Page 9 of Spindrift

“You’reRay’s daughter?” asked the woman Emilia guessed to be the café’s proprietor.

“Yep.”

“I’msorry about your dad. He was a nice guy. Always tipped. He played for us a fewtimes in the off-season.” Stormy nodded toward the stage.

Thethought of her father playing guitar in this hipster hideout brought a surge ofunexpected emotions. Jealousy, first, that he’d played for other people. Grief,of course. Pride, too, and gratitude that here, at least, he’d be rememberedfor something other than a failed marriage and a drinking problem.

“Ray?”asked Sunshine.

“RussoConstruction,” said Stormy. “Real nice baritone. You remember him.”

Emiliafound the small lump in Nell’s shoulder that had been there for as long asshe’d had her and traced it with the pads of her fingers. Morgan stared at her,and she felt, rather than saw, the compassionate sympathy in her gaze.

“Hehas that beautiful house up on Pleasant Street. Are you putting it on themarket?”

“Easeup, Stormy.” Morgan accepted the to-go cup Stormy handed her.

“Yeah.Ignore her. I’m Stevie, by the way.” Stevie approached Emilia with a slightswagger that set off her gaydar.

“Emilia.”She took the offered hand, noting the calluses. Stevie’s blue-green eyes—muchlighter than Morgan’s—shifted to Nell. “And this is Nell.”

“Whyhello there, gorgeous,” Stevie said in a surprisingly throaty voice. Nellresponded without her usual reserve and stepped forward to present herself foradoration. “How long are you in town for?”

“I’mnot sure. A month, at least, Maybe two.”

“Nice.Well, we’ll probably see you around. Small town. And Iwillbe seeingyou,” she purred at Nell.

Emiliasmiled despite herself.

“Yougot my coffee?” Stevie asked Morgan.

Morganslid another to-go cup down the bar and met Emilia’s eyes again. A shiver randown her back. Morgan’s boyish appeal had matured into soft-butch perfection,and she remained unfairly attractive. Embarrassment gnawed at the scone in herstomach, producing unpleasant byproducts.

“Seeyou later,” Stevie said as she headed for the door. Morgan followed after witha wave to the room, but she paused at the door with a crooked grin.

“Staydry,” she said to Emilia.

Emiliaclenched her jaw at the reminder about her unexpected swim. The doorbelljingled in Morgan’s wake.

• • •

“That’swho you pulled out of the ocean?” Stevie said as soon as the door shut behindMorgan.

“So?”

“So,she’s fucking gorgeous. Did you at least get her number?”

“Jesus,Stevie. That’s inappropriate.”

“How?You rescued her, didn’t you?”

“Prettysure she didn’t want to be rescued.”

“Seeif she’s on Tinder.”

“No.”

“Giveme your phone.”

---