Gran kicked me harder under the table.
“What I mean is, I actually work alone.”
“Right, of course,” Chris said, standing up to clear the plates.
The parrot bit me.
I rubbed my arm and gritted my teeth. “Or, I mean, if you really want to, I guess you can come. You do owe me a favor after all!”
Chris turned to give me a brilliant, happy smile then scooped me up in his arms and spun us around like I hardly weighed anything.
“We’re going to be the best wedding photographer team ever!”
I gulped. I knew I should be worried about him distracting me.
But I was really more worried about spending all that time alone with Chris.
26
Chris
“So what’s first on the agenda?” I asked as I loaded Grace’s camera equipment into the back of the town car.
“I have an engagement shoot, then a bridal portrait session, then a former bride wants me to photograph the surprise anniversary party for her husband she’s throwing, and in the evening I have to do a romantic proposal dinner.”
“Sounds easy enough,” I said.
Grace snorted. “We’ll see if you can keep up.”
“It’s only four events! How hard can it be?”
* * *
I stifleda yawn as I held the diffuser up over the bride, her flowing white train arranged on the flagstone floor behind her.
“Chris, you are in my shot,” Grace said for the fifth time.
I held my arms up. The bride giggled.
“It’s adorable you brought your husband to help!” she said.
“Better him than me!” Brea, Grace’s friend who had sewn the wedding dress, remarked. “Sometimes she makes me climb up on a ladder and hold the diffuser.”
“He didn’t do that great at the last shoot,” Grace said, adjusting her lens, “but sometimes you just need a strong man!”
The bride giggled. “At least he’s a good-looking assistant! Now I’m super glad I hired your company to plan my wedding!”
“We aim to provide the best service possible,” I said with a smile.
“Arms up, Chris!”
* * *
“Had enough?”Grace asked in bemusement several hours later when Brea had led the bride off to help her out of the wedding dress.
“We have how many more of these?” I asked desperately.
Grace reached up and ran her hand along my jaw.
