Off Season (The Blake Boys Book 15)

by Rhonda Laurel

  “We know you’ve been taking your time about a new direction. But are you sure that’s what you want to do?” Bo asked.

  “I think Morgan is going to take issue with that.” Tate held up his hands. “I know my sister-in-law.”

  Seth nodded. “I think it’s the right thing to do. It’s what I have to do.”

  Two hours and hundreds of balls later, Seth felt a little better. He returned home in the hope that Morgan was awake. They needed to talk. He needed to tell her that he was willing to do whatever it took to keep her well. He crept through the house expecting the kids to be asleep, but none of them were in their beds. He walked into his bedroom to find Morgan and the kids in bed together.

  “More story.” Mackenzie clapped.

  “You said that three stories ago. It’s time for bed for everyone.” Morgan looked up and smiled. “Daddy’s back from poker. Did you win big?”

  “No, we scrapped the game and went down to the batting cages.” Seth leaned over and kissed her.

  “I guess we’re all feeling a little restless tonight.”

  “Have room for one more?”

  “Always.”

  He quickly changed into his pajamas and got into bed. They hadn’t done this since they’d moved to the ranch full time. Once the chatter from the kids died down and everyone was comfortable, Seth turned out the light.

  * * *

  Seth watched as T.K. positioned himself on the green for the fifth time to make the putt. When Seth called T.K. to give him an update on Riley, Morgan encouraged him to go meet with T.K. in person. Her motto lately was that the world didn’t stop just because she had lupus. Trying to give her space, he gave in and went. He hadn’t been to the country club in years and wasn’t surprised that not much had changed. It was one of those places he could still mill around unnoticed and without fanfare. There was no legendary status there. He was among titans of industry, and it wasn’t easy to impress them. To most of the members he was still John Jacob’s little boy who liked to play football and that was fine with him.

  Riley was communicating better with his team on the field, but he was still showing off in post-game interviews and his constant partying was still making the entertainment news cycles. Winning the coveted yet superfluous title of Sexiest Rookie in the NFL by some fashion magazine only inflamed his ego, but at least it was having less of an effect on the team.

  “You gonna hit that ball any time soon?” Seth asked.

  “Patience is the cornerstone of a good leader.” T.K. crouched down and eyed the ball. “And I intend to use my age and ability to see the big picture to beat you.”

  Seth glanced at his watch. “They stop serving lunch at four, and you promised me the world’s finest porterhouse. I’m just saying.”

  “And you’ll get it. The meat is so fresh the cow was just mooing this morning.”

  “I’d rather not have that mental picture.”

  “What are you talking about? That’s the circle of life. I knew city life would soften you up.”

  “The way Bo’s been working me at the stables, there’s no chance of that happening.”

  “I heard about Morgan’s lupus diagnosis. It always breaks my heart when young people get diagnosed with serious illnesses. But she’s a tough woman. She’ll manage it just fine.”

  “Thanks.” Seth cleared his throat. “I’m sorry to hear about you and Selene. I know divorce can’t be easy.”

  “It’s never easy falling out of love, but it happens.”

  “I hope you two can part amicably.”

  “She’s getting a hefty settlement and a short good-bye.”

  “I know you’ll bounce back from it.”

  He shook his head as if it didn’t matter and changed the subject. “What’s new on the Riley situation? I see improvement from him on the field and in the locker room. Ross says he’s almost tolerable now. I know that’s your doing.” T.K. finally hit the ball and sent it flying. “Maybe I should hire you as a motivational coach for the entire team.”

  Seth held up his hand to shield his eyes from the glare so he could see where it landed. “He’s still rough around the edges, but it’s good to hear I’m getting through to him.”

  “You have a real gift. You know that? You were always good at diplomacy, even when you were young.”

  “Mama says I was a born negotiator. I guess I can easily see both sides of a situation and analyze how everyone can benefit in the end.”

  “What was the benefit of beating Lamont Brayer to a pulp?” T.K. asked.

  “Closure.”

  T.K. looked at him thoughtfully and then nodded. “I had an interesting conversation with John Jacob last week.”

  “You two are always talking about something interesting.” Seth pulled the club he wanted to use from his golf bag.

  “He told me the reason you haven’t accepted my repeated offers to join the organization was because I didn’t give you a real incentive to do so.”

  T.K. had been more than generous with past offers. Seth knew where this was going. “It’s not about the money.”

  “I know it’s not. Let’s be frank. Money doesn’t drive men like us. You need a hands-on challenge. Like mentoring Riley.”

  “I’m not mentoring Riley. According to him, he doesn’t need anyone telling him anything.”

  “That’s exactly why he needs guidance,” T.K. said. “A man who doesn’t think he needs to learn anything is dangerous not only to himself but to everyone around him as well.”

  “It’s been a challenge, but I know what his presence means for the Tomcats. There’s a chance to get back the glory you had twenty something years ago. You have a clean slate. You have a new head coach, the team’s strong, and you have a quarterback with potential.”

  “I do have all that. You would be the icing on the cake. OK, coaching is off the table. There are still plenty of things to be done in my organization. Heaven knows my sons aren’t going to take charge.”

  “I think I’ll stick with unpaid freelance motivational speaking.”

  “There’s a fire in your belly. I can sense it. What I don’t know is why you’re resisting it.”

  “Family, T.K.” He laughed. “Until I know I can do a job that won’t interfere with taking care of my wife and family, I’m going to keep looking for something that’s right for me.”

  “Well, I do appreciate you taking the time with Riley. I’m sure it will take him a long way.”

  It seemed T.K. was content with the progress Riley had made, but Seth knew it was only phase one of helping the kid become a good leader. If Ross said Riley had become tolerable, there was hope that he’d actually be an asset someday. He wanted to walk away, but in his heart he knew he couldn’t. He wasn’t able to work for T.K., but he could help the man get the kind of quarterback he’d always wanted.

  “If you don’t mind, Riley and I still have some work to do. I’d like to talk to him again.”

  T.K. looked at him. “Oh?”

  “What he does on his own time is his business, but I think with a little more instruction, he can be a long term asset to you.”

  “I do believe that boy is growing on you.”

  Seth’s jaw ticked. “Yeah, like a fungus.”

  “Must be like looking in a mirror.” T.K. laughed.

  “I was not that bad.”

  “You had your moments, but I knew John Jacob’s boy would only do so much before he got straightened out at home. Not that I mind the quid pro quo, but what do you want to get out of this?”

  “If that little runt is going to broadcast that he’s going to outshine me in every way, he needs to bring his A game. Right now he’s averaging a C minus at best.”

  “You want to make it a fair fight?”

  “Exactly.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  It had been a month since her diagnosis and it still felt unreal to Morgan. She’d been going to sleep earlier to get ready for the next day, so it felt strange to sometimes fall asleep so
on after the kids. She worried that Seth felt lonely since she’d been giving in to the natural indications from her body that she needed so much more rest. That meant they hadn’t been as amorous lately as usual. Some of the times she did wake throughout the night he’d be watching a movie or on the computer, but most times he was cuddled right next to her in the bed. It was what she’d imagined they’d be like as an older couple. She thought about what Teri-Lyn had said about the cornerstone of a good marriage. Unconditional love and care.

  She’d been thinking a lot about her own mortality and her mother’s premature death. The diagnosis had opened a floodgate of grief she’d thought she’d released a long time ago. This time it was her Grandma that gave her some sage advice. She said it was OK to grieve her mother whenever she wanted. But it was also OK to keep on living.

  She’d finally noticed she’d slipped into a depression when Mackenzie came bursting into her room while she was resting and asked, in her own way, for her mother to comb her hair. She opened her eyes to see her little girl with four of the craziest braids she’d ever seen. She was dressed in a pastel jumper and she wasn’t wearing any socks.

  “Who combed your hair?”

  “Jake.” Mackenzie giggled and waved the brush around.

  She got off the bed and picked her up. She kissed her daughter and tickled her stomach. “We’re going to get you some socks, then we’re going to give everyone in this house a lesson on the basic ponytail.”

  She ventured through the house and it wasn’t a World War I level disaster, but it could use a bit of straightening. She entered the family room, and Seth and the boys, who were watching college football, jumped out of their chairs and stood in line at attention like they were in the military. She had to laugh that she’d fallen for the ruse. Apparently bad hair care was her trigger for action.

  The kids still hadn’t been told about her health change, at her request. She knew it was only a matter of time before her hand would be forced. She kissed her brood and gave everyone instructions on what they had to clean after they watched the game. She got up on her tiptoes and kissed Seth. She then told him to take a seat and plopped Mackenzie on his lap. Like she thought, Mackenzie sat still for dad as he combed and brushed her red mane then took instruction from Morgan on a simple braiding technique. It was adorable to see the hands that could fire a football down a field like a rocket gently coil his daughter’s hair and finish off with one of those glittery barrettes he’d bought. This was what she’d been missing for a month.

  The next step was to visit her doctor again. She felt like she was having déjà vu when she squeezed Seth’s hand as they sat across from a diagnosis consultation for the second time. She apologized right off the bat, but the doctor said it wasn’t necessary. He said he’d seen a bevy of responses from people over the years when they’d received life changing news.

  Seth had done such a great job compiling information on their computer, now they had several more questions for the doctor. She would have felt better if there was a finite system of progression, but he pointed out that it simply didn’t work that way. She asked about the chance of one of the kids having it, but he told her there was no scientific proof that it was hereditary even if more members of her family were to discover they had it.

  He’d asked how she was doing at home, and she’d admitted that she’d been feeling really down. Honesty was the key. He suggested she get some exercise, sleep when her body told her to, and engage in things that raised her spirits until the symptoms abated.

  She told him about the online support group she’d joined and he told her that was great. She found comfort in meeting people who were navigating the system well and it was touching to read their stories. She’d even downloaded an app on her phone she could access on the ready that listed the various symptoms. When they left, she felt more content, and Seth looked more optimistic too.

  Now she had the future to consider. Michelle and Tyler had visited last weekend, but she knew Michelle didn’t bring up the new bookstore on purpose. Sure they had the perfect location, but now they had her new health concerns and Morgan’s nostalgia for Reed Bradley Books was hitting her hard. She missed everything about it. The location. The staff. The atmosphere. She’d had lightning in a bottle in Philadelphia and she didn’t know if she could repeat it here.

  Her motivations for having another store were different now too. When she’d opened Reed Books, she was looking for a cozy escape from the world. She didn’t really fit in anywhere, but she loved books. She loved where the pages could take her if she cracked the spine all in the comfort of the little store where she felt safe. Now she was living her own adventure. She lived on a ranch in Texas and had married the man she’d dreamed about in her secret bookworm heart. And she’d opened her soul to him and had babies with him. There were days when she thought something was bound to come along and wrench away her fantasy. But as Sydney pointed out, it was just everyday living. People lived with joy, happiness, illness, grief, and regret all the time.

  She was relieved to hear that her dad was handling all of this well. She’d half expected him to fall apart, but Sydney had been teaching him about living with stress since his heart issues began. He did some research of his own on the Internet, spoke about it in church, and discovered a few members of the congregation had been living with it for a while. Sydney said Curtis got on his knees and asked God to watch over his baby. She had too much living to do get to get struck down by some disease.

  The rest of the family had been just as supportive. There were so many decisions to be made. Still, the guilt of holding up Michelle’s dream of a second bookstore gnawed at her, and she feared the kids would wonder why she was getting all these well wishes, so she told Seth it was time to tell them. He agreed.

  * * *

  Seth noticed Morgan was so nervous about talking with the kids about her diagnosis, she almost spilled the milk twice and didn’t notice Mackenzie was dropping food on the floor for Rowdy to eat. Seth had rallied the kids this morning and had them all in a good mood as they discussed what they were doing today. He’d promised them they’d go to the craft store. Now seemed like a good time to talk. He took a seat at the table and took a deep breath before starting.

  “Boys and Sweet Pea.” Seth tapped on his orange juice glass with a fork to get their attention. “Your mom and I have something we want to discuss with you.”

  The table quieted.

  Morgan squeezed his hand and cleared her throat. “A little while ago I went to the doctor because I wasn’t feeling well, and the doctor informed me that I have something called lupus. It’s a disease that has something to do with my immune system. It’s not functioning properly to protect my body like it should, and there will be times when I may need to get more rest than usual. Do you have any questions?” She bit her lip.

  “Are you going to be OK?” Jake asked.

  “Yes. I have a really good doctor who’s mapped out a good treatment plan for me, and I’ll have to take my meds and get the proper rest when I need it.”

  “Do you have to go to the hospital like Aunt Cassie?” Connor asked.

  “Not yet. But there may come a time when I’ll need to go in for testing or stay a couple of days so the doctors can figure things out. Dad and I will have a system in place so our lives won’t grind to halt.”

  “But you won’t go away? Right?” Colby’s voice quivered.

  “No.” Morgan shook her head. “I’m going to do whatever I have to do make sure that doesn’t happen.”

  Jake got out of his chair and came over and hugged her. Connor and Colby followed suit, while Mackenzie reached out for her from the high chair. Colby helped her out and set her on Morgan’s lap.

  “Mommy.” Mackenzie wrapped her little arms around her mother’s neck.

  Seth smiled when Morgan’s eyes welled up at the sound of Mackenzie’s first “mommy.”

  Seth added, “Your mom and I are a team. I will do everything in my power to make sure
she’s OK. But in order for us to help her, we have to go on with our lives and be optimistic. That means no sad faces, just good wishes and prayers that she gets better whenever she’s feeling sick.”

  “Dad’s right. I have good doctors and the best family on the planet. We’re going to get through this together.”

  Right then and there, Seth knew she’d be OK.

  “Let’s finish our breakfast.” Morgan hugged and kissed each of them as they returned to their seats. But she kept Mackenzie on her lap.

  “Jake, the note your teacher put in your bag said it’s picture time for your class,” Seth said as he got up and went to the fridge for cranberry juice.

  “It’s next week.”

  “Sounds like we need to get you a haircut and a new outfit.” Seth rubbed Jake’s head on the way back to his seat.

  “Aw, man.”

  “What’s the grumbling for? You always look so handsome in your pictures,” Morgan said.

  “We can’t play on picture day. We have to stay neat and clean.” Jake stuck his tongue out in disgust.

  “That’s cruel and unusual punishment.” Morgan put her hand on her cheek. “I think you should take that picture. How else are we going to track how much you look like dad did when he was your age? It’s remarkable how much you look like him.” Morgan shared a banana with Mackenzie.

  Connor smirked. “Ah ha. You look like Dad.”

  “Well, you look like Colby,” Jake retorted and shoved pancakes in his mouth.

  “Hey!” Colby yelled.

  “Everybody calm down.” Morgan handed Mackenzie another piece of banana. “Jake, there are worse things than looking like your dad.”

  “I don’t know what you saw in him.” Jake rolled his eyes.

  “Hey,” Seth said. “I’m still here you know.”

  Morgan laughed. “Your father’s handsome, smart, funny, and he’s got swagger.”

  “What’s swagger?” Connor snagged a piece of toast off Jake’s plate.