Morgan looked back over her shoulder towards the kitchen. ‘I dare say a few minutes won’t hurt, but we’re very busy today Ned, so it can’t be any longer than that.’
‘A minute with you is better than none,’ he winked, and Morgan’s heart skipped a beat.
She sat down in the chair and smiled across at him. ‘Have you recovered from your excitement at sea?’
Ned chuckled. ‘I have,’ his smile waned, ‘but it has put me in a contemplative mood.’
Morgan’s brow rose. ‘Oh, how come?’
‘The rescue made me re-evaluate my life. All those fishermen had wives, children...family, who were worried sick about them when the Blue Moon was in trouble. If it were me, who do I have? I don’t have family to worry over me—no one to miss me if anything were to happen to me. Who would miss me when I was gone?’
Morgan gasped. ‘I would miss you. Brett would miss you. Pippa, Nile and Oliver would miss you... Ned, the entire community of Seagull Bay would miss you.’
Morgan noticed how his eyes lit up at the first sentence of her statement. He reached across the table and placed his handon top of hers. ‘Would you really? I thought you were only being kind when you said it to me yesterday.’
Morgan leaned forward in her chair, her eyes boring into his, she hoped they would portray how genuine and sincere she was being. ‘Of course I would. Your friendship means the world to me. It has become even more special to me this past week or so.’
Morgan could visibly see Ned’s shoulders drop. He nodded. ‘You don’t know how much that means to me Morgan.’
Pippa suddenly appeared to her right carrying a tray of food. She looked at her aunt, her brow rising with her smile. Morgan quickly snatched her hand away and rose to her feet. ‘I’d better get back Ned. We’re super busy. I wasn’t supposed to be working today, but I’ve come in to help Pippa and Oliver out.’
‘I envy them having a marvellous woman like you in their lives.’
Morgan could feel the start of a blush. She smiled and swiftly turned away, walking as best she could back to the kitchen with her cane, which was difficult knowing Ned’s eyes were following her the entire time.
Back in the kitchen, Pippa snuck a glance her way. ‘Has it suddenly become hot out there?’
Morgan’s hand raised to her cheek. It was molten to the touch. ‘It is. I don’t think that other log was needed on the fire.’ She went back over to the list. ‘What else do you want me to do on here, Declan?’
Declan was frying steak. He strained his neck to look at the list. ‘Can you make a start on the last two dishes, please Morgan?’
‘No problem.’ She gathered what was needed and joined Pippa at the stainless-steel island.
Pippa looked up from plating salad. ‘What are your plans for this afternoon Aunt Morgan?’
‘I need to run through my list and tick off what’s been done and do what else needs doing. I’m limited to what can be done today. I’m waiting for the call to be at the barn to take stock of the portaloo, tables and bar deliveries. Oh, and I need to do the food preparation, but I can’t do that until the day before the party.’
A coy smile flickered over Pippa’s lips. ‘Doing it alone are you? Or have you found someone to help?’
‘Alone,’ she chuckled, ‘Ned and I are just very goodfriends.’
‘Verygood friends by the looks of the body language I just witnessed,’ grinned Pippa.
Declan’s head lifted from what he was doing, and he spun around to face the women, crossing his arms in front of his chest with a grin. ‘What juicy gossip am I missing out on over there? Are Ned and Morgan an item?’
Morgan threw her hands in the air and laughed. ‘Goodness me, no. You two are worse than Mrs Calloway. That’s the trouble when men and women are friends, people read so much more into it than there is.’ Morgan noticed Pippa and Declan glance at each other with wide smiles.
Pippa nodded. ‘You’re right about that aunt. Oliver had the same misconception and about Declan and me when Declan first came to work here.’
Declan nodded in agreement. He winked at Morgan. ‘You wouldn’t go wrong though with Ned if things between you became...more romantic. He’s a fantastic fella.’
Morgan smiled as she shook her head. ‘You know what? You two are stirring little imps.’ Pippa and Declan laughed as they carried on working, but Morgan couldn’t get Declan’s comment out of her head. He wasn’t wrong.
A knock came at the door. They all looked at each other with frowns.
‘Come in!’ shouted Declan.
Ned appeared carrying his empty plate on the tray Morgan had left on his table by mistake.
