stay at my own place here and come right to the plant every day and enjoy some of the best breakfast in town.”
After spending a few moments at the juice-and-coffee bar, both men made their way to a vacant table. “Cool,” Adrian replied, pouring syrup over his stack of pancakes. “You’re wearing overalls and work boots. Where are you working today?”
“Maintenance is shorthanded, and I don’t want my welders falling behind.” Morgan reached for his glass of juice.
“I can pull a couple of people from the south bins to help out.”
“That’s not necessary. Ernest and I can handle it.” Morgan popped a piece of bacon in his mouth.
“Someone call my name?” Ernest Walker, the plant’s maintenance director, asked, approaching the table, holding a tray of dirty dishes.
Adrian and Ernest shook hands. “I hear you got the boss doing some heavy lifting today.”
“He can handle it,” Ernest insisted.
“Damn right,” Morgan agreed, diving into his food.
“There you are,” a small, gray-haired woman called out as she approached the table, wiping her hands with her apron.
Morgan and Adrian rose from their seats. “Good morning, Ms. Monica,” all three men greeted. Ms. Monica, as everyone called her, was the sixty-year-old craft service manager and head chef who had worked for the Kingsleys for nearly thirty years. She was like a grandmother to all the Kingsley boys and pretty much everyone else too.
Ms. Monica was just one of the many reasons Morgan was so happy to have the Perez fiasco behind his family and their business. The plant, located just outside of Port Arthur, Texas, and their oil rigs were his safe haven. The death of his father and uncle were beyond difficult, but his extended family at their plant made growing up without them a bit more bearable.
Often, their mother’s love could be suffocating, so when she finally allowed them to spend time at the plant with a few people she trusted who weren’t bodyguards, Morgan relished those moments. The plant became his second home and he was fiercely protective of it too.
“We need to talk about the menu that nutritionist lady sent over the other day.”
“What’s wrong with the menu, Ms. Monica?” Morgan pulled out a chair for her.
Ms. Monica took the seat. “Nothing’s wrong with it. Your mother was right. Healthier, balanced diets are something we should all strive for. None of us are getting any younger, you know. In fact, nearly half the folks working have been here since the doors opened. It’s just going to be too much money buying so many organic vegetables from that company they recommended. I know where we can get everything we need for much less money. I know y’all rich and all, but it never hurts nobody to save a little money.”
Morgan laughed. “You are so right, Ms. Monica, and I appreciate how you look after us—”
“But...” She crossed her arms.
“We have some pretty solid agreements with a number of vendors. Agreements that my mother negotiated personally.”
Ms. Monica laughed. “Well, in that case, I’m sure Victoria got you a rock-bottom price.”
“Yes, ma’am, I’m sure she did.”
“Well, I better get back to my kitchen. It’ll be time to serve lunch before I know it. Speaking of lunch, my friend’s beautiful daughter—”
“Ms. Monica, we’ve talked about this already.” Morgan helped her out of her chair. Here we go again. I really wish everyone would stop trying to fix me up. Can’t a brother just get back to work and enjoy the fact that no one is coming after us for one thing or another? “I appreciate your concern, but I don’t need help getting dates.”
“I’m not trying to help you get hooked up with some hussy,” Ms. Monica said and playfully swatted at his hand. Morgan pressed his lips together, preventing his laugh from escaping. “I’m trying to help you find a nice girl you can marry.”
“Ms. Monica—”
“And not like that gold digger Bonnie Ford,” she continued talking, shaking her head as if he hadn’t said a word. “I still can’t believe she tried to use your relationship to advance her family’s business interest. Ridiculous! Compared to your family’s other refineries, that small oil refinery of theirs would look like one of those ugly hateful stepsisters standing next to the beautiful princess. Not to mention all the times he’s filed for bankruptcy.”
“It was a long time ago,” he replied, still feeling a mixture of anger and embarrassment. Morgan had no idea that his three-year, loving relationship with Bonnie—at least he’d thought it was loving—had meant so little to her. He certainly didn’t know her and her parents’ only agenda for them was to forge a business empire between their families.
“That’s my point. It’s time for you to stop playing with all these silly little girls and find a woman with some substance. It’s time you found yourself a wife.”
Morgan checked his watch. “Look at the time. I should get over to the shop.”
“Fine, go, but we are not done with this discussion, young man,” she insisted, walking toward the kitchen.
Yes, we are. The last thing I need is a wife.
Ms. Monica was like family and Morgan knew she meant well, but he was happy with his life just the way it was. Sexually satisfying liaisons with temporary companions and keeping his heart protected from another bad break suited him just fine. Morgan threw his trash away and set his dishes in the collection pans. He walked toward the exit when his cell phone rang. “Hey, what’s up, A?” Morgan answered, stopping shy of the exit.
“China’s in labor,” Alexander, Morgan’s elder brother and CEO of Kingsley Oil and Gas, replied.
“Oh. Snap. Is China all right?”
“She’s...emotional but strong,” Alexander replied.
“That she is,” Morgan agreed.
“And beautiful...so damn beautiful,” Alexander murmured.
Morgan heard something in his brother’s voice, something unfamiliar. Fear maybe. “Are you okay, A?”
“Yeah, but I could use some backup,” he admitted.
“I’m on the way.”
“You sure, Morgan?”
“I’m sure. Where am I coming?”
“Woman’s Hospital. Thanks, man.”
Morgan could hear the relief in his brother’s voice. “I’ll take the chopper and see you in about an hour.”
Morgan put his phone away, pivoted and walked toward another exit, one that would get him to his car the fastest. He still couldn’t believe another Kingsley would be arriving soon. Now Morgan had two brothers with children, something he never thought he’d see—so
