Page 78 of Spindrift

“Don’tworry, Mrs. D.,” said Stevie. “Morgan’s taking good care of her.”

Morganquailed under the piercing stare her mother turned on her and vowed to throw afresh pile of horse shit at Stevie the moment Shannon left the barn.

“Really?Then you should have her over here for dinner.”

“She’sbusy dealing with Ray’s house.”

“Thatwasn’t a request, Morgan.”

"Ma,”Morgan protested, “you can’t force me to invite people I barely know over toyour house. I’m not five.”

“Morganknows her pretty well,” Stevie supplied helpfully. “We’ve had her over to ourhouse a few times. I like her dog.”

“I’llmake that lamb pie you like.”

“Seriously?”Morgan looked between her mother and Stevie.

“Morgantook her to Sally’s the other night.”

“I’mgoing to go check on the horse,” she said, glaring at her friend.

Theproblem with knowing someone her entire life, she decided as she turned herback on the conspirators, was that Stevie felt more like a sister than afriend, right down to her inexplicable habit of throwing Morgan in front of thebus that was her mother. Stevie was the second youngest of five, whereas Morganwas an only child, and she didn’t have the survival skills to counter Stevie’sattacks.

Emiliaand Shannon in the same room made Morgan’s skin prickle with unease. Shannon’slips thinned dangerously each time Kate came up in conversation, and Emiliadidn’t need to deal with the fallout of Morgan’s previous relationship.Especially since Emilia wouldn’t be sticking around for long. She tried to burythat thought.

“I’mgoing to kill you,” she said in a conversational tone when Stevie came to joinher.

“I’msorry.” Stevie’s large blue eyes looked up at Morgan beseechingly.

“Thatwas a dick move.”

“Yourmom’s cool.”

“Mymother is the Irish goddess of vengeance.”

“Well,it’s not like you’re dating Emilia.”

“Butnow my mother thinks I am. Thanks for that, by the way.”

“Whywould she think that?”

“Morgan’staking good care of her,” Morgan said in a high-pitched imitation of Stevie.

“Wellyou are. You take good care of everyone. Besides, it’s not like you’ve sleptwith her.”

Morganlifted one of the gelding’s hooves and prodded the frog, checking fortenderness.

“Wait,”Stevie said, zeroing in on Morgan’s silence. “You told me nothing happened at Sally’s.”

“Heseems sound on this one.” Morgan lowered the front hoof and moved to the back.“I’ll have you run him for me in a minute just to check.”

“Morgan.”

Shestraightened, resting a hand on the horse’s warm rump. Without looking atStevie, she said, “I don’t push you about Angie. Don’t push me on this,Stevie.”

Steviecircled around to face her with her arms folded. “You like her, don’t you?”

“Youknow I do.”

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