The Blake Legacy (The Blake Boys) Read online

  Ross entertained Morgan during dinner with tales of his and Seth’s college life, but Seth stopped him short at some of his racier escapades. It was fun reminiscing with him, but he knew that wasn’t his friend’s real reason for visiting. Whenever Ross wasn’t telling the truth, his eyes moved faster than a camera shutter. When Morgan went to check on Jake, the other shoe dropped.

  “Thank you for inviting me to dinner.” Ross drank back the single malt scotch Seth poured for him.

  “Anything for an old friend. But I know you came here for another reason.”

  Ross laughed. “You could always see right through me. That’s why I hate when we play the Titans. OK, I’m not going to lie, I think it would be great to have you come to Texas when you’re contract is up. Hell, you’re in the state half the time anyway. We could put the Tomcats back on the map. The last five years have been hard on us, but I know if you were our quarterback, we’d be back on top.”

  Seth sighed. “The Tomcats have a lot offense issues.”

  “Ed Worthy, our head coach, is working on that. There’s going to be a lot of shuffling around next year.”

  “Have you been talking to T.K.?”

  “He’s very interactive with the team. Some would say too interactive. We chat all the time. When he asked me what I thought the team needed to change our luck, I told him we needed you.”

  Seth ran his hand over his face. “T.K. came to the hospital the night of the Super Bowl.”

  “That should tell you how serious he is about you.” Ross chuckled into his drink.

  “Do you think we could turn the Tomcats around?”

  “I know we can.”

  Seth swirled around the scotch in his glass. “I’ll think about it.”

  * * *

  When Morgan had excused herself to check on Jake, she’d bid Ross a goodnight, anticipating she wouldn’t be returning to the living room. She knew the baby was sleeping, but the neurotic side of her wanted to check and make sure Seth had everything he needed his first day on his own with Jake. He had good instincts with the baby and was a natural at soothing him so that Jake wasn’t much trouble—he just soaked in all that was going on around him with a smile—but she still worried.

  She’d passed Seth’s study today when he was listening to the segment on the sports show about his possible career change. He’d never said it to her, but she knew something was on his mind. She’d asked Teri-Lyn who T.K. Holbrook was one day during her daily call from her mother-in-law and learned that T.K. owned the Tomcats. After that all of the pieces fell into place. T.K. was a family friend who’d made a special trip to see Seth under the guise of congratulating him about the baby. He wasn’t allowed to court him publicly; there were rules of engagement in the NFL that had to be followed when trades and free agency matters came into play. Jake’s birth was the perfect time for T.K. to drop in and plant a seed in Seth’s mind about his team. She’d read Love of the Game cover to cover and one of the most touching chapters was Seth’s realization that he wanted to be a professional football player after visiting the Tomcats stadium with his dad. She wanted to bring it up, but she also wanted him to talk openly about it first.

  Satisfied that Jake’s baby arsenal was fully stocked, Morgan went into the study to pack her work bag. Thanks to Michelle, there were no fires to put out while she was away. Her friend and assistant manager would stop by with Chinese food and give her weekly recaps. They would gossip and work on her latest project: a young adult book club that would meet in the lounge area of the store every Saturday afternoon.

  Morgan had visited a few schools with flyers and talked to some of the teachers, but she’d hit pay dirt when she asked her niece Avery for her opinion. Robert’s daughter jumped out of her chair, started sending text messages to her tween friends, and came back with a list of twenty members for the first book club meeting.

  Morgan had a meeting with Jocelyn next week. Their mentoring relationship had blossomed into a great friendship. Jocelyn had told her she had a natural poise and eloquence that was perfect for engaging with the public. Morgan may have resisted being a football player’s wife but Jocelyn assured her she complemented Seth’s public image. Her guidance and encouragement was proving to be priceless.

  Her cell phone rang. Morgan answered, but she didn’t recognize the number. “Hello.”

  “Hi, Morgan. How are you?”

  Morgan took a deep breath. It was her aunt Debra, Charisma’s mother. “Hi, Aunt Debra. I’m good. How are you?”

  “I’m a little irritated with you. First you get married to that football player and don’t tell anyone. Then you have a baby and don’t bring him around for me to see.”

  “I’ve been busy.”

  “Too busy for family? Charisma said you’d changed, but I didn’t want to believe it.”

  Morgan’s jaw clenched. “It would be hard to see the family and not see your daughter.”

  “I know you and Charisma never got along, but I’d hoped you two would have a better relationship as adults.”

  “We never got along because your daughter was always doing something to me when your back was turned. She sold that story to the tabloids and put my private life on display. Does that sound like mature adult behavior to you? This wasn’t something like her wearing my clothes without asking. She was deliberately trying to derail my life.”

  “I’m sure we can work past this. I don’t like that my two favorite girls don’t get along. I’d like to talk to both of you. How about we have lunch?”

  “Aunt Debra, I appreciate you trying to play peacemaker, but I think Charisma and I are way past waving white flags at each other. If you’ll excuse me, tomorrow is my first day back to the bookstore since having the baby, and I have some things to do. You take care.” Morgan ended the call.

  Finished in the study, she made her way to the bedroom and got ready for bed. Seth’s friend Ross had left a half hour ago, and she could hear Seth in Jake’s room on the baby monitor. She closed her eyes for what she thought was a moment and woke when Seth kissed her.

  “My aunt Debra called me,” she said.

  Seth furrowed his brow. “Charisma’s mother? What did she want?”

  “She said she wanted to sit down with me and Charisma and talk things out. I declined.” Morgan rubbed his cheek. “Did you enjoy seeing your old friend tonight?”

  “It’s always good to catch up. He gave me a recruitment speech on the Tomcats.” Seth kissed her again.

  “Little does he know you’re already halfway there. Did you tell him you were interested?”

  “I never said that.”

  “Yes, you did. In your biography. You said going to the Tomcats stadium cemented your decision to become a professional athlete.”

  Seth thought about it for a moment. “So I did.”

  “Did T.K. send him?” She pulled back the covers, motioning for him to join her. Once he did, she nestled into his body.

  “Ross came here on his own accord.” Seth stroked her hair.

  “He seems like a nice guy.”

  “He is. Ross and I played well together in college. We were good friends off the field.”

  “Like you and Patton are now?”

  “Yes.” Seth lightly ran his fingers up and down her arm. A soft caress was always the best way to get her to go to sleep. “You ready for your first day back to the bookstore?”

  “As ready as I’ll ever be,” Morgan said, her speech slurred. “Seth?”

  “Yes?”

  “Do you think I’m a bad mother for going back to the bookstore?”

  “Of course not. We both have responsibilities. And we’ve worked out a system. Jake won’t be neglected in any way.”

  Morgan nestled closer to him. “Seth?”

  “Yes?”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  * * *

  Michelle leapt out of an aisle to greet Morgan as she entered the store. “Welcome back, Momma Bear!”

>   Morgan jumped and dropped her bag. “Michelle, you scared the shit out of me!”

  “Just trying to keep you alert. New mothers have to be ready for anything.” She giggled.

  “Well, if I count the years I’ve known you, I’ve been a mother for a very long time.” Morgan gave her a hug.

  “Where’s Jake?”

  Morgan smiled. “He’s home with Seth.”

  “I wanted to see him.” Michelle stomped her foot.

  “I think he’s a little young to be on the payroll. Now, to business. What’s new? What’s old? Any good gossip?”

  “The throw pillows are new—one of our patrons decided to have a clumsy moment on the way out of the store with an iced coffee. What’s old? Me! My twenty-sixth birthday is next week.” Michelle lay on one of the couches and put her arm over her eyes.

  “I know about your birthday and have your not-so-surprise party scheduled in the backroom on Wednesday at four. I was thinking of just shooting off a flare gun instead of getting you all those damn candles.” Morgan laughed.

  “Thank you for being so sensitive to my fragile state.”

  “You get no pity from me. I’m a year older than you. If you’re old, I should be someone’s grandma.”

  Michelle lifted up suddenly. “Speaking of grandmas, Sydney’s book came in the other day.”

  “Sydney’s not Jake’s grandma,” Morgan blurted out.

  Michelle’s eyes widened. “OK, still working on your Sydney issues. How’s everything else?”

  Morgan sighed. Did everyone know Sydney was her sore spot?

  “Come on.” Michelle tugged on her arm. “Let’s catch up on the gossip.”

  Morgan greeted the rest of her staff as they made their way to the office. In appreciation for all their help the last year, she’d given everyone a generous pay increase. Michelle deserved a medal for all the duties she’d taken over while Morgan was out on maternity leave. She’d also helped out with some administrative duties for Reading Builds Bridges. When Michelle had offered to help, Morgan must have hugged her for ten minutes.

  “So how’s Tyler?” Michelle murmured as she leafed through a pile of invoices on her desk.

  Morgan stumbled trying to sit in her chair. “Tyler who?” Michelle asking about Tyler was not a good thing.

  “Tyler Blake. Six foot two, gorgeous, looks just like your husband but with a hint of devil in him.”

  Morgan shot Michelle a deadly look. “Why do you want to know about Tyler?”

  “We got to know each other Super Bowl weekend.” Michelle blushed.

  Morgan shook her head frantically. “This is not happening. It’s almost incest.”

  “How so? We’re two non-related, consenting adults.”

  “Sure it is. You’re my best friend. He’s my brother in-law, who looks eerily like my husband. This is wrong on so many levels.”

  “It’s only morally wrong in Morgan’s book on strict propriety in her social circles. I think there are monks who would tell you to loosen up. I do admit Seth and Tyler look alike, but I’ve long since given up my crush on Seth since you married him. I thought it was wrong to want to spread him like jelly on a piece of toast when he was my best friend’s husband.”

  “I appreciate you releasing the raunchy hold on Seth in your mind. But that doesn’t mean you pick up the torch with the next Blake you see.”

  “Being around those men is like being around too many attractive men in a sex club. The possibilities are endless. Channing is so sweet you can eat him with a spoon. If I were five years younger, I’d get arrested just so he could be my lawyer. J.J. has the most intense eyes I’ve ever seen and is too damn sexy for his own good. He’s perfected that quiet, brooding thing. Or maybe it’s his obnoxious wife, Eden, that has him brooding. And then there’s that slice of heaven, Tyler. I bet he tastes like—”

  “Michelle, tell me you did not sleep with him?”

  “What kind of girl do you take me for?” Michelle balked.

  Morgan shot her a dirty look.

  “OK, we were flirting a bit during the game. And let me tell you, it took some work. His eyes were glued to the field. By the time we got back to the hotel from the hospital, I was too tired to be seductive.”

  “Where was I when you were surveying the land?”

  “Going into labor. You are a booty-call blocker.” Michelle stuck out her tongue.

  Morgan sighed. “What a shame.”

  “Tyler Blake is one hot piece of Texas. I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on him for a long weekend.”

  Morgan rubbed her temples. “Tyler Blake is a bad idea. He chases women like it’s a professional sport.”

  “Still, that’s one fine looking bad idea.”

  Morgan just shook her head and walked away.

  After showing everyone in a five-mile radius every picture she’d taken of Jake, she returned to her desk. She sent a quick text to Seth to see how they were doing. He replied that he was teaching the baby how to read football stats. Checking inventory, returning phone calls, and approving Michelle’s promotional ideas all seemed rather pedestrian when her son was at home and could be doing something amazing that only his mother could appreciate.

  * * *

  Morgan was glad Nina had made it tonight. Seth and Patton were having a guy’s night out at the Slap Shot Bar, so it was a good time to catch up over the box of cupcakes Morgan had picked up from Nina’s favorite bakery.

  “So glad you could make it. I got cupcakes from the Sugar Express.” Morgan rubbed her hands together in delight.

  Nina groaned. “I’m big as a house, and you go out and get the greatest temptation in Philadelphia.”

  “Is this the same woman who told me not to worry about weight gain and just enjoy being pregnant?” Morgan gave her a skeptical look.

  Nina shook her head. “Well, that was different. You weighed about fifty pounds before you got knocked up.”

  “Nina, please. You’re thin as a rail, and you work out almost as intensely as Seth does, don’t give me that crap.”

  “Says the woman who does a swan dive under the bed every time her husband walks into the room to avoid him seeing her naked.”

  Morgan sighed. “I think we’ve reached a stalemate in this baby-weight-gain bitch fest.”

  “Good, because you look great. Look at those big boobies; you must have gone up two cup sizes. You could work at a strip club.” Nina tapped Morgan’s breast.

  “Hey! I could have worked there before. I would have been the bookkeeper in the back room, but I could have worked there.”

  Both Morgan and Nina giggled.

  “Jake asleep?” Nina asked.

  “Down for the count.” Morgan waved the baby monitor in her hand.

  “You keep him on that schedule, don’t you?”

  “I try. Seth sneaks in his room at night. I sneak in after Seth. It’s no wonder he sleeps.”

  “Can I take a peek at him? He was asleep the last time I was here. I’ll be quiet.”

  Nina couldn’t resist touching Jake’s hand when they went into the nursery. Morgan pulled her out before Nina poked him one more time, trying to get him to wake up.

  “Are you trying to screw up my schedule?”

  “I just wanted to spend some time with him.” Nina pouted and followed her into the kitchen.

  Morgan plated the cupcake and passed it to Nina.

  “You are in for a world of trouble when he gets older.” Nina chuckled.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “He’s such a cutie already. He’s going to look like Seth with a deep tan.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ve already put in an order for a skank-o-meter. I’m going to keep him innocent as long as I can before some trollop gets her hands on him.”

  Nina took a bite of her cupcake. “How was the return to the bookstore?”

  “Great. Michelle is the best. Store runs like clockwork when I’m not there. Are you still working part time?”

  Nina nodded.
“I’m micromanaging my staff. I have two more jobs then I’m hanging up my event-planning shoes. Unless you want me to organize a fundraiser for you.”

  “Baby steps, Nina. I just got over my fear of speaking in public.” Morgan licked at the icing on her cupcake.

  Nina pulled Morgan’s hand to her stomach. “Can you feel that karate chop?”

  “Your baby girl likes sugar.”

  “I don’t know if I’m ready for a girl.” Nina groaned.

  “No? I would have thought you’d have her enrolled in the divas training academy already. If there’s one person I know who should have a girl, it’s you. You have that femininity thing down to a science.” Morgan batted her eyes at her.

  “Patton is talking about buying guns and building a fortress somewhere. He’s going nuts.”

  Morgan poured them both a glass of milk. “I think it’s nice he’s becoming psychotic in the name of protecting his daughter. I’ve been on the receiving end of that psychosis. You bitch and fight, but you feel safe too.”

  Nina looked at Morgan for a while then finally said, “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For giving me that Late Bloomer book by the woman who had trouble conceiving. I did the things she suggested and it worked. I have my baby now and everything is fine. Thank you for helping me believe in miracles again.” Nina burst into tears.

  Morgan rounded the island and gave her a tight squeeze. “You’re welcome, you big ole cry baby.”

  Nina laughed through her tears. “I’m going to miss you if Seth decides to leave the Titans.”

  Morgan sighed. Suddenly Seth’s impending career decision was on everyone’s mind. Nina had called her that afternoon after the sports show, and they’d talked for a long time about the prospect of Seth going with another team.

  “I don’t think we’re friends because of proximity. We would keep in touch and visit, no matter what happens.” Morgan handed her a box of tissue.