Marin looked exceptionally beautiful tonight. The light illuminated reddish undertones in her brown hair, a depth to the color that Charlotte didn’t remember seeing that morning on the bus. She wondered if Marin was dyeing it now, but it felt inappropriate to ask. Marin’s eyes were what captivated her, though. They radiated such joy, suchlife, it was impossible to look away.
Charlotte held up her phone, angling it so the lights outside provided the perfect backdrop. She worked with a lot of photographers for her real estate listings, and while this wasn’t the same kind of shoot, she’d still picked up a few tips over the years for how to frame attractive photos.
“Why don’t you lean against the doorway?” she suggested.
Marin did as she’d asked, angling her body slightly and crossing her arms beneath her breasts. The lighting was softer now, away from the bright lamp in her living room. Charlotte snapped several photos and examined one, zooming in on Marin’s face. It was nice, but there was a shadow across the right side of her face that ruined the effect.
“Angle yourself a little bit to the left?”
Again, Marin complied, turning slightly toward Charlotte. That top looked great on her. The color perfectly complemented her hair. Marin was tall and lean, maybe a little bit leaner than she’d been two years ago, the result of whatever grueling rehabilitation she’d gone through to get back on her feet.
Charlotte snapped a few more photos, but Marin’s crossed arms were giving the wrong vibe, almost closed off. Too posed. “Hands in your front pockets, I think.”
Marin pushed her hands into her pockets. A dog barked somewhere in the distance, and she glanced over her shoulder with a soft smile, maybe thinking about her puppy. Charlotte shot a burst of photos, capturing the unscripted moment, including the way Marin looked at her now, lips slightly curved, eyes burning with intensity.
Charlotte was pretty sure she’d gotten what she needed, but she snapped a few more photos anyway. Somehow, it felt impossible to break eye contact with Marin. The moment lingered, Marin staring at her with that indecipherable expression.
Eventually, Marin shivered, looking away as she rubbed her arms. “Okay, it’s freezing outside. Can we close the door now?”
“Yep. Come on in, and let’s see what we’ve got.” Charlotte walked to the couch and sat, beginning to thumb through the photos.Wow.Those last ones, where Marin had her hands in her pockets, had come out fantastic. She looked soft,warm, both distant and not. She’d been lost in thought, but it added interest to the photos.
Marin looked like a woman with layers, someone you’d want to talk to, get to know ... date. That was the whole point of this exercise, after all. It was obvious that these were casual photos taken onsomeone’s phone, which was what you wanted on a dating profile anyway, but they also lookedgood.
Marin sat beside her, leaning over to peek at Charlotte’s phone. “How are they?”
“They’re fantastic.” She held it up, displaying one of her early favorites.
Marin’s eyes widened slightly. “Wow. That’s nicer than I was expecting.”
“I’ll send them to you.”
“Actually.” Marin darted a glance in her direction. “Why don’t you pick your favorite and edit it like you did with the others? I trust your judgment.”
“Okay.” Charlotte swiped through the photos, zooming in on a few until she found her favorite. Marin had just looked back at her after staring off into the yard, right at the end of their photo shoot. Her expression was intense, but sincere. Something about the way she stared into the camera was incredibly sexy without looking like she wastryingto be sexy. Charlotte had always found that to be so much more appealing than someone who was trying too hard.
Not that she thought women were sexy.
She rubbed a hand over her face. The wine must be going to her head. Carefully, she cropped the photo and adjusted the color and lighting, then texted it to Marin. “This should be your profile photo on the dating site, the first thing people see.”
“You think?” Marin’s phone dinged, and she squinted at the screen.
“For sure. If I dated women, I’d click on that photo. You look hot but also approachable and real. It’s perfect.” She was suddenly aware that she’d called Marin hot twice tonight. She was, though. Even a straight woman could appreciate when another woman looked good.
“Itisa nice picture. I would never have taken something like that for myself. It’s a little out of my comfort zone, but I’m going with it.” Marin was quiet for a few minutes, clicking away on her phone.
Charlotte sipped her wine and watched.
“Advice on what to put for my interests?” Marin asked.
“Be honest, but also try to make yourself sound interesting. Like, no need to mention that you’d rather be watching TV than out with friends, or whatever the case might be.”
“Actually, I’d rather be out with friends. I haven’t done nearly enough of that lately.” Marin started typing again. “Do I ... should I mention that I’m divorced?”
“I don’t know. Maybe that’s something you can mention once you start chatting with someone?”
“Okay. I like that idea.”
They kept at it for another fifteen minutes or so as Marin completed her profile, and then with one final click, she sat back with a satisfied smile. “There. I’m live.”
