by Wilde, Erika
“Are you going to make me suffer though a chick flick?” he grumbled good-naturedly.
Her eyes opened wide in feigned innocence. “Would you? For me?”
He released a long-suffering sigh, like any self-respecting male would expect him to do. “If you insist.”
Pleased with his acquiescence, she laughed and led him merrily to the living room, where she proceeded to cuddle up next to him on the couch while searching for just the right movie. Even as they settled in to watch Sweet Home Alabama with Tess, a movie he’d normally never have any interest in seeing because of its romantic, sentimental content, he was coming to realize and accept that he’d do just about anything this woman asked of him.
Anything at all.
CHAPTER FIVE
Tess’s stomach fluttered anxiously as Morgan brought his truck to a stop in front of his sister’s place. She couldn’t help but be a little nervous about seeing Amy for the first time in so many years, no matter how much Morgan had tried to reassure her that his sister was thrilled that she was coming for dinner today.
She glanced at the house that Amy now lived in with her husband and kids, a small but well-maintained single story structure with an abundance of green plants and vibrant roses growing in the flower beds leading up to the front porch. A Big Wheel was parked haphazardly in the middle of the driveway, along with a scooter; evidence of the two little boys who lived there and who were currently kicking a soccer ball across the front yard to each other.
As soon as they saw Morgan, their faces lit up and they raced across the lawn chorusing in excitement, “Uncle Morgan, Uncle Morgan!”
They greeted him as soon as he stepped out of the truck, and Morgan hefted them both into his arms at the same time. He made a deep growling sound, pretending to be a big, ferocious bear who’d captured them.
Both boys squirmed in his strong arms and squealed with delight, obviously reveling in their uncle’s attention and playful side. Tess slid from the truck with the basket of goodies she’d brought for the Barber family and found herself smiling and enjoying the moment, too.
Morgan set the boys back down on the sidewalk, and the one who looked the oldest of the pair peered up at Tess with avid interest. “Who’s the lady, Uncle Morgan?” Morgan ruffled the boy’s dark brown hair affectionately. “This is my friend, Tess Monroe.”
“Hello,” Tess said, and recalled the names that Morgan had given her for his six- and four-year-old nephews. “Let’s see…you must be Todd.” At the boy’s nod, she glanced at the other youngster, who was standing at Morgan’s side, not quite as outgoing as his older brother. “And you must be Gavin.”
“That’s right,” Todd said, sounding surprised at her knowledge. “Do you know us?”
“Your uncle told me who you are,” Tess said with a smile, seeing a bit of Amy’s resemblance in Todd’s young, animated face. “But I do know your mom, and your dad, too. We all went to school together.” Jake Barber had always had a crush on Amy, and Tess was thrilled that the two of them had ended up happily married.
“What’s in the basket?” Gavin asked in a quiet little voice, his curiosity getting the best of him, despite his attempt at being shy and clinging to his Uncle’s leg.
“I brought some peach jam for your mom and dad,” she said, and almost laughed when Todd made an “ick” kind of face and dramatically shuddered. “And I also made chocolate chip cookies.” She didn’t think that a four- and six-year-old would have appreciated a peach muffin or turnover.
She lifted the cloth covering the baked goods, and the sweet scent of fresh homemade cookies wafted right below the little boys’ noses. “Would you each like one?”
Wide-eyed and hopeful, both boys glanced up at Morgan for his approval. “Can we, Uncle Morgan?” Todd asked.
“Go ahead,” he said with a nod. “I’m sure your mom won’t mind you having one cookie before dinner.”
The two boys crowded around the basket and took the biggest cookie each one of them could find, and the treat was all it took for Tess to win both of them over.
Once Todd and Gavin were busy eating their cookies, Morgan tucked Tess’s free hand in his and walked with her up to the front porch. As they neared the house, those nervous butterflies in Tess’s belly rehatched. She hoped that Amy was just as quick to accept her into her life as the boys had just been.
As they entered the house and Amy came into the living room to greet her and Morgan, Tess realized that her fears were completely unfounded. Amy, with her big pregnant belly, didn’t hesitate to wrap Tess in a warm hug as soon as they saw one another. Tess returned the embrace just as wholeheartedly, the years between them melting away as if they’d never been apart.
Finally, Amy let her go and stepped back, her gaze taking in Tess’s appearance. “God, you look so gorgeous and sophisticated. I feel so frumpy next to you!” She indicated her own maternity dress in comparison to Tess’s cute summer top and flowing cotton skirt.
“You look radiant, Amy,” Tess said, and meant it. “Obviously being pregnant agrees with you because you absolutely glow.”
Amy’s husband, Jake, greeted Tess with a light kiss on her cheek, then slipped his arms around his wife’s waist from behind and rubbed her burgeoning belly. “I keep telling her she’s the most beautiful woman I know.”
Amy rolled her eyes, though it was evident by the undisguised fondness in her gaze that she adored the man she’d married. “You’re my husband. You’re supposed to think I’m a goddess no matter what.”
They all laughed and followed Amy into the kitchen, where she’d been preparing dinner. Amy handed each of the men a cold bottle of beer and sent them out back to fire up the barbeque while she finished getting the chicken ready to put on the grill. Tess offered to help, and Amy gave her the task of making the salad.
They immediately fell into easy conversation, without a trace of awkwardness between them as they spent the next forty minutes trying to catch up on each other’s lives. Tess added cut-up tomatoes to the bowl of lettuce while telling Amy about Atlanta. Her old friend filled her in on all the latest gossip in Wynhaven, as well as what had been going on in her own personal life with Jake and the boys, including the new baby on the way, which was due in less than two months. Tess experienced a small pinch of envy for all that Amy had gained over the years. Unconditional love. A great husband. A wonderful family.
Tess felt as though her college degree, small apartment, and currently unemployed status paled in comparison.
Dinner was a lively affair, with Todd and Gavin doing their best to entertain their Uncle Morgan and his guest with silly antics that had Tess covering her laughter behind her napkin so she didn’t laugh out loud and encourage the two boys. Amy was certain that Morgan was somehow egging them on, and though her brother swore he was an innocent bystander, Tess had to agree with Amy since she recognized that mischievous gleam in Morgan’s gaze as he glanced at Todd and Gavin and the two boys burst into fits of giggles all over again.
Once the meal was over, Tess helped Amy clear the table, put away the leftovers, and clean up the kitchen. Then with a plate of her chocolate chip cookies in hand, they joined the men out in the backyard, who were playing ball with the boys and taking advantage of the last bit of sunlight.
Tess settled next to Amy on the porch swing, and they set it into motion with easy pushes of their feet. Quiet moments passed as they watched the men and boys having fun, and finally Amy glanced Tess’s way and broke the silence between them.
“So, what’s going on between you and Morgan?” Amy asked.
On some level Tess had expected the question, so it didn’t come as a surprise. But she wasn’t about to share the intimate details of her current relationship with Morgan with his sister, so she opted for the business version.
Tess met her friend’s curious gaze and smiled. “I’m sure Morgan told you I hired him to renovate my grandmother’s house before I put it up for sale.”
Amy rested a hand on her belly
and lifted a skeptical brow. “So you both say.”
There was no mistaking the blatant disbelief in Amy’s tone, but Tess refused to give anything away. “What’s that supposed to mean? It’s the truth.”
“Honestly, it’s none of my business what’s really going on between the two of you, but it’s obvious that it’s more than a working relationship.”
Tess wondered how she’d come to that conclusion, since Tess had been very careful about keeping things between her and Morgan low key in front of his sister and her family. Somehow, Amy had seen through the ruse.
Amy waited for her to reply, but when Tess remained quiet, neither confirming or denying the claim, Amy went on.
“Morgan was so hurt when you broke things off with him and left for Atlanta,” Amy said, her gaze drifting back to the man they were discussing. “And it took him a long time to get over you, if he ever did.”
Tess felt a lump of emotion rise in her throat, because if she’d learned anything at all since returning to Wynhaven, it was that she’d never, ever, gotten over Morgan either. To think he felt the same shook her up inside.
“I’ve been watching the way he looks at you, Tess, and he’s definitely falling for you all over again,” Amy continued softly. “I haven’t seen him look at another woman like that since you.”
Tess shivered as Amy’s profound statement stole through her. Was it possible that Morgan might want her for more than just a passing affair? Her heart and emotions wanted to believe it could be true, but her practical side reminded her that though she was sleeping with Morgan, he’d given her no guarantees other than a good time. And her own life was still so undecided that she wasn’t in the position to make promises to him, either.
Amy reached over and touched Tess’s hand, prompting Tess to meet her friend’s gaze once again. “I know Morgan is an adult and he can make his own decisions, but I don’t want him to get hurt again when you leave.” The sisterly concern in her voice was evident.
The last thing Tess wanted was to cause Morgan any more pain, but she’d like to believe that this time between her and Morgan was different than before. Because even if her decision took her back to Atlanta, she and Morgan had at least forged a new friendship that would hopefully sustain more than just her brief visit in Wynhaven.
Before she could formulate a response, the boys and men joined them on the porch, effectively dispelling Tess and Amy’s private conversation. Everyone helped themselves to the cookies, and after a half hour of more amusing antics from Todd and Gavin that kept the adults entertained, Amy stood up and pressed a hand to her aching back.
“Okay, boys, that’s enough of your silliness,” Amy chided gently. “Time for your baths.”
“Aww, Mom, do we have to?” Todd complained with a pout. “Uncle Morgan and Tess are still here.”
“Actually, it’s getting late and we should get going,” Morgan said. Clasping Tess’s hand securely in his, he helped her up from the swing.
Tess thanked Jake and Amy for having her over for dinner, and said good-bye to the boys. Todd gave her a big hug and told her she made the best chocolate chip cookies ever. Four-year-old Gavin approached her more timidly and looked up at her with big brown eyes.
“Will you come over again with Uncle Morgan?” Gavin asked.
The bright anticipation in his gaze told Tess that this little boy had come to accept her, and she was touched that he wanted to see her again. But since her time in Wynhaven was still so unsettled, she kept her reply as noncommittal as possible.
“I hope so,” she said with a smile, and that seemed to satisfy the little boy.
She and Morgan left the Barbers’ and ten minutes later they were pulling into a long, graveled driveway that led to a beautiful, sprawling house tucked away from anyone who drove along the main street.
She glanced back at him in surprise. “Is this your place?” she asked.
“Yep.” He grinned, the pride on his face unmistakable. “I bought the property about three years ago and built the house on it.”
What she found most ironic was the fact that Morgan’s property bordered against her grandmother’s, with only a quarter mile of green, lush forest separating them. And he’d never told her.
She shook her head in amazement, and though she was glad he’d brought her to his place, she wasn’t sure what had prompted him to do so now. Bringing her to where he lived seemed so intimate, so personal, and way beyond what their affair had been about so far.
The subtle shift in their relationship threw her off-kilter, prompting her to ask the question that was running through her head. “What are we doing here?”
His gaze met hers with a warmth and tenderness that made her heart leap in her chest. “There’s something I want to share with you.”
His choice of words added to her curiosity, and when they walked into his house hand in hand minutes later and she saw all the beautiful oak furniture filling his home, she instinctively knew that he’d hand-crafted the end tables, coat-rack, and wall-unit in the living room, as well as the table, chairs, and china hutch in the dining room.
“You made all this, didn’t you?” she asked, indicating everything with a sweep of her hand.
He nodded. “Yeah, I did.”
“Oh, Morgan,” she breathed in pure appreciation of his talent. All the pieces were unique and exquisitely designed, a real testament to just how brilliant this man was with his hands and mind.
She trailed her fingers over the polished surface of the large dining room table, admiring the smooth scalloped edges and the way the chairs matched exactly. “Why don’t you sell the furniture you make? You’d make a mint on custom orders.”
“I do.” He pushed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, and she could tell he was trying to be modest about his hand-crafted furniture. “All those pieces you saw in my workshop behind my office, those are ordered pieces, and ones I sell on consignment in a few places. I’ve got the construction as my main source of income, but the furniture I make in my spare time brings in a good amount of money, too, and it’s something I enjoy.”
The man was certainly full of surprises, and she grinned at him, happy for his own personal success. “I suppose I should put my order in now for a Morgan Kane original, before high demand drives up your prices.”
He laughed, the deep, rich sound curling seductively through her. “I think I can cut you a break.” He winked at her and led her down a long hallway. “Come on, what I want to share with you is this way.”
They passed a few bedrooms, and Tess caught a brief glimpse of a guest room, a home office, and a work-out room, until finally they walked into a large, spacious master bedroom decorated in beige and hunter green tones. More of Morgan’s woodwork furnished the room, but it was the king-sized four poster bed that caught her attention. Like everything else he’d made, it was beautiful and elegantly detailed, a one of a kind piece that complemented the armoire across from it.
She turned back around and cast Morgan a sly, teasing look. “Was this just a ploy to get me into your bedroom?”
Morgan chuckled. “I don’t think I need a ploy for that.” He moved to the other side of the room, to where he’d put the special gift he’d made for Tess so many years ago, but had never had the chance to give her. “Actually, what I want to show you is right here.”
She came up to where he was standing and he met her gaze, suddenly feeling oddly nervous, because of what this gift was going to reveal. It was time to make peace with the past, and this was his way of showing Tess how much she still meant to him without scaring her off with a declaration of love before she was ready to hear those words.
“It’s a hope chest,” she said softly, and knelt before the chest to get a better look at it. “A beautiful one.”
“I was hoping you’d think so.” He watched her open the box to see the inside and he inhaled the scent of cedar, which he’d used to line the interior of the chest. “I made it for you years ago, when we were dating.�
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She glanced up at him, her eyes wide and startled, and a bit confused, too. “You did?”
He nodded. “I didn’t get the chance to give it to you before you left for Atlanta, but I want you to have it now.” No matter how upset he’d been with Tess for leaving, he hadn’t been able to give away the hope chest, not when there were so many sentimental emotions attached to the piece. Not when she’d been his first and only love. Besides, it had been personalized just for her.
With her still staring at him in disbelief, he squatted next to her and pointed to the heart and initials he’d carved on top of the box. “See, there’s a T and an M right there.”
The letters could have stood for Tess Monroe, or Tess and Morgan, and he decided to let her come to her own conclusions about that. Though when he’d whittled that heart and those initials into the wood it had been for the two of them, with the intent that they would be together forever.
He heard a strangled sound come from Tess and she abruptly stood. Unsure what had set her off, he straightened, too, and when he saw the tears filling her eyes and trickling down her cheek, his gut clenched hard.
“Hey, what’s this?” he asked gently, and brushed away a fresh tear with his thumb. “I give you a gift and you’re crying?”
A smile wavered on her lips, but he could still see how torn and confused she was. “No one has ever given me anything as beautiful or thoughtful as this hope chest. Thank you. I’ll treasure it always.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, softly at first, then with a growing need that quickly flared out of control.
He tasted the escalating desire and passion in the way her mouth melded to his, could sense the emotion in the way her hands touched him, and he knew where all this kissing and caressing was heading. And because he suspected she wasn’t ready to deal with what his gift implied, he willingly gave himself over to the moment, determined to give her the kind of hot, mindless joining she craved, just as much as he did.
