“And I don’t need some hot young thing coming into my house under the ruse of taking care of the baby but secretly trying to seduce you and kill me.” Morgan laid her head on his shoulder.
He chuckled. “Baby, I do love that wild imagination of yours, but that scenario will never happen.”
“I know it will be hard work, but I’d like to raise Jake on our own. I’m sure there will be times when we need a sitter, but we have plenty of family and friends to ask for help when we need it. I don’t want to hear about my son’s childhood through a re-cap from someone we hired.”
“If that’s what you want, that’s what we’ll do.” Seth kissed her on top of her head.
Morgan closed her eyes. “Did I tell you how much I love you today? How much I love our son?”
“You did, but I never get tired of hearing it.” Seth nuzzled her neck.
* * *
It was time for Jake’s first visit to his pediatrician after returning to Philadelphia. Morgan was a nervous wreck, but Seth was a quiet comfort. It seemed like he was handling everything better. She was too anxious to sleep, keeping a watchful eye over the baby and feeling emotional all the time. Seth had made her some toast and she’d cried because he’d put butter on it, touched that he remembered how she liked it. But then he teased her to make her smile. He assured her that everything would be fine.
She’d noticed Jake’s stool was dark when she’d changed his diaper, so she’d taken a picture of it and sent it to everyone in the address book on her cell phone. She’d finally gotten an answer from Teri-Lyn, who said it was probably meconium and that it was normal for a baby only a few days old. But she wanted the doctor to verify it. Her brothers had sent her a few choicely worded text messages, thanking her for ruining their appetites. After several calls begging Seth to confiscate her phone, she’d promised not to send any more pics of Jake’s bowel movements.
“Seth Blake Jr.,” the nurse called out from an open door leading to the exam rooms.
“You ready?” Seth squeezed Morgan’s hand.
“Yes.” Morgan rose, and they followed the nurse down the hall to the first room.
Dr. Fenwick came in and examined Jake while talking to Seth and Morgan. The exam looked more like playtime, but she was very thorough. Jake responded to Fenwick’s prodding with ease.
“Seth Jr. is doing great. His responses to the reflex tests are fine and his stool is normal. Morgan, thank you for showing me that picture.” Dr. Fenwick laughed.
Morgan shrugged. “I sent it to everyone I know. I’m shocked it hasn’t gone viral.”
Dr. Fenwick studied them both for a while before speaking. “Seth, you went from the adrenaline rush of the Super Bowl to the high of being a new father without a break. Try to get some rest if you’re feeling tired. It was a great game by the way.”
“Thanks, doc. We’ve been taking it easy since we’ve been home.” Seth beamed.
“Morgan”—the doctor removed her glasses—“you look like shit.”
Morgan folded her arms across her chest. “Is that an official medical diagnosis?”
“I’ve got three kids myself. I was so riddled with worry about my first son, my husband found me passed out from exhaustion in our kitchen. Just breathe, and if it makes you feel better, staple the baby monitor to your forehead. You won’t be any good to your son if you run yourself into the ground.”
“I don’t know if I can simply unwind like that.” Morgan exhaled shakily.
“You have this big, strong man to help you. If he can throw fifty-five yards to his wide receiver for a game winning touchdown, he can help you take care of his son.” The doctor smiled wryly.
“Being good under pressure is a job requirement for him.”
“I know I can say only so much to soothe you. It doesn’t seem that way, but instinctively you know what to do. You’ve already read every good baby book I could suggest. In no time you’ll be ready for the next one.”
Morgan looked at Seth, whose eyes lit up when Dr. Fenwick mentioned the next child. Dr. Fenwick couldn’t resist asking him more questions about the Super Bowl, and Seth answered fervently while rocking Jake in his baby seat and caressing Morgan’s hand. His touch had a calming effect on both of them.
* * *
Seth untangled himself from Morgan, careful not to wake her getting out of the bed. The sound of her snoring was music to his ears. After weeks of insomnia, she was finally getting some much-needed sleep. He showered, brushed his teeth, and dressed then headed for the baby’s room. Jake was still asleep so he parked himself in the white rocking chair he’d had custom made in Texas and covered himself with Morgan’s old baby blanket that her mother had crocheted when she was born. It smelled like the mixture of mother and son. He wished there was a way to bottle the smell to take it with him when he was on the road during the coming season.
The toy stuffed nursery was in pristine order. Morgan made sure all of Jake’s clothes were folded, diapers were on the ready, and all of his baby things were in their place. Teri-Lyn and Sydney had helped her decorate it months ago. Large letters spelling out Jake’s name, accompanied by the pale blue painted walls and alphabet wallpaper, made the room feel cozy.
Seth smiled, eyeing the unopened presents in the corner of the nursery. Well-intentioned friends had sent zany gifts that Jake was definitely too young to play with right now. Seth’s friend Derek Popovich, the goalie for the Philadelphia Pirates, had sent over a hockey stick and puck. One of his teammates had sent a ninety-inch flat screen television.
Morgan found most of the gifts obnoxious, but what she really loved was Tate’s present to Jake. The guitar sat on a stand against the wall as if it were patiently waiting for Jake to be able to do something besides drool on it.
There were so many things Seth wanted to teach his son and the importance of family, friendship, and loyalty were on the top of his list. These were the things he’d learned from his father. He felt fortunate to have had a good relationship with his dad growing up. Following his father’s advice had led him to a professional career in football and getting married to the woman of his dreams. John Jacob had taught him a lot about listening to gut instincts and following his heart. His father had told him that the hardest part about being a man was the ability to be vulnerable to someone. That advice had echoed in his head the day Seth had met Morgan, and it’d led him to the kind of happiness he’d only seen between his parents. His father never pushed or intimidated, he simply let Seth be his own person. Seth would be damn lucky if his relationship with Jake was like the one he had with his dad.
Like clockwork, Jake came out of his slumber the same time every day. The second he opened those green eyes and focused on Seth, it was show time. Something tugged at his heart every time he looked at his son. Sometimes it overwhelmed him, thinking about how awesome it was that he and Morgan created a life together.
“Good morning, Jake.” Seth picked him up and cradled him in his arms. “I know you were expecting Mommy, but we’re going to let her catch up on her sleep. So I’m intercepting. I’m going to give you a bath and then your momma can feed you. Today I’m going to teach you all about Uncle Patton’s position. He’s a linebacker…”
* * *
“Let’s go, Blake! Give me twenty!” Seth bellowed above her.
Morgan looked at Seth, angry that she was too weak to throw anything at him. When she’d asked for his help getting rid of the baby weight, she had no idea he’d turn into a drill sergeant. Seth couldn’t contain his enthusiasm as he constructed a workout routine for her and ordered workout gear and all kinds of electronic gadgets for her to monitor her progress. He was even hopeful that she would start jogging with him.
Her favorite pair of jeans was hanging in their walk-in closet, silently mocking her. Her futile attempt to get into them last week had resulted in near paralysis. She’d lain on the bed and pulled up the best she could until she’d reached her hips, where they remained stuck until she swallowed her pride an
d asked Seth to come take them off. It wasn’t fair that after having a baby, he still looked ripped and sexy as hell and the only thing she felt comfortable in was one of his jerseys. After hearing a reporter call him a “hot dad” on a morning news program, she was determined to return to her petite frame. She may not have been as smoking hot as he was, but she was determined to achieve lukewarm status, at the very least. She was living with a man who had fitness down to a science. Why not ask for his help? Today’s torturous workout included sit-ups, and she was failing miserably.
She grimaced. “If I do five, can I have a cookie?”
Seth leaned down and got in her face. “If you want a cookie, you have to do ten sets of five.”
She did three more crunches, then collapsed on the floor. “Stomach cramp.”
Seth reached for her belly, but she pushed his hand away.
“No touching the jiggle.”
“If you do two more crunches and your cool down stretches, you can have that protein shake I made you.” He smiled.
“Do I want to know what’s in that shake?”
His smile widened. “No, you don’t.”
Morgan followed him into the kitchen and planted herself on a stool. Seth hit the blender to meld the contents he had waiting and poured the shake into a glass. She took a deep breath before swallowing. A delightful strawberry flavor overpowered the unidentifiable healthy ingredients in the drink.
“This tastes good.” She licked her lips once she’d downed the rest.
Seth turned off the second blender, which contained his daily protein shake. “I know you like strawberries, and you didn’t have to sacrifice any calories.”
“Thank you, Sergeant Blake.” Morgan saluted him.
“You’re doing great, babe.”
“You think so? It feels like a waste, getting up early, twisting my body into a pretzel, and not getting any cookies.” She huffed.
“Think of it as training for chasing after Jake when he starts walking.”
“That’s true. He’s going to be all over the place.”
“Soon he’ll be moving out of his crib, making room for his brother.”
Morgan raised an eyebrow. “Renting out his crib already? I don’t know if he’ll go for that. It’s a nice crib.”
“If he won’t go willingly to make room for his sibling, I intend to bribe him with a big racecar bed. Already have it picked out.” Seth devoured the rest of his shake.
“Devious man.” She shook her head. “I have a new appreciation for your workout routine. Why do you do it every day?” She tapped her fingers on the counter.
“When someone twice my size is coming at me on the field, I don’t want to get squashed like a pancake.” He snickered.
“Right. Then you wouldn’t get to hear sound bites of your wife calling an opposing player a son of a bitch for hitting her husband. We only heard about that quote for about a month.” She grimaced.
“Well, you were pregnant and your filter was nowhere in sight. Besides, I love it when you defend me. It’s sexy. According to my countdown app, there’s three weeks to go.” Seth leaned over the counter and swept his tongue into her mouth.
Morgan let out a low groan in appreciation. Seth rounded the kitchen island and pulled her to the edge of the stool, positioning himself between her legs. He deepened the kiss as she grabbed hold of his shoulders. Just as Seth slipped his hands under her T-shirt, Jake let out a cry on the baby monitor. Seth sighed and pressed his forehead against hers.
He uttered a curse. “How does he do that? Every time I touch you, he wakes up.”
“Language, Blake,” Morgan whispered. “I think he knows about your plan to kick him out of his crib soon.”
Seth chuckled. “You may be right.”
“Welcome to fatherhood.” She laughed as she disentangled herself from him and headed to the nursery.
* * *
Morgan was changing Jake’s diaper when the reminder beeped on her cell phone that her anniversary was in a week. If you ever need someone to watch the baby, I’m just a phone call away. Sydney’s words ping ponged around in her head. Did her stepmother mean it? Morgan wondered, but the sincere smile that had accompanied the statement meant Sydney wasn’t just being polite. Sydney’s kindness over the past year had taken Morgan by surprise on more than one occasion. Sydney had even thrown her a baby shower. It was a nice surprise, walking into the house after her reading hour at the library to an intimate celebration with a few close friends and family.
“What do you think, kid? Want to spend time with Sydney while Mommy goes shopping?” Morgan blinked when she saw the faint traces of a smile on Jake’s face. She dialed Sydney’s cell phone number while slipping Jake’s adorable chubby legs back into his jumper. On the third ring, Morgan contemplated hanging up. Maybe it was a sign it wasn’t a good idea. She’d just about given up when she heard her stepmother’s voice.
“Hello, Morgan. How are you and the baby?”
“Hi, Sydney. We’re fine.”
Sydney chuckled. “That’s good. I was thinking about you this morning.”
“It’s going well, but I’m afraid I’m going to break him or something.” Morgan tapped Jake’s nose with her finger.
“Nonsense. You can’t break him. He’s a tough little boy. He’s part cowboy and part Reed.”
Morgan smiled. “I know it’s just first time mom nerves, but I still worry.”
“The worrying will never stop. The trick is to get a handle on it early before you’re hiding behind fire hydrants and garbage cans, stalking him for the rest of his life. You’re doing a great job. Your mom would have been so proud of you.”
Morgan went mute waiting for the golf ball size lump in her throat to budge. Hearing Sydney mention her mom felt odd to her. Finally she eked out, “Thank you.”
“How does Seth like fatherhood?”
“He’s over the moon about it.”
Sydney began rattling on about Morgan’s father, Curtis, taking an interest in golf. Which brought Morgan back to her reason for reaching out to her.
“Sydney, I know it’s a lot to ask, but would you be able to watch Jake for me? My anniversary is next week, and I wanted to go shopping for Seth’s present.”
“I’d be delighted to watch him,” Sydney bubbled into the phone.
“Well, you pick the day—”
“Tomorrow is fine. I have a few things I wanted to bring over for him anyway.”
Morgan exhaled. “I think this family has bought everything in the city of Philadelphia for a baby. What else did you find?”
“He’s too young for half of it, but in a few months he’ll be the sharpest dressed baby in a hundred mile radius.”
“OK, how about you come by at ten? He usually takes a nap around that time, and he won’t be too much trouble.”
“Sleep. Awake. It doesn’t bother me. I just want to spend time with him.”
Morgan looked at Jake and waggled her eyebrows at him. He gave her a curious look. “We’ll see you tomorrow at ten. Thanks so much.”
“Anything for you. You know that.”
Morgan hung up, surprised at how well that had gone. She’d never asked Sydney for anything and now she was asking to watch her son. The pregnancy had changed so many of her relationships. She felt closer to her entire family. Seeing one of the Reeds walk through the door of the bookstore no longer made her tense up. Robert dropped by the bookstore often for lunch, she was helping Jared, who was recently divorced, decorate his new bachelor pad, and she talked to Charles, who was in the military and currently stationed overseas, all the time. She was even spending time with her niece Avery. She credited her niece’s newfound interest in her to Seth. Avery was thirteen and had a not so secret crush on him. Whenever he came into the room she would blush and go mute. Morgan sympathized with her niece’s plight and prayed the family wouldn’t catch on and tease her about it.
* * *
Morgan couldn’t wait another minute. After poking him a
nd sprinkling cold water on his face, she still couldn’t get Seth to budge. In a last ditch effort to wake her husband, she slid her hand under the covers and caressed him.
“Good Morning, Mrs. Blake,” Seth cooed and reached for her.
“Happy anniversary!” Morgan straddled him and planted kisses all over his face.
“Is it our first anniversary already?” He opened one eye.
Morgan went still. “Don’t even joke about that.”
“I’m just pulling that terribly cute, short leg of yours. How could I forget the day I married you?” Seth kissed her and rolled her onto her back.
Morgan was so engrossed with his sensual caresses she didn’t realize he’d fastened a diamond tennis bracelet onto her wrist until they came up for air.
The bracelet sparkled against her skin. “It’s beautiful.”
“You’re beautiful.” Seth placed a trail of kisses along her collarbone.
She glanced over at the alarm clock on the nightstand. “We have exactly seventeen minutes before your son wakes up.”
“What do you have in mind?” He tugged at the lace strap on her nightgown.
Morgan pushed him off her and went to one of the guest rooms to retrieve his present. She’d wanted to build up to the big gift but now she said screw it, he could open the smaller gifts later.
When she returned with his new set of golf clubs in a bag with a big red bow wrapped around it, he started to laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“Great minds think alike.” Seth went into his office and brought back a set of clubs in a bright pink bag with plaid trim. “I thought we’d play a round when the new golf resort opens in Arizona. I can teach you how to play.”
“You’re on.” Morgan checked out her brand new clubs.
Seth stretched his arms above his head. “How about we start practicing today at an indoor driving range?”
“Sounds good to me. I’ll see if Sydney can come over for a couple of hours.” Morgan reached for her phone.
The Blake Legacy (The Blake Boys) Page 2