Felix hated how well she could read him sometimes, but in the cold light of day and after a night of tossing and turning, he regretted his actions. He could have handled it better. If they’d just met in a bar and Ryder had propositioned him, there was a high probability Felix would have said yes. But his project was the priority, and Ryder was a fuck and chuck guy. How awkward could things be? And Felix had enjoyed talking to him. There was a lot more to Ryder Quinn than what he projected on social media. If anything, Felix would rather have him as a friend than just some guy he’d fucked one time. None of that would be possible now after how he’d reacted, though. Ryder hadn’t reached out to him afterwards, and Felix hadn’t done so either. It was too late now, and he’d just need to move forward with his project. It was less than six months before the exhibition. He needed to get people signed up pronto. Felix looked at Laura.
“I’ve already said no,” she said in her serious tone, which told Felix it was not up for negotiation.
“How do you do that? Know what I’m going to say before I say it?”
“It’s our friendship. I know you better than anyone.”
“Why can’t I do that with you, then?”
“You’re not very good at reading people.”
“Excuse me? I can read people.”
“Okay then. What was Ryder thinking about when you slapped him?”
“How would I know? I ran out before he could respond.”
“What?” she shrieked.
This got them looks from the other patrons in the coffee shop, which immediately made Felix want to crawl under the table and die. He hated being the center of attention. He’d also failed to mention that part to Laura. Felix hadn’t outright lied, just said he’d slapped Ryder and made his feelings clear that he wasn’t interested. Running out before he could respond counted as making his feelings clear, didn’t it?
“I was right,” she said.
“About what?”
“That you’re a fucking idiot.”
He wasn’t about to say it aloud, but he agreed with her.
The next day, he was doing a sweet sixteenth birthday party, which was not something he typically did, but he needed the money. The mother had attended a wedding he’d photographed and called last minute, saying she wanted to surprise her little Sapphire with some professional photographs of the special day. It was obvious they had booked someone who’d pulled out, which should have been his first red flag.
Mrs. Delaune was very specific about what she wanted. Her daughter was not to be overshadowed by her friends, and profile photographs were to be on the right only, as that was her best side. The list went on and on, which was the second red flag. The party was being hosted at some vast house in the suburbs, which had its own pool, tennis court,and half a dozen cars on the drive with room for another ten. Not that they’d be doing much outside at this time of year.
The home was decorated to perfection for the holidays. They’d gone for a red and gold theme, which was different and gave the place a warm feeling. Felix always saw a lot of white and silver whenever he photographed a party for someone who had a bit of money. It was like a status symbol of having wealth. Your decorations had to be uniform and uninspiring, yet obviously expensive. Felix and Laura had decorated their tree with a multi-colored mishmash of everything. This included ornaments they’d picked up over the years, creating their own memories.
Felix was ushered into the back kitchen, where he walked in on the caterer consoling two of his servers who were in tears. He looked like he was at his wit’s end. By this third red flag, Felix had realized this would not be an easy gig. His instinct told him to run, but he was being paid two grand for this last-minute booking, and she’d paid half upfront, which was his rule. Early on, he’d been screwed over and not been paid, so now he took half upfront, and all photos were shared with watermarks. It was only when he got the second half of the payment that he’d share the clean high-res images.
“Felix. Thank you for coming at such short notice,” said Mrs. Delaune, extending her hand.
It wasn’t held in a way for him to shake. Did she expect him to bow and kiss her hand? He took hold of it loosely and gave it an awkward squeeze, but she smiled at him, so he must have done something right.
“Let me introduce you to Sapphire. You can get some pictures of her on her own. Guests will start arriving in an hour. That will give you time to get familiar with the light in the rooms and the grounds.”
He smiled and nodded. Her tone was warmer than it had been on the phone. Perhaps this wouldn’t be such a bad gig after all.
This was the worst gig of his life!
Sapphire Delaune was an entitled brat who expected everyone to be at her beck and call, including her friends. The way she spoke to them was deplorable, but they just took it, fawning over her like she was a goddess or something.
“Felix. Here. Now.” Sapphire snapped her fingers. Felix wanted to break them.
“Yes, Miss Delaune.”
“I want you to take photographs of that man over there.”
She pointed, and Felix followed her gaze. His jaw dropped. It was Mason Reid. Was Ryder here with him? That would be mortifying. What would he say to him? He might cause a scene. Even though this gig was painful and he just wanted it over with, he knew there were many people here who would hold similar soirees, and if he did a good job, it could lead to more work. Three people had already asked for his card. Thankfully, he’d brought some with him.
“Do you see where I’m pointing?” she snapped.
