Acquiring Trouble (24 page)

Morgan drew herself up and looked Paige right in the eye, “Yes, that’s right. I did. I couldn’t stand to let a chance to get back at Stacy
pass me
by
. It was lame, childish
,
and
wrong. However, I was eighteen
,
and I’m not eighteen anymore.”

Before Paige could respond, Miss Lily put her wrinkled hand on her arm and drew her attention. “I believe I
—w
e
—m
ay have
been too hard on you
. You know, there’s nothing wrong with being a rebel. Lord knows I gave my parents a shock once or twice. There was the time I was caught skinny dipping with the hunk next door
that turned their hair gray
.”

Morgan felt her jaw drop and then laughed as she
noticed that everyone was star
ing at Miss Lily slack-
jawed. She was still giggling when John Wolfe, the town’s most no
torious gossip approached them.

“You ladies all look lovely tonight. Miss Lily, will you do me the honor of a dance
?
” John asked
,
somewhat embarrass
ed
.

“I’d love to.” Miss Lily started to walk away when she turned over her shoulder and gave the group
a
wink.

Miles followed
Pierce
into the darkness of the far side of the yard. He had never seen his brother so serious. Miles got a sense that times were changing. Pierce was no longer the gangly band geek
from high school. He was a full-
grown man now
,
equal to his older brothers. It was going to be a big adjustment, but Miles realized he needed to
start treating Pierce as such.

“What’s going on Pierce? Why did you say Morgan was my date?”

“Did you know she had a crush on you in high school?” That
wasn’t
the question he expected.

“I knew. Why?”

“Why didn’t you date her?”

“I’m wasn’t
into girls with multiple arrests. I was more into good wholesome girls then.”

“What if I told you Morgan was a good wholesome girl
?
” Miles just raised one eyebrow. “Okay, not all the way, but underneath the
harsh
exteri
or. W
hat if I told you she was nice, good
,
and loves you?”

“I’d tell you to start talking.” Miles crossed his arms over his chest and list
en
ed to Pierce tell him
about
the conversation he had with Morgan.

Miles felt his blood boil as he clenched his fists. Morgan had been bullied her whole life and set up as the troublemaker. She had the guts to stand up to her bullies who then in turn would just get her in more trouble. No wonder she fled Keeneston as soon as she could.

He thought back to his time with Stacy. She had joked
about
and teased Morgan constantly. He didn’t think much of it at the time, but then he’d heard of the pranks they had pulled on her and when he told Stacy how horrible they were for doing so, she had just stopped telling him. He was just as much at fault for what happened as Stacy was. Miles knew about the bullying
and
he
could’ve
done more to stop it.

His pride for
her swelled as he thought how she handled this all on her own
,
all the while keeping her grades high enough to get
a full scholarship to college and now she was risking everything to try to protect him.
She was the strongest
,
most courageous person he knew.

He looked for her and found her on the dance floor. Then his anger tripled. She was laughing and being twirled around the floor by Henry Rooney. He stalked forward unti
l he felt his arm being grabbed from behind.
Turning around he saw his
sister with a frown on her face.

“What do you think you’re doing? Don’t you remember who she is?”

“I know exactly who she is.
I’d appreciate it if
you
stopped being a brat to her and got to know her. I’m sure you’d find that you love her as much as I do.” He shot his sister a big grin and went to claim his woman.

Morgan laughed as Henry listed off the reasons they were destined for each other. Once Miss Lily told John Wolfe that Morgan had changed into a responsible woman, the mood shifted
. While they were still hesitant
about her actions in connection to the fires and poisoning,
nobody was
running in fear from her either.

Henry suddenly stopped talking and Morgan looked up into his face. It had gone stark white. She turned her head and found Miles glowering at him. He looked fierce in his tuxedo with his hands
hanging loosely at his side but enough tension behind his eye
s to send chills down her back.

“May I cut in?” Miles may have asked it, but Morgan knew there was no question about it. Henry quickly step
ped away and walked to the bar.

“Phew. I thought I had lost my look,” Miles joked as he stepped into her arms and started to waltz her around the dance floor to the soft music.

“What look?”

“My intimidation look. Normally it works, but it hasn’t worked on you once
,
” Miles puzzled.

“Sorry, but I have a whole lifetime of refusing to be intimidated.
Hence
,
the rebel exterior.
But, Miles, I have to tell you something. I’m afraid I really messed up.”

“I know you did
,” Miles whispered as he nuzzled
her neck.

“You
know? But how could you know I’
m stealing files from Top Producers and that they found out and are probably going to try to kill me
?
You too
,
most likely
,
since you won’t sell
.
” Morgan’s brow was wrinkled in confusion as she looked up at him.

Miles’
s
step faltered and he tightened his grip around her waist to prevent her from tripping. “What? I thought you were talking about us?”

“Us? No, I don’t think we’ve messed up at all. Except for that whole part of you not believing me about hurting those farmers.
Which, by the way, I didn’t do.
I would
never do.” She narrowed her eyes and Miles smiled. She had her own look
that
would intimidat
e most people, but he found it to
o cute.

“Then what is it? Pierce told me what you two talked about already and that you think you’re protecting me.”

“I didn’t tell
Pierce
everything. The fact of the matter is your life is in danger because of me.” Morgan felt
Miles stiffen but she forged a
head, “I found out a year ago that David and Top Producers were involved in corporate espionage and other criminal activities. They force
d
, threatened
,
and blackmailed their competition into selling to them in the form of what I thought where legitimate mergers.” Miles pulled her a little closer and
the warmth of his body pressed against hers gave her strength to continue. “Well, last year the president of a company I was closing
a
deal with said something about hoping David burned in hell for what he did to his secretary. It got me wondering what he was talking about. Late at night after everyone left
,
I snuck into David’s office and read the report he had on the president.

“
See, David does two investigations.
One through the normal route, and then the second
, a
more illegal search.
He found out the president and
secretary were
involved in an extramarital affair. They scared the poor woman so much that she ended up committing suicide. The next day the
president agreed to the merger.” Morgan felt the tears well up even thinking about her part in it. She hadn’t known it was going on, b
ut that didn’t change anything.
She still felt responsible for it.

“That’s horrible. What did you do?”

“I told the office I had a doctor’s appointment and walked into the lobby of the FBI building. I was assigned an agent who took my report and then said he’d get back to me. I told them I wanted to tell all. I wanted to make sure David paid for his crimes, but the agent said I was a whistleblower and without any direct evidence it was all hearsay
.
I could get fired and sued for defamation or worse.”

“What do you mean, worse?” Miles asked, having a bad feeling where this was headed.

“He said the FBI was now investigating Top Producers and if I didn’t get evidence of David’s crimes that I would be rounded up in the arrests and charged with the murder of that young woman as a co-conspirator.”

“Oh Morgan. Tell me you haven’t been gathering evidence all this time. Do you know how dangerous that is?”

“Of course I do. I got the evidence and gave it to the agent the other day at
Wal-Mart
. But he told me if I didn’t get more that I was just as guilty
as David
and he would leave me to hang with the rest of Top Producers. So, I went back to
DC
early this morning. I got the evidence. It’s
now in a safe place
, but David caught me in his office. I said I was gathering evidence to
hurt you
, but I know he knows.
I’m just worried he’ll take you down with me and I don’t know what to do next. I do know I can’t trust the FBI.”

“Well, I do know someone you can trust.” Miles would see Cole first thing in the morning. Tonight was a celebration and he wasn’t going to get everyone worried in the middle of a wedding. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Tonight I want to dance with you and right now I want to kiss you.” He loved the way a slight blush highlighted her cheeks.

“Miles, we’re in the middle of the dance floor with the whole town around us…”

“Good. Then everyone will know you
’
r
e
mine,” he growled as he shot Henry a dirty look. The music slowed to an end and Miles twirled her and then bent her back into a dip. He leaned forward and claimed her lips with his. He momentarily f
orgot where he was as he stroke
d
his tongue into
her mouth
,
tasting
her.

Miles pulled away when he heard the sound of someone clearing
his
throat. He looked up and saw Marshall smiling down at him with Katel
yn standing next to him
.

“Oh, um. Congratulations
on your wedding,” M
organ mumbled in embarrassment.

“Thank you. Although, I don’t remember us sending you an
invit
…”

“Katelyn. I haven’t told you the news,” Marshall interrupted as Morgan felt her face turn bright red in embarrassment. “Morgan is Miles’
s
plus one. She couldn’t make it to the wedding, but said she was honored to be invited to the reception.”

Morgan was mortified. Here stood a beautiful woman with her blonde hair pinned up a
nd a
long veil h
anging
over her bare shoulders
, wearing
a
gorgeous dress complete with a sweetheart neckline flowing down into a tight fit before exploding into a
cloud
of ruffles at her knees. She was breathtaking and here was Morgan, uninvit
ed, wearing a dirty martini.

“That’
s nice. Are you two dating then?
”
Katelyn asked clearly confused.

“No. Yes
,
”
t
hey said at the same time. Miles gave her a look and then turned to his brother and new sister-in-law and smiled. “Yes, we are. This is our what, third date, love?”

With her eyes wide, Morgan looked back and forth between the family members, “Yes it is. We were just keeping it quiet, that’s all.”

“I don’t think you
are anymore,” Katelyn laughed.

Maybe she didn’t hate her? Morgan couldn’t tell and she really wished she could. There was nothing she wanted more than to not embarrass Miles
,
starting
w
ith his family lik
ing
her.
“I guess not. Um, Katelyn?” Morgan paused no
t really knowing what to say
.
“T
hank you. You two make a wonderful couple and I wish you
much happiness
.”