“We clean up good.” Morgan said, giving her hair a fluff in the mirror. “Give me your dress, I'll run it back to the car while you grab us some drinks.”
“Yes, Ma'am.” I mock saluted, and she rolled her eyes.
I found myself at the bar a few seconds later, and after ordering a Pepsi for myself, and a glass of wine for Morgan I carried the drinks across the now open dance floor and found a small vacant table. Even though the clock had barely struck eight, the other side of the building was quickly starting to fill. I made a mental note to talk to Morgan about a design that could be versatile for business and pleasure. Not that changing in a restaurant restroom didn't do the trick, but it did seem a bit easier.
Morgan found me easily enough, and immediately took a sip from her glass as she sat down across from me. She eyed my Pepsi suspiciously, and rolled her eyes.
“One of us has to stay sober tonight.” I said, taking a sip of my own.
“Where's your sense of adventure, Ronnie?”
“What kind of adventures will I be missing out on by drinking soda?”
She cocked her head to the side in the general direction of a good looking man. He was tall, with sandy blonde hair and he wore a black stetson. I rolled my eyes. Being Morgan's wing woman was a feat all it's own. Not only did I have to help her snag the man, but then I also had to vet him. Was he secretly psychotic? Did he live at home with his mother? You know, the usual ailments.
“Nope.” I said, shaking my head adamantly. “He's from out of town. Look at the size of his belt buckle! It's not the nineties anymore.”
“Oh I'm not worried about the size of his belt buckle, only what's beneath it.” She winked.
“Can we just dance? Please?” I half begged.
“Fine.” She said before draining her glass, and reaching for my hand.
The two of us made our way out onto the dance floor, squeezing our way into the middle. That was who Morgan was. Always the center of attention, while I preferred to blend into the crowd. I tried to hide my discomfort as I felt the eyes that had begun to land on me.
Morgan was sexy, and beautiful, and she knew exactly how to use her body to her advantage. She shook her hips, and dipped down low before popping back up seductively. She was one with the music, and never missed a beat. Soon a man approached her, and then another before I was pushed out of the circle completely.
Not to be outdone, I tried to find my own rhythm. I already knew that I didn't look as sexy, or as graceful as she did but I really wanted to try and enjoy myself. I swayed to the music, letting it take over. I closed my eyes, and then I just disappeared. The melody wrapped around me, and suddenly I was no longer standing in the center of a dance floor. I was alone in my room, dancing like no one was watching.
A smile formed on my face of it's own accord, and that's when I felt a pair of hands on my hips. My eyes popped open in surprise, and I jumped before turning to face the offender. It was the very same man in the black stetson that Morgan had been eyeballing earlier. He gave me a cocky smile, before extending his hand.
“Sorry to startle you, ma'am.” He said, as I allowed him to shake my hand in greeting. “I saw you from across the room, and the way that you were so lost in the music was almost hypnotic.”
A blush crept up across my face, and I quickly pulled my hand away. The weight of my engagement ring suddenly reminding me of Derek.
“I'm engaged.” I said, a bit awkwardly.
He laughed. “Does that mean you can't dance with me then?”
Before I could answer, Morgan sidled up beside me and placed her arm around my waist.
“Is this man bothering you Sweetheart?” She asked.
The man laughed again. “I was just asking her to dance with me, is that a crime?”
“Ronnie's not much of a dancer, but I am.” She said, biting her bottom lip playfully. “What do you say? Wanna take me for a twirl?”
As if I were absolutely nothing, the man took Morgan's hand and led her deeper into the swarm of people on the dance floor. I stood there for a moment, not exactly sure what I was feeling. On one hand I didn't really want to dance with the man. On the other, the way that Morgan had just dismissed me left me feeling like absolute shit.
It wasn't the first time that something like this had happened. I was used to always being picked last. The second best. I never blamed her though. She was always there when it counted. When the chips were down, I knew that she was the only person I could truly count on. My dad, and I were close but there were some things that you just couldn't discuss with your parents.
I turned to look at Morgan then, and she shot me a wink over Stetson's shoulder. I gave her a small smile back, before returning to our table. My drink was gone, and so was hers so I assumed a waitress had cleared them. I pulled my cell from my purse, and realized it was barely eight thirty but I didn't want to be here any more. So, I shoved my way back through the crowd to find Morgan.
“I'm going to call an Uber.” I said, when I reached her.
“What?” She pouted. “The party's just starting, Ronnie!”
“I know. I just want to go home, and see Derek.”
“I understand.”
“Will you be OK here?”
“Of course.” She said, giving Stetson a little squeeze. “I'm in good hands.”
Instead of waiting
