Chapter 30
Danielle
Danielle slipped into the last pew on the right side of the church. She didn’t know anyone there and wanted to save the closer seats for true family and friends, so she sat beside a woman with a fussy baby who was clearly ready to make a swift exit if necessary.
She’d arrived just before she needed to, so it wasn’t long before the keyboard, trumpet, and vocalist all began playing a procession song to begin the ceremony.
Danielle turned toward the back and watched as couples lined up and walked down the aisle together.
The women each wore performative smiles, taking their roles as bridesmaids very seriously, while the men looked as if they were marching toward a firing squad.
After three pairs made it past, Danielle’s heart kicked up speed as a familiar face appeared in the doorway. She wore a sage green dress that paired well with her fair skin and dark hair. The halter top of the dress was another good choice as it showed off her broad, leanly muscular shoulders.
Morgan’s eyes darted around the room until her gaze landed upon Danielle, and a genuine smile blossomed on her face.
Danielle wasn’t sure how she was going to continue to contain her heart as it raced in its cage. The rest of her buzzed with a nervous energy as she smiled back and took in the sight of her date for the evening.
No, not her date.
She was having to remind herself of that fact frequently that day.
Morgan snapped her attention back to the aisle as her groomsman partner took a step without her. She slipped into step alongside him, quickly fading down the aisle until all Danielle could see was her head and shoulders above the rows of people.
Soon though, Danielle could see her again, standing in front of the altar in line beside the other three women waiting as the maid of honor and the best man now made their way up front. But Danielle’s eyes were not on them. Her gaze was firmly glued to the most gorgeous woman up there.
Someone had taken a curling iron to Morgan’s short dark bob, and it was a good look on her.
Not quite her, but it looked nice. Danielle thought it softened Morgan’s features a bit, which was probably what the bridesmaid stylist had been going for.
But Danielle didn’t need any part of Morgan softened.
Her sharp features, inside and out, were part of her charm.
And Danielle had learned firsthand just how soft Morgan really was.
The trumpet played a fanfare as the large wooden doors at the back of the church opened to reveal a gorgeous woman in the most elegant dress Danielle thought she’d ever seen.
It had a full bottom, but the top was smooth satin with a sweetheart neckline.
The veil was pulled back, so Danielle could see, even from her distant position, the resemblance between the sisters.
The baby beside her fussed, so Danielle turned her attention toward the mother and attempted to grab the baby’s attention by waving her fingers in front of it and letting its tiny hands try to grasp them.
The mother gave a grateful smile, and Danielle kept her attention on them as the priest began speaking.
Danielle watched as Morgan exited through the back doors, then she helped the woman beside her gather up the baby’s toys, bottle, and cloth.
“Thank you so much,” the woman said while she held the baby on one hip and slung her diaper bag over the opposite shoulder. “Really, you were a lifesaver.”
“No problem. I remember what these days were like.”
The woman swung slightly to keep the baby satisfied for the moment. “How old are yours now?”
“Just the one,” Danielle said. “Thirteen.”
“Does it get any easier?”
Danielle gave her a reassuring smile. “Yes, definitely.”
What she didn’t want to tell the woman was that things were mostly just different. Hard still, although not quite so, but in different ways.
Danielle thought about Lila at Melanie and Kim’s house and wondered how things were going.
She shouldn’t worry. She knew Lila was in excellent hands there.
Still, she could never shake that unsettled feeling, whether she was there or with Rylee or anywhere else.
The only reason she didn’t worry about Lila at school was that she was too busy teaching her own classes to think much about it.
She knew it wasn’t healthy. She knew she needed to let go mentally.
But it was just so hard. Being a single parent meant that all the responsibility for her kid’s safety fell on her.
She never regretted raising Lila on her own, but it was a lot—emotionally, at least—some days. Even thirteen years in.
Danielle hung back as everyone filed out of the church, then she joined the stream to exit with the last of them. She found Morgan standing off to the side in the grass beside a sidewalk and a giant azalea bush covered in bright fuchsia blooms, and her heart fluttered in her rib cage.
“Hey,” she said, immediately regretting the word, as if there had been some better option for a greeting.
“Hey,” Morgan replied with a slightly crooked grin. “You made it.”
“I made it,” she said, then added, “You look lovely in that dress.”
“Thanks.” Morgan looked down at herself, her hands smoothing over the A-line waist. “I look ridiculous… for me. It’s just not me, you know. But at least it’s comfortable.”
“Comfort is good. As much as you can ask for from these things.”
She’d been an attendant at Melanie and Kim’s wedding, but she’d been allowed to pick out her own dress style.
They picked the color, a deep blue for the winter ceremony, and she, Gerri, and Kim’s oldest friend each got to pick from a variety of styles.
Danielle wished all weddings could be like that, but at least Morgan had ended up with a dress that made her feel comfortable. Physically, at least.
“Well, I’d better get over to the church before the wedding planner threatens to serve me up with the catering for being late.”
Danielle laughed and nodded toward the parking lot. “Can’t have that.”
They got in Danielle’s car and headed toward the reception hall together, falling into an easy conversation about how their days had been so far.
Danielle got to hear about how Morgan’s sister loved her new earrings, which reminded her of what she’d wanted to say ever since she’d been distracted by seeing Morgan again.
“Thanks again for my pair,” Danielle said. “They match perfectly.”
Danielle kept her attention on the road, but out of the corner of her eye she could see a little spark of pride in Morgan’s expression.
“You wore them?”
“Of course, I did.” She tucked a chunk of hair behind her ear to show off one. “See? I don’t know how you did it, but it’s like they were made for this dress.”
“Glad you like them.”
“I love them.”
They chatted the rest of the way to the hall, dipping in and out of topics—Lila, Jen, Reginald, book club—easily like they were old friends falling into step.
There was a comfortable ease to their interaction, and Danielle was glad to be part of this moment of peace for Morgan.
She’d been acutely aware of the looks Morgan was getting as they stood outside.
Whether it was because of her piercings, or Danielle at her side, or whatever familial rift Morgan had hinted at, Danielle couldn’t be certain.
Whatever it was, Danielle was glad she’d taken Morgan up on her request.
They pulled into a parking spot, and Morgan took a second to breathe before exiting the car.
“Sorry I have to abandon you in there for a little while. We’re supposed to take photos by the gazebo and river out back before the dances and all of that.”
“Abandon is a strong word,” she said. “I’ll find our seats and check in with Melanie and Kim and Lila while I wait for you.”
“I’ll come find you as soon as I can.”
“No worries,” Danielle said. “Just save me a dance.”
She regretted the words the moment they exited her mouth.
Because they were here as friends. That kiss and Danielle’s feelings might have been changing things between them, but there was nothing more to it for this night, at least. Especially to the outside world.
The last thing Danielle wanted was to cause Morgan any more stress with her family.
But her regret faded as a single word fell from Morgan’s lips.
“Absolutely.”