With a few touches, she finds what she’s looking for and holds up a finger.“One.You are an excellent photographer.I’ve seen so much of your work, and you make everyone look beautiful.”
“My work?As in, like, headshots and engagement photos and children’s Easter pictures?”There’s not much money in artistic photography, so I do whatever pays the bills.
She glares at me, then glances down at her notes.There’s the Bailey I know.Prickly when she’s scared.I want to tell her she doesn’t need to be defensive with me, but that would only make her more defensive.
“Two.This isn’t just going to be boudoir photos.This is a fuck-you to all the people when I was growing up who made fun of my weight.I want to do this right under their noses.Not that they’ll ever see the photos, but you know what I mean.Three.I could find a photographer in New York, but they would be a stranger.Four.”Bailey pauses and takes a deep breath.A hitch in it that makes my senses sharpen, makes me sit up straighter.“I trust you not to make fun of me nor tell anyone else about it.”
I can’t argue that one.I definitely don’t want Hunter to know about this.He might punch me in the face again.And I can see why Bailey doesn’t want people to know about it—people in this small town, even though it’s a wonderful place, would make it athing.
It wasn’t always a wonderful place, and it still has a lot of room to grow.
I take a deep breath and lean back in my seat, staring at the ceiling.Bailey is quiet, waiting for me to absorb this.
“Why a boudoir session?”
I hear the click of the tablet case closing.When I roll my head over to look at her, Bailey’s eyes are focused somewhere else, holding herself carefully as if afraid she’ll break.
“I’ve worked really hard the past few years, in a lot of ways.Especially around how I feel about my body.”
When she glances at me, I nod.Bailey’s beautiful.She’s always been beautiful.But even from a young age, she was a bigger girl, and that left her ripe for unwanted attention from bullies and society.
“Basically, I set a goal for myself and a reward.And that reward is this photo shoot.In Here.With you.”
“What do you have in mind?”
A flicker of excitement crosses her face, though I haven’t said yes yet.She turns her tablet toward me.
“I have an idea board.”The screen shows a woman standing at open balcony doors.She’s wearing a sheer robe, and every single curve is showcased by the moody lighting and filter.
I swallow hard, instantly imagining Bailey like that.
On the left is white space with some text:
-something sheer?A robe?
-nighttime shot?String lights?
-or dress shirt?
Bailey swipes, showing me more photos.They all have notes on the side, suggestions for what to wear.Lace bodysuit.Dramatic shadows?
Swipe.Thigh highs.
I nearly swallow my tongue.
Okay, moment of honesty?I was going to say yes from the second she asked.The coffee-snorting was just my brain short-circuiting.But thigh highs?THIGH HIGHS?Hunter is going to murder me and honestly, at this point, it might be worth it.
I take the tablet from her, turn the screen off, and—for good measure—set it facedown on my desk.I can’tthinkabout anything other than Bailey in lace and stockings and...
“Did you make a PowerPoint presentation?”I accuse, trying to break the spiral.
“It’s called being prepared, Montgomery.Some of us like to have our shit together.”She folds her arms, and I recognize that same steely set of her jaw she gets when she feels like she’s being teased.
Of course she made a PowerPoint.This is Bailey we’re talking about.The woman probably has a spreadsheet tracking her spreadsheets.And yes, before you ask—it’s extremely hot.I’m not proud of how much the organizational skills are doing it for me right now.
“Of course you have your shit together,” I soothe.“Considering you made one to convince your parents to let you move to the city for a summer job at seventeen, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.Where would you want to do it?”
“The Taylor house.”
