MVP (2 page)

“We’re here.” Teri-Lyn pulled into a parking spot.

The restaurant she had chosen was very chic and trendy. A huge brick fireplace sat in the middle of the floor. The walls were painted bold, bright colors and abstract paintings draped the walls. The hostess seated them immediately and a waiter took their order. Morgan looked at the menu, her cell phone, anything to avoid eye contact with Seth’s mom. Morgan gripped a blue linen napkin like her life depended on it.

“What did that poor napkin ever do to you?”

“I’m afraid the napkin is a casualty of my nerves.”

Teri-Lyn reached over and gently prodded the napkin out of Morgan’s hand. “Take a deep breath and relax. I’m your mother-in-law, not a prison warden.”

“Sorry. I’m just anticipating the third degree that should be coming.” Morgan grabbed the glass of water in front of her and took a big gulp.

“I was surprised when Seth called me and told me he got married. Women have been trying to get their hooks into him all his life. And he fell for you so fast.” Teri-Lyn’s eyes fixed on Morgan.

“Is this the part where I try to convince you that I am worthy of your son’s love? Or maybe I should apologize for not being what you expected in a daughter-in-law?” Morgan could imagine what she was thinking. Terms like
impetuous
,
ill-advised
, and
lapse in judgment
were all swirling in her head. She’d been thinking the same thing too. The lunch was a ruse to figure out if she was with Teri-Lyn’s son for the wrong reasons. She felt like she was caught in the crosshairs of Teri-Lyn’s intense gaze.

“Well, to be honest, you are a bit shorter than I expected,” Teri-Lyn drawled.

Morgan tried her best to suppress a smile. “Sorry. I’ve been this height since I was thirteen.”

“Good to know. How about we don’t make any assumptions about each other? I am not one of those mothers who don’t want her sons to find happiness.”

“But you do want to make sure they’ve found the right person?”

“Of course I do.”

“What kind of woman did you want for Seth?”

Teri-Lyn looked at her for a while before she answered. “Someone who is kind, sweet, and knows her own mind. Seth has a pretty strong personality but there are moments when he’s relaxed and happy, he’s more like the good natured boy he used to be before football became his life. I’ve been seeing the old Seth since the two of you met. He’s driven, but he never slows down to enjoy what he’s accomplished. He’s always on to the next quest.”

“When we met, he was trying to unwind. He didn’t tell me who he was or why he was on that island.” Morgan sighed and graciously sipped the glass of wine the waiter placed on the table.

“He was wired about the Super Bowl. I told him to take a vacation. Didn’t tell him to take his whole team.” Teri-Lyn laughed.

“I think they followed him there.”

“He’s always been a leader and a good one. People follow his lead because of the conviction he has for what he does. You’ll see a change in him when the season starts. He gets a little cranky and very focused. You just let him go through his paces.”

Morgan couldn’t imagine that side of him. He had to be one of the most easy going men she knew.

“Why don’t you tell me something about yourself?”

“Do you want the CliffsNotes version? Well, I own a bookstore.” Morgan started to tick off the basics of her life on her fingers like counting titles in a series. “I have lived in Philadelphia all my life. I am the youngest and the only girl in my family. I have three brothers. My mom died when I was nine. And my dad and my brothers can be a bit stifling sometimes, but I guess that’s because my mom wasn’t around.”

“But it made you tough. Seth told me you don’t take any crap and you know how to handle yourself.”

Morgan blushed. “I promise you I’m not some hot head.”

“Seth needs someone in his life that has a backbone and isn’t playing the damsel in distress card all the time. Because he’ll spend all his time rescuing you. That is what my husband taught all my boys. You take care of your woman. End of story.”

“He is very protective.”

Teri-Lyn snorted. “My husband and those boys are chivalrous to a fault. When John and I first got married, we had the most terrible fights. He didn’t want me working. He thought I was supposed to sit in the house and tend to the hundred kids he planned on having. Boy did we have some epic fights.” She laughed.

“Seth and Bodine seemed to get a kick out of me signing up on the work roster. I mean, I’ve never worked on a ranch but I thought I could help out in some way.”

“Then you must be going bonkers in that penthouse. His staff in Philadelphia is pretty intense.”

Morgan laughed for the first time that afternoon. “The cook won’t let me cook. I tried to wash a load of clothes and the maid almost hyperventilated.”

Teri-Lyn nodded in agreement. “One night when I was visiting I made myself a turkey sandwich. What a mistake that was. I thought the cook was going to quit on the spot.”

“We both knew it was going to take time for us to find a way to make it all work. It’s hard to simply let someone do something for you that you’ve been doing for yourself your whole life.”

“Seth and his dad are cut from the same cloth. All you have to do is firmly let him know there has to be some balance, and he’ll come around. I haven’t been married for thirty-five years because it was easy. The best things in life take effort, time, and nurturing so it can become something wonderful.”

“I’m glad we had this talk…” Morgan didn’t know what to call her.

“Teri-Lyn is fine. JJ’s wife, Eden, calls me Mother Blake. I want to punch her in the nose every time she says it.”

Morgan laughed. “He told me about his brothers. No luck in the daughter department?”

“The harder I prayed for a girl, the more boys popped out. I think John was praying louder than me. He said he wanted a football team. I feel sorry for you, hon. You have three brothers at home and three brothers-in-law down here. There is no shortage of men in your life.”

“Tell me about it.” Morgan sipped her wine.

Teri-Lyn smirked. “My son is head over heels in love with you.”

Morgan paused, at a loss for words. The term “heads over heels” always sounded crazy to her. Who would be that slap happy and idiotic over another person? That was exactly how she felt about Seth and to hear another person say it, his mother no less, gave her a warm feeling inside. If someone else could see the love they had for each other, then it was not a hopeful figment of her imagination anymore.

“The feeling is mutual.”

“So what are your plans for the future? Now that Seth is in your life, they had to have changed.”

Morgan laughed to herself, thinking Seth must have inherited his diplomacy from his dad because Teri-Lyn didn’t mince words.

“Seth has his football career and I have the bookstore. I am very active in the community and have been trying to get funding for a reading initiative that would go to services like the reading hour for the kids in the library and teaching illiterate adults to read. Seth and I have talked about having kids. When we get into the groove of our busy lives, we can start a family.”

Teri-Lyn smiled. “I have a good feeling about the two of you. Who knows, maybe I’ll get some grandchildren this decade. Eden keeps stalling when JJ talks about starting a family.”

“A family sounds nice. But to be honest with you the idea of motherhood scares me. Before I met Seth I didn’t think about having kids.”

“No one is ever ready to be a mother. One day it happens and boom, you’re changing diapers and wondering why you didn’t have a baby sooner.”

“Seth would be a good father,” Morgan sighed.

“Yes, he would.” Teri-Lyn smiled. “How about we do some shopping after lunch? He told me your trip down here to Texas was kind of spur of the moment. We can get you some things from this boutique down the street.”

Three hours later, and inundated with shopping bags, Morgan was ready to tell Teri-Lyn she was done for the day when she saw something in the next store window display that made her stop dead in her tracks.

* * *

Seth lifted a bale of hay and tossed it aside when he saw his mother’s car coming up the drive. He walked down the trail to meet her and Morgan, pulling off his gloves and patting down his clothes as he went.

“Did you two have a good time?”

Morgan jumped out of the truck and into his arms. “Your mom bought me cowboy boots!”

He looked down to see a pair of pale pink cowboy boots on her feet. “They look good on you, baby.”

“Whew! You smell like you’ve been digging a ditch all afternoon.” Morgan tried to wiggle out of his arms.

Seth tightened his grip. “I’ve been doing manly work all day. I think Bodine is trying to kill me. Wait till you get a whiff of me after a game.”

Seth looked up and saw his mother smiling at him. Teri-Lyn nodded her approval, and he smiled back, relieved that their lunch date had gone well. Then Seth glanced in the truck and saw the array of bags.

“What did you two buy? Half of Texas?”

“And my boots.” Morgan grinned.

* * *

Word was spreading like wildfire that Seth was home for a visit. A barbeque on the ranch had been planned and Seth’s attendance had become mandatory. Teri-Lyn assured him that the guest list would be modest and that he’d be able to slip away with Morgan at the first sign of a mob.

“You really like those boots.” Seth chuckled as she walked the room, trying to break them in.

“Yes, I do. But what I really liked was my conversation with your momma. You were right, Teri-Lyn shoots straight from the hip.”

“Told you.”

“So”—she stopped in front of the mirror to brush her hair—“what is the rest of your family like?”

“Let’s see. JJ is named after my dad, John Jacob. He’s the oldest. He’s married to Eden, the meanest woman in Texas. She won the Miss Texas title seven years ago and has been impossible to live with ever since. JJ used to play pro ball too but got injured his third year on the team. After he accepted football wasn’t in his future, we became partners in a land development company.”

“And your other brothers?”

“There’s Tyler, he was born right after me. Tyler is a bit of a…free spirit. He thinks it’s his mission in life to sleep with every woman on the planet. Momma calls him the one card that keeps her from having a royal flush. And Channing is the baby. He’s the brain of our brood. He’s goes to Georgetown Law.”

Morgan chuckled, shaking her head. “You have an interesting family.”

“They’re your family now too.” Seth waggled his eyebrows at her.

Chapter Two

Morgan had a death grip on Seth’s hand as they waded through the sea of people who greeted them at the barbeque. The effortless way he charmed the crowd amazed her. Seth steered her toward a hulking, imposing man with graying hair. Seth and the man shook hands, beaming at each other, then Seth slung an arm over the man’s shoulders.

“Bo, I want you to meet my wife, Morgan. Bodine has been working with my dad for a very long time. Everyone just calls him Bo. He was kind enough to take over the ranch when I started traveling for work.”

Morgan extended her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“You’re the same little lady that put her name on the work roster?” Bodine looked her up and down and chuckled. “What exactly did you think you were going to do?”

Morgan huffed. “I’m stronger than I look.”

“I’ll take your word for it. It was the thought that counted. But I must say you certainly pretty up the place.” Bo grinned.

Seth glared at him. “Down boy.”

* * *

The afternoon seemed to fly by as Seth entertained the crowd, after being prodded by Bo, with stories of his Super Bowl win.

“Seth, is there another Super Bowl win in your future?” someone yelled out.

“Third time’s the charm.” He grinned and the crowd laughed.

“If anyone can do it, this man can,” another voice yelled out in the distance.

A hush fell over the crowd when up walked none other than country singer Tate McGill. Morgan recognized him immediately and felt like an idiot that she hadn’t correlated that when Seth talked about his friend Tate. He stood taller than she had imagined, his curly blond hair tucked beneath his hat. He had piercing, ice blue eyes that seemed to hide storms behind them and a mega watt smile just like Seth’s.

“McGill! I thought you were on tour!” Seth hugged his friend.

“I thought you were in Philadelphia.”

“You know how it is when home is calling.”

“I hear that. And you brought back a wife this time.” Tate winked at her.

“I sure did.” Seth put his arm around Morgan’s waist. “Morgan, this is Tate McGill. My oldest and dearest friend.”

“Oh, I know who he is. I love your songs.” Morgan beamed as she shook Tate’s hand.

“Thank you. Always nice to meet someone who appreciates my music.”

“So what are you doing in town, Tate?” Seth asked, a confused look on his face. “I thought you were on tour.”

“The Cinnamon Festival is this weekend. I’m headlining.” Tate gave him an expectant look.

“I forgot about the festival.” Seth sighed.

“How could you forget all those good food vendors?” Tate raised an eyebrow and looked at Morgan. “Oh, you’ve had more important things on your mind.”

Seth laughed. “You can say that again.”

“Morgan, the festival has the most delicious food you will ever taste in your life. Seth and I ate something from every vendor one year.”

Morgan gasped.

Seth laughed at that. “Morgan hasn’t adjusted to my healthy appetite yet.”

Tate pointed at Seth. “This man will eat you out of house and home. I hope you know how to cook or he’s going to get pouty quick.”

Morgan folded her arms across her chest. “As a matter of fact, I am a good cook.”

“Yes, she is.” Seth nodded.

“That’s a good start to a marriage.” Tate chuckled. “Blake, we doing a bonfire tonight?”