Page 67 of Spindrift

“See?Not so bad. Look, Nell, a water puppy!”

Theseal’s head bobbed a few yards away. Nell, however, didn’t notice. She’d liftedher nose to sniff the salt breeze, and Emilia kissed the faint roundness of hermuzzle.

Imissed this, sherealized as they sailed on. Her father’s drinking had worsened in the yearsfollowing the divorce. After she’d made the mistake of telling her mother abouthow he’d left the house, drunk, to pick up more beer with her in the car, she’dbeen forbidden from staying with him for more than a few nights. Even that hadbeen negotiated with tears and solemn oaths from her father. Her Maine summershad ended, replaced with more mundane, if equally fraught, summers at home inthe Boston suburbs with her friends.

Whatif she’d contrived some way to keep coming? Would Morgan have eventuallynoticed her? Would the pressure of guilt for those lost years with her fatherweigh any less?

Probablynot. Even if she had caught Morgan’s eye, she still would have gone to Tuftsfor vet school, and she still would have met Hannah. She tried to feelsomething about her ex’s potential infidelity or about the breakup. The wallthat had cut her off from her life still separated her from those emotions. Or,maybe the greater grief had simply eclipsed them. Hannah still lived. Herfather did not. Tears, snatched by the wind, added more salt to her cheeks aswindblown sea spray—spindrift, her father had called it—flung itself againstthe hull.

• • •

Lillianglanced up at Morgan from the kitchen counter. “You look nice.”

“Ishowered.”

“No,I mean the outfit.”

Morganexamined herself. Dark jeans. The black work boots she tried to keep cleanerthan her other pair. A white button-up rolled at the sleeves. “It’s not fancy.”

“Hangon.” Lillian wiped her hands clean of whatever leafy green vegetable she’d beenmurdering and rounded the island. “Your collar,” she said as she straightenedit.

“Thanks.”

“Whereare you off to?”

“Dinnerwith a friend.”

Lilliangave her a flat look. “Does this friend happen to be named Emilia?”

“I’llsee you later.”

Movingin with her friends had kept her afloat after Kate left. It also saved money,which she needed to do if she ever wanted to pay off her student loans.Sometimes, however, it didn’t seem worth it.

Hersmall pickup growled to life without offering any complaints about her neglect.She’d started it up a few times over the past months, but since she was alwaysworking, it usually made more sense to drive the clinic truck. Peeling out ofthe driveway without a ton of equipment in the bed made her feel like thevehicle had wings.

She’dtold Emilia to meet her at the dock. She hadn’t told her where they were going.Warm, mid-June air blew in through the truck’s open window as she veered aroundpotholes. Hopefully, few tourists would be out. Tuesday nights weren’t exactlyrush hour.

Emilia’scar sat in the lot, but she didn’t see Emilia. Maybe meeting here was a badidea, she thought, remembering the last time they’d been in the boathousetogether. She parked, still looking around, and passed through the danger zoneand out onto the wharf.

Awoman leaned against the rail. Her dark hair blew around her shoulders, and thesimple navy blue dress hugged her body as the wind caught it like a sail.Morgan froze. The dress was casual. It was the sort of summer dress women woreall the time, she reasoned with herself. It wasn’t Emilia’s fault that shelooked a thousand times better in it than any woman Morgan had ever seen.Granted, Emilia looked good in everything.

Emilialooked up and waved as Morgan ordered her feet to continue their approach. Sheleaned against the rail beside Emilia, feeling impossibly gawky and out of herleague, and stared at the ocean below. “See anything down there?”

“Yeah.Remind me never to fall in again. I just saw a crab big enough to eat my foot.”

“Alternatively,we could eat him. Do you like seafood?”

“Ilike all food.”

“Mykind of woman.” Belatedly, she realized how that might sound.

“Ihaven’t eaten here in ages. Half the restaurants I know are gone.”

“Everbeen to Sally’s?”

Emiliafrowned. “I don’t think so.”

“Thenthat’s where we’re going.” She set off down the ramp that led to the dock butpaused when she realized Emilia had not followed.

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