Page 29 of Spindrift

ER:How about something with a longer handle.

MD:Weed whacker?

ER:That works. Metal blade, though. Not string.

MD:Want it Saturday or do you need it sooner?

Herheart thudded in her chest. Morgan was joking, but she couldn’t help wonderingwhat might happen if she asked Morgan to come over now. Would she? Or would shethink Emilia was crazy? Or, and she tried to push the thought away, did sheonly want Morgan to come over because of what Anna Maria had just told herabout Hannah and Skylar?

ER:I made a barricade out of old fly fishing rods. Think I can hold out.

MD:Let me know if you need reinforcements.

ER:Will do.

Sheset the phone down on the armrest and watched the colors bleed into the treesas night fell. Perhaps she should contact her therapist.And if she tellsyou to steer clear of Morgan Donovan?Or, worse, Shanti might ask her howshe felt about the situation, and she didn’t have any answers. Her attractionwas obvious; everything else lay beneath murky waters. If only Morgan wasn’t avet. If only she hadn’t known Emilia’s father, or docked her boat at the samewharf, or been the first girl Emilia had crushed on. If they’d met at a bar—notthat Emilia went to many bars—she might have kept the rest of her lifeseparate. One-night stands were not something she did either, though. Sheneeded friends, not complications, and she was an adult. She could controlherself, no matter how much her body wanted Morgan.

I’llbring cookies, she decided. Everyone likedcookies.

Herphone buzzed for the third time. She grabbed for it, but her heart fell whenshe saw the ID. Anna Maria again.

AM:Miss you. Children are tyrants.

ER:Miss you too. <3 u and the girls.

AnnaMaria sent a picture of Emilia’s nieces tucked into their beds. Ruby had herthumb in her mouth, and April had snuggled up to the stuffed lion Emilia hadgiven her. Her disappointment that it hadn’t been Morgan melted into a wash ofaffection for her nieces.

• • •

“Did youget the beer?” Lillian called as soon as Morgan and Stevie walked through thedoor that Saturday. Morgan had arranged to switch her evening on-call shift toMonday so that she and Stevie would not be called away in the middle of theparty.

“Shit.”

“Itexted you to remind you.”

“No,”said Morgan. “I mean we’re covered in shit. Beer is in the truck.”

Lillianpoked her head into the mudroom and wrinkled her nose. Her dogs, on the otherhand, sniffed appreciatively at the scent of manure.

“Isee you’ve been playing with cows again.”

“Ishould have gone into small animal medicine,” said Morgan. She pulled off hershirt and jeans and shoved them into the washer they kept in the mudroom forthis purpose.

“Cuteundies,” Lillian said as she vanished.

Morgan’sbriefs sported paw prints and dog bones. “Thanks,” she shouted after Lillian.

“Don’tyou want to see mine?” Stevie added.

“Definitelynot,” Lillian said from the kitchen.

“Rude.”

Morganraised an eyebrow as Stevie wriggled out of her pants. “Dinosaurs?”

“Roar.”

“Wheredo you even buy those for adults?”

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