Page 128 of Spindrift

“Andyou’d miss out on my coffee and beer.” Stormy refilled their glasses as shespoke. “And let’s face it. That’s an even bigger crisis.”

Emiliaraised her glass and toasted Stormy. At her feet, Nell sighed in contentment,and despite the ache in her chest a little of the same feeling crept in.

• • •

Morganrubbed her face in her hands and remembered too late that they were covered inKraken’s slobber from the leftovers she’d fed him. Normally, she abstained fromgiving him any people food, but it seemed a shame to let food go to waste justbecause her appetite had vanished along with Emilia.

No.She wouldn’t go there. She’d done what she’d needed to do for them both. Emiliadeserved the chance to make a clean start, and Morgan had gotten out while shestill had the willpower to do so. Emilia couldn’t stay for her sake. She’d onlygrow to resent Morgan, and it would be Kate all over again. Emilia might thinkshe wanted Morgan—might genuinely want to be with her, but soon enough Morgan’sschedule would wear her down. And she couldn’t help wondering, as she had eversince Kate left, if there was something else wrong with her that it had takenKate years to see, but had, at the last, made her impossible to love. Why elsewould Kate have left her? Pushing Emilia away had been the only option.

Shovingthe thoughts aside, she got out of her truck. Danielle had some moreapplications she wanted her to take a look at, and for some reason—despiteMorgan’s rational explanation of how email worked—she wanted to do this inperson. Stevie had chosen to eat her lunch inside where she was no doubtcomplaining to Lillian about Morgan’s behavior.

Augustheat baked the parking lot. She killed the truck and jogged across it withKraken to spare his paws. Inside, even the front desk staff greeted her warily.Guilt flickered into irritation. It wasn’t like she’d snapped at any ofthem,but they’d probably heard Stevie ranting. Another apology loomed over herfuture.

Daniellemotioned for her to shut the office door behind her when she skulked inside,having managed to avoid everyone she might have felt obligated to interact withon the way.

“Goodnews,” said Danielle before Morgan could open her mouth. “I’ve found areplacement for Sellers.”

“What?”Morgan stared at the folder in Danielle’s hand. Her words took longer than theyshould have to make sense, and then she blinked. “Really?”

“Excellentreferences, good track record, and she has family in the area so she knows whatshe’s getting into.”

“MayI?”

Daniellehanded the folder over as she continued to speak. “She’s been working at anequine practice out in Colorado, but she’s been looking to move back east.Cornell grad, too.”

Morganopened the folder and stared down at a familiar face.

You’vegot to be kidding me,she addressed the universe at large. She recognized the name on the CV in herhands. “Can you pull up her picture?” she asked Danielle. “I think I may havegone to school with her.”

“Youdid,” said Danielle. “She speaks highly of you and Lillian.”

Lillian.Her mind worked quickly. Lillian would lose her shit if she knew that Daniellewas considering hiring the girl who had tormented her all through vet schoolalthough, to be fair, the hatred had been mutual. Lillian hadn’t ever pulledher punches when it came to Ivy Holden.

“Somethingwrong?”

Shecouldn’t bring herself to lie to her boss. “She and Lillian didn’t . . . getalong.”

“Isit something Lillian can get over? I don’t think I need to tell you that thisis the only decent application we’ve had all summer, and unless you want todownsize we need to strongly consider it.”

“Ineed to talk to Lil.”

“Noyou don’t.” Danielle leaned forward. “I’m hiring this woman for your service,not Dr. Lee’s. I’ll schedule them on different days if I have to. Do you, basedon what you remember of Ivy Holden, think she would be a good addition to ourlarge animal team?”

“Yes,”she said, mentally apologizing to her friend. “I think we’d be lucky to haveher.”

“Excellent.I’ll enter negotiations. She can’t start until the end of September, but reliefis in sight.” Danielle clasped her hand. “I’m just sorry that it took us thislong.”

• • •

Emiliawiped her eyes as she finished talking and blinked at her open laptop whereShanti’s compassionate face studied her from her Boston office.

“Ijust don’t know what to do,” she finished with a sniff.

“Itsounds like youdoknow what to do,” said Shanti. “Although I would liketo explore why you did not feel comfortable telling me about Morgan.”

“I—”Emilia swallowed. “It seemed too . . .”

“Tenuous?”

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