Page 27 of Pierced Pages
“She was,” Morgan said. “Are you okay?”
Jen nodded. “Just tired. I’m fine. Really. Now tell me whatever it is you’re not telling me.”
Morgan’s chest tightened. She knew she’d have to tell Jen about what she’d done, eventually. But not now. And not with an audience.
The seamstress wrapped the tape around Morgan’s chest as she tried not to hold in her breath. Her awkwardness would land her in a terribly fit dress if she wasn’t careful.
Telling Jen what she hadn’t yet said was even more awkward and only made her want to hold her breath even more.
“She was just as excited that I told her I was bringing a plus one.”
Jen’s eyes turned sad. “Morgan, I’m sorry. Didn’t I tell you when you asked that I have an appointment that night?”
“You did,” she said. “And I remembered.”
“I don’t get it. Wait…” Jen’s eyes widened. “You have a date! Who’ve you been hiding from me? Sheesh, I’m sick for a few days, and you go and whip up a whole new relationship. Who is she?”
“It’s not a relationship,” Morgan said, hearing the slight waver in her voice. “Remember the woman I met at Kim’s thing?”
“Thatwoman? Oh, I remember. You were totally into her.” She raised her brow. “Didn’t she come in for something thisweekend while I was sick? That must have been one hell of a session.”
“It’s not like that,” Morgan said. “She’s coming as a friend. Since we had a good time at the last thing and since I don’t want to sit alone surrounded by all those relatives I’ve been avoiding, I thought, why not ask.”
“And she said yes?” Jen grinned. “She must like you as much as you like her to agree to that spectacle.”
“I presented it mainly as my sister’s excellent taste in catering.”
“My friend. She isnotgoing just for the food.”
The seamstress released the tape from around Morgan’s hips and stepped back. “You can change whenever you’re ready. Just leave the dress on the hanger.”
“So we’re done?”
Morgan had her fill of being surrounded by dresses and chiffon and being touched. She was looking forward now to putting on her baggy jeans and going to work. It was early enough that they might even have time to swing by to pick up oyster poboys. It was late in the season, so it would probably be their last chance to get them.
The woman folded the tape and said, “All done. We’ll call you when it’s been altered and ready for you to pick up.”
As soon as she was out of the room, Jen scooted to the edge of the seat and hiss-whispered, “You can’t avoid talking about your feelings for this woman forever.”
“I don’t have feelings.”
Jen snorted. “You wish.”
“Anyway, it’s just a wedding. You know I have no interest in a relationship.”
The last thing Morgan wanted was to be trapped in something where she’d eventually be asked to be something shewasn’t. She’d lived that life already and had no intention of going through that again.
“Whatever you say,” Jen said. “So we’re assuming this is just a friendly wedding invite. Cool. Won’t you have a bunch of bridesmaid duties or whatever? She’s going to be doing a lot of sitting around by herself.”
That didn’t sound fair.
Now, Morgan had major regrets on top of the tiny ones she was already trying to ignore.
“I’ll… I don’t know. I’ll make it up to her somehow.” When Jen raised her brow again, Morgan groaned. “Not like that.”
“Then how? Because I don’t know if free food is going to cover the cost of fielding your family alone while you take photos and do whatever else is in your sister’s plans. While your sparkling company is a big selling point, I’m concerned for her when you aren’t around to provide it.”
Morgan wanted to argue the whole sparkling bit, but that wasn’t the point.
