The Final Play (8 page)

The Titans were celebrating the newest member of their team too. Mackenzie’s birth was trending on social media as soon as the world found out that Seth had delivered his baby girl on his own. Morgan wasn’t surprised it got leaked, he’d sent Patton a text saying his goddaughter had come into the world early, and Patton told everyone who would listen. Any other time she would be upset that a special moment of theirs was subject to lighthearted media satire, but she knew Seth was over the moon about getting them through that harrowing moment safely. Nina was sad she couldn’t be there, but assured Morgan that her baby shower was still going to happen.

By the time the ladies helped her freshen up and change into pajamas, Morgan was exhausted. Reed was sleeping so everyone vacated the room so she could take a nap. She woke up an hour later to find the room empty with the exception of John Jacob, sitting in the rocking chair with a sleeping Mackenzie in his arms.

“Hi, Grandpa.” Morgan smiled.

“Hello, darlin’. You’ve had quite a day. How are you feeling?”

“Good. Leave it to your son to deliver his own daughter.”

“That’s definitely a good story to tell at the country club.”

Morgan glanced around the room. “Where’s the family?” There were a slew of presents and a huge teddy bear in the corner.

“Seth took the boys down to the cafeteria for a celebratory chocolate milk. The rest of the family went home to change for dinner. I pulled some strings and got a private room so we can all eat together.” John Jacob said as he smiled at his granddaughter.

“And of course they agreed to it.” Morgan sipped on some ice water.

“I can be charming when I need to be.”

“It’s a family trait. I bet this is from you.” She opened the black velvet box sitting on the hospital table next to her bed and found a piece of paper with a ribbon wrapped around it. She opened and read the document. “You’re a little early with this. I thought the tradition was the grandkids getting their first property at one-year-old.”

“I couldn’t wait.” John Jacob placed his granddaughter into the baby bed, took a seat next to Morgan’s bed, and caressed her hand. “I hope you know I intend to give her everything she wants.”

“I figured as much.” She sighed. “Just promise me in between all the spoiling that you let her learn some independence.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

The Titans were going to Super Bowl. They’d worked so hard and it was all coming together. This would be his fourth time to the event of all events with his team and he was teetering on the brink of making some history of his own. If he achieved this final win, he’d be a four-time winning quarterback, a prestigious feat that few had managed to accomplish.

After the final playoff game, the Blakes and Reeds had a conference call to coordinate the lodging details for the trip to San Francisco for the Super Bowl. Sam and Regency had come up with a good security plan and they’d gotten the top floor of an exclusive hotel. The energy of his clan was electric; everyone was excited to be part of this momentous moment in his career. The boys had already begun working on their
Congratulations Dad
banner with the help of Tyler and Michelle.

Now all he needed to do was get his head focused on the game. He wanted this win so badly, but who could practice when his cute-as-a-button daughter smiled at him and made new discoveries with her fingers and toes during bath time? Or when the boys talked about the upcoming carnival on the ranch to celebrate their birthdays? He told himself there would be plenty of time to be with his family after he reached for this last goal of his professional career.

* * *

As Seth suited up for the big game, the magnitude of the past year began to bear down on him. He was a father again to a beautiful baby girl. His bright and inquisitive boys were all happy and healthy and growing like weeds. Morgan was still willing to uproot her life so he could move back to the peace and tranquility of the Twelve Horseshoes Ranch. He’d achieved so many things in his life, and today would be his final game as a quarterback. He tried his best to be what the sport embodied and persevered through a rough start with a couple of teams until he found his groove with the Titans. He’d finally found a home to thrive and that led him to Morgan.

He looked around the locker room, which was quieter than usual, and thought about how much he’d miss being with this rag-tag group of men who fought, partied, and lived their lives all in the name of football. Patton was contemplative too. He’d just told the world a few days ago that he wouldn’t be coming back next season. He was ready for a new phase in his life with Nina and Gabby. They’d even discussed trying for another baby. Seth loved that man like a brother and he took pride in knowing their bromance would be a part of his football legacy. Just like his antagonistic relationship with Lamont. He and Brayer barely said anything to each other these days and it was best for both of them.

The whole family was in a private box. It had been a madcap week of interviews, practices, and spending time with the rowdy Blake clan who cheered him on every step of the way. Nina and her family joined the family in the box too. He could tell how emotional she and Morgan were about all this coming to an end. But they had a strong friendship and he couldn’t imagine the two of them losing touch with each other.

He’d had drinks with J.J. late one night when the family was asleep. Big brother didn’t want to hear it, but Seth felt compelled to tell him that he was reason why he’d pushed so hard to become an exemplary football player. When J.J.’s career-ending injury broke Seth’s heart, he’d decided then and there that he was winning championships for him too.

The team huddled as the coach went into his inspirational speech. Seth spoke up when he was done. “I want to say a few words before I step out onto the field with my team. I’ve been on a few teams, but this was the one that stuck. Whether you were with me from the beginning or you slowly started to see things my way, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that when the moment arose, you were up to the challenge, whether it was pre-season scrimmage or our fourth time going to the Super Bowl. It has been an honor to be your quarterback, and I love each and every one of you.”

“But you love Patton more, right?” someone yelled out.

Seth and the whole team laughed.

“Let’s go out there and make history,” Seth said.

* * *

Seth glanced at the Jumbotron. The score was tied and the other team had just called a time out. The Titans were holding up well and running on pure adrenaline. They’d taken a few hits and suffered a few setbacks. Lamont got the wind knocked out of him at the end of the first quarter. There’d been a few turnovers. But enough was enough, it was time to get back in the game.

When the timeout ended, they ran back onto the field with new determination. It was third down and goal. If they had to kick a field goal, the other team might have a chance at a comeback win. If he threw a touchdown, the Titans would win.

The center snapped the ball to Seth when the play began. Seth dropped back. His eyes honed in on Elton, who was three yards from the goal line, looking for the perfect opening to throw to him. Elton zipped left and caught sight of him, so he sent the ball spiraling through the air right into Elton’s arms. Elton leaped back and crossed the line. It was a touchdown. The team rushed the field as the clock ran out. It was official. The Titans had won their fourth Super Bowl with a score of thirty-three to twenty seven. As chaos ensued all around him, Seth looked up to see his good friend Patton coming toward him.

“Yeah!” Patton yelled and gave him a bear hug. “We did it.”

“Yeah, we did.” Seth slapped him on the back.

“Thank you for one last great game.”

“Thank you for being my friend.”

The rest of the players rushed them, everyone yelling and cheering. Someone was pushing through the crowd. It was Lamont. After his talk with Jimmy and sitting out a few games, Lamont had returned to the team like a trained puppy. He’d taken a serious beating in the media over the fight and had even received threats from some of Seth’s fans. It was all getting to be too much and threatened to take down the team’s chances at a big win. So Seth had done what he did best. He put on his PR hat and did an interview asking everyone to let it go so the Titans could focus on more important things. He was praised as being a stand up, dedicated quarterback when the truth was that he thought about kicking Lamont’s ass again for nearly derailing their season. Lamont hardly said anything in the locker room these days and he’d even issued Charisma a public apology before they parted ways for good.

Seth knew every camera in the arena was probably focusing on them. After all, their fight had been the talk of the season and was now a part of his football legacy. Was he happy about losing his temper? No. But he was elated that his baby girl came into this world happy and healthy. Sometimes he pondered the events of that night and all the emotions would come flooding back. He’d worked on putting it behind him, but he wasn’t interested in making peace with Lamont. He’d pushed past his feelings about Lamont to lead the team to victory. That night he’d discovered what lengths he would go to defend his family. The team quieted, waiting to hear what Lamont had to say.

“Good game, Blake.” Lamont nodded at him, but didn’t extend his hand for a celebratory handshake.

“The team got the job done,” Seth replied.

Before he knew it, Patton was pushing him in the direction of the coach and the owner Jimmy. Seth kept his eyes peeled, looking for Morgan and the family. He wanted nothing more than to hold them in his arms. Just then he spotted J.J. and his dad leading the charge onto the field. Seth started for them, but a reporter snagged him and launched into an interview.

“I’m here with four-time Super Bowl winner and MVP, Seth Blake. This has to be a great feeling for you to go out on a very high note, achieving your goals and becoming part of football history. This man leaves the game of football not only as a champion, but as a family man with four children. We’ve watched him grow in so many ways since his career started. Four wins, something only a few have been able to do, and he’s a shining example of a gentleman in a grueling, competitive sport. How do you feel right now?”

Seth wiped the sweat off his face with his hand. “It’s been a wonderful experience. I’ve been blessed to be able to do the thing I love for a great number of years, and it’s a good feeling knowing I gave it my all.”

Seth abruptly turned around and ran toward Morgan. When he reached her, he picked her up into his arms and kissed her. “Hey, baby.”

“Congratulations!” She smiled. “You did it.”

“We did it.”

“Um, you were on the field while I spent the second half biting my nails.” She laughed.

The rest of the family approached, and Jake, Connor, and Colby wanted to get their congratulatory hugs in too. Seth scooped them all up, thinking they were getting so big. Now he would have the time to watch them grow.

“You were great, Dad,” Jake said.

“Yeah, you threw the ball far,” Connor chimed in.

Colby smiled. “You played a good game. You deserve a big bowl of ice cream.”

“Mackenzie watched too,” Jake added. “She was smiling a lot.”

Seth looked at Morgan. “Where is Mackenzie?”

“Isabelle has her right now. The family’s rotating so everyone can come down and congratulate you.”

John Jacob stepped forth and gave him a hug. “Good game, son. We’ll be watching this replay for years to come.”

“Thanks, Daddy.”

J.J. grabbed him in a hug next. “Congratulations, little brother. You made history.”

“I learned from the best.” Seth hugged his brother back tightly.

“Hey, baby, I’m so proud of you.” Teri-Lyn gave him a big squeeze. “And not just for winning today. For going out there and giving it your all, every time.”

“Thank you, mama. All I ever wanted was to be the person that you and daddy raised me to be.”

“You’re a good man, Seth Blake.” She smiled at him. “Now go make your speeches so we can get back to the hotel and celebrate.”

Seth spent the rest of the evening giving interviews, talking to his teammates, and keeping an eye on his family. He was able to run to the locker room and get in a quick shower between ceremonial events and went up to the box to see Mackenzie. With all the congratulatory hugging going on, he didn’t want to touch his infant daughter with a billion germs on him. Morgan had just finished changing and redressing her. The turquoise onesie Mackenzie wore that looked like a replica jersey of his uniform was the cutest thing he’d ever seen. He picked her up and held her in his arms while Morgan instructed the boys to get close so she could take a family photo.

It was the perfect end to the season, and he was blessed to be here with the people he loved most.

CHAPTER EIGHT

When Oscar called from the front desk and said Charisma was downstairs, Morgan was curious about why she was there, but for the first time in a long while she didn’t cringe when she heard her name. She’d finished nursing Mackenzie a half hour ago and her curious daughter had finally succumbed to sleep. Seth and Tyler were at the hockey rink with boys who were getting their skating lesson from Derek. It was pretty hard to get Seth away from his post at Mackenzie’s crib, but he knew the boys were enjoying the lessons.

She told Oscar it was OK, then waited for the ping of the elevator and opened the door. Charisma was stylishly dressed in a winter white coat and matching boots and looked refreshed. Much better than the last time she’d seen her at their grandmother’s house.

“Charisma, this is a surprise.” Morgan smiled and escorted her into the penthouse and took her coat.

“I should have called, but to be honest I thought you’d say no.” She wrapped her arms around her stomach.

“OK. Sounds like we need something to drink. I can get you a glass of wine or something.” Morgan headed to the bar. “I’m nursing the baby so I can’t.”

“Then how about a cup of tea. Do you have chamomile?”

“Sure do. Let’s go into the kitchen.”

Morgan puttered around the kitchen, heating water in her cow-shaped teakettle the boys got her for Mother’s day and retrieved the teabag holder from the pantry. She figured it was a way to break the ice while waiting for Charisma to open up. There were a few moments of silence, and she wouldn’t have minded if Mackenzie woke early from her nap to give her something else to focus on, but her daughter opted to stick to her schedule today. So she started rambling about family gossip to break the silence, and Charisma would say something every now and again or shake her head, but she was still essentially tight-lipped.

She got down the teacups and saucers and laid out an assortment of cookies and biscuits on a plate. The kettle finally sounded, she poured steaming water into the cups and got the sugar and milk. Once she was sure she had everything for a proper tea party, she hunkered down on the stool and got ready for what she saw coming.

“Is it always so quiet in here?”

“No. Seth took the boys for an ice skating lesson with his friend Derek. Mackenzie is asleep.” She held up the baby monitor.

“She’s beautiful, by the way. My mom must have shown that picture you sent her to everyone she knows. I think she’s going to be ginger-haired girl.”

“Thank you. We’ll see. The boys’ hair color darkened, so the same may happen to her.”

“Thanks goodness she’s OK. Sometimes I think if things would have happened differently that night…”

“But they didn’t, and she has a promising life as a spoiled brat ahead of her.”

“Yes, she does.”

“So, how were the holidays?” Morgan asked.

“Good. I didn’t overspend for once.”

“That’s good. I was happy I stuck to my budget as well.”

“You have a budget?” Charisma looked around. “What was it? A million dollars?”

“No, I don’t believe you have to spend a fortune on everything and I don’t intend to waste money no matter how readily available it is.”

Charisma bit into a biscotti. “Why is it so second nature for you to be nice and responsible all the time? Don’t you ever feel like doing something crazy or reckless?”

Morgan tapped her finger to her chin. “I once dog-eared the page of a book I hadn’t paid for yet.”

“The horror.” Charisma rolled her eyes.

“If I’d been bad in some way in your eyes would that have made you not so angry at me most of our lives?”

“Maybe.” Charisma gave her a strange look. “You sound like my shrink.”

“I’m not apologizing for striving to be a fairly decent human being.”

“I know. Actually, I’m here because I have some things to say to you. For starters, I apologize for being a rotten kid and trying to make your life miserable. My mom was always fawning all over you, and I wanted the attention she was giving you. When Aunt Elizabeth died I should have stepped up and been there for you.”

“Actually, you were the only person being normal around that time. Everyone else was walking around on egg shells around me,” Morgan replied. It was odd how Charisma’s usual rudeness had grounded her at a time when she’d wanted to drift away from reality.

“I missed her too and my heart broke for you, but I still wouldn’t express it. I channeled it into being a vindictive brat. I’m glad Izzy was there for you. The two of you were always close like sisters and I was jealous of that too. The list goes on, but I also want to address the issue of Jason. He wanted you to complete some picture-perfect life he wanted for himself, but he really was a player. Slick, manipulative, and loved to get his own way.”

“Sounds like Lamont,” Morgan mused.

“Exactly. Apparently I have a type,” Charisma agreed. “I committed the ultimate betrayal and stole your boyfriend. I stepped over a major line and I won’t lie, at the time it was exciting to know I was seeing him. I just knew I was going to crush your world when I brought him to that barbecue at grandma’s house that day. Little did I know you went off to that island and married Seth Blake. I felt like a complete ass, but I had to follow through with it. When that didn’t get your attention, I tried to flirt with Seth at the Slap Shot and made it my mission to bag someone on Seth’s team.”

Jason. That was a name she hadn’t heard in a long time. “Why did you do all of these things? What was the point?”

“To get attention. You were the favorite, beloved child, and I always felt left out. Everyone used to talk about smart you were and how pretty and how you were going to accomplish great things in your life. They weren’t wrong.” Charisma shifted in her seat. “I want to ask your forgiveness. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I had to try before you left for Texas. I feel like I’m never going to see you again.”

“Nonsense. I’m not abandoning the family or Philadelphia. Seth and I made a decision to make the lifestyle change for the kids. And he misses country life.”

“Football player and cowboy. That man hits all the sexy bullet points.”

“Hey!”

“Sorry.” Charisma held up her hands. “Old habits.”

She’d waited for a long time for her wayward cousin to own up to the crap she’d done over the years. Thinking it would never happen, she’d long put away all those ill feelings and got on with her life. Now Charisma sat before her and she was happy she was making an attempt to take responsibility for years of bad behavior.

Morgan cleared her throat. “It’s a lot to process. We’ve had a lot of years of fighting and hurt feelings, but I’m not going anywhere. When the time is right, we’ll find a way to mend fences when it feels good for both of us. But in the meantime, we’re still family and I wish you much success on your journey of rediscovering who you want to be without the jealousy and envy of others.”

“I’ll take it.” Charisma sniffed and lunged at her for a hug. “It’s honest and very Morgan-like.”

“Well, once a goody-two-shoes…” Morgan hugged her back. “Now let’s have another cup of tea.”

“Thank you for sticking up for me that day at grandma’s house in front of the family. It made a difference.”

“
You
made the difference.”

“Can you do me favor?”

Morgan laughed. “Depends on what it is.”

“Can you just splurge on one extravagant, over-the-top, thing? Loosen up a little bit.”

Morgan bid Charisma farewell as Seth and the boys returned from their hockey lesson. Too many years of ill feelings had gone by between the cousins, but there was still hope in Morgan’s heart that she could let go of the things that once hurt her so deeply.

“How was the lesson?” Morgan hugged Seth as the boys trotted their hockey gear to their rooms.

He raised an eyebrow. “How was your talk with Charisma?”

“Let’s chat while we make dinner? I think we have forty minutes before the kids become animated again.”

“Sounds good to me.” He kissed her.

* * *

Seth slid out of bed, careful not to wake Morgan. They’d had quite an adventurous day packing up the last of the things they’d be taking with them to Texas. The boys wanted to take every toy they owned and he couldn’t blame them. He knew having familiar things around would help in the transition from city living to ranch life. Mackenzie would fare the best out of the move. She was still too young to be accustomed to anything except getting lots of love from the family. She wouldn’t remember the fast-paced life they lived due to his football schedule. He was hoping to make up for lost time with the boys too.

Seth went from room to room, assessing things and taking note of the new boxes scattered about. He picked up one of Colby’s ducks that was in the hall instead of lined up on the table in the bathroom with the other bath time toys. Connor’s toy plane was on his desk. Jake was reading at a level two grades higher than his current year, and Morgan scoured the bookstore for books to titillate his expanding intellect. He opened the door to Jake’s room to find all of the boys were sleeping in his bed. No matter what Jake did, they’d sneak in with him, and he’d make room and they’d all talk to each other until they fell asleep. It took all of their collective energy to keep up with three boys, but at the end of the night he and Morgan told each other how grateful they were to have such great boys.

He remembered the day he bought the penthouse. It was his first major and biggest real estate purchase at the time. The houses he owned when he was briefly with the other football teams were more modest than this one. He’d never wanted to invest in anything big before he came to Philadelphia. He figured since the hype about his joining the team was being covered non-stop, he’d do something big and ostentatious to show the world he was ready for that playboy image they’d already attached to him just because style magazines had fixated on him being a pretty face in a rough sport. It did go to his head a little, but Penny’s constant rejection was the death knell of his good-guy image, so he gave the public what they wanted. Dating models, partying, and jet-setting were the things he used to do in his off seasons. But his brothers would rein him in when he got too wild.

From the time he’d signed the contract, he’d had a feeling that it was his destiny to play for the Titans. They were a team that needed a good quarterback, and he was fired up and ready to prove himself. The memory of J.J.’s injury loomed in his mind heavily back then and it drove him to be better because his brother was robbed of his dream life. J.J. was the original all-American, handsome, poster boy quarterback until it was all taken away in the blink of an eye. When J.J. focused his energy on coaching him privately, he knew that any victory going forward would be for the both of them.

Now he was out of the game and there were new things to consider. The day he woke up after the Super Bowl, he felt elated and panicked. For the first time in years there was no specific structure in his life. He’d normally spend the day mapping out his fitness routine and his diet, but instead he got up and made the family pancakes. Business offers were pouring in, so he asked his father for advice. John Jacob told him to relish in the accomplishments that not many people in the sport had achieved and enjoy this time with his family. He’d secured his place in football history and his name would be the topic of conversation for years to come.

Seth gingerly opened the door to Mackenzie’s nursery. She looked like she was enjoying a good sleep. Those cute little cheeks moved ever so slightly as she breathed in and out. Morgan had put the cutest pink pajamas on her with a little frill at the edges of the collar and the sleeves. They had an appointment at six thirty, which was usually when she started to wake from her slumber and would be ready for breakfast and her bath.

Mackenzie fought sleep the hardest out of all of the kids, especially at nap time. It must have been tough to settle down while there was so much activity going on around her. The boys made sure they included her in their fun even though she didn’t understand much of what was going on. It was so sweet to see all of the Blake children welcome her once they understood that a girl wasn’t cramping their style.

He knew Morgan would kill him if she found out, but he couldn’t resist spending some alone time with his daughter. He pulled the blanket down a little bit on her and kissed her on the forehead when she didn’t wake he picked her up and cradled her in his arms. He grabbed the blanket and went into the kitchen to grab a bottle for Mackenzie in case she woke and a juice and popcorn for himself.

So what would he do now? The possibilities were endless, but right now he was happy watching Mackenzie and the boys grow every day. His dad told him there was an office waiting for him at Blake Enterprises if he wanted, but he respected any choice Seth made. He continued milling around the house until he entered the war room. He thought maybe there was a Western on he could watch with her, but the television was already on and there was a note on the side table under the remote, next to his favorite chair.

Queued up a highlight from the Super Bowl game for you and Mackenzie to watch together.

Seth took a seat and pressed play. The screen came on and it was a roundtable interview he’d done after the team received their trophies. The men at the table were all former players who had engaged him in a meaningful conversation about what that moment meant to him.

“Has this all sunk in yet? The magnitude of securing your place in football history has to be mind-blowing. Because we all know you’re headed to the hall of fame,” Chet Michaels, a former running back and hall of famer asked him.

Seth leaned forward and spoke into the microphone in his hand. The one they’d attached to his shirt wasn’t working. “I have to say that this has been one of the greatest achievements of my life, but nothing tops being a husband and a dad. Knowing that someone loves you and understands your life’s dreams and is waiting for you when you get home every day is a great feeling. Without that family comradery and loving support I don’t know if I’d be sitting here today.”