Page 8 of Pierced Pages
“I lost some family. My Mom. My dad moved across the country when I was little, so it had been just me and her. After she died, I needed a change of scenery.”
“I’m sorry.” Morgan looked appalled at her own question and put a hand to her chest. “That was none of my business.”
“It’s fine,” Danielle insisted. And it was. “It’s been a while. It was just time to move on, and I like it here now.”
The pain in her head ramped up a notch. Danielle winced as Morgan watched.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” Danielle said, shaking away the inevitable migraine brewing in her skull. She didn’t have much time before she’d need to get out of there and into bed with a heated eye mask. “Just a headache. Hey, have you had the bread pudding yet?”
Morgan flinched slightly at the abrupt change in conversation. “No. But I had cake earlier. It was really good.”
“Not the same.” Danielle stood, accidentally screeching her chair, audible even over the blasting music. “I’ll bring you some. Just a sec.”
Before she allowed any fake objections, Danielle hurried to the catering area. Since no one was in line, she aimed straightfor the pan of bread pudding and got two small bowls with two plastic spoons.
Okay. This was officially weird.
She was feeding a stranger.
A gorgeous stranger she knew more than she should about, but a stranger nevertheless.
“Here you go.” She set one bowl in front of Morgan and sat with her own bowl. “I smelled it earlier and couldn’t leave without trying it.”
Morgan took a bite, and her whole body sagged with satisfaction. “This is so good.”
“Right?”
Danielle took another bite of the warm, rich bourbon-laced bread and custard, trying to hide her pride over making Morgan so delighted. She didn’t want Morgan to catch on to that, but she didn’t want to acknowledge it herself, either.
With a sly smile, Morgan said, “Thanks for forcing me to try it.”
“I’m always happy to be a bread pudding pusher.”
Morgan’s expression turned serious. “Hey, so, this is awkward, but I need to clear something up.”
“Okay.” She drew out the word, buying some time as her brain struggled to piece together what might come next.
Morgan’s expression was unreadable, her eyes locked onto Danielle and focused on the point of her upcoming statement. “I don’t know if this was even on the table for you, and I’ve enjoyed our conversation, but I’m not interested in starting a relationship or anything. With anyone.”
Danielle’s insides unclenched with relief. “Oh gosh. I thought you were going to say something truly awful.”
“Nope,” Morgan said with a small laugh. “Just being upfront.”
Danielle got the impression that everything Morgan did was direct. It was part of her charm.
Danielle suddenly realized there was a part of her that was disappointed by Morgan’s statement. Even if it was true for her as well. She’d been enjoying their time together and didn’t want it to end.
“Right,” she said. “I’m not interested in starting anything either. I mean, I’m into women, and you’re—” Danielle caught herself before she said something really embarrassing. “Truly just sitting here to chat. No ulterior motives.”
“Good.” Morgan smiled. “I hate ulterior motives.”
Danielle smiled, then immediately winced as her migraine began to fully form. She rubbed her right temple near where the pain was beginning to centralize.
Morgan stood. “Let’s get you outside where it’s quieter.”
“I can go. You need to stay in here and see your cousin when she takes a break.”
