Page 98 of One Kind Goal

Chapter Sixteen

Morgan followed Trixie around the antique shop, furiously taking notes on her phone as the woman handed down all her tricks and tips of running a good business. It’d been a week since Morgan had officially owned the place, and she’d been in every day with Trixie, sucking up every morsel of information she could. She’d also enrolled in an online business class where she’d learned a shit-ton of stuff. Charlie had even sat with her one night and went over some tools she uses to keep her helicopter business running smoothly. With all this help and support, Morgan didn’t see how she could fail.

“Make sure you do the windows up for each season,” Trixie said. “Customers love that and it gets them to come in.” She pointed to the front window where Valentine’s Day decorations still hung.

Valentine’s Day.

Morgan had been working on a little something for Valentine’s Day tonight. Now that she had a valentine she loved more than words could say. Sawyer had been an absolute taskmaster over the past week. He’d negotiated a wonderful schedule of seeing his daughter that Carina had agreed to. Their lawyers were working out the specifics and he’d have documents to make it official soon. He’d charmed Carina into letting him take Nia back to Vermont with them to get their stuff from the cottages and they’d all been enjoying each other’s company once again.

Sawyer had located three houses for them to potentially buy in Vermont while Morgan was with Trixie. When he’d showed them to her and Nia went wild over the woods surrounding one of them—one that wasn’t far from Austin and Charlie’s place—that instantly became the house for them. No one was currently living in it, so when Sawyer had offered the buyer cash, the sale moved super quickly from there.

They’d already moved the Pegasus into the house. Morgan and Nia had spent time together painting it so it looked just like the one Morgan had ridden with her family. It was the only thing in the bedroom Nia had chosen to be hers. Morgan had loved the look on Sawyer’s face the first time Nia had said the words my bedroom. She had no doubt they’d be moved in faster than Sawyer could skate from one end of an ice rink to the other. Morgan couldn’t wait to make it a home she, Sawyer, and Nia loved.

And maybe some children besides Nia. Someday. Sawyer was an A+ father. Morgan apparently did okay in the mother department if Nia’s clinging to her was any indication. Plus, Nia did say she wanted a little brother. Making a Sawyer Lundin Junior could be fun.

Perhaps they’d get that little brown puppy Nia had wanted too. Maplehaven had an animal shelter.

Sawyer had also contacted a realtor in Rhode Island to sell his Bristol home. A ton of offers had been made because who didn’t want to live in hockey star Sawyer Lundin’s former house? They’d promised Teddy, however, that whoever moved in there would be cool. They didn’t want to leave him with jerks for neighbors. According to Samira, however, Teddy had been spending much of his time in New York with her so maybe there soon would be another house for sale in Sawyer’s Rhode Island neighborhood.

For now, Morgan, Sawyer, and Nia were staying with Austin and Charlie until their new house was officially theirs. At first Morgan didn’t want to depend on Austin . . . again, but when Charlie pointed out sharing a roof with them was only a pit stop on the path to Morgan’s new life, she felt better about accepting the help. Also, it meant Charlie didn’t have to be alone in that big house while Austin shot his new film in California.

“You’re doing me a favor,” Charlie had said. “While I’m out on chopper flights, I’ll know someone is watching over the house and when I’m home, I’ll have Sawyer to fight off bears that come too close to the back porch.”

“Wrestling bears has got to be like scuffling with hockey players, right?” Morgan had asked Sawyer.

“It’s called brawling,” Nia had pointed out. It seemed that word had become a permanent part of her vocabulary.

Morgan planned to teach her other words—ones that had more positive connotations. Not that she’d give up enjoying a good on-ice hockey brawl, however. As long as Sawyer was the winner.

“Another marketing tip,” Trixie said, bringing Morgan’s mind back to the shop, “is to have those two stand out on the sidewalk with sale posters.”

Morgan followed the line of Trixie’s arm as she pointed out the Valentine-themed window.

Sawyer leaned against his SUV parked in a spot right in front of the shop. He had on sunglasses, a RI Anchors knit hat, and a solid blue winter coat. His denim-covered legs shot down into a pair of black boots. He hadn’t shaved in a few days and his beard had gone from scruff to something a little more substantial. Something a little more Vermont mountain man.

Morgan whole-heartedly approved of the look.

Nia danced around on the sidewalk, wearing her usual all-purple attire. Her black hair curled around her hat and those round cheeks made her look like an absolute cherub.

“They are pretty cute, aren’t they?” Morgan smiled as she watched them.

“The definition of,” Trixie agreed. “You went all out, didn’t you? New business, new house, new state, new man, new kid . . .” She beamed a smile at Morgan. “It’s as if you had a complete life makeover.”

“More like a life creation,” Morgan said. “I didn’t have a life before. Not one that meant anything. I partied. I spent my brother’s money. I existed.” She motioned to Sawyer and Nia outside and then to the shop around them. “Now I have meaning.”

Trixie clasped her hands together at her heart then pulled Morgan into a hug. “Oh, honey, I’m so excited for you.”

“Thanks,” Morgan said. “I’m excited too.”

“Wonderful.” Trixie released her. “Now get out of here. Go be with your man and that little angel. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She walked away then swiveled back to face Morgan. “Happy Valentine’s Day!”

Morgan wished Trixie the same then grabbed her jacket and purse. As soon as she stepped out onto the sidewalk, Nia threw hers arms around Morgan’s legs and smiled up at her.

“Hi, sweetie.” Morgan batted at the pom-pom on the top of Nia’s hat. “Did you have fun ice skating with your daddy?”

Nia nodded. “Daddy, Dakota, and Noah had a skating race! Dakota and Noah used to play hockey when they were younger.”

“A skating race, huh?” Morgan looked up at Sawyer who was still leaning against the SUV. “Who won?”