"Then we're cool," I say.
"Cool."
Morgan splutters, amused."Wow.You two aresoarticulate."
"Cool," Mal and I say in unison, and then all three of us burst into laughter.
I glance at Morgan, and her eyes are twinkling—she turns away, but not before I see a glimmer of a tear in her eye.She fiddles idly with the towel hanging from the oven handle and then turns back."Okay.Noah, breakfast.What do you like?"
You, I almost say, but think better of it—and indeed, when I look at Morgan, she's giving me a look that saysdon't you dare say it, mister.
"I have a better idea," I say, and guide her by the shoulders to the island beside her daughter."You sit and drink your coffee while I fix us breakfast."
"But—" she protests.
"Morgan."I interrupt her."When was the last time anyone made you breakfast?"
"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say never," Mallory answers, pulling her mom onto a stool at the island."Mom gracefully accepts your kind offer, Noah."
"Excellent."I pull open the fridge and peruse the options."Let's see…wow, you girls are healthy.Lots of good stuff in here."
I pull out some green peppers and a packet of breakfast sausage.I get two pans heating while dicing the peppers.A few minutes later, I'm divvying up three plates of scrambled eggs with peppers and sausage.
Mal looks positively gleeful when I set a plate in front of her."Second breakfast!Score!"
I sit beside Morgan, and we dig in.When she finishes eating, Morgan rests her head on my shoulder."Thank you, Noah."
"My pleasure."I check the time on my phone and curse under my breath."Gotta run, girls.The captain can't be late."
Morgan snags my hand at the front door as I shrug on my department jacket."Hey."
I bend and kiss her."I'm so glad you texted me last night."
She grins at me."Not as glad I am."She searches my face."Thanks for being cool with Mallory.And for breakfast."
"Mal is cool, so it's easy to be cool with her.You raised a hell of a kid, sweetheart."
She drops her head."It just means a lot that you care about her in all this.I know she's mature, especially for seventeen, but she's got a tender heart under there."
"Morgan, I'm all in.Okay?You, her, us, the whole thing.One step at a time, though."
She rests her head on my chest for a moment and then pulls away, pats my chest, and then gives me a gentle shove toward the door."Go to work.But call me or message me when you can, yeah?"
"Will do.You too.Just, obviously, I'll have to answer when I can."
"I know.Now go.The captain can't be late, after all."
I'm whistling when I get to work, and find myself whistling while I do paperwork.Which, of course, gets the attention of my son.
"Someone's in a good mood," he says, flopping heavily into a chair in that way of his.
“Yeah, I guess so."
"Care to share with your son?"
I take off my glasses and toss them onto the desk."Just…things are good with Morgan."
He grins."Good?Good how?"
