Page 61 of Pierced Pages

Again.

And while Danielle had pulled away again, this time felt different. Danielle had seemed to be as into it as she was, and Morgan wasn’t sure what to do with that. The kiss had been impulsive. Reckless. There was no point in it, because there was no relationship to be had.

Right?

She wasn’t sure what was real anymore. Wasn’t sure what she wanted anymore.

She only knew what that moment had felt like.

And now it felt like pure terror. Because nothing about them or their lives had changed.

Morgan turned to walk back to the party. She wasn’t in the mood to hang out there alone now that Danielle was gone, but she wanted to at least tell her sister goodbye before she left.

When she turned the corner of the house, she found her mother standing there. Arms crossed. In full view of where Morgan and Danielle had just been standing.

“Mom.”

It was supposed to be a recognition in passing, but her mother apparently wasn’t going to let this pass between them.

“I didn’t realize you were bringing a date.”

“I brought a friend,” Morgan said.

That much had been true. Until a few minutes ago.

Longer than that, if she was being honest with herself.

But still. That had been her intention, and not entirely a lie. She found it easier to lie to her mother if there was at least a half-truth involved.

Her mother’s brow lifted.

“Well then,” she said in a low tone. “I didn’t realize you were bringing afriend. I would have liked to meet her.”

Morgan let out a bark of a laugh. The last thing she wanted was to subject Danielle to meeting her mother.

“Well, you just missed her. She had to go home to her kid.”

“A child? Morgan, really,” she said with an exasperated sigh.

“What difference does it make to you if myfriendhas a child? Or does her caring enough to get home to see her kid make you feel guilty about your own crappy parenting?”

Maybe that had been a bit much. But it was too late to take it back.

Her mother’s jaw set firmly as her gaze bore into Morgan’s soul.

It didn’t matter. Morgan had given up trying to avoid that look long ago. Being on the wrong end of it was par for the politician’s daughter’s course.

Not a word came from her mother’s lips, so Morgan took the opportunity to end the conversation.

“You know what? I’m feeling tired. Give Felicia my love and tell her I’ll see her tomorrow.”

With that, Morgan turned and headed back to the parking lot, feeling her mother’s gaze burning through the back of her sleeveless top. But her mother didn’t say anything else.

Morgan took that as a win and slipped into her car, pausing only to send a quick text before she headed toward the road.

“So let me get this straight.”

Jen stood in the middle of the kitchen while Morgan grabbed them each a nutty lager from the fridge. Morgan had asked to go over on her way out of the rehearsal dinner, but Jen had said she’d meet her at her apartment since it was in between. Besides, she wanted to see Reginald.