The Final Play by Rhonda Laurel Page B

professing my love in the middle of the night. We parted ways for very good reasons.”
    “She may have been a pretentious pill, but she made you happy. I miss seeing you that happy.”
    “Thank you for caring so much about me. When the time is right and my career is where I want it to be, I promise I will make time for love. But no more set ups.” He gave her an expectant look.
    “I won’t try to fix you up again if you promise to take that vacation Bo gave you.”
    “I’ll think about it.” He kissed her on the forehead.
    Morgan watched as her brother began clearing the table. She worried about him, that’s why she tried so hard to show him he needed a social life. She wasn’t sure what would happen when he and Autumn finally met, but it was worth a shot to see if they were compatible. She’d ease up on the matchmaking, but he could at least take a vacation and clear his head.
     
    * * *
     
    Morgan glanced out the car window at the darkening sky that had begun blanketing the ranch as she drove to the store. She didn’t know why she had to have the rocky road ice cream from the gourmet ice cream parlor on such a stormy day. But then again, she’d been doing things all week that weren’t in character. In the months since the infamous party, she’d been trying to take it easy in anticipation for their impending arrival in Texas.
    She’d been having some pain off and on all day, but it wasn’t the usual mind-numbing labor pains she’d had with Jake and the twins. When she made up her mind to go the ice cream parlor, the baby seemed satisfied with the decision and calmed down. She didn’t think anything else of it until a sharper pain zapped her as she waited in line, nibbling on a mint chocolate chip cone while waiting for the five half gallons she’d ordered to be packed.
    The doggy finder app on her phone that kept tabs on Rowdy beeped again. This was the third time it had gone off, and she was getting nervous. Rowdy hadn’t been seen all afternoon, and the boys were getting worried too. He usually stayed close to their house when they were in town. The alert signaled that Rowdy was somewhere near the stables and hadn’t moved for at least forty-five minutes.
    The stables were empty of staff today, since Teri-Lyn sent most of them home when she heard the dire weather forecast. The remaining workers on the ranch were staying in the cottages to keep an eye on things. John Jacob and Bo were off on a fishing trip, and the rest of the family were scattered about working. Even Regency was working with a skeleton crew. Teri-Lyn had all the kids at the house, and Seth was on his way from the private airport. Rowdy roamed around the entire ranch all the time and got stuck in interesting places. Last time his distress signal went off, he’d crawled under Tate’s porch to retrieve a piece of bacon Matt had let fall from his plate during breakfast.
    Morgan thanked the cashier for the free cone and was on her way. The sundaes and movies should keep the boys’ mind off the stormy weather. She pulled out of the parking lot and headed back to the ranch. Her cell phone went off. She checked the caller ID and saw it was Teri-Lyn.
    “Morgan, where are you?”
    “I’ll be there in a few minutes. Rowdy’s distress alert went off, I’m going to the stables to get him.”
    “Somebody else can get him. Get back to the house. It’s going to storm something fierce.”
    “I’m already here. I’ll be quick. I promise.”
    “OK. But you hurry up.”
    Morgan clasped her coat together as a gust of wind blew against her and she waddled her way into the stables. She rubbed her belly to soothe the baby’s kicking, since she was apparently reacting to the bad weather. Morgan had been feeling a little off the last few days but chalked it up to the playoffs looming in the distance. Seth had been focused and wound tight and she wanted him to realize his last dream so badly. The fight had both him and Lamont out for two games,