Page 34 of Pierced Pages
Danielle wanted to wrap her arms around her chest and run back into the fitting area.
“No, wait,” Morgan said, removing her fist from her mouth and holding the palm up. “I’m not laughing at you. You look gorgeous. Seriously.”
Danielle felt her cheeks flushing, and she hoped Morgan couldn’t see it from a few feet away. Her brain couldn’t stop circling around the word “gorgeous.” Danielle didn’t think anyone had ever called her gorgeous. Maybe her friends. So it was fine and didn’t mean anything at all, since she and Morgan were also friends now.
Friends who were shopping for a dress to wear to a wedding together.
But sure. Friends.
“I’ll go change,” she said. “So we can move on to the next one.”
There were five more dresses waiting for her. She didn’t want to spend Morgan’s entire afternoon here.
“Not yet.” Morgan pointed at one of the mirrors. “Look at yourself. I mean, really look before you rush off. I want you to see that it suits you.”
Danielle turned back to the closest mirror, and her eyes immediately went to the exposed skin between her breasts. “I cannot wear this. I’m not giving your family any ammunition.”
Morgan laughed. “My mother wouldhateit. But honestly, that’s a selling point. I’m more worried about you feeling out of place.”
Danielle reflexively put a hand against her chest. “Definitely.”
“I don’t mean that. I promise my sister’s friends will find a way to show even more cleavage.” Morgan eyed Danielle up and down again. “It’s more of a beachy or summer outdoor eventlook. And you strike me as someone who’d rather gel with the room.”
Danielle nodded in agreement and looked in the mirror again. She spun ever so slightly to make the deep blue bottom half of the dress swirl around her. The lightweight fabric looked like it was floating, and Danielle couldn’t help but feel a bit like a princess in it.
But Morgan was right. It looked a little informal for a fancy night wedding.
“I do like it. Plunging V-neck aside,” she said. “But I agree it isn’t right for this. Probably not right for anything I’d go to. I’ll try on the next one.”
Three more dresses later, they still hadn’t found the one. They found one absolute no, and two mehs. Now there were just two more to try. If one of those didn’t work out, she’d have to go with a meh.
Morgan patted the seat beside her. “Sit. Take a break.”
Danielle didn’t bother to argue. She was exhausted, and they weren’t even done yet.
She gathered up the jewel-green fabric of the maxi dress so she wouldn’t step on it or crease it as she sat down beside Morgan. From the closer proximity, she could pick up the scent hovering around Morgan—the richness of deep woods with some kind of floral note beneath that. It was warm and welcoming, and Danielle wanted to inhale it for as long as possible.
“Thank you,” she said. “For today. I don’t think I could have done this on my own.”
“Don’t do a lot of formal dress shopping, huh?”
“Not much need for it at school,” she said with a smile. “Or being a kid chauffeur.”
Today had been the first time in as long as she could remember that she had gone out to do something fun withoutLila. Except for Melanie and Kim’s ceremony, where she’d met Morgan. Besides that, her life was pretty small.
Not that she minded. Lila was worth it. But it would be nice to get out alone a little more often, which was why she’d joined Melanie and Kim’s book club. Their book club of three so far.
She was spending the whole afternoon out, while Lila was happily playing with their dog, most likely. And Danielle had been able to arrange it with just a day’s notice. There was no reason she couldn’t do this more often.
Something like this. Not this. And not with Morgan, obviously.
She still wasn’t ready for dating. Not with Morgan specifically, but also not with anyone. While Melanie and Kim were glad to hang out with Lila, Danielle would feel guilty relying on them too often.
But there was Gerri, too.
And Danielle could always involve Lila in some of their activities once she was dating someone.
But really, who would want to hang out with her and her kid?
