Page 16 of Spindrift

Sorry,bud. Not playing damsel in distress today.

Puttingthe boat to bed took only a few minutes. She glanced over at Morgan to makesure she stayed put in her own boat, then heaved Nell into the skiff and setoff toward the dock. Unfortunately, rowing meant she had to face Morgan theentire way, and something about the other woman’s posture made her suspectMorgan was enjoying the situation.

Don’tlet her get under your skin,she told herself.Clearly, you’re going to run into each other. She knewyour dad. She docks her boat here. She hauled your drunk ass out of the water.Her jaw clenched. She hadn’t come here to be humiliated.On the other hand,a more rational part of her brain argued,what if you’d hit your head whenyou fell in the water? She could have saved your life.But she hadn’t hither head, and now Morgan probably thought Emilia, like her father, was analcoholic, which shouldn’t have mattered but did. Morgan’s casual wave as sheneared the dock made her grind her teeth. Soon she’d need to start wearing amouth guard.

I’mallowed to blame her and still understand that it’s my fault and I’m beingridiculous, shedecided. Everyone else on the planet managed to hold conflicting beliefs at thesame time. Why not her?

Nellleapt out of the skiff in a hurry. Emilia, however, frowned at the boat. Morewater. She weighed her options: haul it out and examine the damage, riskingMorgan’s unwanted advice, or wait for another day.I’m being an idiot. Shegathered her tangled hair into a messy braid. Morgan didn’t matter. Her boatdid. Shedding her life jacket, she gripped the prow of the skiff and hauled itonto the dock.

Nellcocked her head at this new turn of events and approached the boat hesitantly.

“Youdon’t have to get in this time.”

Thedog contented herself with watching as Emilia removed the oars and flipped theskiff. It weighed more than she expected, and she panted as she surveyed hercraft. A hairline crack ran one-third of the length of the hull. She traced itwith her finger, aware that a second rowboat was, predictably, approaching thedock, and vowing not to look up.

Nellgreeted the sable German shepherd warily. Snouts and tails swapped places,until both dogs appeared to decide on a policy of live and let live, and theshepherd nosed Emilia’s pocket. She blinked into his warm, brown eyes.

“Ohhello there,” she said as her heart melted. “Aren’t you handsome.”

Hesmiled a dog smile and waited expectantly. Emilia’s hand went to her pocketautomatically, but she paused, looking from brown eyes to slate blue. “May Igive him a treat?” she asked Morgan.

“It’llmake his day.”

Sheslipped the dog a cookie, saving a second for a jealous Nell, and ruffled bothsets of ears. Most of the shepherds she’d known were reserved with strangers,but then again this was their second meeting and she had cookies. The odds werein her favor.

“What’shis name again?” she asked, though she remembered well enough.

“Kraken.”

“Right.Your roommate’s choice.”

“Onlytentacle he has is his tongue, though.” The tongue in question lolled.

“Andyou’ve met Nell twice now.” She glanced at her dog, who leaned against Morgan’sleg and was enjoying a chin scratch.

“We’reold pals.”

Damnit, she thought asMorgan found Nell’s itchy spot and the dog’s lips curled in ecstasy. Some ofher defenses crumbled, along with her resentment. She couldn’t hold hardfeelings against someone who appreciated her dog, and Nell’s seal of approvalwas hard to ignore. She shoved her hands into the sorry excuse for pockets inher jeans, envious of Morgan’s work pants and their capacious, practical ones.

“Iwanted to apologize,” Morgan said.

“Forwhat?”

“Iget the feeling we got off on the wrong foot.”

Emiliatucked a rogue strand of hair behind her ear. She didn’t say anything, andMorgan smiled ruefully.

“Forthe record, you’re not the first to fall off your boat here. I’ve done it. Youjust got unlucky enough to have a witness.”

Emiliagrimaced. “I don’t know about unlucky. You did pull me out, and I’m not sure Icould have managed that on my own.”

“Behonest, though. You hate me a little for that, don’t you?”

“Maybe,”she allowed as her skin prickled with embarrassment and an unexpected surge ofrelief tugged the corners of her mouth up in a smile. It felt surprisingly goodto be called out by this woman. Morgan, by all rights, should have written heroff as a bitch and walked away. She hadn’t.

“CanI make it up to you with a drink?”

Emilia’sbudding smile faltered. Being called out? Sure. Being asked out? That shewasn’t ready for, even as friends. Not with Morgan.

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