Places in My Heart

by Sheryl Lister

  “That’s a tough break. Sorry to hear it.” With Colin coming up on age thirty-five, Omar realized it might be harder for the receiver to make a comeback.

  “Yeah, me, too. I was counting on at least being back by the end of preseason.” They watched a couple of plays. Then Colin asked, “What’s this I hear about you and a new agent? Do you think it was wise to switch so close to contract time, especially with a shark like Roland? You were a big part of the reason we made it to the conference championship last season, and management knows it. I don’t know if I’d trust my future to someone with no experience, especially a woman. I mean, what does she really know about football?”

  Omar clenched his teeth. “Then it’s a good thing you aren’t me. I trust her and that’s all that matters. And as far as the game, she knows it as well as you and I do. Good luck with the knee.” He sauntered over to the other side of the field to place as much distance between him and his teammate as possible before he was tempted to say something he shouldn’t. He was tired of people telling him he’d made a mistake by choosing Morgan as his agent. So far, he had managed to keep his cool, but if one more person made a disparaging comment about her, all bets were off.

  Chapter 9

  Two days later, Morgan still hadn’t decided whether to accompany Omar to his mountain retreat. Getting away for a couple of days was tempting, especially considering the week she’d had. She still hadn’t spoken to Brandon and walked on eggshells around her father. She arrived in the conference room twenty minutes ahead of the nine o’clock meeting time with Mr. Porter and sat sipping her tea.

  “Hey.”

  She looked up fleetingly at Brandon standing in the doorway and went back to her tea. “Hey.”

  Brandon took a seat next to her at the table. He braced his arms on the polished mahogany wood and stared out the large window that covered one wall for several seconds before speaking. “How long are you going to give me the silent treatment?”

  “Who says I’m giving you the silent treatment? I’ve been busy.”

  “That’s a bunch of bull and you know it.”

  “Is it? Are you sure it wasn’t you giving me the silent treatment?”

  His jaw tightened. “Look, I’m sorry.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “First Vonnie, now you,” he muttered. “I seem to be batting zero with you two when it comes to this case.” When the suit was initially filed, Siobhan had gone to Las Vegas with Justin and didn’t receive Brandon’s urgent phone calls until the next day. He’d been upset and insinuated that she should have been available. “Maybe I was a little over the top, but you should have told us first.”

  Morgan raised an eyebrow. “A little? And that’s exactly why I hadn’t said anything. Besides, it just happened a couple of weeks ago.”

  “But Malcolm knew?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good morning, Brandon and Morgan.”

  She and Brandon greeted their quality assurance specialist, John Bledsoe. He introduced Mr. Metzler, the representative from the third-party company who would be testing the faulty rail alongside them.

  “We’ll continue this conversation later,” Brandon whispered to her.

  Morgan eyed him and whispered back, “There’s nothing to continue. It’s a done deal.” She rose and went to call the receptionist to see whether Mr. Porter had arrived. The attorney showed up at half past nine and strolled in as if he had all the time in the world.

  “For a moment, we thought you weren’t coming, Mr. Porter,” Morgan said. “You seem to be missing something.”

  “You know how this LA traffic can be. Missing?”

  It is too early in the morning to deal with this kind of foolishness. “The rail.”

  “Oh, it’s in my car. There was no way to manage carrying it and—”

  “Let’s go,” Brandon said, cutting him off and impatiently rising to his feet.

  The attorney opened his mouth to say something, but with Brandon towering over him by a good six inches and glaring, he thought better of it and mumbled something that sounded like, “Be right back.”

  They returned ten minutes later and carefully laid everything on the table. Morgan took pictures of the rail at different angles, as well as the packaging—inside and out. The attorney had given the impression that the rail had broken apart, and she was slightly surprised to find that it hadn’t. Her suspicions rose even higher, and she made sure to capture every inch on film.

  John did a visual inspection of the rail. “At first glance, it looks intact and I can’t see why it would’ve come away from the wall, especially if it had been installed properly.”

  “Are you accusing my clients of something?” Mr. Porter asked.

  “Not at all, sir. I won’t know anything until the tests are complete.”

  Apparently the answer didn’t satisfy the attorney because he ignored John and said, “Mr. Metzler, I trust you’ll be conducting your own tests. I want to ensure there will be some neutrality.”

  “Yes.”

  Morgan did a mental eye roll and said tightly, “Mr. Porter, that’s why Mr. Metzler is here.” She faced John. “How long do you think the tests will take?”

  “No more than a day or two, and I can have the report in a week.”

  She nodded and turned her attention to the other man. “Mr. Metzler?”

  “Reports are typically completed in two to three weeks.”

  “And if we request expedited service?”

  “A week to ten days.”

  “That works. Mr. Porter, we’ll call and schedule a time to meet once the results are in. Do you have any other questions or concerns before we adjourn?”

  “No. I’m looking forward to getting this settled.”

  “As are we.” Morgan stood and extended her hand. “Thank you for coming. We’ll be in touch.”

  Brandon followed suit. “I appreciate your coming.” Once the conference room cleared out, he propped a hip on the table and folded his arms. “What do think about that rail?”

  “Frankly, I was surprised. Porter made it sound like the rail had snapped in half. I didn’t see one crack in it, so there has to be another reason why it failed. I’m wondering even more what he’s up to.”

  “I didn’t notice anything, either. I have this gnawing feeling that Porter’s trying to pull one over on us, and I don’t like it.”

  “If he is, we’ll know when the tests are complete. I’ll probably call John on Friday to see if he can give me some preliminary results. “

  “Let me know once you get them.”

  “I will.”

  “Can I ask you something?”

  Morgan had a feeling this had nothing to do with work. “What?”

  “How serious are you about this whole agent thing?”

  “I’ve been talking about this for years, Brandon.”

  “I guess I always thought it was a passing phase.”

  “It’s not. I really want to do this.”

  He nodded. “I’m more curious about how you managed to land one of the best players in the league. Most people start out with second-and third-string players, but not my baby sister.”

  Morgan chuckled. “Hey, you know what they say—go big or go home. Actually, he came to me.” She saw Brandon’s questioning look and added, “And I’m not at liberty to discuss any particulars about his former agent.” She figured the details would headline the sports news soon enough.

  Brandon studied her for a moment. “Okay. But if Roland Foster gets in your face again—”

  “You’ll do nothing,” she said, cutting him off. “Should I expect a call from Khalil, too? You can save him the trouble and pass along the same message. You guys taught Siobhan and me how to stand up and fight for ourselves, so when are you going to let us do it?”

&
nbsp; “Probably never,” he said with a wry chuckle.

  She shook her head. “I can handle this. But if I get into trouble, I promise to let you know. Deal?”

  “Yeah, deal.” He straightened from the table, hugged her and placed a kiss on her temple. “I suppose you’re not that same little twelve-year-old girl running behind Malcolm with your stat sheets anymore.”

  “I still have my stat sheets, only this time I’ll be putting them to good use.” They quieted for a moment. “Well, I want to get these photos printed and start going through them.” She picked up the camera. “See you later.”

  “Morgan.”

  Brandon’s voice stopped her as she reached the door. She turned back.

  “No matter what, I’m proud of you, sis.”

  She smiled. “Thanks.” Her smile was still in place when she made it back to her office. Even the frown on Evelyn’s face couldn’t ruin her mood.

  As soon as Morgan sat down, Siobhan knocked and poked her head in the door.

  “Can I come in?”

  “Of course.” Morgan stood and the two sisters embraced. “You look so relaxed and happy.”

  Siobhan smiled. “I am. Didn’t think I’d ever be, but I’m glad Justin came into my life.” Siobhan had been previously engaged until she found out that her fiancé had stolen money from her bank account, and she overheard him talking marriage to another woman three weeks before their wedding. “Anyway, I didn’t come to talk about me. I see a lot happened while I was gone. How are you doing?”

  The older she got, the more Morgan appreciated her sister. She’d always been supportive and often helped Morgan think things through. “I’m okay.”

  “You were pretty mad on Sunday. That’s why I wanted to give you a few days before my inquisition.” They shared a smile. “How did you land Omar Drummond as a client? Most people don’t get the A-listers out of the gate.”

  “Unless that A-lister comes to you.”

  Siobhan’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”

  She nodded. “I can’t give you too many specifics, although I’m sure you’ll be reading about them soon, but he was having problems and wanted someone new.”

  “And he came to you. As great a player as he is, he could’ve easily found a far more experienced agent. So, again, why you—someone who has never negotiated a contract and is a woman, to boot?”

  “This wasn’t the first time he’s had bad luck with an agent.” Morgan filled Siobhan in on what Omar had shared about his first agent’s terrible contract negotiation and the few details she knew about the scandal surrounding his ex after the second agent left Omar hanging. “He said he wanted someone who had no ties to the league.”

  “That’s understandable. I think I’d feel the same way. And I know you won’t have any problems negotiating him a great contract.”

  “I hope so. Thanks, Vonnie. That means a lot coming from you.”

  Siobhan smiled. “So, how are you two dealing with that sizzling attraction between you? Dating a client—your first client, that is—might look a little suspicious.”

  Blunt as always. Siobhan had never been one to bite her tongue and could reduce a grown man to tears. “Who says we’re attracted to each other?” Morgan asked casually while plugging the USB cable into the computer.

  Siobhan gave Morgan a pointed look, crossed her arms and waited.

  “I told him we could only see each other secretly until his contract is finalized,” she muttered reluctantly.

  “And he agreed?”

  Morgan nodded.

  “But you’re having a hard time with that decision, huh?” Siobhan said with a chuckle.

  She gave a careless shrug. “What makes you think it’s a problem?”

  “Look at the man. You can’t tell me you don’t want to rip his clothes off and run your hands all over that hard-as-a-rock body every time you see him.” She leaned forward and added, “Girl, I remember that commercial. Yummy!” She sat back and fanned herself.

  Morgan’s face heated, and she fumbled with the papers on the desk.

  “I’ll ask again. Having problems?”

  Morgan tried to maintain the facade but failed. “Oh my goodness, yes,” she said with a groan.

  Siobhan laughed. “That’s what I thought.”

  “He invited me to spend this weekend with him at his cabin,” she blurted without thought, and immediately wanted to snatch the words back.

  “I understand you guys know each other from Malcolm’s get-togethers, but this seems to be moving fast. Did I miss something else?”

  She also felt like things were moving fast but had no control over the situation. “He kissed me when we were at Malcolm’s barbecue.” She shared what led up to the kiss. “Omar mentioned wanting to talk to me, but after he kissed me, I avoided him for the rest of the afternoon. It wasn’t until he showed up here the next day that he asked me to be his agent.”

  Siobhan stood. “I need to get back to my office, but if you do decide to go, have fun...and be careful. It was one of those out-of-town trips that made me realize I was falling for Justin. See you later.” She walked to the door and turned back. “Oh, and knock the Cobras management team’s socks off.”

  Morgan chuckled and waved. Although she wasn’t necessarily seeking their approval, it was nice to know Brandon and Siobhan had her back. Their conversations played over in her mind as she uploaded the pictures. She had known they would be curious about how she acquired Omar as a client. Morgan still couldn’t believe her good fortune. With all the available sports agents out there, he’d come to her.

  Her gaze strayed to the flash drive on her desk. She had spotted it this morning near the edge of the coffee table and didn’t recognize it. She plugged it into her laptop and realized it belonged to Omar when she saw the various files relating to the mental health center. It must have fallen out of his pocket when he was at her place on Sunday. She pulled out her cell and sent him a quick text to let him know she’d found it.

  Morgan was in the middle of printing out the pictures of the rail when her cell buzzed. She read Omar’s reply:

  I’ve been looking all over for it. I can come by tonight to pick it up after you get off.

  She and Brooke were going to dinner and spending the evening deciding the order of the dance production numbers, and she didn’t know how late it would be when they finished. She typed back:

  Having dinner and late meeting tonight. Can I drop it off tomorrow after work around 5?

  That works. Thanks.

  If she left work early as planned tomorrow, she could drop off the flash drive and be at the studio no later than five-forty-five to get ready for the dress rehearsal performance scheduled to start at seven. The visit would serve a two-fold mission because she had decided to spend the weekend with him.

  * * *

  The next evening, Omar pulled Morgan into his house, shut the door and crushed his mouth against hers. He’d been waiting to kiss her since he left her house on Sunday. She met him stroke for stroke. Her soft curves against him sent heat thrumming through his body. He pressed her against the door and continued to devour her mouth while his hands slid down her torso and over her hips. He banded his arms around her waist and brought her even closer.

  “Omar,” Morgan whispered against his lips.

  Hearing her call him by his first name always did something to him. He gifted her with one last kiss then set her on her feet. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” She handed him the flash drive. “I can’t stay.”

  He pocketed it and tried to hide his disappointment, but the smile on her face said he hadn’t been successful.

  She reached up and massaged his face. “If your jaw gets any tighter, it’s going to shatter. Stop pouting. Would it make you feel better if I told you I decided to go with you this
weekend to your cabin?”

  A smile bloomed on his face. “Yeah. Would it be too hard for you to leave work a little early? I want to stop at the store and get up there before dark. I’d like to be on the road around three. There will probably be traffic anyway, but if we leave too much later, it’ll be worse.”

  “It shouldn’t be a problem since I’m bringing some work with me.” Morgan glanced down at her watch. “I need to get going. I promised Brooke I’d be there to help her before six.”

  “I’ll walk you out.”

  When they got to the driveway, she threw up her hands and muttered an unladylike curse.

  Omar frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  “My tire. I don’t have time for this.” She remembered hitting something on the road but hadn’t thought anything of it.

  “I can change it.”

  Morgan paced in front of him. “I need to leave now if I’m going to make it on time.”

  He placed his hands on her shoulders. “Relax. I can take you where you need to go. I just need to grab my keys and wallet.” A brief look of panic crossed her face, giving him pause. Was she going to meet some other man? They hadn’t mentioned having an exclusive relationship, but he assumed it was a given after the first kiss.

  After a few seconds, she nodded. “Okay.”

  Not knowing where they were headed, Omar took a quick minute to change from his shorts and tank top to a pair of jeans and pullover tee. He exited through the garage and backed out his truck. Morgan tossed a duffel bag in the back and climbed in, still frowning.

  “Are we leaving?” she asked when he didn’t start driving.

  “Ah, as soon as you tell me where I’m going,” he said with a smile.

  She finally smiled, too. “That would help, huh?” She gave him an address in Culver City. “Take the 405 to the 10. That way we can cut out a little bit of the traffic.”

  From his Brentwood home, the drive would normally take about fifteen minutes without traffic. But at this time of day—no matter what day of the week it was—the commute would most likely be doubled. As he drove, he stole glances at Morgan. She hadn’t said one word in the twenty minutes they’d been on the road aside from giving him the address. She sat with her arms folded, staring out the window, but not even her tightly set features could distract from her beauty. As pretty as he found her, he was even more turned on by her brain and fortitude. He smiled every time he thought about how she had handled the confrontation with Roland.