The Right Thing (25 page)

Amy stopped what she was doing and put her arms around a surprised Thea for a hug.

“Thank you for everything. I think when Delilah died I grew up more. I want to make sure I show gratitude to the people in my life who support and help me.”

“Oh, honey,” Thea said, sniffling. “You’re the best. Good things are coming for you. I just know it. If I ever see a way to offer you a real job here, I would jump at the chance to give you some security.”

Amy nodded, pulled away, and went back to rolling silverware.

“If he was here, we’d make this the best restaurant in Sedona. Then you could hire me full time. I still can’t believe he left us. I miss him, Thea. He had this intense energy that just seemed to make life more interesting.”

Thea knew Amy was referring to Morgan.

“Yes. He did. I miss him too,” she said, the admission just slipping out.

Truthfully, the depth of her missing Morgan still shocked her. Sometimes she was so lonely for the man, she ached. He’d been gone several weeks already and October was another four weeks away.

“He’s not coming back here to live, is he?” Amy asked, seeing the disappointment in the slump of Thea’s shoulders.

“No. Morgan really can’t do that,” Thea told her. “He has a job in Nevada that he likes and is good at doing. It’s like Ryan and his writing. I can’t imagine Ryan Carmichael settling down in one city for long. Likewise, I can’t imagine Morgan moving here. Sedona is not Vegas.”

“Well, if Morgan doesn’t want to be here with us, then we’ll just find you another guy who does,” Amy said. “If I find you a guy, will you go out?”

Thea shrugged. “I might. Life is too short not to take a chance now and again. Look at Gerald and Lydia.”

“Has she said yes yet?” Amy asked, grinning.

“No,” Thea said, laughing, “but he’s taken to spending the nights with his car parked in her driveway. I think all their friends are pressuring her to marry him and make the relationship right.”

“Right. Wrong. How does anyone ever know what that is? It’s so freaking obvious they love each other. That can’t be wrong,” Amy said firmly, gathering up the tray of silverware and sliding it beside the menus.

“They’re not much different than you and Doug, just older,” Thea said, laughing. “Lydia’s going to say yes. Like you, she’s just waiting for circumstances in their lives to be better. It won’t be long now. I have a feeling.”

*** *** ***

Morgan unlocked his father’s house and stepped into the welcoming coolness. He dropped his suitcase just inside the door, not willing to put it into his room yet. He was crossing his fingers that he might need it to go to Thea’s house tonight instead.

The month he’d been away felt like a year to him. But he was here at last. The last job was over and so was his career now.

His resignation was submitted and accepted, and he was officially unemployed for the first time in his life. Maybe he should have been worried, but when he thought of Thea, all he really felt was relief to be here.

Gerald came out of the bedroom. “I heard your car, but I was in the shower.”

He walked to Morgan, putting his arms around him for a hug. “What took you so long?”

“I wanted to finish the job before I left for good,” Morgan said easily. “I have to find some storage soon. Everything I own is arriving on Wednesday. It’s not much, but it’s not going to fit in your garage.”

Gerald shrugged. “We’ll figure it out.”

“Are you an engaged man yet?” Morgan asked, following his Dad into the kitchen.

Gerald pulled two beers from the refrigerator and brought them to the table.

“
Beer?
Are we celebrating?” Morgan asked on a laugh. His father rarely drank anymore.

“Welcome home,” Gerald said, clinking his bottle against Morgan’s. “And yes, Lydia finally agreed. You’re the first to know.”

“What did it take?” Morgan asked, sipping his beer as he grinned.

Already, the tightness inside him was unwinding.

“Time,” Gerald said, disgusted. “Too much damn time, but that’s how some women are. You have to wait for their thinking to come around to yours.”

Morgan laughed. “I’m not good at waiting.”

“You’ll learn,” Gerald said on a laugh. “Does Thea know you’re back?”

Morgan shook his head. “No. But I have an appointment with Tom in an hour. I called him when I got to Phoenix. I start at his office in a month. Until then, I thought I might get my old job back at the restaurant.”

Gerald snorted. “Better hope the new guy doesn’t gain any more ground while you’re busy looking for a job.”

Morgan wrinkled his face. “New guy? What do you mean?” He took another swallow of beer.

“Thea’s dating some guy Amy fixed her up with,” Gerald said, wiping his shirt when Morgan spewed a mouthful of beer everywhere. “Well, you primed her pump and left boy. What did you expect she would do? Amy told Lydia that Thea mentioned you hadn’t called.”

“I don’t know what I expected, but I can’t believe she’s actually dating,” Morgan said, jealousy eating at him. He stalked to the sink and got a towel to clean up the beer. “She was supposed to be waiting for me.”

“
Waiting?
For a man that never called in four weeks? No man is that good in bed,” Gerald said, shaking his head at his son. “Women need the whole connection son. You should have called, reminded her you loved her, told her you missed her. No telling what kind of things she’s been imagining about you. At the least, Thea probably thinks you forgot her.”

“
Forgot her?
Hell, I came back for her—well, and for you too, but—” Morgan stopped. “Well, shit. I guess I was arrogant enough to think Thea wouldn’t want anyone else after being with me.”

Gerald laughed. “Well, get over yourself. Fortunately, the guy’s a suit like Tom. I doubt the man has even managed to kiss her. He is good-looking though. You might want to show up in something other than jeans when you go by the restaurant. He comes in for dinner most nights.”

“
Dinner?
He’s hanging around her at the restaurant?” Morgan demanded, thinking of how often he had done the same thing.

Gerald nodded and laughed at Morgan’s consternation. “Get your act together and get over there, Morgan.”

*** *** ***

“Amy, take Brad’s table tonight. I’m tired of trying to tell the man I’m not interested. We went to a movie and had dinner. He spent the whole evening talking about his ex-wife. Why would he think I’d want a repeat of that?” Thea exclaimed, shuddering.

Amy sighed. “Brad seems like such a nice guy. Tom likes him. I think he’s just lonely.”

“Well, fix him up with someone else if you must, but don’t look at me again. I’m not the solution to his problem. Introduce him to Carol. I see she came in alone tonight,” Thea said, pulling two beers. “She likes men like him.”

Amy giggled at the irritation in Thea’s tone. Brad was like a puppy around Thea. “I’m sorry I got you into this.”

Thea sighed. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault. I said yes to a date with him for the wrong reason. I’ve learned my lesson. I’m waiting for some animal magnetism next time.”

“Yeah, I totally get that,” Amy said, her eyes widening at the person who walked through the door. “Hey, check out the guy that just came in.”

Thea’s gaze swung to the door and landed on Morgan Reed.

“Men don’t get much more magnetic than that,” Amy said coyly. “Let me get those beers, Thea.”

Morgan walked up and smiled at Amy, who was smiling back. “Big crowd as usual. Any drunks I need to handle?”

“It’s still early. Hi, handsome. Welcome back,” Amy said, winking as she moved away to deliver the beers.

Morgan looked at Thea. “Hi.”

“Hi, yourself. I thought you weren’t coming back until October?” Thea asked, the question tightening her throat with nervous tension.

Morgan shrugged. “I changed my mind.” He looked around the restaurant. “Which guy is the one you’re dating? I want to have a little talk with him.”

“It was dinner and a movie, not a date-date. How is any of that your business?” Thea asked, coming through the break in the bar.

She didn’t like Brad all that much, but she couldn’t let Morgan harangue him.

“Do you want the answer to why it’s my business right now in the middle of the dinner rush?” Morgan asked.

Thea shrugged. “I’m not sure I’d believe it anyway, but you can give it a shot.”

Morgan moved toward her and Thea stepped back.

“No,” she said. “Just tell me. No physical stuff.”

“Yes,
physical stuff
,” Morgan said, laughing and reaching out to pull her into his arms. “I’ve missed you like hell. I don’t really care who knows. Now come here. I need to touch you.”

“Missed me?” Thea repeated with a snort of disbelief, stepping away and keeping her distance. “You didn’t even call. Not once. It’s been four weeks.”

“I had a lot to get done. I didn’t trust myself to do the right thing and not come rushing back here,” Morgan told her.

“Well, you know—I don’t trust you either. I never have,” Thea said sarcastically.

“Yeah, I guess that’s going to take some time to fix, but once we’re married I think it will be easier to convince you that I’m a basically good guy. Althea, I’ve missed you something awful. I’ve even missed arguing with you,” Morgan said firmly, finally getting a hold on her and tugging her hard against him.

He held her struggling in his arms, even when most of the customers stopped eating to watch.

“Now kiss me hello.”

“I don’t think so. I’m busy. There are a lot of customers—I. . .” The rest of her protest ended with Morgan’s insistent mouth on hers. Her arms had a mind of their own as they wrapped around him.

Then there was nothing more important than his mouth on hers.

When Morgan finally let Thea go, her face was pink.

“God, I love you, lady. Marry me,” he demanded, hearing the restaurant go completely silent as everyone waited to see what Thea would say.

Morgan couldn’t help laughing as Thea snorted. They would probably fight about every decision for the rest of their lives, but he would learn to soothe her.

“What is it with you Reed men? You think that ill-timed, embarrassing, public proposal is going make me swoon at your feet and say yes in gratitude?” Thea demanded hotly. “I’m working here, Morgan. Talk to me about this later.”

Morgan thought about that for a moment as Thea tugged, trying to free herself from his grip.

“Okay. You’re right. I have lousy timing,” he agreed, laughing at her struggles. “Hire me back to work here until you decide. I know the women in your family have to get your mind straight before you see logic and reason. I’m willing to wait—at least for a little while.”

“
Hire you back?
” Thea exclaimed. “
Why?
”

“I quit my job and moved to Sedona so I could be with you. I did get a part-time job today, but I’m severely underemployed at the moment,” he said on a laugh.

“Morgan,” Thea said, her voice quivering. “You quit your job in Nevada?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Don’t be sad. It was the right thing to do.”

Thea was going to cry. She felt the tears welling up and swallowed several times to push them back. She felt people looking at her, but there was nothing she could do.

“Go help Pete in the kitchen. We’ll talk about this later,” she said finally.

“Okay. Tell me you love me first,” Morgan demanded.

Thea closed her eyes and shook her head in consternation. “You make me so mad sometimes. Don’t be stupid. Of course I love you. I’ve loved you all along.”

“I thought as much, but you never said. Since I’m staying, I needed to hear it. You have any ketchup at your house? I think I’ll grab a fresh bottle from the pantry just in case you’re out,” Morgan said, feeling Thea’s hand smack him in the chest as the restaurant laughed.

No one knew what it was about, but they laughed at his obvious teasing and Thea’s pink face.

He looked around at the crowd. “Sorry to interrupt your dinner. I really missed her.”

“Go,” Thea said, pushing on Morgan with a strong hand.

Feeling everyone’s gaze on them had her face growing hotter.

At the sight of her color change, Morgan leaned into Thea and her delectable mouth again, barely able to restrain himself even with the audience.

“I love you, Althea. I’m never leaving again,” Morgan promised.

“Good to hear. I love you, too,” Thea said, biting her lip, her throat tight. She wanted to cry with happiness and relief. It would have to wait until later. “Now go to the kitchen. You’re embarrassing me and our customers.

The laughter and applause started quietly, building as Morgan headed to the kitchen doors, where Pete was grinning.

Chapter 20

“A few months ago he asked me to marry him. Now today, Tom was your best man. Men are so fickle,” Thea said, joking.