dthefrontdoor.Erika—thisisCeciliaVanger.Cecilia—ErikaBergeristheeditorinchiefofMillennium.”
“Hi,”Ceciliasaid.
“Hi,”Bergersaid.Shelookedasthoughshecouldnotdecidewhethertostepforwardandpolitelyshakehandsorjustleave.“Uh,I…Icangoforawalk…”
“Whatdoyousaytoputtingonsomecoffeeinstead?”Blomkvistlookedatthealarmclockonthebedsidetable.Justpastnoon.
Bergernoddedandpulledthebedroomdoorshut.BlomkvistandCecilialookedateachother.Ceciliaappearedembarrassed.Theyhadmadeloveandtalkeduntil4:00inthemorning.ThenCeciliasaidshethoughtshe’dsleepoverandthatinthefutureshewouldn’tgiveatinker’scusswhoknewshewassleepingwithMikaelBlomkvist.Shehadsleptwithherbacktohimandwithhisarmtuckedaroundherbreasts.
“Listen,it’sOK,”hesaid.“Erika’smarriedandsheisn’tmygirlfriend.Weseeeachothernowandthen,butshedoesn’tcareatallifyouandIhavesomething…She’sprobablyprettyembarrassedherselfrightnow.”
Whentheywentintothekitchenawhilelater,Erikahadsetoutcoffee,juice,lemonmarmalade,cheese,andtoast.Itsmelledgood.Ceciliawentstraightuptoherandheldoutherhand.
“Iwasalittleabruptinthere.Hi.”
“DearCecilia,I’msosorryforstompinginlikeanelephant,”saidaveryembarrassedErikaBerger.
“Fetit,forGod’ssake.Andlet’shavebreakfast.”
AfterbreakfastBergerexcusedherselfandleftthemalone,sayingthatshehadtogoandsayhellotoVanger.CeciliaclearedthetablewithherbacktoMikael.Hewentupandputhisarmsaroundher.
“What’sgoingtohappennow?”Ceciliasaid.
“Nothing.Thisisthewayitis—Erikaismybestfriend.SheandIhavebeentogetheroffandonfortwentyyearsandwillprobablybe,onandoff,togetherforanothertwenty.Ihopeso.Butwe’veneverbeenacoupleandwenevergetinthewayofeachother’sromances.”
“Isthatwhatwehave?Aromance?”
“Idon’tknowwhatwehave,butapparentlywegetalong.”
“Where’sshegoingtosleeptonight?”
“We’llfindheraroomsomewhere.OneofHenrik’ssparerooms.Shewon’tbesleepinginmybed,anyway.”
Ceciliathoughtaboutthisforamoment.
“Idon’tknowifIcanhandlethis.Youandshemightf