The Blake Legacy (The Blake Boys) (11 page)

“You didn’t deserve her anyway. Instead of marrying Penny like you should have, you shacked up with some—”

Seth’s punch packed a wallop, sending Caine to the floor. He didn’t know what was at the end of his sentence, but he was going to make sure he wouldn’t say it again. It was on.

Caine shot up and rushed Seth into a supporting beam. Seth was able to push him off and catch him in the jaw. Stools were flying, beer bottles breaking, and Cal was yelling for everyone to calm down. But a bar fight with Caine was small peanuts compared to what Morgan was going to do to Seth when he got home.

Chapter Six

After straightening up Jake’s room and putting away the things she’d bought in San Antonio with Teri-Lyn, Morgan settled on the couch with a spy thriller she’d found in the library and fell asleep as soon as she cracked the spine.

The sound of the house phone ringing jutted Morgan out of her slumber on the couch. She looked at her watch. It was after midnight and there was no sign that Seth had been home. A lump rose in her throat, horrific images popped into her mind. Who called at this hour with good news?

“Hello,” she murmured into the phone. The firm voice on the other end of the line rattled off a quick statement that brought her out of her sleepy state. “What? I’ll be right there.”

Morgan tried not to think about the massive size of the truck she was driving. She’d grabbed the vehicle parked closest to the garage, which she thought was Tate’s, and was on her way to pick up Teri-Lyn. John Jacob’s business meeting had run late, so he and Bo had stayed over in Dallas instead of making the trip home that night. She’d weighed her options: drive alone in unfamiliar territory with a GPS or ask her mother-in-law to dress Jake and take him along for the ride. The longer she drove, the more deliciously evil she knew it was to bring Jake to the police station. Now was a good time to teach every Blake male a lesson about setting an example for their children.

* * *

“Thanks, Cal.” Teri-Lyn ended the call. “According to Cal, Caine Winterbourne came in looking to start a fight with Seth. He found one.”

Morgan bit her lip. “Winterbourne? So he’s related to Penny?”

“Yes, Caine is Penny’s older brother.”

Morgan would have closed her eyes if she weren’t driving. Would Penny ever be out of their lives? “She’s like a
bad
Penny. Forgive me. It’s late, and I can’t think of anything cleverer to say.”

Teri-Lyn laughed. “Caine is a hot head. Penny didn’t necessarily have to say anything to him. It’s an ego thing. Seth and Caine never got along.”

Morgan snorted. “The Seth and Penny story seems never ending.”

Teri-Lyn looked back at Jake. “I hope this late night adventure doesn’t disrupt his sleep pattern.”

“Well, the good news is he’s used to being up past his bedtime. Seth wakes him up, and they watch sports. He thinks I don’t know about it.” Morgan shook her head.

The inside of the police station was about as small as the town. After driving briefly down the Main Street, Morgan made a quick right, and they were at the Hanover Police Department. Teri-Lyn’s phone rang—John Jacob was returning her call—so Morgan told her she would go in and get the delinquent Blake Boys.

Morgan marched into the precinct and up to the front desk, while juggling Jake on her hip. The officer on duty, who was reading a newspaper while sipping on a hot drink, barely looked up.

“I’m here to bail out my husband and his brothers.”

The officer gave her a once over, then took his time folding his paper and even took another long sip of his drink. “And who exactly is your husband?”

“Seth Blake.” Morgan moved back when the officer’s cup almost fell out of his hand.

The officer stood up straight. “Sure thing, Mrs. Blake. Would you like something to drink? We have coffee around the corner. You can have a seat right over there.” He motioned for the chairs behind her.

“I’ll stand, thank you.” She glared at him.

The officer went into another room and started talking to an older man. Morgan instinctively rubbed Jake’s foot, who giggled in response. He was wide-awake, considering it was hours past his bedtime.

“As soon as we get your jailbird daddy and uncles bailed out, you are going back to sleep, mister. No matter how much grandma plays with you.” She kissed his outstretched hand. Jake responded by making agreeable sounds.

“He looks just like him,” a high pitched, twanged voice said behind her.

Morgan tensed. She knew that voice. She turned to see Dr. Penny Winterbourne, dressed in hospital scrubs, her red hair pulled up into a wild bun on her head.

“Hi, Morgan.”

Morgan exhaled. “Penny.”

It was her wish that she never see Penny again, but she knew it was inevitable. If not now, then some time in the future when they settled in Texas permanently. Seth was still on the board of directors at the clinic, and although he didn’t attend the meetings, he did sit in on the occasional conference call. They seemed to have a cordial relationship.

The last time they’d met, some pretty heated words had been exchanged. Morgan thought back to Penny’s statement that he was just biding his time with her. It must have been greatly disappointing to her foe that they were still together and were doing just fine. What could Penny have possibly said to her brother to have him pick a fight a year after her talk with Seth in the stables?

It must have taken the good doctor some time to work through losing the love of her life. Morgan knew Seth meant a lot to Penny. Behind the cold eyes and bitter words she’d spoken the night of the banquet, Morgan could see the fear. She’d played a game a bit too long and lost him.

“You have your daddy’s eyes. There’s no shade of green quite like his.” Penny cooed at Jake.

Jake made a whole lot of noise and reached out to her.

Both Morgan and Penny froze at Jake’s gesture. Apparently, Seth had passed on his susceptibility to redheaded doctors to his son. When she didn’t react, Jake reached for Penny again.

Penny looked at Morgan. “Can I?”

Morgan hesitated until she saw her son smile. “Sure.”

Penny put her bag down and pulled Jake into her arms. “Look at you, Seth Blake Jr. You are such a big, handsome boy.”

“The family nicknamed him Jake.”

“Jake Blake, huh?” Penny gave her a curious look.

Morgan shrugged.

Penny smiled. “Has your daddy been feeding you table food? And putting barbeque sauce in your bottle?”

Morgan couldn’t help but laugh. Penny did know Seth well. “It’s a daily struggle.”

“I apologize for my brother’s behavior tonight. There will be a very loud conversation when we get home.”

“Sometimes you just have to let men fight it out. I have three brothers, who fought all the time. A few punches and the world is back to normal again. Women could take a lesson from that simple, if barbaric, philosophy.”

Penny shook her head. “Well, that wouldn’t work. We’d be doing the right thing, duking it out, and some jerk will go and get some dirt and a hose and next thing you know we’re mud wrestling, and they’re being entertained.” She laughed.

Morgan laughed with her. “True.”

Penny caressed Jake’s back, and he smiled at her. “Aren’t you a healthy boy? You’re gonna play football like your daddy?”

The officer returned. “Hey, Dr. Winterbourne. Your surly brother and cousins are back there. I suppose you want to bail them out too?”

“Want to? No. But I will never hear the end of it if I let those meat heads stay here overnight.”

“Mrs. Blake, your bunch is coming out.” The officer pointed down the corridor.

Morgan shook her head. “Don’t I need to fill out some paperwork for the bail?”

Penny turned to her. “Sherriff Roberts is a friend of Seth’s dad and mine. When the boys get into a scuffle, things are usually straightened out with a donation to the Hanover Emergency fund.”

“And what’s the going rate for four trouble makers?” Morgan reached into her bag.

Penny looked at her for a moment like she couldn’t decide if she should say what was on her mind. Morgan stopped writing the check and turned to face her.

“Morgan, Caine’s actions tonight may have been knee jerk from nights with me crying on his shoulder. He’s just an overbearing big brother.” Penny nervously tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear.

“I see.” Morgan blinked, taken aback at the sincerity in Penny’s eyes.

Penny trudged on with her speech. “I said some harsh things to you last year, and I apologize. I was just hoping you weren’t the
one
. I should have been more gracious and less childish about the situation.”

Morgan didn’t want to fully embrace the apology, but seeing Penny cuddling Jake in her arms weakened her resolve. How could someone who hated her guts hold her son like that?

“Thank you for saying that, Penny.” Morgan smiled.

“I just wish so much damage didn’t have to be done tonight. Poor Cal will have to close down for repairs.”

“Maybe he won’t. I think that if the eight of them can fight, they can put that bar back together.” Morgan tapped the writing pen against her cheek.

Penny nodded in agreement. “Good idea.”

* * *

When Seth rounded the corner, his stomach clenched, and he stopped dead in his tracks. Morgan was standing in the reception area with none other than Penny, who was holding Jake. The past, present, and an alternate future were playing out right before his very eyes.

“You can’t catch a break today.” Tate snickered, then slapped Seth on the back and pushed him forward.

Channing and Tyler burst out laughing. Seth shot them a deadly, silencing look.

As Seth got closer to the reception area, he locked eyes with Morgan. It looked like the women were having a civilized conversation.

Jake became animated when he saw him and started yelling out, “Da! Da!”

“What are you doing up?” Seth asked his son as he gently took him out of Penny’s arms. Penny managed a regretful smile when he looked at her.

“He came to bail his father and wayward uncles out of jail,” Morgan said.

Penny spoke up. “Hey, Blake. You and Caine work things out?”

“In a manner of speaking.” Seth rubbed his neck.

“Good.” Penny smiled again and touched the baby’s arm. “It was good meeting you, Jake.”

Jake lunged at her and gave her a kiss. Seth chuckled. He turned to Morgan. “Baby.”

Penny rubbed Jake’s head and moved to the other side of the counter to write her check.

Channing and Tyler both gave Morgan a grateful kiss on the cheek and kept moving in the direction of the finger-wagging Teri-Lyn.

“I’ll take him.” Tate grabbed Jake and went over to get his tongue-lashing from her as well.

“This ought to be so good I’m going to pop some popcorn when we get home and get ready for this whopper of a story.” Morgan rubbed her hands together.

“Not as good as your chat with Penny.” He gave her an expectant look.

“Did it scare the hell out of you seeing us talking? And Jake in her arms?” She laughed.

“I think I’d rather fight Caine again.” Seth ran his hand along his jaw.

Morgan moved closer and looked him over. “Nothing looks broken. Just some slight bruising. Is the Blake name still intact?”

“Hell yeah.” Seth put his arm around her waist and kissed her.

Caine appeared and stopped at the desk. Penny shook her head and gave him a hug.

Seth took a deep breath. “We good, Winterbourne?”

“Yeah, we good.” Caine huffed.

Morgan chimed in, “I’m so glad everything is fine, because Penny and I were talking about it and it would be great if all of you helped Cal with repairs, starting tomorrow.”

Penny laughed. “Exactly, so everyone should get a good night’s sleep. I’ll let Cal know to expect his construction crew.”

Seth waited for the Winterbournes to leave, then he turned to his wife. “What exactly did you two talk about?”

“The same thing you and Caine discussed with your fists. Forgiveness. Leaving the past in the past. New life. And maybe one day, friendship. Women are just more civilized about it.” She smirked.

Seth pulled her close and kissed her on top of her head. He’d expected her to be mad at him for fighting. It still amazed him how she was able to see the good in things and not take their lives too seriously. Did he want her and Penny to become best buds? Hell no. He wasn’t that evolved that he could live with the two of them being girlfriends. But they were two wonderful women who had the drive and ambition for helping others. Seth laughed to himself when Morgan finished writing the hefty check to the Hanover Emergency fund. She wasn’t nearly as nervous as when she wrote that million-dollar check to the clinic last year. The money and being in the spotlight wasn’t as worrisome to her anymore. She was still as grounded as the day they’d met.

* * *

By the time they made it to the ranch, it was late so everyone stayed at Morgan and Seth’s house. The guys recounted their tale of how an innocent evening of fun turned into the brawl of the century. They all groaned when Morgan informed them that they were reporting to Cal in the morning to help with the repairs. Tate, Tyler, and Channing wandered off to guest rooms after taking some frozen veggies from the fridge and applying it on their sore spots. Teri-Lyn was sleeping in Jake’s room.

Morgan tended to Seth, helping him get out of his clothes. Then her lips turned up into a wicked smile. “So did you see the way Jake acted around Penny? It’s clear he knows she was almost his mother.”

“That is not funny.” Seth moaned as he leaned back onto the pillows.

“Or he has a thing for redheads. Take your pick. The fruit of your loins obviously has some of your tendencies. Hopefully fighting in bars won’t be one of them.” She punched him in the arm.

“That fight tonight was a long time coming for me and Caine.”

Morgan nestled next to him. “Never liked you dating his sister?”

“Penny was only part of it. Caine was one of those guys who thought I led a charmed life and hated me for it.” Seth pulled her closer and rubbed her back.