by Kate Sweeney
Cara smiled and looked out at the lake. “We’re proud of it. It’s taken a while. This pier was left to ruin for a long while. Then some businesses got together and did this.”
“It’s very impressive,” Morgan said, sipping her beer. “You know, I have to thank you for what you did back there, Cara. I wasn’t expecting anything at all. And when he gave me that check, I was floored. But when you did that.” She stopped and laughed. “I don’t think Mr. Stone was expecting that.”
“Yes, and I’ll get a call from the mayor’s office next week,” Linda said, shaking her head. “What possessed you to do that?”
Cara avoided Morgan when she shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t like Ken. He’s a sycophant and a toady.” She looked at Morgan.
“I know what that means,” Morgan said. “Boy, you can be pretty arrogant.”
“You don’t know the half of it,” Linda said into her glass.
“I apologize,” Cara said. “Really. I am sorry.”
“Just because I was homeschooled…”
“You were?” Linda asked. “So, that’s why you wanted the money to go to the school?”
“Yes. We didn’t have a school when I was a kid. If I wanted to go, I would have had to drive all the way into Kabetogama. So, my mom taught me. She had been a grade school teacher, and I took the tests and finished middle school and high school.”
Cara shivered violently.
“Someone walked over your grave? Where’s your jacket?” Linda asked her.
“Left it at the office.”
Morgan stood and took off her leather jacket.
“Oh, no, no,” Cara argued.
“It’s fine. You’ve been eyeing this since yesterday,” Morgan said, draping the jacket over her shoulders.
“I have not,” Cara said, trying to return the jacket. “Here.”
Morgan reached over, putting a hand on her shoulder. “You’re so stubborn. Why haven’t I seen this before? Tell me you’re not warmer.”
“Well,” Cara said, adjusting the jacket. “Maybe.”
Morgan laughed and looked at Linda. “Is she always like this?”
“Yep. She needs someone to smack her around.”
Cara laughed along with Linda. “As if.”
Morgan watched them while they bantered back and forth. “You two seem like good friends, more than co-workers.”
“We are,” Linda said. “We’ve known each other now for what? Almost twenty years?”
“That long? What’s wrong with us?” Cara asked her.
“How did you get to work together?” Morgan asked.
The server came up with several plates of food.
“Another round, please. Okay, no talking right now,” Cara said, examining the plates.
“This is the fried calamari,” Linda said. “This is grilled calamari. And this is an antipasto salad.”
Morgan looked over all three plates. “Looks good.” She took a little from each plate. She held the fork up with the fried calamari. “Okay, here goes nothing…” She took a bite, and actually, she liked it. “Hmm. Not too bad.”
“Try the grilled.” Cara motioned to it. “Eat the tentacle. I dare you.”
Morgan took the challenge. She speared the tentacle and steeled her nerve.
“C’mon,” Cara urged.
“I’m going to,” Morgan insisted. She took a deep breath and popped it into her mouth. Initially, she didn’t like the rubbery taste, then after a couple of chews, it wasn’t too bad. She swallowed it. “Not bad. Kind of like whale blubber.”
Linda nearly spit out her food.
“Oh, man.” Cara winced. “Are you kidding? They don’t really eat that…”
“They sure do,” Morgan said.
“Who are they?” Cara asked.
The server returned, placing their drinks on the table.
“The Inuit Eskimos. They live on that stuff.”
“Wait a minute,” Cara said to her. “I thought Eskimos were from Alaska.”
“They are.” Morgan popped a slice of salami in her mouth. “That’s good. Andy makes venison sausage and salami. It tastes remarkably the same.”
“I think you’re full of…blubber,” Cara said.
Morgan let out a barking laugh. “You’re probably right.”
Morgan noticed Linda switching her gaze between her and Cara while she drank her beer. Morgan knew something was on her mind. She had an intense look of curiosity. Apparently, Cara saw it, as well.
“Okay, what’s the look for?” Cara asked.
Linda smiled. “I was thinking of what I had said to you when we were sitting inside earlier.”
“Oh. Right.” Cara leaned toward her. “No.”
Morgan watched them, thinking it was just playful banter between old friends.
“Why not?” Linda asked, eating an olive.
“Because.”
Linda looked up. “That is not a good answer.”
“Well, it’s the only one you’re getting.”
“I could make you. I am your boss,” Linda said, examining another olive before popping it in her mouth.
Morgan knew Cara was avoiding her and wondered why. But she said nothing as she sipped her beer.
“Linda....”
“Let’s ask Morgan,” Linda said.
“Let’s not,” Cara countered.
“Ask me what?” Morgan looked from one to the other.
Cara opened her mouth; Linda put her hand up. Cara groaned and sat back.
“I have an idea,” Linda said, ignoring Cara. “First, can you tell me a little more about the school?”
Morgan didn’t know what to expect, but talking about the school wasn’t it. “What would you like to know?”
“Well, for instance. Who started the school? Is there federal funding? If not, why not?”
Morgan thought for a moment. “My aunt started it with the help of other teachers. Yes, there’s funding, but obviously not enough. It’s a small school. Why?”
Linda looked eager as she leaned in. “I’m thinking of doing a series about education. I have two reporters right now looking at different areas of Chicago. And one in the rural section of the country. I’d like to include your school. I want Cara to write it.”
“That would mean she’d have to go back to Kabetogama.” Morgan grinned slightly and glanced at Cara, who seemed unenthused. “I take it you don’t agree.”
“It’s not that. I think it’s a very good idea.”
“I see. It’s coming back to Kabetogama you object to?” Morgan sat back, putting her arm across the back of her chair. “I don’t think that’s nice since I risked my life to save your friend.” She looked at Linda, who grinned while looking out at the lake.
“I didn’t say that,” Cara said.
“So, you would like to go back.”
“I didn’t say that, either.”
“Cara,” Linda said, “I’m willing to give you a leave of absence, say for three weeks or…more. Yes, don’t give me that look. Paid leave. You might even get some ideas about that book you wanted to write. But in the meantime, write about this. I have a hunch that the article you wrote will be very successful. And I think this will be, as well. That’s why I get paid the big bucks. When I get all the other research and articles from the others, yours will be a human-interest, you know.”
Cara looked from Morgan to Linda to Lake Michigan. She settled her attention on Linda.
“Are you considering the cost of me staying at a hotel for three weeks?”
“Why would you do that?” Morgan said. “You already know how much driving you’d have to do. You won’t have to stay at a hotel. You can stay with me again. That wasn’t too bad, eh?”
Cara sighed and agreed. “Eh.”
Morgan hid her grin. Cara looked like a scolded kid. “It won’t be that bad.”
“It’ll be wonderful!” Linda said, holding up her glass.
Morgan looked at Cara, who glanced at her, offering a resign
ed smile.
“It’ll be fun.” Morgan offered her glass.
“Eh…” Cara said half-heartedly, touching her glass with Morgan’s. “What the hell.”
“Great. Well, I have to get home to Mike,” Linda said, hailing the check.
“How is Mike? I haven’t seen him in ages,” Cara said.
“Mike is Mike. He’s always fine. He’s so laid-back, he’s almost in a coma.”
Morgan laughed. “My aunt Therese was like that. Nothing seemed to faze her.”
“Yep, that’s Mike.” Linda handed the server her credit card. “He was born with low blood pressure. And the fact that he runs marathons…”
Morgan continued to laugh. “I have a friend. She’s the same. Very competitive but loves to run. I never saw the fascination with it.” She looked at Cara. “Sal.”
“Oh, that makes sense, she’s in tremendous shape. She looks like a runner.”
Linda glanced at Cara. “Cara was on the track team in college.”
Morgan was impressed. “Really?”
Cara glared at Linda while she signed the check. “That was a long time ago. I’ve come to my senses.”
“True. Though you know Mike would love a running companion. Now I really must go. You two have fun. We’ll meet tomorrow in my office, say, ten o’clock. We’ll discuss this further.” She gathered her purse. “Have a good rest of the day and night, Morgan. See you in the morning.”
“Thanks, Linda. See you then,” Morgan said.
Linda kissed Cara on top of the head. “Behave,” she whispered and walked away.
“I like her.” Morgan watched Linda disappear into the crowd.
“She’s a good friend.”
“I can see that friendly banter.”
“Yes.” Cara laughed. “So, you don’t mind what Linda asked?”
“Not at all. I’d like to get you in my comfort zone again.”
“You don’t like it here?”
“Oh, no. I didn’t mean that at all. Actually,” Morgan said, looking at the lake and all the people on the pier. It was amazing. “It’s very nice here. I can see why you love it.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Well, it’s just that it’s so different from where you live,” Cara said.
“True. Maybe it’s the lake. It’s certainly bigger than mine.”
Cara toyed with the straw from her drink but remained silent.
“Cara, why aren’t you going on vacation?”
“Kim and I thought we’d call it a day.”
“About going on vacation?”
Cara looked up then. “About everything. We talked about it last night over a very expensive bottle of wine.”
“I’m sorry. And I mean that.”
“Thanks. If I were honest, I knew it was coming, and I was avoiding it. I want you to know it had nothing to do with you.”
Morgan raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t think so. And if you’re referring to the kissing…”
“I’m not.”
“Okay.”
“So, what are you saying? You regret kissing me?”
“On the contrary. I’ve thought of nothing else. But you had things to do, and I wanted to respect that.”
“And now,” Cara said, rapping her fork on the table.
Morgan reached over to stop the incessant tapping.
Cara looked up. “I’m not sure what’s going on here, Morgan. You seem different here, and I know you want to get home.”
“And you don’t want to come back and do what Linda wants?”
“I don’t know.”
Morgan heard the confusion in her voice; she pulled her hand back. “I don’t blame you. All this is almost surreal. You coming to the lake, my mother orchestrating it all. Our parents knowing each other all those years ago. And here we sit. I’m sure if you explained it to Linda, she’d understand.”
“I can see what Linda is trying to do. We weren’t expecting you...well, let’s just say it was a surprise when you brought up the school. I’m sure that’s when Linda had the epiphany. Honestly, she’s been talking about doing a series on education for a while now.”
“Maybe you gals should talk about it more. I don’t want you to do something you’ve been pressured into.”
Cara nodded. “We will.” She looked at her watch. “Well, I’m sure you’d like to get back to the hotel.”
“Yes, I want to call my mother. I won’t mention the possibility of you coming back.”
“Not just yet. Is that all right?”
Morgan’s heart sank. “Of course it’s all right.”
They sat for a moment in silence. “So, what will you be doing tonight?” Morgan asked.
“I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it. I thought we’d have dinner.”
“That sounds fine. You pick the place.”
Cara laughed. “All right. I can pick you up at the hotel. Six o’clock?”
“All right.”
“Good. Six.”
Morgan nodded. “Good.”
Chapter 22
Cara looked in the mirror. She wore a nice pair of slacks and a lightweight sweater. She tried to do something with her short unruly hair, but it always wound up short and unruly. She opted against makeup, which she usually did. Besides, it wasn’t like she wanted to impress Morgan, was it? She looked at her reflection for a moment before grabbing her jacket and purse and heading out.
As she walked into the lobby at the Drake, she realized they hadn’t discussed where to meet. She looked around the lobby; Morgan was not there, and she had forgotten Morgan’s room number. Thankfully, she saw Cindy behind the desk.
“Hello. I’m supposed to meet Morgan Gavin, but she’s not in the lobby. Can you ring her room? I’ve forgotten what room she’s in.”
“Oh, thank God. She wanted me to catch you. Ms. Gavin said you’d be coming by. She wanted to know if you wouldn’t mind meeting her in her room.”
“Oh.”
Cindy smiled. “She said if you thought it wasn’t appropriate to call her and she would come down.”
“She really said that?”
“Yes. Those were her exact words.” Cindy leaned over. “She looked so awkward. I thought that was cute.”
Cute?
“Maybe I should call my mom first to make sure it’s all right,” Cara said, shaking her head. “I think she needs to get out more.”
“I think she’s adorable,” Cindy said, laughing. “So…?”
Cara cocked her head. “I’ll go up.”
“She’s on the sixth floor.”
Cara held up her hand, remembering the morning at the elevator. “I remember now. Thank you, Cindy.”
Cara took the elevator, trying to ignore her racing heart. Maybe she really did have arrhythmia. She walked down the hall to Morgan’s room. Hesitating for a moment, she took a deep breath, and as she started to knock, it opened.
Morgan nearly ran her over. “Oh. Hi. I-I was just coming down.”
“Oh,” Cara said, her hand still raised. She saw the crimson color rise in Morgan’s neck.
“I-I thought I shouldn’t have. I mean…”
Cara smiled and listened to the stammering attempt at an explanation. Truthfully, she really wasn’t listening; for some reason, Morgan’s eyes seemed bluer, accentuated now by the deep blush in her cheeks.
“Morgan, it’s all right. It’s not a big deal, really. But can we get out of the hallway?”
Morgan laughed and stepped back, allowing Cara into her room. She walked over to the window. “You really have a great view of the lake.” She turned back to see Morgan watching her.
“There’s a change in plans for tonight. If it’s all right.”
“I don’t care what we do.”
“Linda called. The owner of the paper planned a cocktail party in your honor.”
Morgan pulled a face. “Do I have to dress up?”
Cara laughed. “Not at all. It’s very casual. Eve
ryone from the Sentinel will be there, and Doug, my boss, just wanted to let you know how much he appreciates what you did. It won’t last all night.”
“Okay. That’s fine. Let’s go.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course. It might be fine.” Morgan extended her arms. “Is this proper attire?”
“Very much. And wear that jacket.”
“When is this party?”
“We have an hour to kill.”
“Would you like something to drink?”
“Sure. What do you have?”
“Tiny bottles.” Morgan laughed. “Wow. A small bottle of champagne.”
“Oh, let’s have that.”
“Let’s be wild.” Morgan grinned like a mischievous kid.
Cara laughed and wagged her finger. “Not too—”
“I make no promises.” Morgan stopped for a moment. “You trust me?”
“I have no reason not to.”
“Good.” Morgan opened the champagne. “I feel guilty.”
“Why?” Cara heard the honesty in her voice. “You’re not doing anything wrong.”
“Oh, I know.” Morgan laughed nervously. “I’m just not used to extravagance. And this, Cara Pembroke, is extravagant.”
“Well, it’s like a vacation. The Sentinel and the city are just saying thank-you for saving the lives of an employee and her friend.”
“Okay, oh, no champagne glasses.”
Cara retrieved the glasses from the bathroom. “These will do.”
Morgan poured two glasses. “Seems you and I are destined not to use the proper glasses.”
Cara lifted the glass. “From pheasant glasses to tumblers. It all tastes the same.”
“Even better.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m with you,” Morgan said, touching Cara’s glass with her own.
Cara took a sip. “You’re making it hard for me.”
“I don’t mean to.” Morgan took a healthy drink. “This is good. And could be very dangerous.”
Cara moved away to sit on the window seat. “You have a great view of the city and the lakefront.”
“It is nice.”
Cara felt Morgan standing right behind her; she then moved to make room, so Morgan sat next to her, gazing out at the night sky.
“Sure is a lot of people.”
Cara laughed. “Yes. Almost three million.”