“For the zombie apocalypse? Just a heads-up. Should that really happen, I’ll be too busy running from the scary creatures to want to have sex with you then.”
His lips twitched. “Thanks for the warning, but I’ll take my chances all the same.” He looked at her. “I’ve told you, Victoria. I want to see what else is there.”
“I don’t do relationships.”
“You’ve always chosen not to have a guy in your life. That can’t be a forever decision, so I’m waiting until you choose to have a relationship with me.”
“So never?”
“I have faith.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re nowhere near charming enough for that to happen.”
“It’s not about charm,” he told her. “When you know me well enough, you’ll start to trust me. That’s what I want. You can get off with anyone. So can I. But I don’t want to get off with you. I like you. I think you like me, too, but you’re scared to admit it. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“So you say.” The words came out before she could stop them. “And I, ah, wouldn’t care if you did.”
He looked at her without speaking, making it oh so clear he didn’t buy into her shit at all. She sighed.
“I’m not going to change,” she told him.
“That’s kind of lame, isn’t it? You’re going to stay exactly as you are today, unmoved by circumstances or lessons learned?”
She shoved his arm. “You know what I meant.”
“Yeah, you’re going to keep living in fear. I take backlame. It’s sad because you think of yourself as a badass, but that’s not how you act.”
“Hey! You don’t get to say that.”
He leaned over and brushed his mouth against hers. “I’m not your mom, and I’m not whoever that guy is who broke your heart. I’m just me. A man who thinks you’re incredible and smart and funny. I think you’re brave enough to take a chance, but you don’t, so we’re kind of at an impasse. Which is okay. I’m willing to wait.”
With that, he flashed her a smile and then walked out of her condo, leaving her sitting there with her mouth hanging open and a half-finished Lego butterfly on her dining room table.
Shannon sat on a barstool by the kitchen island. Outside, the inspector hired by the seller to do a pre-inspection was busy checking the exterior. From there he would go through the house, including the crawl space and attic. His report would detail any problems he saw, including termites—always an issue in Southern California. The owner wanted a quick sale and a clean close. Getting a pre-inspection reduced the risk of surprises.
Shannon’s contribution was fairly simple. She was there to let in the inspector and then to lock up when he was done. Not exactly a taxing way to spend her morning. So after checking her email, she reluctantly typedwhat is cinematographyinto the search bar, then clicked on the first link.
“Cinematography is the visual story being told in a movie or televisionshow,” she read aloud. That statement was followed by a list of all the things that made up cinematography including lighting, camera angles, the types of lenses used, focus, color and filters.
“Focus?” She frowned. “Isn’t the picture always supposed to be in focus? Do they mean what the picture focuses on?”
With no one around to answer her question, she continued reading. Apparently there was way more involved than she would have thought, which meant she had no idea what she was getting into with the class. A realization that filled her with dread. Why hadn’t she told Ava that while she appreciated the offer, there was no way she wanted to study cinematography? She wasn’t a video person. Taking pictures for Aaron’s website was different. She was invested in his success because she cared about him and she loved documenting the changes made. A few plants in the right places could totally change the vibe of someone’s yard. When a client rounded the corner and saw their house, she wanted her design to make them happy. For her, photos and possibly videos was a means to an end. But cinematography? Big mistake.
She tried telling herself it was just one weekend out of her life, and hey, maybe she would learn something. Aaron had teased that she would realize she was meant to be in the movie business, but she knew that wasn’t going to happen. Humiliation was more likely. The instructor had sent along a list of movies the students were to watch in advance of the seminar. It was eight titles long, and she hadn’t heard of any of them. She was halfway through the first one, and while she was sure it was filmed beautifully, she couldn’t get past the tedious storyline and the endless long shots of ocean waves crashing on the shore. Last night she’d tried getting through it again but had, as she had the first time, fallen asleep fifteen minutes into the movie.
Remembering that caused her mind to circle around to how Victoria had warned her not to let Ava get involved with her life. That she would dictate terms. And while her mother wouldnever do that, she would lovingly suggest and urge until Shannon felt both cared-for and stifled equally.
She knew both women only wanted to help and that the actual problem was her. She pulled out the chain with her engagement ring and stared at the beautiful diamond. What she knew for sure was that she wanted to marry Aaron and spend the rest of her life with him. And while she was on the topic of figuring out her life, she really had to come clean with her mom about the engagement. It was past time.
20
3. EXT. A HALF HOUR BEFORE SUNSET, ON THE BANK BY THE RIVER IN FAKE MONTANA, AKA NEW ZEALAND.
Margarite is sitting by herself. Jake appears, walks over and sits next to her.
MARGARITE
You lost?
