Page 25 of Spindrift

Morgantwisted Stevie’s words back at her. “It’s Angie’s birthday. Angie hasn’t mether.”

“So?She’s new in town. Maybe she wants to make friends. I’ll stop kidding you abouther. I’m serious, though. Ange won’t mind, and you were friends with her dad.That reminds me. Didn’t he say his daughter was a vet that one time?”

“What?”

“Youdon’t remember? While we were fishing? That one time I came with you? He askedyou about your loans because he was worried about her.”

Stevie’swords jarred her memory. Rayhadmentioned something about his daughter’smedical school loans, but then why had Emilia reacted the way she had when shefound out about Morgan’s profession? Had she lost her license? Morgan foundthat unlikely, but she supposed it was possible. Regardless of the reason, ifit was a sore spot, thrusting Emilia into the midst of a group of vets and vettechs didn’t seem like a good idea.

“We’llsee. We don’t want to scare her away.”

“We’recharming. Who doesn’t love talking about abscesses over dinner?”

“Exactly.”

“Butshe’s one of us.”

“Becauseall vets are the same?” said Morgan.

“Whenit comes to abscesses, yes. Speaking of abscesses, I do not want to get kickedagain by this next one.”

• • •

The soundof tires on gravel rescued Emilia from the cloud of dust filling the livingroom. Nell barked from her refuge on the porch. She set down the sander andpushed her way outside, jerking her facemask down for a welcome breath of freshair and shedding her safety goggles.

Morgan’struck idled in her driveway, then shut off. Emilia unclipped Nell’s lead, andtogether they went to greet the women stepping out of the truck. The contrastbetween Morgan and Stevie amused her now that she had let her resentment towardMorgan go. Morgan had a good six inches on Stevie, maybe more, and herstrikingly dark hair accented Stevie’s honey blond ponytail.

“Hey,”she said, suddenly aware of her ragged T-shirt and old jeans. Morgan and Steviewere dressed for the field, but their clothes, at least, didn’t hang off theirshoulders because the neckline had disintegrated with too many washes. Shetugged it up.

“What’sthe emergency?” Morgan asked.

“Rabiddust bunnies?” said Stevie.

Sawdustcovered even her eyelashes, and she tried unsuccessfully to brush it awaywithout introducing it to her cornea. “Something like that. Something chewedthrough the cord of my dad’s shop vac, and the things I’ve seen . . .” Shetrailed off, trying not to dwell on the ancient civilizations she’d discoveredbeneath the couches, chairs, and cupboards.

“Youdidn’t get bit by anything, did you?” Morgan asked her with a frown. “Bats,squirrels, raccoons?”

“Sofar I’ve only seen a few mice.”

Morgan’sface relaxed. “Good. We found a family of raccoons in my parents’ barn lastsummer. Eviction was . . . eventful.”

“Thisis a nice place.” Stevie looked around the yard, her blue-green eyes scanningthe overgrown shrubs along the east side of the house, then the long frontporch. Emilia looked, too, trying to see the house from an outsider’s eyes. Thelog home stared back at her with her father’s gentle smile.

“Couldbe yours,” she said, swallowing past the lump in her throat. “I hope I didn’tinterrupt your work.”

“You’reon the way to our next appointment.”

Morgan’sreassuring smile slipped. Emilia saw her eyes flick down to her shoulder, whichher shirt had revealed yet again.Friends, she reminded herself firmlyas her body suggested more appealing alternatives.

“I’llgrab the vac.” Stevie paused to greet Nell before opening the truck’s door.“Mind if I release the Kraken?”

“Itold you,” Morgan said to Emilia. Was there a hint of a blush on her cheeks, orwas that her imagination?

“Releaseaway.”

Thesable German shepherd leapt out of the truck and circled Nell, his tail waggingwith enthusiasm. Their previous aloofness dissolved as they began to romparound the yard.

“Wheredo you want it?” Stevie asked as she hefted the shop vac out of the vehicle.

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