Page 116 of Spindrift

“Steviesays you’re being a bitch.”

Morganshrugged.

“Wantto tell me why?”

“Notparticularly.”

“You’renot coming in the house then,” said Lillian. Her dark brows lowered,threatening to skim her cheekbones.

“Thinkyou can stop me?”

“Don’tfuck with me, Donovan. You know I could kick your ass.”

Despiteherself, Morgan smiled. “You sure about that?”

“Please.”Lillian shook her head dismissively. A crease from an abandoned hair tiecrinkled her smooth sweep of black hair. “Shove that butch ego. You know I hateit.”

Morganreleased her death grip on the steering wheel and groaned. “I’m just tired,Lil.”

“Thengo apologize to Stevie and take a nap.”

“I’mnot a child.”

“Thenstop acting like one.”

Morganscrunched her nose at Lillian, whose glare softened. She grabbed Morgan’s chinand shook it back and forth a few times. “Why are you so frustrating?”

“Genetics,”said Morgan, thinking of her mother.

“How’sEmilia?”

“She’sfine.”

“You’renot in a fight?”

“No.Why would you think that?”

Lillianraised a skeptical brow. “Fine. I’m not going to force you to talk to me. Ifyou want to pout and brood, that’s on you.”

“Christ,I don’t brood!”

“Yourcall. But other people live here, so try to contain your negativity to yourroom.”

Sheturned on her heel and marched back toward the house.

“Wait.”Morgan hated herself for the neediness in her voice. “Take a walk with me?”

Thecorner of Lillian’s eyes crinkled in a smile.

Theystrolled along the fencing Stevie was erecting around the orchard. T-postsstuck out of the ground at uneven intervals, and Morgan, despite her gloom,made a mental note to remind Stevie how a measuring tape worked. Evening haddispelled some of the heat of the day. The setting sun cast the gnarled shadowsof the apple trees over the grass ahead of them, and Morgan smelled the slowlyripening apples hanging in the leaves.

“Ican’t go through this again,” she said without preamble.

“Sureyou can.”

Morganopened her mouth in outrage, but Lillian continued.

“Iassume you’re talking about Emilia. Is she leaving soon?”

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