Chapter 3
Morgan
As she finished the last sip of her champagne, Morgan realized she was out of activities to occupy her hands and brain.
She probably should have taken Jen up on her offer to come along, but it seemed silly to have Jen get dressed up just to keep her company for an hour or so.
Especially knowing her friend’s back was bothering her.
Now that the official bits of the event were over—the renewing of their vows, their special dance, and a few other sweet moments—Morgan was now just waiting for an opportunity to find Kim alone long enough to congratulate her. Then, she could slip out and get back to Reginald and her bed.
The happy couple was still on the dance floor together, bouncing around in the middle of a crowd doing an upbeat line dance. At least watching them look so happy was a pleasant enough activity.
“Mind if I sit here?”
Morgan had been so enamored with her cousin’s rekindled relationship that she hadn’t noticed someone approach her table.
And she was someone Morgan should not have missed.
The woman was short and curvy with long blonde hair in the most perfectly sculpted waves Morgan had ever seen, and her soft, flawless features accented her rounded face. She wore a cute blue wrap dress and looked equally comfortable in her outfit as she was at this event.
“Yeah, sure.” Morgan sat up a little straighter. “If you want to.”
The woman sat in the chair across the table and extended a tanned hand. She raised her voice above the music. “Danielle.”
“Morgan,” she said, shaking her hand. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”
Danielle smiled, a warm, welcoming smile, and shook her head. “I just didn’t like seeing you sitting alone over here.” Her expression quickly shifted to one of concern. “Unless you would prefer to be alone. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Was it?
She wasn’t a talk-to-strangers-at-formal-events kind of person. Not anymore, as much as she could help it. Those days of being expected to smile and mingle and play pretend were long behind her.
But something about this woman put her at ease.
The music switched to an even louder dance tune, and Danielle raised her voice again, leaning in to be heard. “So how do you know the couple?”
Morgan reflexively glanced at the dance floor again. Kim and Melanie were holding one hand and each swinging their other in the air.
“Kim’s my cousin,” she said, raising her voice as well.
Danielle looked around the reception hall then back at Morgan. “Big parties aren’t your thing?”
“Nope,” she said with a shake of her head, her chandelier earrings knocking against her jawline with the motion. “But I love Kim, and I figured I’d probably be her only family here, so it was an easy choice to come.”
“Family not around or not supportive?” Danielle shook her head. “Sorry. Too personal.”
“No, it’s fine,” Morgan said. “Not supportive.”
Danielle frowned and glanced at the couple again before turning back to Morgan. “I’m sorry. That really sucks.”
Morgan shrugged. “We’re used to it by now.”
That was partially true. You never get over being rejected for who you are, but you can eventually find a tiny bit of peace for yourself in accepting the situation for what it is. Although Morgan still got rightfully pissed off about the whole thing now and again.
The one good thing about their family not approving of either of their lifestyles was that Morgan didn’t have to worry about running into her mother here.
“So what about you?” Morgan nodded her head toward the happy couple on the dance floor. “How do you know them?”
Danielle played with the wavy ends of her hair brushed over one shoulder. “I work with Melanie. We’re both English teachers at the same high school.”
An English teacher. That made sense. With that confident ease with which she’d sat at Morgan’s table and the warmth she gave off, Morgan could easily see her standing in front of a classroom.
Not that Morgan should be imagining this woman anywhere. She was just a kind stranger Morgan would never see again.
The song ended, and yet another upbeat dance tune filled the hall. Kim and Melanie stayed on the dance floor, and Morgan couldn’t imagine just how exhausted they were going to be tomorrow.
It was good to see Kim so happy. Watching her made Morgan not at all mind waiting longer to catch her cousin alone so she could leave.
And the gorgeous company was helping pass the time now.
“Your turn,” Danielle said. “What do you do for work?”
Morgan braced herself for the inevitable death of their conversation. Even though all of her jewelry told half the story, most people didn’t know what to say after she told them about her profession.
She didn’t care much about what anyone thought of her. That was their own business, not hers. But she wasn’t looking forward to an abrupt end to what had turned out to be an unexpectedly pleasant interaction.
“I’m a piercer,” she said. “At Ink and Artistry. The shop over on Grandview.”
“Oh, yeah.” Danielle’s eyes brightened with the recognition. “I know where that is. It’s near our school. That’s so cool. I’ve never met anyone who does that.”
Not a hint of judgment in her tone.
In fact, if Morgan was reading her correctly, there seemed to be a note of excitement in that reaction.
Another thing in this woman’s favor.
Not that Morgan was keeping track.
She waved her empty glass in the air, then set it back down. “I’m going to hunt down the restroom.”
Danielle pointed over her left shoulder. “It’s right back there.”
“Thanks.” Morgan stood. “I’m sure you have other people to see, so thanks for the company. It was nice meeting you.”
Something inside her twisted as she said the words. She didn’t realize how much she didn’t want this conversation to end.
Danielle glanced across the room. “My friend is still talking to the rest of my department. They’re not terrible, but I see them every day. So I can wait here until you get back?”
There was an air of hope in those words that matched Morgan’s own hope, and her heartbeat quickened at the sound of them.
“I’d like that.”