Short my ass.It was almost midnight, leaving less than six hours for sleep, more likely five, considering the time it takes to prepare the equipment.But fuck it…“I could make some time tomorrow.”
“Could you now?” His right eyebrow popped up. “You think that’s wise, after what we did yesterday?”
“I don’t see how this”—I glanced at his camera—“and that”—I nodded upstairs—“are related in any way. But let me warn you…” I took a deep breath, putting on the serious face he likely needed to understand I wasn’t joking. “If I takeyouwith me, later on, you’ll have to play by my rules strictly. Shooting in a storm is fun but dangerous.”
Theo grinned. “If you tag along, I expect nothing less from you.” He shifted his camera from his right hand to his left and held out his straightened palm, waiting for me to shake it. “I’m accepting any terms.”
Shaking his hand meant sealing my fate—committing to spending more time together and getting to know each other in a way that I had never gotten to know anyone before. It was rare to meet people who liked me, and even rarer to meet someone who shared my passions. I might not have done it if I hadn’t hadsome beers before, but at that moment, only one decision made sense.
I slapped my hand into his, the clap echoing through the hallway, sealing the deal. The warmth of his grip spread through me, into my chest, and for the first time in ages, it felt like I had stepped onto a new path, one that actually made me feel excited. Because I was finally done being a scaredy-cat.
FRAME FOUR
THE KISS NOT MEANT TO BE SEEN
The chateau towered on a hill with about twenty steps separating the parking lot from the building. Various maple trees with budding leaves framed the path uphill, allowing only the uppermost part of the all-glass front to be seen from down here. The orange sun reflected off the windows, creating a breathtaking contrast against the clear blue sky and mountaintops.
I turned off my car, bumped my head on the headrest, and closed my eyes for a moment. It was too early in the morning, the sun was too bright, and the location was forty miles too far away for someone who had barely slept for five hours. But I made it to the parking lot without falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into one of the many trees lining the streets on my way here. So that should count as a good start to the day even though I’d rather crawl back under the covers, preferably with Theo.
Still, never in my life had I been happier aboutnothooking up with someone. Not because I didn’t want to—on the contrary, he was the person I thought about before falling asleep last night—but if we had hooked up, I wouldn’t have slept at all, and I didn’t even want to think about what that would look like now. In my twenties, I could easily cut down a forest after pullingan all-nighter. But those days ended sooner than I’d hoped and before I even realized it.
Four minutes later, Theo parked right next to me with a lively grin, the kind that only a well-rested person could have. That didn’t help my mood, but the two coffee cups he lifted out of his car onto its roof did. Almost in sync, we nodded good morning to each other and marched to our trunks to get our equipment.
He wore the same gray suit as yesterday, but this time with a white button-down shirt. Within seconds of arriving, a black camera harness snuggled around his chest with two cameras strapped to it.
Happy that I was awake enough to also put on a pair of dress pants this morning, I threw my equipment backpack over my shoulder.
“The couple should arrive in about half an hour,” he said, wrapping a fanny pack around his waist that blended into the gray of his pants far too well to have come off the rack. “I usually use that time to scope out the location.” He locked his car, picked up the two coffee cups, and came over to me.
“Scope out the location,” I repeated, my voice so hoarse that I had to clear my throat. “Sounds good.”
Theo positioned himself before me, staring at the cup in his right hand. “I hope a cappuccino without sugar was the right choice. That’s what they gave you for your magazine interview.” He looked up, the question lingering on his face.
“I appreciate it,” I said, holding back the urge to point out that they had just assumed I would like it, not knowing that the combination of milk and coffee wouldn’t be my first choice, though I could endure it. The thought was what mattered, and I appreciated the caffeine either way. “Next one’s on me.”
“You’re welcome.” He handed me the cup and guided us up the stairs toward the chateau’s main entrance. As he spoke, his eyes scanned every corner, already looking for possible spots.“Just a heads-up, the wedding itself won’t start before three in the afternoon. But they want to document everything, starting with the small private breakfast. So, it’s going to be a long day.”
“No problem. I brought enough food for the day and told my staff that I wouldn’t be in today.”
“Food?” Theo stopped walking halfway up the stairs. “You really have never done a wedding before, have you?”
“Judging by your reaction, it was unnecessary to bring food. Got it. But just so you know, you’ll definitely have to bring stuff when we go storm chasing.”
“And you should prepare to chase some storms today, too, rookie.”
“No one has called me a rookie in twenty years.”
The hint of a grin reached the corners of his mouth. “Does it bother you?”
If anything, it reignited the urge to prove myself that I had when I was an actual rookie. “As long as you don’t call me a rookie in front of people.”
“Got it, rookie.” Theo turned back to the chateau, definitely hiding a smirk now, and set his foot on the next step. “Anyhow, you don’t really have to worry about taking any pictures for my clients. I’ll get everything I need on my own. I’ll still introduce you as my assistant so no one gets suspicious. As for your lesson, focus on everyone but the happy couple.” He looked over his shoulder and winked at me. “We’ll regroup at lunch and see how things went.”
“Any other advice you’d like to share with me?”
“Avoid the bride at all costs. And if you can’t, hide behind the camera.”
“Calming.”
