Read Online Another Shot: A Modern-Day Ruth and Boaz Story by Brooke St. James - Free Book Online
Authors: Brooke St. James
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no longer correcting people when they called her that, and I smiled internally at the sound of it.
"Should we get started?" I asked, looking at Dominic. I was anxious to get alone with him because I wanted to see if he'd tell me who the finalists were. Voting had already closed, and the top ten were going to be revealed Monday, but I thought he might tell me if I wanted to know. I didn't want to ask in front of Laura and Maria, but I was excited to find out.
He had two studio strobes set up on the far side of his living room near a brick wall, and he pointed to that area when I asked if he was ready to get started.
"We're working right there," he said. "We can make them go get a cup of coffee if you'd rather work alone."
"It doesn't matter to me," I said, feeling awkward.
"We'll get a cup of coffee and give you two the chance to get some work done," Maria said.
"I was telling Rae I thought you had a house outside the city somewhere."
"Oh he does," Maria said, answering for Dominic. "It's so nice out there. You should really come sometime."
"I assumed Rae would bring Lu to the Thanksgiving feast," he said.
I'd heard about the annual Thanksgiving feast—I knew it was something everyone looked forward to, but I had no idea it was at Dominic's house.
"I thought it was all your employees plus one," I said suddenly perplexed.
"It is."
"That's like four hundred people."
"It's a bit of a drive. Not everyone can make it, and some come alone, but we usually have about two hundred."
"You have a house that two hundred people can fit into?"
He smiled. "It's tight, but yeah, we fit."
"Dominic's house was built for entertaining," Maria said. "The previous owners had house parties all the time. The Thanksgiving feast is a huge hit every year. He hires a band and other entertainers, and feeds everyone a gourmet meal."
"It's not that big of a deal." He looked at his mom. "I don't want to get her hopes up. It's a big house, but it's not an amusement park or anything."
"Frankie said it had a bowling alley and three koi ponds."
"The previous owners were bowlers," he said humbly. "And it's just two lanes. The koi ponds, however, were my idea."
I smiled, but didn't know what to say.
"I'm excited to see it," Laura said.
"We could have done this shoot out there, but I didn't want to take up too much of your time this morning. Like I said, the trip's about an hour."
"We should let them get started," Maria said. "Oh, were you gonna tell her?"
"Tell her what?" Dominic asked.
"What you were telling me before they came in," Maria said.
"She probably doesn't want to hear," he said, looking at me.
"Hear what?" I asked. I figured they might be talking about the contest and I was already buzzing with nerves.
"That you made the top ten," Dominic said, casually.
"I did?" I asked with wide eyes.
He smiled. "Yes."
I squealed and instinctually reached out to hug him. I gave him a quick squeeze. He was as hard as a rock, much firmer to the touch than Anthony was, and my first thought was that he must work out a lot. I quickly let him go.
"Did I really make the top ten?" I asked.
"Yes," he said, smiling broadly.
"No cheating?" I asked.
He held his hands up in surrender. "No cheating."
I squealed again. Laura came over for a hug. She and Maria were both delighted at my excitement and congratulated me on their way out.
Chapter 8
Dominic walked me through the process of photographing someone in a studio setting. He had everything prepped, and was perfectly willing to explain the tools and their function as we went along. I'd never worked with a strobe (the big lights on a stand with an umbrella), and he gave me the beginner's version of how to use a light meter.
He also told me what to say to draw a certain emotion or pose from him, and then he'd wait for me to ask for it. I was really nervous at first, but settled into it quickly on account of his laid-back approach to the whole thing. Basically, he knew what sort of
"Should we get started?" I asked, looking at Dominic. I was anxious to get alone with him because I wanted to see if he'd tell me who the finalists were. Voting had already closed, and the top ten were going to be revealed Monday, but I thought he might tell me if I wanted to know. I didn't want to ask in front of Laura and Maria, but I was excited to find out.
He had two studio strobes set up on the far side of his living room near a brick wall, and he pointed to that area when I asked if he was ready to get started.
"We're working right there," he said. "We can make them go get a cup of coffee if you'd rather work alone."
"It doesn't matter to me," I said, feeling awkward.
"We'll get a cup of coffee and give you two the chance to get some work done," Maria said.
"I was telling Rae I thought you had a house outside the city somewhere."
"Oh he does," Maria said, answering for Dominic. "It's so nice out there. You should really come sometime."
"I assumed Rae would bring Lu to the Thanksgiving feast," he said.
I'd heard about the annual Thanksgiving feast—I knew it was something everyone looked forward to, but I had no idea it was at Dominic's house.
"I thought it was all your employees plus one," I said suddenly perplexed.
"It is."
"That's like four hundred people."
"It's a bit of a drive. Not everyone can make it, and some come alone, but we usually have about two hundred."
"You have a house that two hundred people can fit into?"
He smiled. "It's tight, but yeah, we fit."
"Dominic's house was built for entertaining," Maria said. "The previous owners had house parties all the time. The Thanksgiving feast is a huge hit every year. He hires a band and other entertainers, and feeds everyone a gourmet meal."
"It's not that big of a deal." He looked at his mom. "I don't want to get her hopes up. It's a big house, but it's not an amusement park or anything."
"Frankie said it had a bowling alley and three koi ponds."
"The previous owners were bowlers," he said humbly. "And it's just two lanes. The koi ponds, however, were my idea."
I smiled, but didn't know what to say.
"I'm excited to see it," Laura said.
"We could have done this shoot out there, but I didn't want to take up too much of your time this morning. Like I said, the trip's about an hour."
"We should let them get started," Maria said. "Oh, were you gonna tell her?"
"Tell her what?" Dominic asked.
"What you were telling me before they came in," Maria said.
"She probably doesn't want to hear," he said, looking at me.
"Hear what?" I asked. I figured they might be talking about the contest and I was already buzzing with nerves.
"That you made the top ten," Dominic said, casually.
"I did?" I asked with wide eyes.
He smiled. "Yes."
I squealed and instinctually reached out to hug him. I gave him a quick squeeze. He was as hard as a rock, much firmer to the touch than Anthony was, and my first thought was that he must work out a lot. I quickly let him go.
"Did I really make the top ten?" I asked.
"Yes," he said, smiling broadly.
"No cheating?" I asked.
He held his hands up in surrender. "No cheating."
I squealed again. Laura came over for a hug. She and Maria were both delighted at my excitement and congratulated me on their way out.
Chapter 8
Dominic walked me through the process of photographing someone in a studio setting. He had everything prepped, and was perfectly willing to explain the tools and their function as we went along. I'd never worked with a strobe (the big lights on a stand with an umbrella), and he gave me the beginner's version of how to use a light meter.
He also told me what to say to draw a certain emotion or pose from him, and then he'd wait for me to ask for it. I was really nervous at first, but settled into it quickly on account of his laid-back approach to the whole thing. Basically, he knew what sort of
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