MVP (6 page)

“Humble was the last word I would have used when we met.”

“We got a package in the mail for the upcoming booksellers’ convention. If you want one of us to go, you need to send in the registration form as soon as possible. If you fill it out now, we can have it ready for the mailman today.” Michelle shooed Morgan toward the back of the store.

Morgan went to the back room in search of the package and found a copy of the book she’d ordered for her father’s wife, Sydney, on her desk. The book Sydney wanted was out of print but Morgan had worked her magic and found a copy. It was her way of saying thank you for the talk they had the day Seth came over to meet her father and brothers. The idea that she’d missed out on having a relationship with her all those years would cross her mind every now and again. Spending time with Teri-Lyn in Texas reminded her of the absence of a mother figure in her life.

Sydney really wasn’t a bad person or a terrible stepmother. Morgan did, however, still feel like she’d replaced her mother in a way but how could she begrudge her father the right to be happy? He’d even waited until she started college to seriously start dating someone. His marriage to Sydney was Morgan’s incentive to get her own apartment when she graduated from college.

Sydney’s advice and Morgan’s willingness to listen had changed both of them that day. She didn’t know what kind of relationship she wanted with her stepmother, but she could start with the peace offering of the book. It was the perfect excuse to drop in and out without too much fuss.

Morgan finished the form and brought it up to the counter. She took a look at the work schedule for the week. As usual, everything was running like clockwork while she was away. The day was getting off to a good start. She’d just been talking to Seth last night about her plans and something positive seemed to be happening. Of course she would call back and make an appointment with Dana Schmidt. She’d been trying to get in touch with her for over six months.

The doorbell chimed as a customer entered the bookstore. Morgan flipped through the stack of mail, anticipating the customer bringing a book to the register eventually.

A trendy-looking woman walked up to the counter. “Hello, are you Morgan Blake?”

Morgan hesitated for a moment, holding back the response that her last name was Reed. Didn’t the sign outside say Reed Books? But she wasn’t a Reed anymore, was she? The thought of hyphenating her name didn’t sit well with her either.

Morgan smiled, putting on her best customer service face. “That’s me. How can I help you?”

“My name is Chandra Passatore, a reporter for
Philadelphia
Style
news magazine. I would love to do an article on the woman who finally snagged Seth Blake.”

Morgan’s smiled faded too fast to recover. “Surely you have better stories to investigate, Ms. Passatore. I married Seth Blake, I didn’t capture Bigfoot.”

“Surely you know being married to the Titan’s gorgeous, eternal bachelor and MVP is newsworthy?”

“I think it’s more like intrusive gossip. He’s entitled to his privacy.”

The reporter’s nasally, condescending laugh made Morgan tense. “Seth Blake is the property of the Philadelphia Titans and by default property of this city that adores him. So, technically, we own you too. I can do an interview on your new lives together and put a good spin on it.”

“You sound like we’re trying to get over some scandal.”

“Seth did steal you from your fiancée.” The reporter raised an eyebrow.

“In case you haven’t been told, Pennsylvania is a free state and no one
owns
me. Seth didn’t steal me from anyone. And if this sad attempt to nicely coerce me into doing an interview to cover up some nonexistent scandal is all you’ve got, I hope you have a backup career choice on the ready.”

The reporter’s face twitched. “I won’t be the last reporter to try and get a scoop from you. I thought you’d be amiable because your bookstore places ads with us, so you’d be comfortable with someone you already have a business relationship with, but I guess the bigger mags have gotten to you already.”

“I suggest you buy a book. That’s the only way you’re going to leave this store with any information.”

“Let me know if you change your mind.” The reporter put her card on the counter and walked out.

“What happened?” Michelle hurried to the front of the store.

“Some reporter bitch just tried to hit me up for an interview.”

“Maybe you should hire a publicist?”

“For what?”

“To navigate these situations from time to time.”

Morgan crossed her arms. “I don’t need a publicist.”

“I bet Seth has a publicist.”

“Yes, he does. He spends a lot of time arguing with her on the phone.”

* * *

It had been three weeks since Morgan had moved all her things out of her apartment and became fully invested in living with Seth. She had to admit it was fun waking up to him every morning, fending off enticing advances so she could make it into the bookstore. It was all too easy to get lost in those sleepy, lust-filled eyes and decide to take a vacation day or two, or twenty. Seth’s time was not as structured during off season even though he had other commitments. She didn’t realize how involved he was with his other business ventures. He especially liked talking to his father and brother JJ on a daily basis about their latest land project. She’d listen as they joked and insulted each other for a good half hour before they got down to business.

She knew he was smart, but she hadn’t realized the scope of his business ventures. She had assumed when he didn’t play football that he and some bikini clad plaything just frolicked around the world until it was time to play football again. Little did she know when he wasn’t trying to get her to play Marco Polo under the covers, he was stapled to his desk.

Things were going well at the bookstore, the repairs had been made and there was no problem in the foreseeable future. She was free to continue her quest to get funding for the reading hour at the library. Her goal was to have a daily reading hour as well as other interactive programs that would help people of all ages. She’d finally synced up with Dana Schmidt from RRI and had a meeting with her next week.

A note from the cook said the lasagna was in the oven and still had an hour to go. Morgan had managed to ease up on her discomfort about the staff and just let it be. It occurred to her that having the older women around, cleaning and cooking, reminded her of her brief time with her mother. Kara, the cook, hummed while she worked and it reminded Morgan of mornings with her mom.

Coming home to a tidy house always filled with something fragrant coming from the kitchen was beginning to feel normal to her. Morgan was on her way to the bedroom to change for dinner when she heard the doorbell ring. Seth hadn’t mentioned he was expecting anyone so she went to the living room to find him escorting a man with a briefcase into the penthouse.

“Sam, good to see you.” Seth led the man into the living room.

“Anything for you, Seth, you know that.” Sam turned and held out his hand. “You must be Morgan. I’m Sam Tulliver, Seth’s business manager.”

Morgan shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Seth nodded at him. “Sam looks out for my financial interests, and he’s very good at it. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with my portfolio.”

Sam shifted his briefcase from one hand to another. “I promise not to take up too much of your time.”

“It’s not a problem,” Seth said. “We were just sitting down to dinner. Care to join us?”

“Thanks for the offer but I’m having a late dinner with Erica tonight. I have to be at the restaurant in a half hour. All the figures are up to date.” Sam took a thick file out of his briefcase. “I included the information on that resort property your brother and dad looked at in Arizona. From what I’ve researched so far, this will be a good investment.”

“Good to know.”

“I’ll get back to you with my final analysis by the end of the week. When you have the time, my friend Shane Bracht would be delighted to help you look at commercial properties. He can meet with you whenever you like.”

Seth thanked him for coming by and walked him out. When Seth returned he handed Morgan the file. She scanned the document and a huge lump formed in her throat as she read. Morgan knew he had an expansive portfolio but to see it on paper, neatly itemized, was mind blowing. In addition to his business investments, football salary, and endorsement deals, he owned three more houses in California, Colorado, and Montreal.

“I want to you to have full disclosure about everything in my life.”

“Except ex-girlfriends,” she mumbled.

“Morgan, I didn’t tell you about Penny or my donation right away because of exactly what happened. You’d try to find a way to diminish what I felt for you.”

Morgan gave him an expectant look.

“But I do apologize for not telling you sooner. What you are looking at is just what I am worth on paper.”

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s impressive, but I can assure you that you are worth so much more than numbers on a page.”

“We need to start taking steps to consolidate our lives. If something were to happen to me, you—”

“Why are you talking like that?”

Seth caressed her arms. “I’m just being realistic. I could easily be taken out by a runaway golf cart or some freak accident. If something were to happen to me you need to know what we have, so no one can take advantage of you. I’d like to start by paying off any debt you may have.”

Morgan shot him a look of indignation.

“What?” Seth asked.

“You are incredible.”

“That’s not the first time you’ve told me that.” He tried to kiss her but she pulled back.

“This time incredible means impossible.”

“What did I say?”

Morgan took a seat on the couch. “I know you mean well but I won’t let you pay down my debt. I was doing OK with the bookstore. Well, before all that business with the repairs, but it was comfortable. I have you, it’s more than enough.”

“Does this mean you won’t let me help you with the bookstore expansion?”

“When the time is right, we’ll negotiate. I’ll draw up a business plan on my own and we can have Sam take a look at it. Then I will ask for a loan with a low interest rate.”

“Do I get to dictate the default terms?” Seth smiled wickedly.

She raised an eyebrow. “That depends. If it involves that jar of chocolate sauce and those strawberry preserves in the night stand next to your condoms, I want no part of it.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Tough. I had to shower for an hour to get that sticky mess off my body.”

“It was worth every glorious minute it took to scrub your body clean.” He smiled as he looked her up and down with a devilish glint in his eye.

Morgan shook her head at him. “I’d like to make some progress getting the reading programs off the ground at the library first. Then I can focus on expanding the bookstore. In the meantime, I could use all the emotional support I can get.”

Seth sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. “You got it.”

* * *

Morgan’s confession that she’d never been to the Titan’s stadium nearly killed him. All her years of living in Philadelphia and living with her football fanatic family, she’d never set foot in the stadium. Seth informed her it was time for phase two of the football lesson he’d been giving her and that included a personal tour from him.

She marveled at that sharp memory of his, knowing the name of each person they encountered, from the executive office to the maintenance staff. They made their way to the stands and Morgan stopped, in awe, as she surveyed the bleachers and the massive land that composed the football field.

“This is amazing,” she whispered.

Seth squeezed her hand. “Wait until you see the view from the field.”

“We can go down there?”

He smiled.

“Silly question, I know.”

Seth squeezed her hand again and they made their way onto the field.

“It all seems so much smaller on television. How do you run around on this field with all that padding on?”

“Lots of practice. You wanna throw the ball around?” He waggled his eyebrows.

She laughed. “Are you kidding me? Pass on a football fan’s fantasy of throwing the ball around with the star quarterback? My father is somewhere with the hairs on the back of his neck standing straight up, and he doesn’t know why. I’ll take a shot.”

Seth called out to one of the workers at the other end of the field to get him a football. He caught the ball and instructed Morgan to move back about ten yards and tossed the ball softly to her. He whooped when she caught the ball the proper way.

“Good catch.”

“Three brothers, all played football in high school. They practiced in the back yard. The front yard. In the house. In the kitchen. During dinner.”

He laughed. “You ever think that maybe some cosmic force was grooming you for something like…being married to me?”

“No, I thought they were repeated attempts on my life and one day I’d get taken out with a football and it would be ruled an accident.” Morgan threw the ball back to Seth with a little power behind it.

“Clearly you learned something while ducking for cover. You have a nice little technique.”

“Then stop throwing like a girl and show me a real pass.” Morgan stuck her tongue out.

“We’ve had enough football related injuries haven’t we?”

“You did save me from a getting a nose job.”

“I’m glad. You have such an adorable nose. I would have missed it.” Seth walked toward her.

She looked around the stadium. “How does it feel when you’re out here? When all those seats are filled with screaming fans? We’re here alone, and the magnitude of all this is overwhelming. I can barely breathe.” Morgan sighed.

He shrugged. “Focus.”

“And the cameras are always on you. Don’t you ever want to pick your nose or something?”

“You get used to that too. And my momma would kill me if I picked my nose on national television.”