Chapter 31
Morgan
“Was it worth it?”
Morgan watched as Danielle wiped her mouth with her napkin, clearing away the last of the shrimp and tasso cream pasta while a smile peered out from around the napkin.
“It was already worth it even without the food,” Danielle said. “Everything is so beautiful. Thanks for inviting me.”
The decision to invite Danielle to this wedding had been a better idea with every passing moment. And she’d been so grateful that her sister had chosen a couple-only reception table so Morgan could sit with her date for dinner.
Her date.
She knew she wasn’t supposed to be calling her that, but it felt right to let the word play around in her head.
“Thanks for coming.” Morgan took a beat to avoid rushing over her words like she normally would. This felt too important to stumble over. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
“I’m glad I’m here, too.” Danielle’s smile widened. “The food isn’t the most important part about being here, but you weren’t kidding about your sister having good taste in catering.”
“Told you.”
Before she could say anything else, the tinging of a fork against a champagne flute rang out through the reception hall.
Everyone turned their attention to the front of the room as the toasts began.
Morgan tried not to squirm in her seat; the agony of sitting still through speech after speech was almost too much for her.
But sitting beside Danielle made the whole thing more bearable.
After the speeches came the cake cutting and dancing. The cake was a elegant creation of a delicate vanilla base with decadent lemon buttercream frosting.
They watched as a few guests trickled onto the dance floor. A few songs later, the dance floor was filled with people enjoying the night.
Morgan actually enjoyed the night right along with them. They’d gotten a few looks, but nothing to bother her, and Danielle seemed either not to notice or not to mind. Morgan wanted to say more about how much it meant to have Danielle with her, but she had to fulfill a promise first.
The band switched to a slow tune, and the guests coupled up on the dance floor. Morgan stood and held out her hand.
“Ready for that dance?”
A wide smile stretched across Danielle’s face. She gave a quick glance around them, though, and asked, “Are you sure?”
“More than sure.”
Danielle took Morgan’s hand, sending warmth up her arm and radiating throughout her body. They walked together to the edge of the dance floor where there was a clear spot, and Morgan placed her hands on Danielle’s hips while Danielle wrapped her arms around Morgan’s shoulders.
As they swayed together, Morgan could feel eyes on them, but she couldn’t see any of the gawkers. Her gaze was planted firmly on Danielle’s face. Danielle’s green eyes stared back, matching the intensity of Morgan’s stare.
After a few moments, Morgan saw out of the corner of her eye spots of dusty sage begin to fill the remaining space on the dance floor. It was the other bridesmaids dancing together.
One particular spot of green made its way toward Morgan and Danielle. Felicia’s maid of honor. And she was dancing with Felicia, her big white gown floating toward them while her arms were wrapped around her best friend.
“Hope you don’t mind us doing this,” Felicia said. “I don’t want to… I don’t know. Offend you or anything. I just figured you might not want the whole room staring at you like an audience.”
Morgan’s heart warmed at the gesture. She couldn’t believe how much closer she and her sister had grown over the last few weeks. It was good to have her sister back after their mother had driven a wedge between them.
“You do know how much I hate that.”
“Yup. Even if you say it doesn’t bother you, I know it does,” Felicia said. “I thought I’d give them someone else to talk about. All eyes on the bride and all of that.”
“Thank you.” It was all Morgan could think to say, but it didn’t seem to be enough. She’d find a way to show more of her appreciation one day.
“You must be Danielle,” her sister said, swaying with her best friend. “I’m Felicia.”
“Nice to meet you,” Danielle said, flashing a big smile. “You look beautiful.”
“What? This old thing?” Felicia winked. “Thank you.” She nodded in the opposite direction. “We’ll leave you to the rest of your dance. Hope you enjoy the rest of your night.”
They thanked her again, then went back to staring into each other’s eyes.
“That was sweet of her,” Danielle said.
“It was. And effective.” She glanced around the room and saw that all eyes were on her sister floating around the room. A few people were watching the other bridesmaids dancing together as well. She could see some whispers, but she didn’t care. She only cared about the woman in her arms.
Eventually, the song ended, and Morgan held her arm in the air so Danielle could grab it and do a little twirl. They exited the dance floor and stood together off to the side.
Danielle’s hand slid down Morgan’s arm, sending tingles down to her hand.
“I’m going to run to the restroom.” She squeezed Morgan’s hand. “Be right back.”
Their fingertips slid apart, and Morgan watched as she left. Once Danielle disappeared through the door, Morgan grabbed her champagne glass from her seat at the table.
“I thought you would have enough respect for your sister to not make this evening about yourself.”
The voice behind her was cold and cutting.
Morgan took a sip of champagne and turned to face the owner of the voice. “You mean dancing with my friend?”
“Is that what we’re still calling her?”
“Never mind what I call her,” Morgan said. “Are you asking all of the rest of the people on that dance floor why they’re making this evening about themselves?”
“You know what I mean, Morgan.”
“I do know what you mean, Mother.” The word came out like a hiss, and Morgan didn’t even try to curb the sound.
“She seems like a lovely girl, but this is hardly the place to make a point or whatever it is you think you’re doing.”
Morgan ignored that last statement. She’d stopped trying to make a point to her mother a long time ago, and she certainly wouldn’t use Danielle to do so.
Sure, she’d sort of invited Danielle to make this evening more bearable, but never to make a point.
She waved her champagne glass at the rest of the guests. “Don’t you have an audience to perform for?”
“No one has made a fuss about you bringing a date—”
“Actually, I’m pretty sure you did last night.”
“—but to make a spectacle is unacceptable.”
“No one is making a spectacle except you,” Morgan said. “And Felicia is happy for me. Encouraging me to pursue something with Danielle. I would think you’d at least have enough regard for your other daughter to respect her wishes on her own wedding day.”
Her mother’s mouth pinched tight while she brewed and stewed, as Morgan always called it. The look of a woman trying to compose herself despite her distaste for her disappointing daughter’s existence.
“We’ll continue this conversation at another time.”
“No, we won’t.” Morgan took a breath, then said what had been unsaid between them for a long time.
“I’m not having any conversations with you unless you can accept who I am and not expect me to be the perfect little conservative senator’s daughter.
We don’t speak because you can’t do that, and we’re going to continue to not speak because I don’t think you ever will.
But if you do, you know how to find me. So go ahead and surprise me if you want, but I’m done until then. ”
She didn’t wait for a reply. She was done waiting for anything from her mother.
Morgan took her glass and walked away to wait for Danielle near the bathrooms.
Danielle.
Her spot of comfort in all of this.
A few moments later, Danielle emerged with that wide, warm smile of hers. Her smile faded once she realized Morgan’s expression didn’t match her own.
“Did something happen?”
“My mother happened,” she said. “But it doesn’t matter. She won’t be bothering either of us the rest of the evening.”
“Sorry,” Danielle said, her green eyes soft and sad.
“Don’t be. I’m not.”
Danielle looked around the reception hall. “Well, let’s have some fun then. Got any drunk but progressive cousins you can introduce me to?”
Morgan laughed. “I’m sure I can find another black sheep or two around here.”
Danielle slipped her arm around Morgan’s and squeezed. “Lead the way.”