Love Notes and Football Read online

  Table of Contents

  Look for these titles from Rhonda Laurel

  Copyright Warning

  ~ Dedication ~

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  ~ About the Author ~

  ~ Also by Rhonda Laurel ~

  ~ More Romance from Etopia Press ~

  Look for these titles from Rhonda Laurel

  Now Available

  The Blake Boys Series

  For the Love of the Game (Book One)

  MVP (Book Two)

  The Blake Legacy (Book Three)

  Texas Heat (Book Four)

  Love Notes and Football (Book Five)

  Ebb Tide

  Shutter

  Star Crossed

  “Masquerade” Halloween Heat IV

  In Print

  The Rhonda Laurel Collection

  “Masquerade” Halloween Heat MF

  The Blake Boys Collection

  Love Notes and Football

  The Blake Boys Book Five

  Rhonda Laurel

  Copyright Warning

  EBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared, or given away. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is a crime punishable by law. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded to or downloaded from file sharing sites, or distributed in any other way via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publisher’s permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/).

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are fictitious or have been used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real in any way. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Published By

  Etopia Press

  1643 Warwick Ave., #124

  Warwick, RI 02889

  http://www.etopiapress.com

  Love Notes and Football

  Copyright © 2014 by Rhonda Laurel

  ISBN: 978-1-941692-17-2

  Edited by Lauren Triola

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  First Etopia Press electronic publication: August 2014

  ~ Dedication ~

  To Morgan and Seth, thank you for sharing your love with the world.

  Chapter One

  Morgan closed her eyes as the soothing music and the dim lighting washed over her, allowing her to drift away. The masseuse’s magic fingers were the next best thing to Seth’s. There was so much to do to prepare for the baby’s arrival, but all she could think of right now was how wonderful it felt to just lie still for a moment.

  The masseuse touched her arm. “Mrs. Blake, we’re done.”

  “Already? I must have dozed off.” She shook her head. “Thank you so much. I feel like a new person.”

  Morgan put on her robe. She was due to meet her mother-in-law for lunch at the poolside restaurant. She reached inside the pocket to get money for the tip and pulled out a piece of paper that was folded with the bills. It was a handwritten note from Seth.

  Morgan,

  Our journey to love has been a slow steady walk of patience, kindness, simplicity, care, laughter and friendship. Thank you for sharing the journey with me.

  Love, Seth

  Morgan smiled. Seth had been leaving little romantic notes around for her lately. In the few months since he’d renewed his contract with the Philadelphia Titans, garnering the biggest payday of his football career, their world was changing again. In five years he would retire from the sport he loved to spend time with his growing family. And he seemed determined to make sure she didn’t forget how much he loved her, especially now that she was pregnant with their second child.

  “Shall I call you a shuttle?” the masseuse offered.

  “No thanks. I can use the exercise.” She handed the woman the tip. The poolside restaurant wasn’t too far away. Her pregnancy waddle was coming back, but that didn’t stop her from trying to keep up with her son or trying to stay active.

  A few minutes later, she opened the gate and waded through the tables until she spotted Teri-Lyn sitting at a table filled with food.

  “They asked if I wanted to taste test the menu, and I thought you’d like that,” Teri-Lyn said as she approached the table.

  “Good idea.” She rubbed her hands together.

  “You look relaxed.”

  “You don’t know the half of it. These robes are so soft. I feel like I’m wrapped in a cloud. Do you think we can take these when we leave?”

  Teri-Lyn chuckled. “Since your son is the proprietor, I don’t think it will be a problem.”

  The five-star golf resort was a birthday present to little Jake from his grandfather for his first birthday and boasted a spa, five swimming pools, a kids’ play area, a mini golf course, horse stables, and three restaurants.

  “I don’t know,” Morgan said. “Seth was teaching him about bottom lines last night when they reviewed the operating budget for this place. How was your mud bath?”

  “I haven’t felt this good in years.” Teri-Lyn poured her a glass of iced tea.

  Morgan sat down and got to work on the smorgasbord. She was elated that the nausea stage of the pregnancy was over, but now her appetite rivaled Seth’s. The baby was nudging her to make a giant sandwich of everything on the table.

  “These turkey sandwiches are delicious.” Morgan rolled her eyes heavenward.

  “Not worried about fitting into those nostalgic, high-school jeans of yours?”

  “I made a deal with Seth. Healthy baby. Healthy wife. No crazy talk about diets and ill-fitting clothes.”

  “Good. You’re practically a waif.”

  “Bless your heart for saying that.” Morgan blew a kiss at her.

  “I wonder how the boys are making out.”

  “You mean how big the wager is?”

  Teri-Lyn wagged her finger at her. “I blame you. Seth turned into a golfing monster when you got him those new clubs.”

  “Did he tell you what he did with his old clubs?”

  “No.”

  “He gave them to my dad.”

  “I bet he gets more use out of them than Seth did.”

  “No way. He had Seth autograph the bag and now he keeps them in his den as a collector’s item. He invites his friends over just to show them off.”

  “Seth loves your dad. I’m so glad he wasn’t saddled with an in-law from hell.”

  “Me too.” Morgan giggled. “Either of us.”

  “I can’t wait until you live on the ranch full-time. I get to see my grand babies every day and spend time with you.”

  Morgan put down her glass. “Teri-Lyn, how did you manage having five boys? Didn’t Seth and his brothers drive you crazy?”

  “It was glorious chaos and I loved it. The trick is to get a good bead on those wonderful little personalities when they start sprouting up. I loved the time J.J. and I had together, but it was clear he was an independent thinker. So while I was bonding with Seth, J.J. was in toddler mode, learning how to do things for himself. The two of them helped me see what to watch out for with Tyler and Channing. And when Tate came along, it felt like he and Seth were like fraternal twins and he just folded into the mix.”


  “No nasty fights? I remember my brothers had the most epic battles. Then they would go outside and play together, like nothing happened.” She rolled her eyes.

  “Please, those boys roughhoused so much they looked like a cloud of smoke with the arms and legs sticking out like in the old cartoons. It’s normal for boys. I know it sounds sexist, but I’d be more concerned if they were well-behaved. That’s when you know they’re covering something up.”

  “I just want Jake to feel good about having a sibling. Being the last child and the only girl, I felt like I was on an island by myself. Everyone was always whizzing by me, but my mom would try to help me keep up with my brothers. Then she died and there was no one to help me, so I just did my own thing.” She sighed.

  “So have you given up hope on having a girl?”

  “How can I argue with the airtight scientific analysis the Blake men offered?” Morgan folded her arms over her chest.

  Teri-Lyn laughed. “Boy or girl, it doesn’t matter to me. I am going to spoil my grandbaby something silly.”

  Morgan looked up and saw Seth sprinting in their direction. Why was he running like something was on fire?

  Morgan gripped the arm of her chair. “What is it? Is something wrong with Jake?”

  “Jake’s fine. He’s with my dad.” Seth knelt down next to her, unclenched her hand from the chair’s arm, and wound his fingers through hers. “I just got a call from Jared.”

  A wave of nausea hit. “What did he say?” The baby did a somersault while her stomach churned.

  “Your dad had a heart attack. We need to get back to Philadelphia immediately.”

  * * *

  Morgan couldn’t remember how she’d gotten back to their suite. She packed like a zombie while Teri-Lyn took care of Jake’s things. Seth called the airport and put the plane on standby for immediate departure. When he was finished with the call, he closed the bedroom door and pulled Morgan into a tight embrace. The comforting, rhythmic movement of swaying back and forth allowed her to open up the floodgates. She bawled in the safety of his arms.

  “He’s going to be OK.” Seth kissed her on top of her head.

  “I wish I could believe that. Did Jared tell you what happened?”

  “He said your dad and Avery were out in the garden when it started.”

  “Oh no! She was there by herself?” Morgan wiped the tears from her eyes. Her teenaged niece shouldn’t have had to witness something like that on her own.

  “Jared said she knew what to do. Robert had her take a first aid class last summer. She sprang into action and saved Curtis’s life.”

  “Thank goodness.”

  “Don’t worry, Curtis is tough, just like his daughter. He’s going to pull through.”

  There was a soft knock at the door and the handle jiggled. It must have been Jake.

  “What are we going to tell Jake?” Morgan sniffed.

  “We can tell him the truth in the simplest way possible.”

  Morgan went into the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face. What was the point of coming up with something casual to say when her eyes were all puffy and swollen? She put a washcloth on her forehead and looked in her cosmetic bag for the candy bar she’d stashed in there.

  She listened as Seth explained to Jake why they were cutting their trip short. The toddler accepted the change in plans and asked Seth to fix one of his toy cars that had a broken wheel.

  * * *

  The Blakes insisted on seeing them off at the private airport. The several reassuring hugs from her in-laws gave her the courage to get on the plane and face what lay ahead in Philadelphia. Morgan ate the lunch the flight attendant served, but she didn’t really have an appetite. Seth talked to Jake about the mini golf course that had dinosaurs and pirates. The sound of Jake’s toddler chatter lulled her sleep.

  Seth woke her when it was time to land, and as soon as the plane touched down at eight o’clock that evening, they headed for the hospital.

  Morgan spotted her brothers clustered at the end of a hallway. “Any news?” she asked as she waddled toward them.

  “They did an angiogram and he has a blocked artery.” Jared hugged her.

  Morgan didn’t realize she was hyperventilating until Seth sat her down in a plastic chair against the wall and put a cup of water in her hand. The room spun around her and her mind felt fuzzy, so she closed her eyes. She sat that way for a few minutes, trying to get her bearings. The feel of Seth’s thumb caressing the back of her hand gave her the courage to open them again. The look of worry on his face, coupled with Jake trying to climb onto her lap, brought her back to reality.

  She clutched Jake like a security blanket while Seth talked in the corner with her brothers Jared and Robert. From what she could hear, her father hadn’t been feeling well for a while. Why hadn’t anyone mentioned his ailing health to her?

  “Avery, are you OK?” Morgan gave her niece a comforting hug as she sat down.

  “Yes.” The teen blinked rapidly.

  “Uncle Jared told us you sprang into action and called the ambulance when you noticed Grandpa wasn’t feeling well.”

  “I remembered the protocol from that crisis management class Dad made me take last summer.” Avery put her head on Morgan’s shoulder.

  “I’m so sorry you had to be there alone when it happened.”

  “Grandpa didn’t look like himself. He looked—”

  Morgan interrupted her. “The important thing is the most level-headed person I know was there in his time of need. I would have freaked out for sure.”

  “No, you wouldn’t have, Aunt Morgan. Daddy told me about those disaster relief drills you used to stage when you were little.”

  “Actually, your dad and uncles were all late sleepers. I used to do that to piss them off. Your grandpa, the fire chief, thought I was doing my civic duty,” Morgan quipped.

  Avery laughed and for a moment everything was normal again.

  Seth came up beside her. “Are you hungry? I can make a run to the cafeteria to get us something to eat.”

  “No thanks, I don’t think I can eat anyway.” Jake had moved onto Avery’s lap and had fallen asleep. It was well past his bedtime and it had been a long day.

  As if the day couldn’t get any worse, Aunt Deborah and Charisma were coming down the hall.

  The baby began kicking up a storm. Morgan braced herself for the Snark Patrol, but Seth stepped in front of her, blocking her from their view as they passed.

  A half hour later her stepmother Sydney came out to give the family an update.

  Morgan stood. “Can we see him?”

  “He’s sleeping.” Sydney managed a small smile. “The doctors want him to rest.”

  “Is he OK?”

  “They say he’s stable. We should all go get some sleep and come back in the morning.”

  Morgan felt Jake’s hand tugging on hers. She looked down to see him holding up his stuffed bunny.

  “Mommy, give Benny to grandpa.”

  It was all she could do not to cry.

  “Can’t I see him for just a moment? I promise I won’t wake him.”

  Sydney gave her an understanding smile. “Just a few minutes.”

  Morgan took a deep breath and gingerly walked into the room, trying not to cry when she saw the tubes and machines connected to her father. A nurse was jotting some things down on his chart and smiled at her. The sounds of the monitors sounded like canons booming in the quiet room. The computer screen on the wall displayed his heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen level but didn’t comfort her, for those numbers could change in a flash. Everything around her stood as a harsh reminder of the delicate balance of life, and how it could all end at a moment’s notice.

  Her father looked withered, a shadow of the strong man who used to pick her up when she was a little girl as if she were light as a feather. She couldn’t remember the last time she saw her father sleep. He was always up before all the kids and the last one in bed. Since she’d become a moth
er she wondered how he managed to be everywhere at once, being a firefighter and watching over them by himself after their mother died.

  Suddenly every fight, ballet recital, tea party, skinned knee and consoling, loving moment came rushing back to her. He’d done such a good job as a dad. Had she ever told him? Had she ever thanked him for being both mother and father to her? She wanted to give him one of those life-affirming hugs like he used to give her and tell him everything would be all right.

  Morgan got closer to the bed and placed Jake’s stuffed bunny next to her father’s arm. She hoped it would be as comforting to him as it was to her son. When she kissed his cheek, he stirred a bit but didn’t wake up. The sob that had been buried at the back of her throat since she entered the hospital threatened to come forth. She put a hand over her mouth and ran her other hand over her belly, hoping her baby would get a chance to meet Grandpa.

  * * *

  The next morning, Seth lay in bed with Morgan cuddled against his side.

  “How long has my dad not been feeling well?” she asked. “I know you talked to Jared and Robert about it.”

  Seth sighed. “A few months. Babe, I know it’s wrong that they didn’t tell you, but they were just trying to protect you.”

  Morgan shook her head. “I should have known something was wrong.”

  “You can’t see everything. It’s just not humanly possible.” Seth ran his hand up and down her arm.

  Morgan shook her head. “I should have known.”