, so I could feel warm and cozy when I got ready for bed.”

Seth smiled. “You do that for Jake.”

“You’re right.” She blinked.

They were silent for a few moments.

“Seth?”

“Yes?”

“I’m scared.”

“I know. But he’s one of the strongest people I know. I don’t believe he’ll let this lick him.”

* * *

Seth’s excitement about the new season had diminished since the news of his father-in-law’s heart attack, but he vowed to keep his head in the game. There had been some trades and a few new players, but the structure of the team remained intact. His teammates Patton, Elton and Mike were in a good mood, happy that he had re-signed with the team. His agent, Luke, informed him that there were some new endorsement deals coming down the pike, including Hard Target. The footwear retailer wanted to do another buddy commercial with Patton and him. They’d had a blast shooting the last one.

Seth walked back to the locker room, in desperate need of his custom shower after the grueling practice. He smiled when he opened his locker and saw the picture of Morgan and Jake on the door. He listened as the guys were ribbing each other about their off-season antics. There had been parties and wild exotic vacations. He used to be the go-to guy for parties, but these days he scheduled play dates. Since he was no longer the most eligible bachelor in Philadelphia, he’d turned into the old man of the team.

“Blake, we’re going out. You in?” Lamont called out behind him.

Seth sighed. “No thanks, Lamont.” He was determined to stay as far away from Lamont Brayer as he could. His attempts to be friendly to him ended last year after that fiasco of a dinner party. Seth turned around and caught Lamont looking at the picture of Morgan and Jake. He closed his locker and pulled a T-shirt over his head.

“Wife got you on a short leash?” Lamont laughed.

“Sure does. And it has a diamond-studded collar.” Seth grinned.

There were a few laughs from the other guys. Lamont’s jaw ticked but he didn’t respond. “What about you, Patton?”

Patton slammed his locker shut. “Nina has some work to do tonight, so I have bedtime duty with Gabby.”

“I wouldn’t let no wife and kids slow me down,” Lamont said, shaking his head.

“I’ll leave the night life to you single boys. I like going home to my woman, who I love very much, and I get to read my little boy a story tonight.” Seth slung his duffle bag over his shoulder. “Patton, you ready?”

Seth and Patton burst out laughing as they made their way around the corner to the elevators. Lamont’s attempt to make them feel bad for being happily married had fallen short in a big way.

“Can you believe that idiot?” Patton asked.

Seth scratched at his five o’clock shadow. “I liked it better when Lamont hated my guts.”

“How’s your father-in-law?”

“He’s doing a little better, but we’re still waiting to hear more.”

“Is it OK to bring Gabby over on Saturday?”

“Of course. I miss my goddaughter. I haven’t seen her in months.”

“I feel for Jake. He can’t get away from her. She follows him around the penthouse.”

Seth laughed. “Well, it’s good practice for having a sibling. I used to follow my brother J.J. everywhere he went. It irritated the hell out of him until one day he gave up and accepted that I wasn’t going anywhere.”

He hoped arranging play dates would help Jake be open to the impending new addition to the family. Gabby followed him around the house as best she could before Jake would finally ditch her to avoid the kisses she often tried to give him. But Jake was a good-natured child and took it in stride. Seth thought maybe he secretly liked having the ladies hot on his heels, like the rest of the Blake boys.

* * *

Morgan leaned the empty boxes against the wall of the guest room. Some of the accent pieces would be packed and moved to the remaining bedrooms, and the rest would go into storage to make room for the new nursery. She surveyed the room and a note on the bed caught her eye. Morgan knew Seth’s embellished handwriting anywhere.

Morgan,

I know it is tempting to organize the room behind my back, but I have to remind you of the promise you made. No heavy lifting for the mother-to-be, or Daddy-to-be will be forced to withhold sex for a month.

Love, Seth

“Baby! Where are you?” Seth bellowed from the hallway.

“I’m in the new nursery.” Morgan rose from the bed when he entered the room. “How was practice?”

“Great. Everyone is ready to kick ass this season.” Seth kissed her and rubbed her belly.

“Glad to hear it. The team looks good this year. Everyone who was injured last season has had an eighty-nine percent recovery rate, or better.”

Seth stood there, stunned.

“Surprised I know that?” Morgan grinned.

“Yes, I am.”

“I was just coming in to do an assessment.” Morgan waved the note at him.

Seth raised an eyebrow. “You don’t need boxes for an assessment.”

“This is torture. You know organizing things helps me stave off nervous energy.”

“Well, let this be an exercise in delegating. You made me a promise, and I expect you to keep it.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Morgan perused the dresser drawers.

“Did I tell you that you are the most beautiful pregnant woman I’ve ever seen?” Seth pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

“Yes. After breakfast, and then again when you left for practice.” Morgan put her arms around him and rested her chin on his chest.

“What time is Nina coming home with Jake?”

Morgan giggled and pulled on his hand, leading him to their bedroom. “We have a few hours. What do you have in mind?”

“I like that sexy little dance you did for me the other night after you got out of the shower.” He waggled his eye brows.

“I should have made you return that damn portable pole.” She sighed. “It’s bad enough we got busted and had to convince Jake we were playing firemen.”

“That was quick thinking on your part.” He ran a hand up her arm and drew his finger along her shoulder.

“My pole dancing days are over. Besides, I can’t keep my hands on the pole and a turkey leg at the same time.”

Seth lifted her chin and placed a kiss on her pouting lips. “We’ll work it into the act.”

* * *

Morgan felt invigorated as soon as she walked through the door of her bookstore. She was pleased with her decision to promote her friend Michelle to store manager. She had great marketing ideas and ran a tight, but friendly, ship. She’d even drafted a business plan for expansion.