Gina and I exchange a look before quickly calling our animals. She lets out a crisp, “Spanky, heel!” While I blow a short whistle through my teeth.
On cue, the two dogs stop playing and return to where we’re standing. Gigi drops to one knee, holding Spanky by the collar, while I stand, ready to lead Ladybird to the tree where Ryan originally wanted us.
“Hold on just a second.” Ryan holds up a hand for me to wait where Gigi is kneeling. “Just stand right there for a second.”
I do as I’m told, and the shutter clicks several times before his smiling face reappears from behind the camera. “That’s a fun one.”
We return to my shoot, and it only takes a little longer before we’re wrapping it up.
“I’ll send you all the proofs tonight, once I’ve finished touching them up.” Ryan stands beside Gina rolling the film. “You two have great chemistry here. It’s funny how the dogs know they should be together as much as the owners do.”
“Oh, no…” Gina’s eyes widen, and she holds up her hand. “We’re not together.”
“You’re not?” Ryan’s brow furrows, and he gives me a disappointed glance. “Why not? You go really well together.”
“I…I just…” Gigi fumbles for words, so I jump in to rescue her.
“I just moved here from South Carolina a little over a week ago.” I cup a hand under Ladybirds muzzle. “I’m only staying until I can find my own place. We hardly know each other.”
“Huh.” Ryan drops the camera into his bag and pulls it over his shoulder. “Well, you could’ve fooled me. You seem as natural together as your dogs. Either way, I’ll send you the proofs tonight, Geeg. Let me know the details on the other guys. I need to wrap this up by Monday.”
“I will.” She calls a thank you after him, and we’re left in the backyard, me with no shirt and her with a handful of dog paraphernalia.
“He’s always had a vivid imagination.” She bites her lip, looking up at me.
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I guess after all we’ve been through, we are pretty comfortable around each other.”
“All we’ve been through.” Her eyes squeeze, and she shakes her head. “He has no idea.”
“Good thing we’re keeping it strictly professional.” Even as I say the words, I don’t like how they feel on my tongue.
I don’t like the pit they put in my stomach. I especially don’t like the flash of disappointment that flickers across her face. It’s gone in a blink, but I saw it.
“Yes,” she nods, collecting all her things and starting for her small studio. “Good thing.”
She says the words so quietly, I wonder if I’ve misread the entire situation. At the same time, how else could I have read it?
I need to get my daughter here as soon as possible. I need to refocus my thoughts and remember why I’m doing this. I’m not here for romance. I’m here to play the best damn hockey I can and be a good dad. Nothing more.
7
GINA
“Oh my gosh, look at this one!” Haddy calls from where she and Mav are huddled over my iPad Pro screen on the table.
Dinner plates are cleaned, the kitchen is cleaned, and Gavin is on the couch cuddling Lucy as always. The guys have started practicing every day, and hockey season is bearing down on us.
I’m feeling the pressure of honoring my commitment to this calendar on top of organizing a last-minute wedding in two weeks, combined with maintaining my dog duties.
Even though I’ve backed off most of the local judging, I’m still committed to judging the Discover dog show in Hidden Springs this weekend.
At least it’s far enough away that any disgruntled dog owners won’t follow me home to egg the house or fling toilet paper in the trees or put stink bombs in the mailbox.
Walking over to the table, I see they’re looking at the pictures of Gav cradling Peepee on one shoulder and Lucyon the other. With his shirt off, biceps bulging, it is possibly the money shot.
“Ryan is so good at this,” I comment, noticing the way the lighting enhances the lines of Gavin’s muscles as well as the perfectly contented face of his daughter.
“Lucy is the cutest baby.” Mav states it as a fact, which it is. “She’s already photogenic, and she can’t even hold her head up.”
