Playing for Keeps

by Rhonda Laurel

  The kids hustled out of the room with the exception of Mackenzie, who had her hands outstretched for Derek to pick her up. The boys stopped and looked back.

  “Kenzie, you coming?” Jake asked.

  “She’ll be there in a few minutes,” Morgan replied.

  Charisma bit back a smile. They were awfully protective of the little girl they swore was only trouble.

  “Do the helicopter, Uncle Derek!” Mackenzie said.

  “The helicopter?” Morgan asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “OK, pretty girl. Just for a minute.” Derek hoisted Mackenzie over his head and spun her around a couple of times, then stopped.

  “Again!” Mackenzie squealed.

  Morgan gave them both a stern look. “No one wants to see that grilled cheese and tomato soup you had for lunch on the floor.”

  “Your mom’s right,” Derek said, tickling her. “You are getting so big, though. I remember when you were the size of a football.”

  “Babe,” Seth interrupted. “I’m going to show Derek the new RV, then take him for a celebratory drink.”

  “Good idea.” Morgan gave him a tight smile. “I’m going to call up the ladies and see if they can come over for an impromptu celebration. I’m going to be a godmother again!”

  “And Derek and Charisma are expecting.” He smiled.

  “That too.” Morgan went in search of her phone.

  Charisma looked at Derek and put her hand on her hip. So much for not being mad. He was pretty lucky Seth and Mackenzie were still in there or she would have given him a—

  Derek kissed her. “Have a good time.” and followed Seth out of the room.

  Mackenzie came over and tugged on her hand.

  “You’re right, Kenzie. Boys are icky.”

  * * *

  At first, Derek had no intention of blurting out that she wouldn’t marry him, but he couldn’t stand the thought of Morgan and Seth thinking he hadn’t proposed. He tried his best to concentrate when Seth drove down to the building where they stored the large vehicles on the ranch and showed him the new RV, which was practically the size of a motor coach. It was a nice vehicle and it had all the bells and whistles. It had a kitchen area with marble counters, state-of-the-art appliances, two televisions, living room area, shower, and sleeping quarters. It was awesome, but Derek couldn’t see Seth convincing Morgan to vacation in it with the kids. He knew his friend was just shooting the breeze until Derek was ready to talk. Seth’s chatter brought him out of his heavy haze of thoughts and worries. He looked up and they were parked in front of Tyler’s house.

  “Derek?”

  “Yeah?”

  “You up for steaks at Tyler’s tonight? We can kick back and talk about things.”

  “Sure.” He waved his hand.

  “I thought I had bad daddy-to-be fog.” Seth laughed as he got out of the truck and led Derek down the path around the house to the backyard.

  “I can’t believe I’m going to be father.”

  “It will take some time to sink in.” Seth scratched at his beard. “I remember the first doctor visit with Morgan. Jake’s sonogram changed my life.”

  “I’m looking forward to it. We have an appointment next week.”

  Tyler was waiting for them in his backyard with beers in hand. “I hear congrats are in order.”

  “Thanks.” Derek took it and twisted the cap off. “How did you know so quickly?”

  He grinned. “Family grapevine.”

  “Where’s Michelle?”

  “She’s taping a cooking segment for her show, and Tucker is her guest star today.”

  “That’s bound to be hilarious. How’s she going to cook with Tucker in her arms? He won’t turn his momma loose.” Seth took a seat in the lounge chair. “What’s on the grill, Ty?”

  Derek started to zone out as soon as Seth asked Tyler about the food. His mind went back to Charisma again and why she wouldn’t marry him.

  “Derek.”

  “Yeah?”

  “What sides do you want with your steak?”

  He looked at the prep table. “Baked potato is fine.”

  “So how many baby books have you bought?” Tyler flipped the steaks on the grill.

  He shook his head. “A ton. I’ve downloaded apps and looked up things online. Charisma thinks I’m nuts. To tell you the truth, I’ve been in a haze since she told me.” He turned to Seth. “And she turned down my marriage proposal.”

  “Yikes.” Tyler took a swig of his beer.

  “OK. Say it. I blew it in the house, didn’t I?”

  “You may have taken a stumble, but you can recover.” Seth patted him on the back.

  “What did you do?” Tyler grimaced.

  “We made the baby announcement, and I simply added that she turned my marriage proposal down.”

  “No. No. No.” Tyler shook his head sadly. “I implore you to put a filter on that mouth unless you want to fight every day until the baby is born.”

  “I didn’t do it intentionally. I just blurted it out.”

  Tyler raised an eyebrow. “Exactly. That’s why I mentioned a filter. To stop the blurting.”

  Seth chuckled ruefully. “Don’t let it get you down. Michelle was hesitant when Tyler proposed, but she came around. Charisma will too. When did you propose?”

  “I had a romantic evening planned. The perfect night. But it was ruined when one of my teammates crashed my apartment drunk. Then she sprang the news on me at the arena and I immediately asked her to marry me.”

  Seth was nodding. “No ring on you?”

  “Left it at home.”

  Tyler shrugged. “Can’t blame her for thinking you only proposed on the spur of the moment because she’s pregnant. I would’ve turned you down too.”

  “Thanks, Tyler. You really know how to build a guy up.”

  Seth fixed Derek with an intense look. “Do you love her?”

  “Of course I do.”

  “Then give her some time to work out whatever’s going on with her. I told you a long time ago that the Reed women were stubborn, determined, and they do things in their own time. Mackenzie’s got it in her too. She does things on her own terms, and it drives Morgan nuts. But a part of her understands it too. If you keep pressing, you could alienate Charisma.”

  “What am I supposed to do?”

  “Give her some room. Charisma is strong and feisty, but she’s also fragile. She put on a tough act for a lot of years to hide her pain. I don’t believe she’s hesitant because she doesn’t love you. She may be gun shy because she knows you are the best thing that ever happened to her and it scares her. For a long time she didn’t think she deserved anything good in her life as some sort of penance for past deeds. Then she met you and took a chance on love.”

  “You’re right.” Derek sighed. Seth had given him some good advice. He certainly had a lot to think about.

  “Sit back and enjoy all the wonderful things that are about to happen. The two of you will grow even closer as the baby develops inside her. It’s a wonderful thing. I’d hate for you to miss out on experiencing it because you’re preoccupied with a perceived rejection. She loves you. I can see it every time she looks at you. Concentrate on that baby who will be here soon.”

  “Thanks, Seth.” He scratched at his beard. “Let’s change the subject.”

  “OK.” Tyler closed the grill cover. “We have a proposition for you.”

  “What’s up?”

  Seth continued. “I know you’ve been thinking about new business ventures post hockey. What do you think about expanding your horizons as a restaurateur? You created something special in the Slap Shot. It’s an upscale eatery, despite how you describe it to people. It’s received high ratings in those snooty restaurant guides and great reviews in Philly newspapers.”

  “You even received four wine barrels and a recommendation as a ‘must dine there’ destination in that wine aficionado magazine,” Tyler added. “Michelle showed me.”

  “You kno
w I’ve been toying with that idea for years. It’s just talk.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “There’s no hook. We serve the same food that most other bars and restaurants have on their menus.”

  “It’s not the food,” Tyler said. “It’s you and the atmosphere.”

  Seth nodded. “Michelle calls it subtle highbrow.”

  The phrase sounded familiar. He and his staff were pleased about a review they’d read with that phrase in it. “So that was Michelle who gave me that five-star review on that popular review website!”

  “Yeah.” Tyler grinned. “She’s also plugged the Slap a few times on her show. She may live in Texas, but she’s still a hardcore Philly girl and likes to shout out the places she frequents. Especially when she’s fond of the owner.”

  “Michelle is always in my corner, isn’t she?” Derek smiled.

  “You are one of her favorite people.” Tyler sighed. “To think, saying those words used to make me ill.”

  “Yeah, you are the best of buds now.” Seth shook his head and continued. “There’s a reason the Slap is a big success, and we think it’s the kind of restaurant we’d like to have in the Blake Hotels. We want the authentic experience you get at the Slap. Good booze and excellent food. We can keep the understated memorabilia décor and a small venue. Maybe it can be an exclusive perk that only high-tier hotel members can access. Like a VIP club.”

  “You could even give it a new name if you wanted.” Tyler got up from his chair and opened the grill cover. “The steaks are ready.”

  He’d been tinkering with the idea of expanding his business for a while but never mapped out an action plan of how he was going to go about doing it. He knew his bar had something unique, but he didn’t want to ruin what was special about it by mass-producing it. But if there was a way to have a unique chain of restaurants with a little of Slap infused, he’d be willing to do it.

  He looked at Seth. “Do you think it’s possible?”

  “Let’s talk turkey while we eat steak.” Seth winked at him.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Charisma looked at the scrumptious spread on the table, trying to decide what to taste next. Michelle worked her culinary magic and had thrown together the quickest dinner party in history.

  She loved getting together with the ladies on the ranch. There was always good food and conversation. Since the cat was out of the bag, she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Avery had even dropped by after she’d finished up with her study group. The boys had gone to Channing and Cassidy’s house for the weekend sleepover, but Mackenzie asked if she could stay for a while, so Morgan said she’d take her over later. The family grapevine was ablaze, and it was only a matter of time before her mom found out. Still, it didn’t compel her to pick up the phone and call her parents.

  “I love this time of year.” Morgan sighed.

  “You always liked the summer,” Charisma quipped.

  “The kids are out of school, so I get to spend more time with them. Seth slows down just a smidge before the pre-season starts. And he and Derek can get together without their play schedules overlapping.”

  “We did have fun last summer.” Charisma smiled. They’d spent two glorious weeks on the ranch playing games, exploring, and horseback riding. She turned to see Avery staring at her. “What’s wrong, hon?”

  “Would you mind if I listened to the baby with my stethoscope?”

  “Sure.”

  “It’s in the car. I’ll go get it.”

  Charisma took a seat at the table. “Since horseback riding and ice skating are out of the question for a while, we’re going to have to find something else to do besides eat when I visit.”

  “Gossip and finger sandwiches work for me,” Isabelle countered.

  “We could go shopping at Mackenzie Square. There’s a maternity boutique that sells really stylish clothes, and there’s a baby store next to it.”

  “They do have some great things. And the owner is really nice,” Michelle chimed in.

  Charisma nibbled on the prosciutto wrapped asparagus. “Grandma said my butt was getting big.”

  “Everything will get big. Just embrace it and concentrate on the payoff. A beautiful bundle of joy who won’t wear shoes or abide by their bedtime.” Isabelle giggled.

  “Matt or Owen?” Charisma asked, grinning.

  “Matt likes to go shoeless and Owen is the night owl.”

  “Connor’s prone to stripping,” Morgan added.

  “Tucker tries his best to fight sleep and stay up with Tyler,” Michelle mused. “I come into the family room and they’ll both be knocked out on the couch.”

  “Got it!” Avery returned with the stethoscope.

  Charisma smiled at her. “Give me the lowdown on the Texas family gossip?”

  “I think the older folks at the condo are trying to conceive.” Avery sat in the chair next to Charisma. She put the ear tips in her ears and placed the diaphragm on her stomach.

  “I could totally see Autumn and Summer wanting to be pregnant at the same time,” Michelle agreed.

  Charisma felt her heart beating faster as she watched Avery moving the stethoscope around her belly. “Can you hear anything?”

  “Sure can.” Avery had her hold the chest piece while she put the ear tips in her ears.

  Charisma’s eyes got misty when she heard the heartbeat. Everyone else came over to have a listen, even Mackenzie.

  Isabelle smiled. “Sounds like the strong feisty heartbeat of a Reed woman.”

  “I love that sound.” Morgan gave a whimsical sigh.

  “Can I play with the new baby when it comes?” Mackenzie asked.

  “Sure. You know what? Maybe it will be girl and you will have someone to play with.” Charisma gave her a squeeze. “We’ll even go for ice cream and go skating together. Does that sound good to you?”

  Mackenzie smiled and nodded yes.

  “Sweet! I can’t wait to play with the new baby too,” Avery said.

  Morgan leaned down to look her daughter in the eye. “Kenzie, why don’t you go get the present you have for Aunt Charisma in your room?”

  “OK.” Mackenzie scampered out of the room.

  Morgan turned to Avery and fixed her with a look. “Avery, you don’t have the baby bug, do you?”

  “Aunt Morgan,” Avery replied patiently. “My interest is purely professional. Studying the triplets gave me some great insight. If everyone starts popping up pregnant again, this will help when I do my obstetrics rotation.”

  “Oh. Ok.” Morgan let out a big sigh of relief.

  “No worries. Parker and I are careful and we’re not interested in being mommies any time soon. You could film a safe sex PSA at our place.” Avery rolled her eyes. “To be honest, babysitting the kids kind of sucks the fun out of that fantasy.”

  Isabelle high-fived Morgan. “Mission accomplished.”

  “They’ve taught me a valuable lesson too. One is all I need,” Michelle replied.

  Isabelle laughed. “Uh, I’d talk to your husband. Your number and Tyler’s number may be different.”

  “I was thinking of having him hypnotized without his knowledge.” Michelle shrugged.

  “Tucker needs a sibling,” Morgan said.

  Isabelle leaned forward, grinning wickedly. “Did Morgan tell you how she ruined Jake’s Valentine’s Day?”

  “No,” Charisma said. “I have to hear this. What did she do?”

  Isabelle took a bite out of a chicken wing. “She screened the Valentines that Jake received at school and threw out any that mentioned anything that remotely sounded like physical contact.”

  “Hugs and kisses, my ass,” Morgan grumbled. “But there’s another reason I do a quick scan of his cards.”

  “Morgan, you can’t be serious.”

  Michelle winced. “In your crazy cousin’s defense, she does have a reason for doing it.”

  “Jake received a Valentine’s card a few years ago from a classmate, so I opened it so he could say than
k you the next day. Turns out there was a note in there addressed to Big Seth from, I’m guessing, one of the teachers in the school.”

  “Are we saying Big Seth and Little Seth now?” Isabelle furrowed her eyebrows.

  “Shh, Izzy, I am in mid indignation,” Morgan said.

  “Shut up. What did it say? How did you know it was from a grown-up to Big Seth?” Charisma sipped on her drink.

  “You mean, what didn’t it say. It wasn’t signed, but they droned on about his career in football and how hot and bothered she got from all those sexy magazine covers he did. It was a page straight out of a horny teenage girl’s diary. I went to that school and ripped the faculty a new one. They should have been checking the cards, at the very least. The principal apologized and begged me not to take the kids out of the school. It was a whole thing.”

  “Aunt Morgan, I thought we talked about you keeping that blood pressure down.” Avery put her fingers on Morgan’s wrist to check her pulse.

  “Can you imagine when some poor, unwitting little girl comes around the ranch to see Jake? Morgan’s going to be full psycho by then.”

  “Teri-Lyn and I have a plan.”

  “First of all, your baby is staring puberty right in the face.” Michelle chuckled. “The day is coming soon that—”

  Morgan shook her head. “I’m not listening to you.”

  “Morgan.” Charisma passed Morgan a cupcake on a plate to soften the blow. “You do know this is inevitable?”

  “So is you and Derek getting married, but I see you’re still trying to slow down that stage coach with your bare feet like Fred Flintstone.” Morgan bit into the sweet treat.

  “You turned down Derek’s proposal?” Michelle’s eyes widened as she popped a pig in a blanket into her mouth.

  Charisma lifted her chin. “Marriage isn’t a requirement for having a baby with someone.”

  “No, but it’s definitely an incentive when the guy is crazy about you,” Isabelle said.

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “Sure it is,” Morgan chimed in. “You love each other. You’re planning a future together.”

  “I’m afraid people will think this was all some elaborate plan to trap him.” She burst into tears.