Love Notes and Football (8 page)

Morgan walked over to her. “Can I speak to you a minute?”

Charisma narrowed her eyes.

“Now.” Morgan took her by the elbow and led her to a nearby restroom.

“What do you want, Morgan?”

Morgan glared. “What the hell are you doing? Letting those snooty bitches run all over you like that? Or do you reserve your venom for family members only?”

“Since when do you care about what I do?” Charisma sniffed as she fought back the tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

“Since you’ve made it your mission to wiggle your way into the middle of my life, despite the great lengths I’ve gone through to stay away from you. What the hell is your problem? Is it worth getting humiliated by hair-sprayed floozies just so Lamont will think you’re worthy of him?”

“Lamont just needs the right woman to guide him. He could have a great football legacy, just like…” Charisma stopped before she said his name.

Morgan furiously shook her head. “And Lamont getting his act together helps you how?”

“Whatever I wish for always seems to be granted to you instead of me. Seth Blake falls right into your lap. He’s handsome and rich, but your dumb ass keeps toiling away at your dinky little bookstore. I would have lit a match and never looked back.” Charisma swiped at the tears falling down her cheeks.

Morgan pulled tissues from a box and handed them to her. “Are you done?”

“Why do you care?” Charisma dabbed at her running mascara.

“It’s time you started acting like a Reed. I know you can dish it back with both barrels, but what I can’t understand is why you’re refraining, just because you think some dumb ass wide receiver will love you. This world you want into so badly is a mine field of hurt feelings and who-slept-with-whom, and those bimbos don’t give a rat’s ass about you. So I’d hold off on getting sworn into their little club.”

Morgan whipped out her phone and sent Nina a text. Charisma moved to the sink and started splashing cold water on her face. A few minutes later there was a knock on the restroom door.

“It’s Nina.”

Morgan breathed a sigh of relief. “Can you make Raccoon Eyes over there look decent in twenty minutes?”

“I’ll do my best.” Nina opened her makeup case.

“I can do my own makeup,” Charisma huffed.

“Charisma, shut it. Nina has a talent for making people look beautiful. She may even be able to give you the appearance of being cultured and sophisticated.”

“Hey, easy on the promises,” Nina said, rummaging through her makeup kit. “I still remember that dinner party last year. I should make her look like an extra from
Pirates of the Caribbean
.”

“Charisma and I are going to put our differences aside this afternoon, so we can tell Ariana to shove it when we win Match Wits.”

Nina raised an eyebrow. “And for the satisfaction of raising money for charity, right?”

“Yeah, that too.”

Nina fervently worked her magic on Charisma, and by the time they exited the bathroom the practice was over. Morgan decided she could suck it up and be civil to her cousin for a few hours while they tried to win money for charity.

The competition started and Morgan put away her nervousness and attacked the questions. The shallow pettiness between the cousins subsided and Charisma was poised, attentive, and could hold her own during the competition.

“What are the names of the few men who have appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine?” The game show host asked.

There was no surprise that Charisma hit the buzzer first. Charisma had read that magazine cover-to-cover every month when they were kids and kept a copy in her handbag at all times. She answered the question then took control of that topic and answered all the remaining questions correctly. Seeing Ariana seethe paled in comparison to the look of satisfaction she’d never seen on her cousin’s face before.

“Nice job.” Morgan gave her a thumbs up.

Charisma gave her a strange look. “Thanks.”

After eight rounds of questions, their team advanced to the final round for the chance to win the grand prize. Morgan was the team member selected to answer the final question about prominent military generals.

“Name three four-star generals of the twenty first century,” the game show host dramatically stated as the countdown timer began.

Finally all those biographies Seth had in their library would be useful. Morgan buzzed in and answered the final question correctly and the crowd applauded. Her team had just won two hundred fifty thousand dollars for charity. She exchanged congratulatory hugs with everyone, but when she got to Charisma she stopped. Should she hug her? The babies kicked until mom extended an olive branch.

“Great job.” Morgan held out her hand.

“Thank you.” Charisma unexpectedly embraced her.

“You’re welcome.”

They broke apart and looked at one another.

“You know this doesn’t change anything between us.” Charisma smoothed a lock of hair back in place.

Ah, the old Charisma was back.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Morgan nodded and walked toward Nina.

“Are you OK? I didn’t pack any holy water,” Nina quipped.

Morgan grimaced. “The babies kept kicking my kidneys. I took that as a sign for momma to play nice.”

* * *

Morgan was sure she’d be the talk of the building tomorrow, walking around in her winter coat over her pajamas. When the first labor pain hit, she knew Seth was on his way home from an away game. The last text message she received from him said there was traffic and they were running late. Michelle was upstairs with Jake, and the family was calling her every two minutes to check up on her.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come take you to the hospital?” Sydney said frantically. “Seth will meet us there.”

She smiled as Seth pulled up and got out of the SUV. “He’s here. I have to go. I love you Sydney.”

“I love you too, Morgan.”

Seth hurried over to her. “Baby, what are you doing in the lobby?”

She smiled at him. “It’s show time.”

“What! Why didn’t you go to the hospital?” Seth grabbed her elbow and headed for the car.

“You said you’d go the hospital with me.” Morgan stopped him with a reassuring hand on his arm. “I called Dr. Fenwick, and she said she’d meet us there.”

“Still you should have gone—”

Morgan grabbed Seth’s hand as another contraction came. “You promised we’d go together.”

“Who’s watching Jake?”

“Michelle is upstairs.”

“Then let’s go.”

Dr. Fenwick was waiting for them when they reached the hospital and had Morgan ushered into a delivery room. Her contractions were getting closer together, but in the moments when the pain subsided, she asked Seth questions about the game. He silenced her with a kiss.

She refused to be distracted so easily. “How’s the knee?”

“I don’t want to talk about work.” He caressed her cheek.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“How beautiful you are.”

She rolled her eyes. “Save that sweet talk for my complaints about weight gain in a few weeks.”

Three hours later, when the nurse placed the babies in Morgan’s arms, she looked down at her sons in disbelief.

“They’re beautiful,” Morgan squeaked. “I know we’d narrowed it down to sixteen names on the list, but there two were I really liked. How about Connor Jacob and Colby Jacob?”

Seth smiled. “Connor and Colby? I like it. Strong football playing names.”

“Let’s think up some nicknames quick. I don’t want the family giving them crazy nicknames like Con Man or Cole Train—”

Seth leaned in and kissed her. “We’ll let them figure it out. They seem to have so much fun coming up with them.”

“You know our lives are going to be complete madness from now on.” Morgan motioned for Seth to take Connor while she held Colby.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Seth said as he looked at his twin boys with love in his eyes. “Connor and Colby, your momma and I have been waiting to meet you. So has your brother Jake, who is so excited to have little brothers. We are going to love you and spoil you until you’ll probably want to run out of the house your first week home. But I promise you we will do our best to make sure you have a great life.”

Tears of joy fells from Morgan’s eyes as she listened to the tender reassuring promises Seth made to their sons. Her heart was overrun with the love and happiness she felt no one person should be able to experience alone. “I know it’s early but I know what I want for my anniversary present.”

“OK.” Seth wiped her tears away.

“I want to have a wedding with all our family and friends at the ranch. I want my dad to walk me down the aisle and dance with me at the reception.” Morgan smiled, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

“If a wedding’s what you want then that’s what you’ll get.” Seth kissed her. “And Jake can be the ring bearer.”

Chapter Seven

Seth was happy to be home with Morgan and the boys. He relished the Titan’s home games because he knew in two hours he’d be cuddled on the couch while she gave a recap of the kids’ day. The boys seemed to be doing something new each day, and it made him sad that he couldn’t be there for every minute of it.

The season was winding down, and they had a good shot at the play offs. All he had to do was keep his head in the game. His ankle was holding up well, but there was still some tenderness there. He continued with the physical therapy even after the team doctor cleared him because he didn’t feel like he was at a hundred percent, and that’s where he needed to be to get his job done safely. The league was being pummeled these days about injuries and concussions, and many great retired players were living in never-ending pain because of their dedication to the game.

“You ready babe?” Morgan asked softly and smiled at the boys who were sitting in their portable baby seats.

“Ready,” Seth said as he came into the living room wearing his uniform and helmet.

Jake had cried for an hour the first time he’d seen Seth dressed in his football gear, so Morgan thought getting the boys acclimated to the sight earlier would alleviate the fear of their father’s helmet. Morgan gently rubbed Connor and Colby’s arms as Seth came closer to the couch. She looked at her infant sons, whose eyes were focusing on Seth as he inched forward.

Jake smiled at them. “It’s OK babies. Just Daddy. He’s not scary.”

Seth waved to them.

The twins continued to stare at him for a bit but it wasn’t until Seth took off the helmet that the babies gave him a faint smile.

Seth removed his jersey and his upper body padding. “We have been blessed to have to children with even temperaments.”

“Think you can watch them for a while? Jake and I have are going to make cookies before I go to my dad’s house,” Morgan said.

“Sure.” Seth turned to the twins. “Boys it’s time for your first lesson in football basics.”

Morgan led Jake into the kitchen and took out her cookbook. The recipe yielded two dozen cookies, but she’d learned her lesson. Seth ate them as fast she made them, so she tripled the recipe. She took the step stool from the pantry so Jake could climb up and see what was going on.

Morgan and Jake pressed out the first batch with cookie cutters and she placed them in the oven. She then hit the play button on the iPod and Jingle Bell Rock started blaring from the docking station. She grabbed Jake’s hands and swayed back and forth to the rhythm of the music. She was having so much fun she didn’t realize Seth had entered the kitchen. Morgan swung around, breathing hard from her dancing, and saw him leaning against the door.

“Hey!” she panted. “Where are the boys?”

“Taking a nap.” Seth held up the baby monitor.

Morgan narrowed her eyes. “I don’t see how you get them to sleep at the same time.”

“I know how to coax team work.” Seth snagged a gingerbread man.

“These are for my dad. I’ve made you a batch of your own so you won’t deplete the inventory.” She glared at him and placed the last few cookies in the tin.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” Seth asked as he moved closer to share a gingerbread arm with Jake.

“No, that’s OK. I won’t stay long. I’ll be back before the babies wake up.”

Seth looked at Jake. “What are the chances the three of them will nap at the same time?”

“Slim to none.” Morgan snapped the top on the cookie tin and grabbed her keys. “Have fun, Daddy.”

Morgan got out of the car with the tin of cookies and bounded up the porch steps. She was going to have a good talk with him. He was pushing himself doing yard work and fixing things around the house when no one was around. If he kept that up, he was going to wind up back in the hospital.

“Hey, cookies!” Curtis helped her out of her coat and led her into the kitchen.

“Later. Right now I’ve come here for another reason.”

“Uh-oh. I’m not sure I like the sound of that.”

Morgan took her time making herself a cup of tea but finally sat down when she heard him tapping his fingers on the table.

“Dad, I think you should move.”

“What?”

“Jared’s new development is breaking ground soon, and I think moving to a smaller, newer place with less upkeep would be good for you. Seth and I would love to give this to you and Sydney as an anniversary present. It would mean a lot to both of us if you said yes.”

“To tell you the truth I’ve been thinking about it myself. I just didn’t know how you kids would feel about us selling the old homestead.”

Morgan let out a big sigh of relief. “That’s wonderful!”

He looked surprised. “So, you’re OK with this?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I know how attached you are to the house.”

Morgan caressed his hand. “I’m sentimental about this house because you did a terrific job raising all of us in it after mom died. But I think it’s time you got a chance to enjoy your retirement. You and Sydney can make your own memories in your new digs. You don’t have to hold on for my benefit anymore.”