Page 71 of Spindrift

Emilialeaned her cheek against Morgan’s hand. “Alive.”

“Sometimesstaying alive is the bravest thing you can do,” said Morgan, thinking of the colleagueswho had lost that fight.

“You’rea good friend, Morgan.”

Friend. She smiled past the pain thatword caused and gently withdrew her hand.

Suecalled their order number from the counter, and she rose to retrieve it. Itshould not have come as a blow. Hadn’t she been the one who kept saying that Emilianeeded a friend, not complications?I can be that. She picked up thetray, but her appetite had abandoned her, and the freshly baked bread andcreamy, steaming chowder no longer held any appeal.

“Morgan,”Emilia said as Morgan sat back down and served their food. Her voice soundedtight and worried.

“Eatfirst.”

“Idon’t think I can. And it’s probably too hot anyway.”

Morganbraced herself. “Okay. Then we should probably talk.”

“Yeah.”

Morgandrank some of her beer, wondering if Emilia expected her to begin.

“Firstoff,” said Emilia, “what you did was totally unfair.”

“Huh?”Morgan blinked in surprise.

“Thisisn’t just my call, and you can’t put this all on me.”

“Ididn’t want you to feel any pressure. I didn’t—”

“Really?Because to me it just looks like you don’t want to take responsibility.”

“That’snot it at all.”

“Areyou sure?” The challenge blazed in her eyes.

“Yes,”She wondered if there was any truth to the accusation despite her disavowal.

“Soyou know what you want out of this.” Emilia turned the question into astatement.

“Iwant to do whatever is right for you.”

Emiliashook her head. “That is not what I asked.”

Morganheld her stare and felt her face flushing with embarrassment and annoyance. Shedidn’t deserve this attack. Did she?

“Emilia,”she said quietly into those flashing eyes. “Please don’t make me say it.”

Emiliatore her small loaf of bread in half and broke eye contact. “I think this isprobably a mistake.”

Morgancomposed her face and prepared herself to say whatever she needed to getthrough the rest of the evening. Perhaps she’d receive a call from the clinic,giving her a graceful exit. Coming to Sally’s had been stupid. Now she had toface a boat ride home with Emilia.

“ButI can’t stop thinking about you,” Emilia finished.

Morganfroze.

“Ican’t be friends with you, Morgan. I’m an emotional train wreck, and mytherapist would probably kill me if she could see inside my head.”

“I’mconfused,” Morgan admitted.

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