Page 53 of Pierced Pages
“No, please,” Danielle said quickly. “Stay. I mean, if you don’t have anywhere else to be. We don’t have company often. We usually hang out at Melanie and Kim’s house or at my friend Gerri’s place. This apartment rarely sees visitors.”
“But I don’t want to keep you from resting more.”
“You’ve gifted me with more than enough rest already,” Danielle said. “I don’t have to cook now, and Lila can have a frozen pizza.”
Morgan watched as Danielle sat at the table beside her. Her messy blonde bun tilted on top of her head so much it looked like it might slide right down the side.
She suddenly felt guilty for not having thought this through better. “I should have brought something for Lila, too.”
“Trust me, she’ll be thrilled with frozen pizza.” Danielle sat up a little straighter, even though it looked like the move drained more of her energy. “No more talk about being sick or food for being sick, no matter how much I appreciate it. I want to hear all about the last-minute wedding stuff.”
“I didn’t realize you were so into weddings.” Morgan grinned. “I thought you were in this deal just for the food.”
“I’m more fascinated by weddings than into them,” Danielle said. “Like, I’m fascinated by how much other people are into them.”
“That weirdly makes sense.”
“Good. I was worried that made me sound unhinged.”
“Not at all,” Morgan said, realizing Danielle had captured her own feelings about weddings perfectly. “It’s the amount of stuff that’s going into that one day that’s unhinged.”
“Your sister must be a wreck.”
“Oh, she is. I have never been more grateful to not be a maid of honor than this week.”
Danielle cringed slightly. “It doesn’t bother you at all that your sister didn’t ask you to be her maid of honor?”
“Gosh, no.” Nothing could be truer. She might have a hint of wishing she and her sister were closer, but she didn’t care one bit about that honorary title or any of the wedding stuff. “I’m so glad I’m basically off duty until the end of this week.”
“Right.” Danielle drew out the word. “I heard some mention of the rehearsal?”
Morgan’s stomach clenched. She’d been hoping Danielle would have forgotten about that. It had been an impulsive move fueled by Jen’s enthusiasm. Not a genuine request.
“Oh, that. I was just joking.” She cleared her throat and quickly continued. “Not that you aren’t allowed to come. Withme. If you want, I guess. But I was joking because I wouldn’t want to put anyone in the middle of that shitfest.”
“You make it sound like it’s going to be so much worse than the wedding and reception themselves.”
“Oh, it will be worse. Trust me,” Morgan said. “There will be more anonymity on the event day. Silence at the wedding, and loud music and a crowd at the reception. At the rehearsal dinner? Full exposure to everyone and everything. People will want to chat. It’ll be awful. I’m only going because I’m obligated to.”
Danielle tilted her head, considering those words and sliding her bun a little more to the side, where it remained when she straightened.
“I want to go,” she said with a tight nod of affirmation. “If the invitation is still on the table.”
Morgan’s mouth hung open. Danielle must really be feverish.
“Did you not hear what I said about it?”
“I heard,” Danielle said. “And I’d like to go.”
Morgan narrowed her eyes. “Do I need to check your temperature?”
Danielle laughed. “I’m fine. Tired, but the cold meds are working finally. No fever. I just want to see what your family’s like. Call it insatiable curiosity. And if I can keep you company like at the wedding itself, then I want to do that. You’ve done so much for me already. The least I can do is be there for you a little more.”
It was Morgan’s turn to laugh, her heart warming at the offer. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“So it’s a…”
Danielle stopped herself before saying the word Morgan knew was coming next. So she inserted a different one.
