day so he could return calls to his racing team when his phone continued to ring all morning. The buzz about the race was still going on, but they had to strategize the next race. So she decided to call Morgan and give her a tour of her own home.
“Morgan, this house is gorgeous. You have to come here for vacation next year.”
“I will put that on the schedule. So how are things with the wayward cowboy?”
She sighed. “So far, a whole lot of nothin’.”
“Stay focused and don’t let him do anything to distract you,” Morgan advised.
“I’ve held up pretty good so far, but he does look so adorable when he sleeps.” She bit her lip and peeked into the living room.
“Adorable my ass. He sleeps like a baby because he doesn’t own up to his crap. I say give him nightmares.”
“You’re pretty bad ass for a woman who was swept off her feet by a professional football player on a beach.”
“Lucky for Seth he caught me at a time in my life when I was softening.” Morgan laughed.
“You were on vacation in a bungalow with a hot guy and were horny,” Michelle scoffed.
“Well I’m telling the boys that the clouds parted and we held hands and walked along the beach the whole time. Maybe I’ll throw in a few doves and a harpist.”
“How are things at the store? Are we matching last year’s numbers?” Michelle asked.
“Actually we’re exceeding the figures by five thousand.”
“Want me to tell you what I got you for Christmas?” Michelle prodded, hoping she would tell if she got the Panini press for her.
“No. And if you keep it up you won’t get your present until Valentine’s Day.”
“That will probably be the only present I get that day.”
“I don’t know. Maybe Derek will get you something.” Morgan quipped.
“Well—” Michelle stammered.
“Connor Jacob, put that down!” Morgan bellowed into the phone so loudly Michelle had to pull the phone away from her ear. “I gotta go, the boys are yanking presents from under the tree again.”
She went to her laptop on the counter and opened up the email with the instructions for the audition reel. Too bad there wasn’t a secret encoded message on how to ace it and get the position. The idea of being a chef on television, even if it was a local cable show, evoked a mixture of emotions for her. Besides, it took her mind off that cad Tyler.
She was in the mood to cook something, and despite how pissed off she was with him, she felt like making his favorite dessert, peach cobbler. Maybe that would cheer the sourpuss up.
An hour later, she called him into the dining room to eat and Tyler couldn’t take his eyes off the peach cobbler when she placed it on the table. When he reached for it, she swatted his hand away. “Not until you eat your food.”
“Why not?” He folded his arms over his chest.
“You need to eat a good meal before you go diving into the sweets.” She wagged a finger at him.
“You sound like my momma.” He raised an eyebrow.
She shrugged. “I have to admit, she’s been rubbing off on me.”
They ate their meal, Michelle had to threaten to withhold dessert twice to get him to slow down. Finally, she presented him with a heaping bowl of the cobbler. Once they were done, Tyler suggested they sit by the fireplace for a while.
“I talked to Morgan earlier, she sends her love.” Michelle took a seat after bringing him a hot toddy from the kitchen.
“You and Morgan are like two peas in a pod. How did you meet?”
Michelle smiled. “I went into Morgan’s bookstore looking for a book for my dad. Back then she was handling everything on her own. Running around like a mad woman. It was a sight to watch.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her sit still.”
“It’s a residual thing from nurturing her father and brothers after her mom died. That’s one of the things I love about her. She sold me the book. I asked if she was hiring.”
“Did you want to work at a bookstore?”
“I was just
“Morgan, this house is gorgeous. You have to come here for vacation next year.”
“I will put that on the schedule. So how are things with the wayward cowboy?”
She sighed. “So far, a whole lot of nothin’.”
“Stay focused and don’t let him do anything to distract you,” Morgan advised.
“I’ve held up pretty good so far, but he does look so adorable when he sleeps.” She bit her lip and peeked into the living room.
“Adorable my ass. He sleeps like a baby because he doesn’t own up to his crap. I say give him nightmares.”
“You’re pretty bad ass for a woman who was swept off her feet by a professional football player on a beach.”
“Lucky for Seth he caught me at a time in my life when I was softening.” Morgan laughed.
“You were on vacation in a bungalow with a hot guy and were horny,” Michelle scoffed.
“Well I’m telling the boys that the clouds parted and we held hands and walked along the beach the whole time. Maybe I’ll throw in a few doves and a harpist.”
“How are things at the store? Are we matching last year’s numbers?” Michelle asked.
“Actually we’re exceeding the figures by five thousand.”
“Want me to tell you what I got you for Christmas?” Michelle prodded, hoping she would tell if she got the Panini press for her.
“No. And if you keep it up you won’t get your present until Valentine’s Day.”
“That will probably be the only present I get that day.”
“I don’t know. Maybe Derek will get you something.” Morgan quipped.
“Well—” Michelle stammered.
“Connor Jacob, put that down!” Morgan bellowed into the phone so loudly Michelle had to pull the phone away from her ear. “I gotta go, the boys are yanking presents from under the tree again.”
She went to her laptop on the counter and opened up the email with the instructions for the audition reel. Too bad there wasn’t a secret encoded message on how to ace it and get the position. The idea of being a chef on television, even if it was a local cable show, evoked a mixture of emotions for her. Besides, it took her mind off that cad Tyler.
She was in the mood to cook something, and despite how pissed off she was with him, she felt like making his favorite dessert, peach cobbler. Maybe that would cheer the sourpuss up.
An hour later, she called him into the dining room to eat and Tyler couldn’t take his eyes off the peach cobbler when she placed it on the table. When he reached for it, she swatted his hand away. “Not until you eat your food.”
“Why not?” He folded his arms over his chest.
“You need to eat a good meal before you go diving into the sweets.” She wagged a finger at him.
“You sound like my momma.” He raised an eyebrow.
She shrugged. “I have to admit, she’s been rubbing off on me.”
They ate their meal, Michelle had to threaten to withhold dessert twice to get him to slow down. Finally, she presented him with a heaping bowl of the cobbler. Once they were done, Tyler suggested they sit by the fireplace for a while.
“I talked to Morgan earlier, she sends her love.” Michelle took a seat after bringing him a hot toddy from the kitchen.
“You and Morgan are like two peas in a pod. How did you meet?”
Michelle smiled. “I went into Morgan’s bookstore looking for a book for my dad. Back then she was handling everything on her own. Running around like a mad woman. It was a sight to watch.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her sit still.”
“It’s a residual thing from nurturing her father and brothers after her mom died. That’s one of the things I love about her. She sold me the book. I asked if she was hiring.”
“Did you want to work at a bookstore?”
“I was just
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