Page 7 of Pierced Pages
There was an air of hope in those words that matched Morgan’s own hope, and her heartbeat quickened at the sound of them.
“I’d like that.”
Chapter 4
Danielle
As soon as Morgan disappeared behind the bathroom door, Danielle rested her forehead against the white plastic table and tapped it lightly.
What was she doing?
Okay, so sitting with this woman hadn’t been a terrible idea. It felt like the right one. Morgan had been alone and looked like she could use some company.
The terrible idea was sticking around.
Danielle could have let stand Morgan’s assumption that she had somewhere to be. She could have wished her a good rest of the night and gone on her way.
But no. She offered to wait there for her.
And it was more than just an offer. She’d been hoping Morgan would take her up on it. This visit was no longer about keeping Morgan company. It was about enjoying her company a little longer.
Which was ridiculous. She didn’t even know this woman.
Danielle lifted her head from the table and sighed as she looked around the darkened hall. The dancers were still having a great time up front, including Melanie and Kim, who hadn’t seemed to slow down one bit all night. Danielle even caughtsight of Gerri up there. She smiled at the sight of her friend trying to learn the current line dance from someone beside her.
As much as Danielle disliked line dancing, she would have been better off up there.
She was enjoying her chat with Morgan a little too much. And what was the point? Danielle had no interest in having a romantic relationship, so there was no point in pursuing something that felt like the beginning of one.
Assuming this sense of connection wasn’t one-sided.
“That was one of the nicest restrooms I’ve seen in a place like this.” Morgan sat in her seat across from Danielle. “And I’ve seen a lot of reception halls.”
Danielle was happy to have that face in her view once again. Her dark eyes were as sharp as her cheekbones, and her short, nearly black hair revealed a shaved nape that Danielle wanted to run her fingertips over.
“Big family with a lot of weddings and graduations?”
“Fundraisers,” Morgan said with a heaviness to the word. “Political.”
“For… you?”
Danielle didn’t follow elections or politics much, so as far as she knew, this woman could be the mayor of Oakview.
Morgan barked a laugh. “No. Definitely not.” She ran a hand through her short black hair, her natural confidence wavering a bit. “Mom. Hence the not supportive bit.”
“Well, that sucks.” Danielle immediately regretted the sentence. But on second thought, she couldn’t think of anything better she could have said, except maybe, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Morgan said with a shrug. “Or at least my life is better now that I’m out of all that mess.”
“I’ll bet.”
Morgan switched gears as if it were a well-honed skill. “Enough of my story. Tell me about how you got into teachingand how you know Melanie. From what I know through Kim, Melanie’s one of the kindest people on the planet. If she’s made you a friend, that’s a high stamp of approval.”
“Not much to it,” Danielle said. “She teaches in the classroom next to mine, and she was my lifeline at that school when I started three years ago. We got along well, and she’s been one of my closest friends since.”
“Sounds very Melanie-like to take someone under her wing. What brought you to Oakview?”
Danielle’s mind raced through all the reasons she left her hometown a little way down I-10, hunting for whatever was appropriate to tell a complete stranger. Certainly not Lila.
