* * *
After finishing work for the day, TJ drove to the grocery store he’d seen not far from the diner, mulling over what would make for an easy dinner. The first thing that came to mind was good old Texas chili, but since he didn’t know whether Morgan liked spicy food or beans, he decided to pick up the ingredients for spaghetti and a salad instead. Besides, that would be fairly simple to make and difficult to screw up.
Once inside, he grabbed a buggy and made his way to the produce section. Thankfully, he was now back in the south, where people referred to the vehicle used to do grocery shopping by its proper name. When he’d been working up north, he’d thought it quite strange that people called buggies shopping carts.
After selecting the various salad items, he made his way to the aisle housing the spaghetti ingredients. As he studied the various brands of sauce in jars, he heard the sound of a throat clearing behind him. Turning around, he spotted Nana with her own buggy full of groceries.
“Hello, hun. Fancy meeting you here.”
He removed his Stetson in deference to the old dear. “Hey, Nana. Good to see you. How you doin’?
“Fine, child, just fine. How’s the new job coming along?”
“Good. Real good.” Sweat formed on his brow as he caught her peering into his buggy. Why was he as nervous as a kid caught with his hand in the candy jar?
“Looks like you’ve got the ingredients in there for a dinner for two. Either that, or you have quite an appetite. And, bless your heart, you must be a flower lover, judging by that cute little bouquet.”
He could feel the warmth creeping up his neck and into his face at her scrutiny. He didn’t think she was the type to gossip, but still, he wasn’t about to tell her all his business. “Uh, yeah…hard work gives me an appetite.” He didn’t say anything about the flowers he’d picked up on a whim, hoping she’d drop that line of questioning.
“I’ll bet it does—especially at the Sullivans’.”
Speaking of the Sullivans, why hadn’t she warned him that Morgan was his new boss’s daughter? He wasn’t going to challenge her on that point, either. “Yes, ma’am. Workin’ hard.”
He needed to escape before she figured out exactly what he was up to. Grabbing two jars of spaghetti sauce and placing them in his buggy, he bid her farewell, then steered his cart toward the meat counter to get a pound of ground beef to add to the sauce.
When she bid him a good evening, he knew he’d dodged a bullet.
11
MORGAN
Morgan entered the farmhouse, humming the tune of the song that had been playing on her car radio before she turned off the engine: “There Goes My Life” by Kenny Chesney. How crazy that the music she heard always seemed to imitate her life. The current situation certainly rang true as she thought about the song’s lyrics describing the bond of a father and daughter, and the difficulty in letting daddy’s little girl go when she’s all grown up. Her dad had sacrificed everything to raise her as a single parent, so she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt at keeping a secret from him. But then again, he was keeping one from her, too, so she guessed that made them even. She still felt badly about it, though.
As she headed toward the hallway leading to her room to get ready for her date with TJ, she ran head-on into her father, as he and Angela approached from the opposite direction, leaving for their night out.
“Have a good time, you two.”
“Thanks, honey. Sorry we’re leavin’ you to fend for yourself tonight.”
She smiled sweetly, hoping she was giving off no clue about what she was up to. “I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”
As soon as she heard the front door close, she let out a breath, not realizing she’d been holding it. Once in her room, she changed into a sexy top, her favorite distressed jeans, and a pair of western boots, then spritzed on some of her favorite cologne and touched up her hair and makeup. After grabbing the bottle of white zinfandel she’d placed in the fridge to chill and putting it in a bag, she sprinted across the yard and over to the cabin. Her insides were buzzing with adrenaline, so she hadn’t bothered with a jacket against the chill of nightfall.
Crossing the threshold through the open door, she greeted TJ with a cheeky, “Honey, I’m home!”
He looked up from placing a bouquet of wildflowers in the center of the small dining table, his smile warming her insides and her heart melting at the domestic scene. Is this what life would look like with the right partner?
After greeting her with a kiss, he asked, “What can I do to help get everything ready?”
“You’ve already done so much! Thanks for picking up the groceries. Looks like we’re having spaghetti!”
“I figured it would be fairly simple and quick. And a safe choice. I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t like spaghetti.”
“Neither can I. Plus, I’m pretty good at boiling water and browning ground beef,” she responded with a grin. “And,” she joked, “I bet you also figured I couldn’t screw it up.”
“No comment.” He smirked.
“Well, then, how about you get the salad together while I work on the spaghetti?”
