Places in My Heart (21 page)

Epilogue

Late March

“R
elax, Omar. Everything is going to be just fine.” Morgan chuckled as he ran around the center for the fiftieth time, checking and rechecking to ensure all was ready for the grand opening of the mental health center scheduled in a few minutes.

“I know, I know. What time is it?”

She shook her head and slid her arms around his neck. “It's three minutes past the last time you asked. Baby, it's all done. We're ready.” She pressed a kiss to his lips.

Omar smiled. “Have I told you how much I love you?”

“You might have mentioned it a time or two, but I never tire of hearing it.”

“Thank you for marrying me.”

“It was the best decision I've ever made.” They had gotten married last month right after football season ended and the Cobras had won the Super Bowl. “Although I'm still waiting on this fabulous honeymoon you promised me.”

“And it will be. A seven-day Alaskan cruise, two weeks in Brazil and a week at our cabin sounds pretty fabulous to me.”

“I can't wait. Who's up in ‘Madden'?”

Omar made a show of thinking. “I don't remember.”

“That's because I am,” Morgan said with a laugh. She leaned up, intending to give him a quick kiss, but he cupped her face in his big hands and took over, sliding his tongue between her parted lips.

“Ahem.”

They sprang apart.

Bryson stood behind them, smiling. “Can you two newlyweds knock it off? You're making it hard on the rest of us single folks.”

“Sorry,” Morgan said. “Is it time?”

“Yep.”

She smiled up at Omar and placed her hand in his. Together they went out front. After a few welcoming speeches, she handed him the large scissors to cut the ribbon that had been stretched across the door.

“I want us to do it together.” He placed his hands over hers and counted to three, and they cut it in half.

Cheers went up, and people streamed in to get the first look at what was sure to become a beacon for veterans. Both their families had come to support them. She smiled and took pictures until her cheeks hurt. As the crowd died down, she spotted a family coming up the walk. She tapped Omar on the arm. “Look who's here.”

His eyes misted as he and Rashad shared a rough hug.

“Thought I'd come out and see what you've got. No drugs, though,” Rashad said.

“No drugs.” Omar introduced Rashad to one of the psychologists, and the two went off to talk. Serena gave Morgan and Omar a strong hug. Then she and the kids followed Rashad.

“I can't believe he came. This is...”

“It's beautiful. I am so very proud of you, Omar Drummond.” They stood arm in arm, and Morgan thought over everything that had happened since she'd said yes to representing him. She now had six clients and had quit her job. Roland was serving ten years for embezzlement. All of his assets had been sold and the proceeds used to repay Omar and the other two athletes he'd stolen from. Evelyn had gotten eighteen months. She glanced up at her husband. He would be starting his doctoral studies in the fall. Morgan never thought she could be this happy. Life was good.
Real
good.

* * * * *

Keep reading for an excerpt from RIDING INTO LOVE by Nicki Night.

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Riding into Love

by Nicki Night

Chapter 1

A
lana stormed into Payne, Tate and Associates, the law office she now shared with her best friend, Cadence, marched into her personal office and slammed the door behind her. Tossing her purse and laptop bag on the chair, she paced, her hands parked on her hips as she tried to control her heaving chest. She mumbled inaudibly before a light tap followed by Cadence's cautious entrance brought her out of her personal rage fest.

Cadence quietly walked in and closed the door behind her. “What's gotten you so uptight this morning? You blew through here like a tornado.”

“I can't believe he did this!” Alana waved her cell phone in her hand before snatching her bags from the chair and placing them on the large cherrywood desk. She flopped into the chair.

“Who did what?” Cadence sat in one of the two chairs facing Alana's desk.

“James!” Alana sucked her teeth. “Can you believe that jerk broke up with me by text! By text!” she yelled. Her voice cracked. “Such a freaking coward! He said he can't do this anymore. He needs space. I smothered him too much.”

“That's horrible.” Cadence reached for Alana's hand.

Alana sighed. “Things have changed between us recently. I don't know what happened.”

“Alana! You didn't tell me that.” Cadence's hand went to her heart.

“I know. That's why we didn't show up last Sunday for the dinner you and Blake had to celebrate Hunter and Chey's engagement. He was supposed to show up at three. By six, he still hadn't returned my calls or responded to any of my texts. I was so pissed that I wanted to throw my phone but decided he wasn't worth the deductible I would have had to pay to get it replaced if it broke. I didn't hear from him until ten that night. I was furious.” Alana's hands were balled into fists.

“Ten o'clock! Are you serious?” Cadence stood. Now she paced. “That—”

“Exactly!” Alana pounded her hand against the desk and stood too. “I said to him, ‘Listen, Jackie,' which you know is my code word for
jackass
, and I lit into him so bad he was quiet for, like, a full minute before he spoke again. All his idiotic behind had to say was sorry. No viable explanation. Nothing! After being together for almost a year, I deserve more than just a weak apology.”

Cadence's mouth opened, but she said nothing. She closed it again, shook her head and folded her arms across her chest. Alana raged on about all of the follow-up arguments they'd had for the remainder of the week.

“Did you respond to the text?”

“I left him a nice-nasty message. If he can't be man enough to end our relationship face-to-face or at least pick up the phone, then he was never man enough for me anyway. He just needs to lose my number and my address and forget my name.” Alana sat back down. She placed her elbows on her desk and rested her head in her hands. “I'm done. I don't even want to date anymore. I think I'll just put a band on my finger and tell any man who tries to hit on me that I'm married. I don't even want to be bothered.”

“Oh no!” Cadence rounded Alana's desk and sat on it. She gripped Alana by the shoulders and looked into Alana's dejected eyes. “No matter what happened, you were always the one to remain hopeful. You always said your knight was out there waiting for you somewhere and you didn't mind rolling with a few frogs to find them because you knew he'd be worth it.”

“I said that?” Alana chuckled.

“Yep. Always twisting up clichés to make your point, but I get it. I listened to you when you told me to keep living and practically pushed me on Blake.” Cadence snickered. “And now, look, we're getting married.”

“Well, I was wrong. I'm sick of these damn frogs. Screw that knight. If he is so worth it, then why do I have to swim through all this filthy pond water to find him?” Alana clucked her teeth. “He needs to come find me, shoot! I'm done, Cay,” Alana said, calling her friend by the nickname she'd given her years ago.

“You can't be done. What if your prince is next?”

Alana craned her neck and looked at Cadence incredulously. “What the hell did you do with my best friend? Surely you aren't Cadence with all this ‘keep hope alive' talk.”

“I'm serious, Alana. Don't shut down. I did the same thing and it wasn't fun. I buried myself in work to keep from being lonely, but the more time I spent alone, the more I thought about all that things that went wrong with Kenny and me. I'd gotten over him but didn't get over the feeling of failing in my relationship. That's why I avoided dating. When I listened to you and started dating Blake, it was as if I started living again—laughing again. Trust me. That's not what you want. As outgoing as you are, you'd go completely crazy.”

Alana put her head down. Both were quiet for several moments. “I don't know. This hurts so much. I thought he was
the one
, Cadence. I can't go through this again anytime soon. I'd love to have what you've found in Blake, but I'm starting to believe that's not for everyone.”

Cadence hugged Alana, pulled back and searched her eyes. “You want the truth?”

Alana looked forlorn. “Sure. Why not?” She sighed.

“You fall for men very hard and fast. You have so much to offer the right man, but you have to learn to ease into relationships. Otherwise you scare men off. Save it for the right one. He'll deserve it and he'll appreciate you.”

Alana breathed deeply and blew out an exasperated breath. Cadence was right. She hated to think of the number of men who'd left for the same exact reason. “So I need to be a little more discerning with my heart, huh?” Feeling raw, she chuckled timidly.

Cadence tilted her head sideways and nodded.

“I'll think about it. I still believe I need to take a break.”

“Fine! Take a short one,” Cadence offered. “And then get back out there and keep on living just like you told me to do.”

“If I do get back out there, I'm going to keep my feelings at bay. If this next frog doesn't deserve my love, I'm keeping it on lockdown. Also—” Alana held her finger up as if she'd just received an epiphany “—I won't give him any of the good fruit! Not unless he proves himself worthy. This way, great sex won't cloud my judgment. James was great in bed...” Alana closed her eyes and moaned.

“Uh...” Cadence interrupted Alana's apparent moment. “I'm still standing here!”

Alana blushed and laughed hard. Cadence joined her and they could hardly stop themselves.

“See what I mean? Good sex will warp the mind, girl.” She chuckled some more. “And lastly, I need to steer clear of known players. I think I'm intrigued by the idea of snagging a player. James was a player at first, and I'm willing to bet that other women had something to do with the fact that he went missing without an explanation.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Yep, that's it! I'll take some time for me and get back into the game. No falling too hard too fast, no sex and no players. That should save me some heartbreak. No man will ever be able to say that I've smothered him again.”

“Good! Now, how do you feel?”

“I still feel horrible.” Alana frowned. “I'll get over him—eventually. We actually had fun together.” Alana looked at the clock on her desk that was a gift from a client. “We've got work to do. These clients can't represent themselves.”

“You're right.” Cadence lifted herself from Alana's desk and headed for the door. Just as she was about to walk through, she turned back toward Alana. “Oh, are you going to be free this Saturday?”

“I guess.” Alana shrugged.

“Great! Then you can come by. Blake told me this morning that Drew will be in town this weekend and he and Hunter are thinking about having a get-together for Drew's birthday. Shall I count you in?”

Alana forced a smile as Cadence departed but didn't answer. The last thing she needed after this unofficial breakup with James was to be in the same room as the most flirtatious Barrington ever. Drew was an international player. Alana had witnessed his techniques up close for years. She had even entertained his advances and dated him for a short stint, which didn't end well. They made better friends. Admittedly, she enjoyed his flirting, but it was time for a change. Alana was done kissing frogs—especially gorgeous ones who were allergic to commitment and so skilled in bed that they could render her deaf and dumb.

Alana was also tired of heartbreak. Right there in her office, she made a personal vow to be more protective of her own heart. She wasn't breaking her rules for any man—especially not Drew Barrington.

Copyright © 2016 by Renee Daniel Flagler