Page 79 of Pierced Pages

Gerri tapped a finger on the desk and gave a knowing smile. “It’s not too late if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Gerri always could read her mind. It was what made her such a good friend. And an annoyingly right one at times.

Danielle shook her head. “I ended it.”

Gerri shrugged. “Then unend it.”

Could she do that? Just take it back?

“She’s going to think I’m wishy-washy,” Danielle said. “No one wants wishy-washy.”

“Why don’t you let her decide what she wants?”

Danielle’s heart lurched. She could do that. Sheshoulddo that. But she wasn’t sure she could take the inevitable rejection.

Still, it was worth a shot.

Morgan was worth a shot.

“Why don’t you call her?”

“She’s at work.”

“Great,” Gerri said. “Then you know where to find her.”

Danielle wasn’t sure that was a great idea. Bothering Morgan at work might be a worse idea than calling her. But not doing anything sounded like an even worse idea.

“I can go after work,” she said. “No, wait, I’ll have Lila with me.”

“Go now,” Gerri said. “Lila can hang out in my room, and we’re on a break until the next meeting at two, anyway. Isn’t the place just a couple blocks from here?”

She was right. Again. They were on a break, and the tattoo and piercing shop was only a few minutes away.

There was also the perfect place to grab an apology on the way.

Danielle picked up her purse and slung it over one shoulder. “Lila just went to get a Coke, so she’ll be back in a second. Just tell her… I don’t know. Tell her I had to run an errand or something.”

“That kid’s going to wonder about that ‘and something,’ but I’ll figure it out,” Gerri said, waving her hands at Danielle. “Now go.”

“Thanks,” Danielle said on her way out the door. She rushed toward the parking lot with a plan and her courage at the ready.

Chapter 35

Morgan

Back and forth, Morgan examined the two black dots. She’d placed and examined and wiped them away so many times she lost count. They still didn’t look right.

“Jen, you mind checking this out?” she called from around the corner.

She knew Jen didn’t have another client for half an hour, so she decided to get a second opinion. Morgan reassured the middle-aged woman in her chair that she wanted to get the placement exactly right, but the woman didn’t look convinced that she was in good hands.

Morgan was normally very good at her job. She prided herself on her meticulous placements and expert technique. But today her skills just weren’t up to her own standards, and she didn’t trust herself to get this right on her own.

Her mind was still swirling around the memory of that phone call. Trying to make sense of what happened. How it happened.

But the what and the how didn’t matter. Only the why. And Danielle’s why was something Morgan couldn’t change. Not that she wanted to. Lila meant everything to Danielle. Morgan had been right not to want to stand in the way. And somehow she’d let herself go on and do just that.

So now she was at work, miserable and trying—and probably failing—not to screw up.