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
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
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