Page 20 of Spindrift

“I’mon the road most of the time, but we’ve got all kinds of tools lying around ifyou need to borrow anything. Here.” She pulled her wallet out of her pocket andremoved a business card, scribbling her cell on the back. “Seriously. Shoot mea text if you need anything.”

Emiliaaccepted the card, and the unreadable expression changed to something morefamiliar. Wariness again, but this time mixed with gratitude.

“Ifeel like I’m starting to owe you.”

“Don’tworry about it. Like I said, Ray is a friend. Least I can do is help hisdaughter, right?” She couldn’t bring herself to use the past tense to describehim.

Emiliatraced lines through the condensation on her glass. The motion had a hypnoticeffect on Morgan. Maybe moving away from the bar had been a bad idea. Their conversationhad flowed freely there, while now it stuttered and tripped over unseenobstacles.And you just gave her your number, she reminded herself.Mightwant to clarify your intentions.

“Look.”She took a draught of her stout before continuing, mostly for something to dowith her hands. “Cards on the table, pun definitely intended.”

Emiliacracked a small smile.

“Idon’t normally go out of my way like this, but you seem like a good person in atough place, and since we keep running into each other, I think we should befriends. Friends help friends. Unless, of course, you’d rather keep glaring atme from your sailboat?”

Emilia’scheeks flushed. “You saw that?”

“Iworried you’d burn a hole in my hull.”

“Whatmakes you think I didn’t?”

Morganraised her hands in defeat.

“Okay,”said Emilia.

“Okay,what?”

“Okay,yes, maybe friendship isn’t such a bad idea. I just have one condition.”

“Whichis?”

“Youcan’t tell anyone I fell off my boat.”

Morganwinced.

“Youalready did, didn’t you?”

“TechnicallyI didn’t say it was you.”

Emilialeaned back in her chair. She had nice shoulders. Feminine, but strong. Morganstopped the thought from progressing past casual observation into moredangerous territory, like what it might be like to grip those shoulders while—shit.

“Thentell me something embarrassing about yourself,” said Emilia.

“I’veonly had half a beer.”

“I’llbuy you another,” said Emilia.

“Sothat you can blackmail me?”

“Friendskeep secrets.”

“Fine.Let me think.”My ex broke off our engagement. I’m probably going to diealone, crushed to death by a cow. The last time I had sex was six months ago. Ican’t even touch myself without thinking of Kate.“I eat cheese in themiddle of the night.”

“Howis that embarrassing?”

“Youdon’t understand. I eat a lot of cheese. No cheese is safe. Cheddar, brie,mozzarella, cheese labeled ‘Stevie’s, don’t eat.’ Cheese dip. Cheese sticks. Ifit’s cheese, I’ll eat it.”

“Howmuch cheese are we talking about?”

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