“Sounds like she’s found a good friend.”
Lena nodded. “Yes, it seems that way. I’m glad she’s finally coming around, but she’s been depressed for so long that…”
“That what?”
“Although I always wanted her to come out of it, a part of me wondered if she ever would.”
Morgan nodded. He then crossed the room to stand in front of her and cupped her chin, gently lifting it so their eyes could meet. “And?”
She arched a brow. “And what?”
“And how do you feel about that?”
Sometimes she felt he could read her like a book. “Of course a part of me is happy, Morgan, but then, I’ve gotten used to being there for her, taking care of her, and having her to need me.”
He smiled. “And you’ll always do that—be there for her, take care of her—and she will continue to need you.”
As if he knew she needed a hug he pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on the top of her head. “But I know how you feel. I felt that way when Chance got married again.”
Lena pulled back and met his gaze. “You did?”
“Yes. I would never tell Chance but Bas, Donovan and I have always looked up to him. He seemed to always make the right decisions when it concerned not only the company but us as well. My father was a strict disciplinarian. He was a good man, but strict. He and Bas butted heads more times than I care to remember, and when Bas dropped out of college and had no contact with the family for almost a year, he did maintain contact with Chance.”
Lena nodded. “But why did it bother you when Chance married?”
Morgan smiled. He knew she was asking mainly because Chance had married her best friend. “It bothered me because since Cyndi’s death, he hadn’t really shown any real interest in a woman until Kylie. I thought she would come and disrupt our little family circle.”
“But she didn’t,” Lena said defensively to the point it made Morgan chuckle.
“No, she didn’t. In fact I think she’s the best thing for Chance and Marcus, as well as for us. And now with Bas married and Jocelyn getting ready to manage one of Cameron’s construction companies here, it seems the Steele brothers are getting married one by one, although the jury is still out on Donovan, and will be for a while. He claims he’s having too much fun to settle down.”
Lena inhaled a deep breath knowing whether by accident or intentionally, Morgan had given her the opening she needed for them to start talking about their issues. “Morgan?”
“Yes?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were thinking of running for public office?”
For a few moments he didn’t say anything, and then he released her and took a step back as if he needed full control of his mind and body to respond to her question. “I hadn’t really made a decision. Before I had merely thought about it.”
She nodded. “And now?”
“And now I have made a decision and will officially announce my candidacy next week.”
She inhaled deeply. “When were you planning to tell me?”
“This afternoon at dinner. And then tonight, which is why I came over here. But I kind of got distracted.”
They both had. She moved across the room to stand at the window. Opening the blinds she looked out. Like him she needed full control of her mind and body. After several moments she turned toward him. “I hope you know this changes everything and I can no longer agree to your business proposal.”
Immediately, she felt his inner tension. “One has nothing to do with the other, Lena.”
She shook her head. “Yes, it does. I’m not cut out to be a political wife.”
“I think you are.”
“You need someone else by your side, Morgan. Someone who would complement you and—”
He crossed the room. “What the hell are you saying?” he asked angrily. “Don’t you think I’m old enough to know what I want and need?”
“Yes, but when you had made that decision things were different. Then all you needed was a woman who would have your baby. Now you need a…”
“Trophy wife?” he asked in a tone of voice filled with even more anger.
She sighed deeply. “Yes, if you want to refer to it as such.”
“So me wanting you as the mother of my child means nothing?”
“It did before but not now.” Lena felt a tightening around her heart when she added, “Don’t you see what I’m trying to do?”
“Honestly, no, I don’t. Mainly because I know what I want and who I want, and let me tell you something else, Lena. I refuse for you or anyone else to decide my future for me.” He crossed the room to the coatrack and got his jacket and slipped it on. “Come on, I’ll walk you out.”