Page 19 of Spindrift

“Whyhaven’t I seen you in ages? Buying coffee doesn’t count,” Stormy asked as sheset Morgan’s foaming stout down in front of her.

“I’vebeen on call and it’s spring. Everything wants to be born or die, usually atthe same time. Danielle made me take three nights off a week, though, so maybeyou’ll see more of me.”

“I’llbelieve it when I see it, but thank you for darkening my door.”

“Idon’t darken doorways.”

“Oh,but you do. You’re all dark and brooding.”

“AndI don’t brood.”

“Shebroods,” Stormy said to Emilia.

“Broodingis better than pouting,” said Emilia.

“True.Although Stevie is a cutie when she pouts. Tell her I miss her, too. Does sheknow you’re here? I’m surprised to see you two separated.”

“Stevie?”Morgan felt an unwanted heat rise in her cheeks. “I left her at the house.Emilia and I ran into each other at the dock.”

“Iwon’t tell her you’re cheating on her,” said Stormy.

Emilia’seyebrows contracted in confusion, and Morgan contemplated tossing her drink inStormy’s direction. The last thing she needed was Emilia thinking she andStevie were an item.

“Cheatingon her with beer,” she tried to clarify.

Emilia’seyebrows continued their trajectory inward.

“I’mnot dating Stevie.” Why was she saying these things? She looked to Stormy foraid, only to find her friend smirking at her in amusement.

“Well,now that you’ve thoroughly established how you feel about Stevie, I’ll get backto work,” said Stormy as a group of high schoolers came into the shop.

“Let’sgrab a table.” Morgan fled Stormy’s knowing smile. Damn her friends. They meantwell, but they were also mortifying. She chose a corner away from theboisterous youths in pursuit of a caffeinated jolt. Kraken heaved a sigh andcollapsed by her chair. Nell, Morgan noticed, sat close to Emilia and watchedher surroundings with some of her owner’s wariness.

“Idon’t remember you on a boat growing up,” said Emilia.

“Myfolks didn’t have a boat. They live on a farm a few miles outside of SouthBristol.”

“Isit a working farm?”

“Notreally. They have twenty acres, and my mother keeps a flock of Dorset sheep.Sometimes we use it as overflow for the clinic.”

“Theclinic?”

“SealCove Veterinary Clinic.”

“You’rea vet.” Emilia didn’t phrase it as a question. Morgan tried to interpret theexpression in her dark eyes. Most people reacted with enthusiasm to her career,followed by a variation of the following statements. A) I wanted to be a vetwhen I was younger! B) Cool! So my dog does this weird thing . . . C) You mustlove playing with puppies and kittens all day.

Emiliadid none of the above. She simply sat there, looking at Morgan with a strange,almost wistful smile.

“Whatdo you do?” Morgan asked to break the awkward silence.

“Rightnow I’m just trying to figure out what to do with my dad’s house.”

Morgandidn’t miss the evasion, but she didn’t push it. Had Ray mentioned what hisdaughter did? He must have. It swam at the edge of her memory, but try as shemight, she couldn’t reel it in. “I’ve never been inside the house, but I’veseen the outside. Looks like a nice place. Rustic. I know he built it himself.Will you sell it?”

“Ithink so. Or I could rent it out, I guess.”

Morgantried to imagine what she would do if she inherited the Donovan farm soonerthan anticipated. The answer came easily. Keep it, move in, and continue payingoff her student loans. Her situation and Emilia’s, however, were drasticallydifferent. Morgan had a life here. Emilia just had memories, and Morgan didn’tthink she’d be able to rent out her parents’ house if their places werereversed.

---