Chapter 26
Danielle
“This is magical,” Danielle said for probably the third time since they’d arrived at Morgan’s aunt’s house.
And magical didn’t begin to describe it.
The food was delicious, as promised, but it was uncomplicated and not as fussy as Danielle had expected.
There was a Mediterranean feast set up over tables covered in blue and white linens.
You could fill your plate with hummus, olives, cheeses, salad, and grilled vegetables and chicken.
They stood together at a round cocktail table, and Danielle was glad to have Morgan alone for a while.
Especially after sitting by herself with Morgan’s cousin at the rehearsal, then wading through the gauntlet of relatives when they arrived on Morgan’s aunt’s gigantic lawn overlooking the small river that ran through Oakview.
Morgan had been right, and Danielle had definitely heard a few “Interesting” comments in their brief conversations, but none of it bothered her as much as Morgan seemed to expect it to.
Still, she’d felt a whole-body sigh wash over her once they had reached the table and realized no one was rushing to join them. None of the nosy relatives were descending upon them.
It was almost like they were on a date.
But they weren’t, she kept having to remind herself. They were friends. She was a friend who was providing moral support. That was all.
But maybe, just maybe, there could be an actual date in their future.
Danielle was beginning to let herself want that. Making it happen was another issue for another day.
Maybe even tomorrow after the wedding.
At least, that was the deal she was making with herself not to blurt out something awkward at this rehearsal dinner.
Morgan, in a gorgeous blue cap-sleeved blouse that popped against her pale skin, held up a piece of grilled zucchini on her fork and waved it at the large yard around them.
“This is all my mother’s doing. As gorgeous as it is and as delicious as the food is, it’s all wrong.
Felicia wanted a taco bar. She was told that would be ‘beneath us.’”
Danielle scrunched her face. “What does that mean?”
“My mother thinks everything is tacky. Unless it’s something she chooses.” Morgan nodded at the rocks glass in Danielle’s hand. “How’s the drink?”
“Divine.”
The event had a full bar near the sprawling oak tree wrapped in fairy lights.
The primary draw, however, was the signature drink: a Lemon and Thyme Gin and Tonic.
It wouldn’t have been Danielle’s normal choice, but she couldn’t pass up the chance to have a signature drink.
And this one perfectly matched the Mediterranean flavors of the food being served.
“Good,” Morgan said with a satisfied nod. “That was Felicia’s pick. At least she was allowed one choice at her own rehearsal dinner.”
Danielle was beginning to see the controlling picture Morgan had painted of her mother, even though she hadn’t met the woman yet.
She saw her at the rehearsal, of course, but they hadn’t been introduced in the frenzy of her mother giving instructions and herding folks to the next location and now overseeing this event.
A cool breeze cut across the open property, and Danielle felt a tiny shiver ripple through her.
She was glad she’d chosen the linen pants and a sleeved blouse instead of the breezy dress Gerri had suggested.
It had been another lovely, warm day for mid-March, but the temperature was cooling off now that the sun had begun to dip below the horizon.
The clink of a spoon against a glass rang out across the yard. A woman in a practical navy dress with a perfectly styled bob stood in front of the catering tables with a clearly practiced smile on her face.
It had to be Morgan’s mother.
“Yes, that’s her,” Morgan whispered, as if reading Danielle’s mind.
“I want to thank you all for being here,” the woman said with a flourish. “This is the beginning of a very special weekend for my daughter, and we’re so glad to have each of you as part of it.”
The woman’s eyes scanned the small crowd dotted along the lawn, then her gaze landed directly on Morgan and Danielle. A small crack of what looked like annoyance slipped through her polished veneer, but she quickly recovered and continued her speech.
“Don’t worry. It’s me, not you,” Morgan said, also catching the look she seemed no doubt used to.
“Pretty sure it’s a little bit about me.”
“You should consider it an honor that she even noticed you. Most people are just background to her.”
Danielle kind of wished she were in the background after that brief look. She couldn’t imagine what living under that stare must feel like.
When she finished speaking, Morgan’s mother stepped aside as the best man replaced her. He gave a surprisingly sweet speech coming from a hulking man who clearly spent a good bit of his days at the gym.
Next came the maid of honor. The charming petite brunette fumbled nervously with the tiny belt at the waist of her stunning yellow sundress.
She talked briefly about how love doesn’t always come at you like a whirlwind, making a nod to the couple of honor’s friends-to-lovers relationship path.
After a few moments, she said something that caught Danielle’s attention.
"Sometimes, the right person shows up quietly, turns your world upside down in the best way, and suddenly everything makes sense."
Danielle’s breath caught in her chest for a few moments before she could exhale it in a slow, steady stream.
She was afraid to look beside her at Morgan. Afraid to see if that line resonated with her as well.
Because that’s exactly how the last few weeks had felt. Like a slow, quiet building of… something. Something that was threatening to turn Danielle’s whole life upside down.
If she let it.
She must have missed the rest of the speech because suddenly everyone on the lawn was clapping. Danielle clapped along with them, then glanced at her phone on the little table.
“I should get going,” she said. “I turn into a pumpkin at nine o’clock.”
Morgan laughed softly. “Surely your beautiful outfit won’t turn to rags if you stay a few minutes longer.”
“No, but I should get home and relieve Gerri of Lila duties.”
Danielle would rely on her friends too much already that weekend. She didn’t want to lean on them any more than she already was.
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
Together, they crossed the side of the lawn to where all the cars were parked in a row out front. They walked mostly in silence except for the sound of their shoes over the grass. When they reached her car, Danielle unlocked it and turned to face Morgan, who was a little closer than she’d expected.
“Thank you for keeping me company. It was nice to have someone to hang out on the periphery with. It’s always awkward to do that alone, and everyone wants to come up and talk to me like I’m not alone intentionally.
” Morgan looked down for a second, then back up at Danielle with an uncharacteristic shyness on her face.
“It was nice to not feel alone. To be with you, I mean. I really enjoyed being here with you.”
Danielle’s breath was shallow as her heart raced in her chest. “It was nice to be here. The food, the drinks… it was all so lovely.” She cleared her throat as softly as she could. “It was nice to be here with you, too.”
Her back was now pressed against the car door as Morgan leaned forward, her face suddenly inches away. As Danielle looked up at her, she could smell the woodsy floral scent she had grown to recognize as Morgan’s, and her gaze became fixated on the deep brown eyes staring down at her.
Morgan’s body inched even closer, then she met Danielle’s mouth with her own. Her lips were warm and soft, and the slightest hint of thyme and olive oil flavored them. Danielle’s heart raced even more as the kiss deepened.
This time, she didn’t pull away.
At least not at first. First, she enjoyed the feel of Morgan’s mouth against hers. Enjoyed Morgan’s hand against her waist. Enjoyed Morgan’s other hand against the side of her face. She enjoyed it all and wasn’t sure she wanted that kiss to ever stop.
But it had to.
For now.
She pulled her head back ever so slightly and said, “I should really get back to Lila.”
“Right,” Morgan said, stepping back to allow Danielle room to open the car door. She looked disappointed but understanding. “I’ll see you tomorrow? I have pre-wedding stuff, but I promise I’ll make time to see you when you get there.”
“Don’t worry about me.” She winked. “I’ll just be waiting for more of that delicious food I was promised.”
Morgan laughed. “A promise is a promise.”
“Well, good night. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Tomorrow.
As she got in her car and drove down the long driveway, she couldn’t help but feel like tomorrow was far too long away.