another family day at the beach a couple of years ago.”
“Are they from an older sibling?”
“No. They belong to Savannah and her husband, Lucas.” Before I can ask, because I’m pretty sure she is way too young to have older children, JP clarifies. “They are adopted.”
“Oh,” I remark as I follow him to the last photo.
“And this is my older sister’s wedding portrait.” He points the very edge of the photo. “You can just see the edge of her strapless gown. I started out doing traditional wedding shots, but she put up with that for all of five minutes before stripping her husband’s tuxedo shirt off.” He pauses to chuckle at the private memory. “Those two are professional models so you can imagine regular ole portraits wouldn’t cut it. That scar is very significant to their relationship, so Julia insisted on including it.”
I look closer at his sister’s almost hidden face when recognition clicks. “ Julia Rose is your sister?” I give him a good looking at and find the resemblance immediately.
“Yep.”
“Oh, my gracious. I’ve seen her and Greyson Stone in runway shows before. He’s her husband, right?” I look at the exposed chest once again.
JP just gives me another, “Yep.”
“Wow. That’s just… Wow.”
“So you’re into fashion, too?” He looks at me skeptically. Today my wardrobe is nothing spectacular—plain jeans and a bohemian top.
“My mom is the fashion diva. I’ve retired from it. I heard Greyson and Julia are retired from it as well.”
“Pretty much. Julia only agrees to a few contracts a year.”
I move the subject on, since it doesn’t seem to be a favorite of JP’s. I motion back to his hand portrait. “I like how you center yourself in the middle so that you are surrounded by your family.”
“That’s how I always want it,” he says softly. He looks over the photos briefly before strolling out of the alcove and I follow behind him. “Okay, so tomorrow is Sunday, which is my only day off. I’m heading to Bay Creek and won’t be back until tomorrow night. You think you’ll manage not to burn the place down or anything until I can get back?”
I roll my eyes. “I think I can manage.”
“Good.” He pulls a key and a piece of paper from his pocket. “Here’s a set of keys and the security code. We’ll figure out what I’m supposed to do with you on Monday.”
I watch him leave and mutter an, “Okay.”
It’s already dusk out, so now I’m stuck here for another night. Alone. I know I’m a big girl and I’m used to being home most of the time alone, but this is different. I’m in a new place. I decide to walk next door and try out the café for supper. It’s pretty good and has a substantial menu to choose from. That’s good news, if I’m going to be stuck here for the summer.
Being alone feels strange. For some reason I had pictured the photographer becoming my buddy and wanting nothing more than to talk about the photo world with me. Wrong. Mine has his own life and I feel as though I’m nothing more than an intruder forced upon him.
At these thoughts, I start to feel choked up again so I leave most of my pasta untouched and head back to the gallery. I unlock the door, enter and relock behind myself. I feel a presence immediately and think it’s Hope. I call out into the dark space. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”
A deep male voice answers as a light switches on overhead, causing me to let out a bloodcurdling scream. He’s in front of me before I know it, so I start swinging my fists in hysteria.
He gathers both my hands by the wrists and actually laughs. “Knock it off, Willow, before you hurt yourself.”
It’s Duke.
Knowing he’s the one who scared me makes me want to punch him more. “You trying to scare me to death?”
“You knew I was here.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Then who were you talking to?”
“Myself,” I say defensively. I yank my hands free.
“Nothing new there.” He
“Are they from an older sibling?”
“No. They belong to Savannah and her husband, Lucas.” Before I can ask, because I’m pretty sure she is way too young to have older children, JP clarifies. “They are adopted.”
“Oh,” I remark as I follow him to the last photo.
“And this is my older sister’s wedding portrait.” He points the very edge of the photo. “You can just see the edge of her strapless gown. I started out doing traditional wedding shots, but she put up with that for all of five minutes before stripping her husband’s tuxedo shirt off.” He pauses to chuckle at the private memory. “Those two are professional models so you can imagine regular ole portraits wouldn’t cut it. That scar is very significant to their relationship, so Julia insisted on including it.”
I look closer at his sister’s almost hidden face when recognition clicks. “ Julia Rose is your sister?” I give him a good looking at and find the resemblance immediately.
“Yep.”
“Oh, my gracious. I’ve seen her and Greyson Stone in runway shows before. He’s her husband, right?” I look at the exposed chest once again.
JP just gives me another, “Yep.”
“Wow. That’s just… Wow.”
“So you’re into fashion, too?” He looks at me skeptically. Today my wardrobe is nothing spectacular—plain jeans and a bohemian top.
“My mom is the fashion diva. I’ve retired from it. I heard Greyson and Julia are retired from it as well.”
“Pretty much. Julia only agrees to a few contracts a year.”
I move the subject on, since it doesn’t seem to be a favorite of JP’s. I motion back to his hand portrait. “I like how you center yourself in the middle so that you are surrounded by your family.”
“That’s how I always want it,” he says softly. He looks over the photos briefly before strolling out of the alcove and I follow behind him. “Okay, so tomorrow is Sunday, which is my only day off. I’m heading to Bay Creek and won’t be back until tomorrow night. You think you’ll manage not to burn the place down or anything until I can get back?”
I roll my eyes. “I think I can manage.”
“Good.” He pulls a key and a piece of paper from his pocket. “Here’s a set of keys and the security code. We’ll figure out what I’m supposed to do with you on Monday.”
I watch him leave and mutter an, “Okay.”
It’s already dusk out, so now I’m stuck here for another night. Alone. I know I’m a big girl and I’m used to being home most of the time alone, but this is different. I’m in a new place. I decide to walk next door and try out the café for supper. It’s pretty good and has a substantial menu to choose from. That’s good news, if I’m going to be stuck here for the summer.
Being alone feels strange. For some reason I had pictured the photographer becoming my buddy and wanting nothing more than to talk about the photo world with me. Wrong. Mine has his own life and I feel as though I’m nothing more than an intruder forced upon him.
At these thoughts, I start to feel choked up again so I leave most of my pasta untouched and head back to the gallery. I unlock the door, enter and relock behind myself. I feel a presence immediately and think it’s Hope. I call out into the dark space. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”
A deep male voice answers as a light switches on overhead, causing me to let out a bloodcurdling scream. He’s in front of me before I know it, so I start swinging my fists in hysteria.
He gathers both my hands by the wrists and actually laughs. “Knock it off, Willow, before you hurt yourself.”
It’s Duke.
Knowing he’s the one who scared me makes me want to punch him more. “You trying to scare me to death?”
“You knew I was here.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Then who were you talking to?”
“Myself,” I say defensively. I yank my hands free.
“Nothing new there.” He
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