Defending Morgan (Mountain Mercenaries #3)(47)

Morgan hugged her mom back, hiding her face and trying to regain her composure. Now that her living arrangements were settled, for some reason she wanted to reconsider. Maybe she hadn’t thought this out well enough. Maybe she could get an apartment here in Colorado Springs or something.

Then Ellie pulled back and said, “Oh, and I called Lane and let him know that you were found, and he’s very anxious to talk to you.”

Morgan could only stare at her mom. Ellie had always loved Lane. She’d thought they were perfect together. But Morgan definitely wasn’t ready to talk to him. They’d been on the verge of breaking up when she’d disappeared, but she hadn’t really told her mom about that, so she wouldn’t know.

“Mrs. Jernigan?” Arrow asked.

“It’s Ms.,” Ellie corrected. “Yes?”

“We’re going to need to steal Morgan from you for a bit. We need to go over some more things about her kidnapping.”

“Are you sure that’s necessary right now? She’s still vulnerable after everything that happened. I don’t want her having to relive anything that will distress her. Maybe you should wait a month or so.”

“It’s very important that we talk to her while everything is fresh,” Arrow said with an apologetic look at Morgan. “I promise we’ll go easy on her. Her well-being is of utmost importance to me and my friends.”

“Then I don’t see why I can’t go with you.” Ellie pouted. “I’m her mom. We share everything.”

That wasn’t exactly true, but Morgan didn’t contradict her. She knew from experience that the woman would just dig in deeper and get more stubborn if she didn’t distract her. “Mom, I could use your help in getting me some clothes and stuff. Maybe you can order some things online for me to be delivered to your place while I’m talking with Arrow and his friends? I’m sure we won’t take too long.”

“Shopping?” Ellie said, perking up. “I’d be happy to! I should’ve already thought about that. Do you think someone has a computer I can borrow? I could use my phone, but it would be easier on a laptop.”

“I’m sure that can be arranged,” Arrow said, looking over at Dave, who’d been observing the conversation closely without saying a word, and lifting his eyebrows comically.

The bartender took the hint and nodded. “I’ve got one in the back office you can use, Ellie.”

“Thank you,” Morgan’s mom said, batting her eyelashes. When Dave held out his arm to her, she smiled even wider and hooked her arm around his. “And such a gentleman. I like it.”

“Mom?” Morgan asked before Ellie walked away.

“Yes?”

“Do you think you can make your world-famous five-layer lasagna when we get home? It’s been forever since I’ve had a home-cooked meal.”

“Oh, baby . . . of course. And I’ll make those marshmallow cookies you like so much, as well.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m so glad you’re all right. I might not be the greatest mom in the world, but I love you and only want what’s best for you.”

“Thanks, Mom. I love you too.”

When Ellie and Dave were out of earshot, Arrow leaned down and asked, “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I guess I should’ve warned you about my mom. She’s a little . . . over the top sometimes.”

Arrow chuckled. “I guess that’s as good a word as any to describe her.”

“She means well. She’s just a bit outspoken and doesn’t always think about what she’s saying before it comes out of her mouth.”

“She didn’t know about you and Lane, did she?”

“About us breaking up? No. I don’t know why I didn’t tell her we weren’t working out. Maybe I didn’t want to disappoint her or something. But I hadn’t gotten around to telling her that we were going to break up soon.” She looked up at Arrow. “I guess I should’ve called him, huh?”

“Come on,” Arrow said, taking her hand in his. “We can have this conversation with the guys. They’ll be interested to hear that he wants to talk to you.”

“I hate this,” Morgan said as she dutifully followed Arrow through the door in the back of the room to a large area that held pool tables. He turned to the right and led her over to a table at the side of the room. Black, Ball, Ro, Meat, and Gray were already seated and looking through some papers.

“I know, and I hate that you have to go through this shit, as well. But it’s necessary. You do know that, right? I mean, we wouldn’t need to have this conversation if we knew who took you, and why.”

“I know, Arrow,” Morgan reassured him, putting her free hand on his arm. “I’m not saying I don’t want to do this, just that I don’t like it.”

“It’ll be too late for you and your mom to leave this afternoon when we’re done here,” Arrow said. “Any chance I can interest you in dinner at my apartment? I’m not the best cook in the world, but I’m not the worst either. I can grill us up a mean steak with some grilled asparagus and rolls on the side. It’s as close to home cooking as I get. Do you want to invite your mom over? Or your dad?”

Morgan stared up at him and felt like she wanted to cry. He could’ve asked her to go out to dinner with him and his friends. He could’ve invited Allye and Chloe and the others over to eat, as well. She liked even more that he was willing to make her happy by inviting her parents to eat with them.