Page 76 of Love, Morgan

Ripley eyed me. “You lost? Isn’t your whole thing that you always win?”

“Yep.” I scowled. “Apparently, I am so overcome by love that I no longer know how to play.”

“Ah.”

“Indeed.”

We walked the rest of the street in silence. I knew something was bubbling up inside of her, but I also knew she’d tell me when she was ready. Sometimes, I could pester it out of her, if she needed a little push, but I didn’t have that kind of energy.

“Did you tell them?” she asked. “About Iona?”

“You’re going to need to be more specific than that.” I shot her a look as I stepped around a puddle. “Did I tell them she existed? Yeah, a while ago. Did I list her physical characteristics? Did I tell them what she eats for breakfast? Did I—”

“Morgan.”

“Yes, Ripley?”

She shook her head. “I’m guessing that means you didn’t get into everything that went down with her.”

“Of course not. Though, Edith is a little more insightful than she lets on.”

Ripley laughed. “Yeah. When you’re feeling better, you should ask Alicia about all the times she felt like Edith was trying to dissect her soul wanting to get the two of us together the first time round.”

“Noted,” I laughed, somewhat glad to not be the only one on the receiving end of that knowing look. I should have known Alicia wouldn’t have escaped it. She and Harlow had been friends for years.

Ripley smiled before letting out a deep sigh. “Do you think you’re going to tell them, or are you just hoping it all goes away?”

I side-eyed her. “Did you just lurk around in the dark to quiz me on Iona and my bridge group?”

“No. Of course not.”

“Then, why are you here?”

“To see my best friend.”

“We had breakfast together this morning.”

“It was lunch this afternoon, but sure.” She laughed. “I didn’t realize I was going to get shot down for wanting to see you.”

“Ripley, I’ve been playing bridge for about five years now, and you’ve never once been waiting outside for me. What’s going on?”

“You’re avoiding the question,” she said, looking away shiftily.

“Like you’re not?” I waved my arms through the air helplessly and stopped, forcing her to break and turn to look at me. “Tell me what’s going on or I’m running away.”

“You hate running.”

“Too right I do. That’s how much you’re annoying me right now.”

She laughed, crossing and uncrossing her fingers in a way I couldn’t decide whether it was stress or excitement. “I’m just… wondering what your plan with Iona is? You know, long-term.”

I glared at her. She was my best friend and we’d already had this conversation multiple times. Did we need to keep rehashing it? “There is no plan. There is no long-term. There is no anything. You know that.”

She chewed her lip. “Look, Morgan, I love you, and I want you to be happy.”

“Great. You can help make that happen by not bringing this up again.”

She sighed, watching me as we walked again. “I just think this is not the kind of thing that goes away. I don’t think either of you is cut out for a quick fling, nor do I think this is the kind of relationship that was cut out for that.”

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