Page 21 of Pierced Pages
“No, it’s fine,” she said. “I’m fine. This is fine.”
Leave it to her sister’s wedding to have her stumbling over her words.
“You sure?”
Danielle’s eyes were kind and earnest. Anyone who could call this woman a friend was a lucky person indeed.
“Yeah, definitely.” Morgan tapped the top of the counter with the glass case beneath it. “Let’s pick out some jewelry.”
Morgan looked backand forth between both ears, examining her work above the first set of empty holes. Danielle had chosen small titanium threadless earrings with aventurine stones that accented the lighter green flecks in her eyes. It was a perfect choice for her.
She handed Danielle a mirror just like she had with her previous client, catching a whiff of jasmine and something that smelled like a cool spring breeze.
“What do you think?” Morgan pointed at the wall next to the chair. “You can take a look in the bigger mirror.”
Danielle turned her body toward the wall mirror, then spun her head back and forth. “Oh my gosh, I love it.” She put down the hand mirror and turned back to Morgan with a wide smile. “Thank you!”
“My pleasure.”
Morgan immediately regretted her choice of words.
“It didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would,” Danielle said. “You’re really good at this.”
Morgan laughed. “Glad to know.”
The praise warmed Morgan to her core, and she wondered how else she could get that high of Danielle’s approval again.
Danielle was still sitting in the chair, but no one else was waiting out front. Morgan was in no hurry to usher her out.
Her stance on relationships remained. She didn’t want to be tied to anyone or anything. Potentially having to face her mother again was enough of a reminder of how relationship ties can turn possessive and ugly. She didn’t want to feel trapped or be expected to change who she was for anyone else ever again.
But she could still enjoy the friendly time she had with someone.
“Really,” Danielle said. “Thank you.”
“Thanks for keeping me company last week.”
She hadn’t meant to say it. Hadn’t meant to bring up that night at all.
So what was she doing?
“You were good company to keep.” Another gorgeous smile appeared on Danielle’s face, and those dimples made an appearance again. Then, with a laugh, she added, “Too bad we don’t have another wedding to chat through.”
Morgan’s insides clenched.
No.
She couldn’t.
Could she?
She really had enjoyed herself with Danielle. And she could use the company at this next thing. Plus, it would piss her mother off, which was always a perk.
That last part would involve using someone, which she absolutely wouldn’t do. Not unless they consented up front.
The bigger issue was she didn’t want to lead someone on. This would still be a one-event-only deal.
Wait, why was she even considering this?
