The Right Thing Read Online Free Page A

spreading his hands. “She’s—interesting.”
    “Yes, she is. Thea and I are only good friends,” Gerald said shortly. “Just know if you screw with her in a bad way, I’m going to kick your ass back to Las Vegas faster than you can blink.”
    Morgan laughed at his father’s serious-sounding threat. “Geez, you seem like you mean that. What kind of person do you think I am?”
    “I don’t know,” Gerald said. “I love you, but you don’t come around often enough for me to know anything about you as a man. I know who I am though, and if you think I’m kidding, you obviously don’t know me either.”
    “Well, I’m not sure how I stack up next to you, but there’s no woman in my life currently. I never get serious, but I don’t lead women on either,” Morgan said, defending himself and hoping his father took the hint. “I don’t know why you have such a low opinion of me. I’m mostly a good guy, Dad.”
    Gerald lowered his voice to a whisper only Morgan could hear.
    “Son, I saw the way you looked at her, which tells me you’re fairly clueless. That woman has a hell of lot more going for her than just a perfect ass in jeans. She has the capacity to erase every other woman you’ve ever known from your mind. She could easily become the only thing you think about all day long every day,” he said, smiling and winking at Amy, who stopped by just briefly to drop off their iced teas. “Thanks, sweetie.”
    Morgan watched the young woman’s slim hips swing through the tables with only a small fraction of the interest Althea Carmichael’s had held for him. He wasn’t even going to have to fake his interest in the older woman to get closer. It was organically there.
    “You’re a flirt, Dad. That girl can’t be more than twenty,” Morgan said when the waitress had retreated.
    “Amy is twenty-two and studying to be a teacher. I think she’s going to make a fine one. She likes musical men and has a thing for the lead guitarist in the band that plays at the theatre next door on Friday nights,” Gerald informed him. “When I flirt with her, I’m merely reminding her—and Thea for that matter—that men are supposed to pay attention and make them feel sexy.”
    “Yeah, well, when did you become Don Juan? Last time I spent some serious time with you, you weren’t even dating,” Morgan said, picking up his cold tea and sipping the amazingly tasty brew. “Damn, that’s good. My body temperature is dropping below a hundred for the first time since I got here. This is not regular iced tea. What is it?”
    “No idea,” Gerald said. “Thea says it’s her special recipe. The woman has a lot of secrets and guards them closely. Tread carefully through that garden, Morgan. You might step in something you weren’t planning on.”
    “Garden metaphors? Really? Metaphors, Dad?” Morgan sipped his tea and laughed.
    And he was still laughing and smiling at his father when Althea slid a full plate onto the table in from of him. The sandwich was stacked three inches high with ham and layers of lettuce, tomato, and cheese. The fries were fragrant and perfect.
    Morgan met and held her gaze until she turned away. It made him feel like he’d lost something to lose the contact.
    “Thanks. Great looking sandwich. What’s the secret in your iced tea?” he asked.
    “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret,” Thea said, smiling genuinely at him for the first time.
    His heartbeat sped up, and Morgan could actually feel his blood pumping through his body—all of his body. Morgan noticed her earrings for the first time. She was wearing tiny feathers, several different colors. And not a bit of makeup. None. Her skin was smooth and clear.
    The lines at her eyes crinkled in laughter as she looked adoringly at his father. She slid his father’s plate in front of him, and bent to kiss his cheek as if it was just part of what his father had ordered.
    “Here you go, handsome,” she said sweetly.
    Gerald turned his