MVP (8 page)

Seth thought for a moment. “Shit. Very hard work and determination?”

“And…you always break up with a woman just before the playoffs! Think about it. We’ve won two Super Bowls because you be all twirped up over not getting any and you funnel all that energy into the game.”

He ran his hand over his face. Was Patton right?

“Don’t worry about it man, just tell Morgan you can’t have sex during the season.” Patton chuckled.

Keys jingled in the lock, and he turned to see Patton’s wife, Nina, come in the door with ten bags in her hand.

“Seth!”

“Hey, Nina.” He climbed off his seat to hug her.

“Congratulations on the wedding.” She gave him a leering look.

“I know.”

“You know what?”

“I am in the dog house with you and most of the planet about my marriage. But I do want all of us to get together for dinner. Soon.”

Nina set down her purse. “I’d love to meet the woman who could snag the bachelor of the century.”

“Morgan’s a sweetheart,” Patton said.

“You two look good together. Patton showed me that picture of you and Morgan at the festival. She owns a bookstore?”

Seth grinned. “She does. She’s very dedicated to literacy and is even involved in some community programs.”

“Like what?” Nina removed her high heeled shoes and took a seat next to her husband.

“She does story hour at the public library for the kids a couple of times a month.”

“Wow, that sounds cool.”

“She’s looking into organizing programs to raise literacy awareness. When Morgan gets something in her head, nothing stops her.”

“Sounds like you two have a lot in common.” Nina smiled.

Seth scratched at the label on his beer. “Yeah, she worries we don’t. I try to reassure her that this limelight on our lives is just temporary. Another story will come along and people will lose interest in us.”

“Seth Blake, you’ve been voted sexiest man alive twice, bachelor of the year four times, and harder to hog tie than a bull at a rodeo. Whatever the hell that last one means. Your singleness is legendary. People are going to want to know what exactly Morgan has that persuaded you to give all that up.”

“What are you, keeping a scrap book on him?” Patton huffed a laugh.

“No, but I have some friends that have one. You know how many times some desperate chick has played nice with me because they knew you and Patton were friends?”

Seth’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t be. I am good at putting bitches in their place. Tell him, baby.”

Patton took a swig of his beer. “Yeah, man. Nina has a talent for insulting a large group of people at one time.”

Seth couldn’t help but laugh. “Damn, Nina.”

Patton nodded his head in her direction. “Maybe Nina can help Morgan through the viper pit.”

Seth and Patton looked at Nina.

Nina shook her head. “You two don’t even know if Morgan and I will get along. That’s wishful thinking that we’d hit it off like best buds because you two are friends.”

Seth chuckled. “I have no doubt you two would get along. You both have that brutal honesty thing going on but you carry it off in a classy way.”

“It couldn’t hurt to pay her a welcome,” Patton said.

Nina bit her lip. “OK, I’ll do it. Partly because I’m nosey and partly because you’re family, Seth.”

“Thanks, Nina.”

* * *

By the time Morgan reached her father’s house, some of the disappointment from the disastrous episode with Dana had faded away.

“Hey, Dad.” Morgan kissed her father on the cheek.

“How’s that husband of yours?”

“Good. We had a great time on his ranch. He bought me a horse.”

Her dad’s eyes widened in awe. “The Twelve Horse Shoes is an impressive ranch. That journalist lady did an interview with him on his property last year.”

“Why is it that everyone in this family knows more about that man than me?”

“Defiance.”

“What?”

“How many times did I try to teach you about football?”

She grinned. “Too many.”

“And you end up marrying a football player. Do you see the irony in that? Because I do.”

Sydney entered the room. “Hi, Morgan. Is that my book?”

“Yes.” Morgan smiled and handed it to her.

“How was your meeting today?”

“How did you know I had a meeting today?”

“I called the bookstore and Michelle said you were out wheeling and dealing. So how did it go?”

“No dealing, but I wish I’d had a wheel to roll over her neck.”

Sydney sucked in air between her teeth. “That bad?”

Morgan shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I still keep in touch with a few of my sorority sisters who are pretty active in the community center. I could shake a few trees—”

“Thanks, but I’d rather do it on my own,” Morgan said quietly.

Sydney smiled. “OK.”

Morgan was having a hell of a day. She immediately regretted how curtly she answered Sydney. Here the woman was trying to help her cause, and she slipped back into treating Sydney like an enemy. She’d just left the office of a woman whose help she needed but was ambushed by a hidden agenda. What she needed was a dose of the past to soothe her. The box in her father’s attic usually did the trick. She’d moved all her things from her place into Seth’s penthouse. Maybe it was time to take her box of memories to her new home too.

“Dad, I have to go into the attic and get a box I left up there.” Morgan excused herself and headed upstairs. She didn’t have a lot of stuff left at her dad’s house but there were still a few boxes that remained. She spotted the taped up box nestled in the corner. It had been moved from her secret hiding spot but it hadn’t been opened. Taking her keys out of her pocket, she used one to cut through the layers of tape.

A floorboard creaked behind her.

Her brother Robert had walked into the attic. “Hey Squirt, Dad told me to come up here and help you look for a box.”

“Hey, it’s my husband’s new best friend. You two going steady yet?” Morgan stuck out her tongue at Robert.

“You’re jealous I want to spend time with your husband?” Robert kissed her on the cheek.

Morgan pushed him out of her way. “No, curious though. Why do you want to spend time with Seth?”

Robert parked himself on a chair. Morgan looked over at her brother and tried not to smile. They’d been bickering all their lives. It was more off putting when they were getting along.

“He’s a nice guy and my brother-in-law. Besides, I know you can’t wait to get away from all of us. Like it or not we’re still your family. Sometimes I think you forget. But Seth won’t let you forget about us. Family is important to him.”

“What do you mean forget about you?” She scowled at him.

“I think you want to be part of Seth’s life and distance yourself from us.”

She couldn’t pretend they had a lot in common or that she visited them on a regular basis. All her brothers were married and had lives of their own, but they all seemed to make time to butt into her life.

“I’m not trying to forget anything. As a matter of fact, I’m trying to remember.” Morgan pulled a picture of their mother out of the box.

“You look like her, you know.”

“Do you think so?” She scrunched her nose.

“Yep. I’ve always treated you like a child and you’re now closer to middle aged than an adolescent—”

“Watch it.”

“But occasionally I spend time with my baby sister and, for a little while, I get to see my mother’s face again.”

“So all that bossing me around and never letting me do anything was out of love?”

Robert grinned. “I have to admit we were obnoxious about it. But it was all in the name of looking out for you.”

She smiled back. “I do admit you did teach me some great self-defense moves.”

“Self-defense? You could be a street brawler. You got Jason good in the chestnuts after he dumped you in front of everyone. I was almost hoping Charisma would do something stupid so you could kick her ass. Did you tell Seth you know how to shoot a gun?”

“No. I was saving that for later. You should see his gun collection at his ranch.”

He laughed. “I want to tell you he’s not good enough for you but he’s my idol. So I’m a little conflicted.”

“Can you take the box downstairs for me?” She batted her eyes at her brother.

Robert sighed but picked up the box. “No problem.”

She kissed her brother on the cheek. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Looking out for me. I couldn’t imagine your intrusive ass being out of my life.”

“Good, because Seth invited us to dinner next Sunday.” Robert gave her a cheesy grin.

“Yay,” Morgan said in a droll tone.

Chapter Four

Seth felt much better after leaving Patton’s house. There were some things that couldn’t be helped, and he felt certain he’d made the right decision with Vivian. There were enough external factors in their lives that they couldn’t control, he wasn’t going to have someone on his payroll making negative remarks about Morgan.

The ride home gave him time to think about how his public image had been perceived the last five years. The women in his life had known he wasn’t serious about them. He would meet one of them after a game or at an event, and it was clear what they both saw in each other and how long it would last. He and Melanie had stayed together so long because they had a crazy relationship. Melanie went from hot, to cold, to lukewarm constantly, and he found her erratic behavior exciting. They broke up just to have great marathon makeup sex. It was fun and he liked that her modeling jobs and his schedule kept them apart a lot. When they were together for too long they ran out of things to talk about.

Was it possible that maybe people didn’t believe he could be with someone as sweet and down to earth as Morgan? She didn’t like to party, and he almost had to beg her to go out to dinner. Many a night they fell asleep on the couch, her in his arms, while watching television. But soon he’d be on the road and those quiet evenings at home were going to become scarce. Tonight he looked forward to shrimp scampi and hearing about her meeting.

Hmmm…sex or food?
The elevator couldn’t ascend fast enough to the penthouse.

Seth opened the door and walked inside. “Hey baby! I told you I’d be home on time! I have an idea for some predinner entertainment.” Seth unbuttoned his shirt as he walked through the house.

Seth opened the terrace door to find Morgan sitting in a lounger, looking out at the city.

She turned to him and smiled. “How was your commercial shoot? And why are you half naked?”

“Commercial went well. Was on my way to seduce you.” Seth took a seat on the lounger and laid back into her arms. “How was your interview?”

Morgan sighed. “Dana wanted me to dangle you like a publicity carrot. I declined. I have a feeling her interest in returning my calls began when she found out we were married.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“You’re doing it right now.” She wrapped her arms around him.

“What’s your action plan?”

“I keep going until I achieve my goal. Failure is just an opportunity to exceed your limitations to succeed.”

“Wow, you did read my book. But seriously I would love to help.” What was the harm in a little push?

“You want to help, then you can boil the linguine and maybe give me a nice back rub after dinner.”

* * *

The Main Street Clinic’s main number illuminated the display on Seth’s cell phone. Penny had called him three times in the past month. Each time he saw her personal number he’d sent it to voicemail. There was a time when he would have been elated to see her face pop up on the display screen. But he had long since deleted her picture. He wondered if it was the happiness she had sensed when she’d seen him that motivated her to call. She had never bothered to call when he was dating Melanie or the two women that preceded her. They had crossed paths at the banquet fundraiser last year, and she’d made a snide comment about his latest dish de jour. He had taken pleasure in her obvious jealousy, but she always had the upper hand, knowing someone like Melanie became his type after the fame took over his personal life. Her place, in what was left of his trampled heart, had always been secure. When he saw her that night at the Bright Star, that confident expression she usually wore was absent. Morgan was not some model or actress. She was a natural beauty and utterly real. That was what he loved about her.

He ignored Penny’s call once again. And he did a pretty good job of avoiding talk of Penny and the clinic. Until the invitation to the annual Main Street Clinic banquet in Texas arrived via messenger.

He had been certain, after the Cinnamon Festival, he wasn’t going this year. But Morgan would surely see the invitation, and he didn’t want to hide it from her.

“Did you get the package the messenger dropped off?” Morgan said as he walked into the kitchen.

“I did.” Seth casually placed the invitation on the table.

“Fancy.” She examined the invitation.

He fidgeted and crossed his arms. “The clinic has a fundraiser banquet every year.”

“Do you want to go?”

“No. I can just send a check.” He reached out and touched her hand.

“It says here you will be there and that you will be part of the bachelor auction.” Morgan showed him the bottom of the invitation.

“Damnit, I forgot all about that.”

“What services were you offering at this auction?” She smiled sly and winked at him.

He laughed and pulled her close to him. “Usually a date with the winner.”

“I’ve been to one of these. It’s usually a candlelit dinner or something romantic.”

“I’ve been to a few of these too and one year a guy named Reynard outbid all the women at the event.”

“Oh my.” She laughed. “What did you do? Take him out for a beer?”

“No, he still wanted to go out for the romantic candlelit dinner.”

She giggled. “Well, it was in the name of charity.”

Seth shook his head. “I can’t participate this year. I am no longer a bachelor. I am happily married.” He waved his wedding band at her.