Page 44 of Pierced Pages
“Hey,” Morgan said, slipping onto the bench beside her.
Danielle looked up from her papers. Her green eyes brightened as she took in the sight of Morgan. “Hey.”
A cool breeze cut across the water, sending a slight shiver up Morgan’s back. The bright sun reflected off the water as high, puffy clouds slipped beside it.
“At least it’s a beautiful day for working outside,” she said, pointing at the papers.
“Definitely,” Danielle said. “If I have to grade an endless stack of research papers, this is the best place to do it.”
“I won’t keep you from your work. I just wanted to drop something off with you.” Morgan shifted on the bench to dig the box out of her pocket. She handed the tiny brown box to Danielle.
She hoped it wasn’t too much. Not that the gift was too much, but thatshewasn’t too much for thinking about Danielle.
But shewasthinking about Danielle. She couldn’t help it. She just had to find a way to play it cool.
Danielle took the box tentatively and touched her left earlobe. “You’ve already given me this piercing and a dress. I think we’re even.”
“It’s not a big deal,” Morgan said. “I promise. And I couldn’t resist.”
Danielle opened the box and lifted the card containing a pair of brown and rose-colored earrings. Her green eyes brightened as she said, “They’re beautiful. Did you make them?”
Morgan nodded. “I had the stones on hand already. When I saw the dress you picked, I immediately had an idea for them.” She quickly added, “You don’t have to wear them. No pressure. But I had fun making them anyway and wanted you to have them.”
Danielle held the card so the beads gently dragged over her palm, feeling the stone and metal on her skin. She looked up at Morgan and said, “You’re so talented! I wish I had a cool hobby like this. I just like to read. That sounds boring.”
Something pinched inside Morgan’s chest at hearing Danielle call herself boring. She wanted to wrap her arms around her and defend Danielle from her own mind.
“Not boring at all,” Morgan said as Danielle put the earrings back in their box. “I wish I could read more, but I have trouble focusing. I get too distracted. Jewelry making holds my attention because I’m using my hands.”
“Makes sense. I’m at least joining Melanie and Kim’s new book club, so at least I’ll be reading with other people soon. That sounds less boring. But I still say your hobby is way cooler. Was it hard to learn?”
“It took a while to get the hang of. Now the only problem is keeping Reginald out of my beads.”
“You have a roommate?”
Morgan laughed. “A needy furry one. He’s my cat.”
“Aww, he sounds perfect,” Danielle said. “I’d love to have a cat, but Lila is pushing hard for a dog. Well, a snake actually, but she’d settle for a dog.”
“A snake, huh? I’m guessing that’s not going to fly with you.”
“Nope,” Danielle said with a laugh that was just about the most perfect sound in the universe. “Not at all.”
A comfortable silence settled between them as Morgan gazed at a man and a little boy watching some ducks swim in the lake.
“My dad used to take us here when Felicia and I were little. Back before we moved to Baton Rouge. I love this place. I really missed it after Felicia and I each moved back to Oakview not long after we turned eighteen.”
“Are you still close with your dad?”
Morgan shook her head. “He died when I was younger. Car accident.”
“Oh, gosh. I’m sorry.”
“It was a long time ago. And it played out great for Mom in the polls,” she said with venom dripping down the back of her throat. Danielle flinched, and Morgan regretted being so callous about it. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to say it like that, but it’s pretty much what got her the Senate seat. Dad’s death and Grandma’s money.”
“Do you have any other siblings?”
It didn’t slip Morgan’s notice that Danielle was changing the subject. Which was fine. Morgan didn’t much want to talk about her mother.
