The Right Thing Read Online Free

headed to change.
    Gerald shook his head at Morgan’s bowed head and curving back as he walked away. Maybe meeting Thea would snap the boy out of his funk and that would be a good thing. What gave him pause though was what meeting Morgan might do to Thea. He knew his son didn’t form lasting relationships with anyone. Always a loner, even when he was a kid, Morgan didn’t seem to want to be cared for in life.
    Gerald headed to the kitchen for some water and prayed that he was doing the right thing introducing them.
    *** *** ***
     
    It was the bottom of the lunch rush at a quarter to one when Thea saw Gerald and another man walk into the restaurant. She saw Amy’s eyes light up and was pretty sure it wasn’t for Gerald this time.
    “I got them,” Thea said as casually as she could.
    Amy looked at her boss, who had her eyes glued to Gerald’s companion. He was not a classically good-looking man in her opinion, but he was definitely oozing testosterone as he walked. Since he looked close to Thea’s age, Amy reined her interest back in and just smiled. It would be nice if Thea did take an interest in a man for once.
    “You taking the table?” Amy teased.
    Thea swatted the girl on her arm with the two menus she swiped off the bar.
    “Yes,” she answered, hearing the girl’s soft laugh as she walked calmly to the door.
    “Hey, handsome. Who’s your friend today?” Thea asked, leaning in to Gerald to kiss his cheek.
    Morgan got a whiff of citrus scent off her hair as she moved back and brushed him. Her face was even more pleasant in person. And if she was older than he was, he sure as hell couldn’t tell it. The woman had intensely green eyes. Her body was fit and trim in her sexy T-shirt and jeans. Her brownish red hair peppered with silver strands was full and long, though currently pulled back in a clip while she worked. Mason found himself wondering if she knew how she looked or if it was just her usual style.
    “Thea, this is my son Morgan. Morgan, this is Althea Carmichael,” Gerald said with a flourish. “The food here is wonderful. The company is even better.”
    From his six-foot height, Morgan judged the woman to be somewhere around five foot eight in her sandals. His gaze dropped from her face to her feet, travelling slowly up her legs until they landed on an arched eyebrow that let him know she hadn’t missed his act of assessing. The snort from her that followed his perusal had him straightening. He hadn’t meant to offend her. He just hadn’t been prepared for her to be so appealing.
    “I’ve heard a lot about you,” Thea told Morgan, meeting and holding his gaze until he looked away.
    Then she looked back to Gerald. “Bar or booth, big guy.”
    “Booth,” Gerald said, elbowing Morgan when Thea turned around and his son’s gaze instantly glued itself to her very attractive ass.
    Morgan jolted from his staring at the feel of his father’s elbow poking him.
    “Sorry,” Morgan said. “I think I need food. My mind is wandering all over the place.”
    Gerald laughed at that one. Any fool could see the exact place Morgan’s mind had wandered.
    “You want the usual?” Thea asked, getting a nod from Gerald. “I’ll give Morgan a moment to check out the menu.”
    “I’m easy,” Morgan said, speaking to Thea directly for the first time. “Any ham sandwich you have that comes with lots of fries. Add a big glass of iced tea and I’m good.”
    “Okay,” Thea said, keeping the menus. “Give me a few minutes and it’ll be right out.”
    As she walked away, Morgan couldn’t help watching the swing of her denim covered hips again.
    “Dad, please tell me you’re just friends with that woman so I can stop feeling guilty for what I’m thinking.”
    Gerald snorted, but didn’t mind his son’s honesty for once. Thea hadn’t caught Morgan eyeing her yet, but it might be good if she did.
    “What if I wasn’t just friends?” Gerald asked.
    “I honestly don’t know,” Morgan said,