Acquiring Trouble

if she left. So she made a deal with him to claim me as his in return for her staying and not causing him any embarrassment either at being cuckold ed . ”
    Pam closed her eyes while she processed what she had just heard. Her lips began to quiver as tears rolled down her cheeks. She took the offered napkins and wiped tears away before reaching for Morgan’s hand. “No wonder you didn’t come back to his funeral. I t was you that left roses at M om’s grave every year, wasn’t it?”
    “Yes. I was at the funeral too. Mom and I talked every Saturday for two hours until she passed.”
    “I feel as if everything I’ve known has been a lie ,” Pam whispered as her tears began again. She took a deep breath and pulled herself together, squaring her shoulders as she looked anew at the sister she willingly pushed away.  With a big grin she said, “ The only thing for certain is that we have so much to catch up on! I have to get my kids . They always wanted to have an aunt. Do you mind? I’ll get them out of school so they can spend the whole day with you. Wait, first I’ ll go tell Jeffery and then we’ll get the kids. Oh Morgan, this is going to be wonderful!” Pam threw her ar ms around Morgan a nd pulled her into a tight hug.
    “Oh that’s so sweet!” Paige dabbed her eyes and then pinned her brother with a stare. “Miles, I want a sister . You guys never do that . ”
    Morgan looked up and found Miles looking at her with such adoration that she felt her heart melt. She longed to leap into his arms and kis s him.
    “I’ll do my best, sis.”
    “I have to go get Jeffery and then the kids . I’ll meet you back here in thirty minutes.” Pam hurried out the front door with a large smile on her face. Morgan looked around and found Miss Daisy and Miss Violet with their heads together, tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces.
    “Someone needs an order of pecan pancakes , ” Miss Violet sniffled as sh e disappeared into the kitchen.

 
Chapter Twenty-One
     
    Miles leaned back in his chair and rested his arm around Morgan’s shoulders. He absently traced a circ le with his thumb over the borrowed Kentucky sweatshirt and found himself thinking about running his hands over her soft skin instead of the shirt. He smiled as she laughed at a story his mother was telling her. If he had actually been paying attention instead of daydreaming about ripping off her clothes, then he probably would’ve been embarrassed. His mother loved to tell childhood stories about him. Her favorite s were the stories of the seriou s elder brother who liked orders, schedules, and sometimes wore a superman cap e when he was doing his chores.
    Morgan laughed again and placed her hand on his knee as she looked up at him. God , he loved this woman. There were no if , ands , or buts about it. The feeling was bursting up from his heart and he knew he never wanted to spend another day away from her. If he were n’t in a room full of people he would tell her how mu ch she had come to mean to him.
    Miles glanced around the c afé. The mismatched tables and chairs were mostly empty now . Miss Daisy was arranging the small vases of flowers on the tables while Miss Violet was humming as she flipped pancakes. Miles found himself smiling. He was happy. He realized the feeling s he had so long shoved aside as he was busy making the grades in college, serving his country, and building his company , just made him smile even more.
    “Knock it off Cole!” Paige smacked her husband as she and the rest of the table laughed. “I swear, he’s actually very nice when he’s not in cop mode. And, this will make you like him —h e ticks off Kandi faster than anyone I know. Do you remember her?”
    “Oh my gosh! Is there anyone in a ten-year sp an that wasn’t tormented by her? She was younger than me, but she still managed to plague me daily. Well then Agent Parker, maybe you’ve risen some in my esteem,” Morgan joked as Miss Violet set a plate of pecan pancakes in front of each of them .
    “Why thank you, ma’am.” Cole took a b ow in his seat with a flourish of his hand. The pa ncakes in front of him explod ed. Pieces of delicious pancake covered his face.
    “What in tarnation?” Miss Violet leaned over the plate of pancakes to get a better lo ok, “Someone shot my pancakes!”
    Cole, Miles , Pierce and Jake whipped their heads around to the front window. Miles cursed as they saw a man dressed in black racing toward them from