"Agreed." Nadia taps her pen against the table. "And turn your phone off before you walk in. Not silent. Off."
"I always—"
"You don't always," Liv interrupts.
It's true. "Fine. Off."
I take another sip of Nadia's latte. Perfect temperature. Perfect foam. She always orders it exactly right — extra hot, light foam, one pump vanilla.
"Also," Priya adds, setting down her phone. "For the record? Those were really good eyes."
I look up. "What? Whose eyes?"
The three of them smirk.
"The beach volleyball player," Priya clarifies.
I give her my flattest look. "Those were really annoyed eyes."
"Still good," Nadia says without looking up.
I roll my eyes, but I'm smiling now.
I stand and gather my materials. Everything's accounted for. Everything's ready.
I head for the door, portfolio tucked under one arm, latte in the other hand.
The collision doesn't matter. I'll never see him again.
I have a presentation to win.
Chapter five
Tom
My phone rings, vibrating violently against the desk and rattling the dismantled pieces of my camera gear.
Unknown number. Local area code.
I stare at it, still too irritated by this morning's coffee disaster to deal with a telemarketer. The woman's face flashes through my head again—wide, apologetic eyes, hands fluttering over my jacket like she was scrubbing a kitchen counter. The way she babbled about her younger siblings before vanishing into the Donut.
The phone keeps vibrating. I grab it. "Tom Bennett."
“Mr. Bennett, this is Sloane Rafferty from Harbor District Development." Professional voice. Crisp. "Do you have a few minutes?"
Harbor District.
I straighten in my chair. Every photographer in this town wants that project on their portfolio. The kind of bones that photograph like art even before anyone touches them. It’s the reason I am editing shots of a metal fabrication warehouse.
"I've got time."
"We reviewed your portfolio. Specifically your spec work of the Ironworks site." She pauses. Keys clicks on her end. "We'd like to commission you for our proposal photography."
My brain starts building the shoot instantly. Golden hour. Low tide. The harsh, brilliant way the morning light slices through the warehouse facades when the sun clears the water. This is money. This is a massive profile boost.
"I'm interested."
"Excellent. The timeline is tight, but the compensation reflects that." More clicking. "We need images that align with the architectural story for the development proposal. You will work from an approved shot list, and capture windows will be scheduled to coordinate with the lead architect's design vision."
