Eddie glowered at Chuck, the strength of his expression giving Mia a moment of discomfort.
“Fine,” Chuck said. “I’ll give you a few minutes, but this is the last time. Understood?”
Eddie nodded and went straight to another one of Chuck’s gadget bags to grab a different 35mm camera, this one an old-school film camera. He touched the camera with reverence. His sullen mouth parted, the corners of his lips quivering. A smile of contentment settled into place. Color came into his cheeks, and he radiated happiness. He jabbered about lenses, F-stops, filters, and lighting. His knowledge of photography techniques spoke to extensive experience.
Oh, how she missed the days Wally spent teaching her how to use a 35mm camera and how to develop pictures in the darkroom. Those were good days. Fun days.
Wait! This was it!The connection she needed. A way to get Eddie to open up. Now all she had to do was find Ryan and convince him to implement her unorthodox idea.
* * *
Ryan stared across the clearing at Mia, her face suddenly coming alive with excitement.Oh man. Wow.She just glowed. He should be concentrating on what Ian was saying to the trio he was talking with. But how could he? Sure, fear kept raising its ugly head, but Ryan couldn’t take his eyes from the radiant expression on her face. Even the sight of the raw and red gash on her cheek that reminded him he’d almost lost her couldn’t make him look away.
What or who had put her in such a good mood? Why couldn’t it have been him?
Imagine if they could learn who was threatening her, arrest him, and she would beam at him the same way. Could he then let go of his fear and explore feelings the mere sight of her raised?
She held a hand above her eyes to block the sun and scanned the crowd. She locked eyes on him and crooked her finger. He needed no more encouragement to leave his group and head her way. When he reached her, she turned him by the shoulders to face Eddie.
“Look at Eddie’s face.” Her voice squeaked high. “In our session yesterday, I couldn’t get him to open up at all. Photography could be the connection I need.”
Ryan studied Eddie and Chuck. “Chuck shouldn’t be engaging the students in conversation.”
“Ignore that for a minute.” She gripped Ryan’s arm. “Chuck said he would have to work on repairing his camera in his free time. If you’d let Eddie help Chuck, I could hang out with them and see what develops.”
Ryan smiled. “No pun intended there.”
She laughed. “I could broach the subject of cameras and maybe when he sees we have shared interests he’ll open up to me. We could take some pictures together, and I can see if Uncle Wally’s darkroom equipment is still around here somewhere.”
“Okay, okay, slow down.” He faced her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “This sounds like a great idea but we need Chuck to buy into it.”
“Do you want to talk to him or should I?”
“I think it’d be best if it came from me. Your enthusiasm might scare him off.”
“So when can you do it?”
“After our trust exercises.” He glanced at his watch. “We’re on schedule and should be done about the same time your sessions end.”
“You’ll come find me to tell me what Chuck says?”
Was she kidding him? He’d take any excuse to be with her.
“We can meet for coffee after we’re done and can catch up on a lot of things.” He filled his tone with the promise of something exceptional to come when they met again. A promise he hoped he could fulfill and more.
* * *
Mia’s last session ended, and she ignored typing up her notes to rush to the lodge to make coffee for her upcoming talk with Ryan. A knock sounded on the door, and she jumped.
Maybe Ryan finished early. She rushed to greet him, but paused to take a quick look through the peephole for safety reasons. Her excitement evaporated. Or more like changed. Nice visitors. Just not Ryan.
She pulled the door open and smiled at Reid and Jessie.
“Hey, you two.” She inserted as much enthusiasm into her tone as possible. No way she would let them know she was disappointed in their visit.
Reid offered an apologetic smile. “We were heading home from a follow-up with the doctor, and Jessie hoped she could spend some time with Bandit.”
“Sure,” Mia said, stepping back. “I just made coffee. Would you like some?”
