and Scylla, who couldn’t have cared less.
Scylla looked at Aretha like she had a few things still on her mind, but thought better of it and headed inside, too.
“Maybe you’re right after all,” Scylla said to Serena over her shoulder. “She’s tougher than she looks.”
When the big glass door closed behind the last of the Too Fine Five, Serena turned to Aretha.
“Congratulations.”
“For what?” Aretha said. “You haven’t seen any pictures yet.”
“For holding your own with Scylla. Most people are intimidated by her.”
“I survived my daughter’s terrible twos,” Aretha said, rummaging around in the bag slung over her shoulder as she headed back toward the truck to reorganize her equipment. “I don’t scare easily.”
Good for you
, Regina thought.
Don’t take any stuff off these girls. We’re in charge in West End, and don’t you forget it
.
“That’s good to know,” Serena said, falling into step beside her, “because I’d love to work with you again.”
That was the last thing Aretha expected to hear. She wonderedsuddenly if that whole scene with Scylla had been some kind of test to see if she was tough enough for the big time. She didn’t like those kinds of games, but if that’s the best they got, she thought, I’m home free.
“What did you have in mind?”
“A big assignment,” Serena said. “Artistic freedom. Creative control. Great money.”
Aretha chuckled and pulled out another camera, peered through the viewfinder, and set it down close by. “You should cut that as a record. Make yourself a video. Get the girls to do a little dance. How could anybody resist?”
“Can you?”
Aretha stopped sorting through her equipment. “Are you about to make me a job offer, Ms. Mayflower? Because if you are, I’m kind of busy right now, so I think you should probably talk to my agent.”
“I already have,” Serena said. “Perhaps she can share some of the details with you while I go check on the girls.”
“Absolutely,” Regina said, smiling in spite of herself. “I’d be glad to.”
“Good,” Serena said, nodding at them both as she headed inside. “It’s a pleasure watching you work, Ms. Hargrove.”
“Thank you, Ms. Mayflower,” Aretha said, sweet as pie, but when Serena was safely out of sight, Aretha turned to Regina and shook her head.
“You better hurry up if you’re going to make me rich and fabulous because I am about to knock one of these Glamazons out before the day is over.”
“You’re already pretty fabulous,” Regina said, “but you’re about to be a whole lot richer.”
Aretha snapped open one of her cases and pulled out her favorite Leica. “As long as I don’t pose them in front of any graven images, right?”
“They want you to shoot all the photographs for their new portfolio.”
Aretha’s busy hands stopped all motion. “Are you kidding?”
Regina shook her head. “Serena’s ready to make you an offer right now.”
“That’s crazy! I almost came to blows with her superstar and now she wants to make a deal?”
“Some artists need that kind of drama to do their best work.” The comment sounded innocent enough, but Regina was
signifyin’
and they both knew it.
“Then I guess I need to get back to that work.” Aretha grinned. “Since I’ve got to rethink the whole afternoon’s shoot.”
“Go! Be creative!” Regina said, shooing her away. “I will open formal negotiations and find out exactly what these girls have in mind.”
“Thank you,” Aretha said, looking around the area quickly to be sure she wasn’t leaving anything behind. “I’ve got so much stuff! What I really need is an assistant!”
“Duly noted,” Regina said. “I’ll put it in the contract.”
Aretha hoisted her camera bag and looked at her friend. “You’re good at this, you know?”
“Getting better all the time,” Regina said. “Getting better all the time.”
Chapter Eight
Dinner Rush
The drive from Atlanta to
Scylla looked at Aretha like she had a few things still on her mind, but thought better of it and headed inside, too.
“Maybe you’re right after all,” Scylla said to Serena over her shoulder. “She’s tougher than she looks.”
When the big glass door closed behind the last of the Too Fine Five, Serena turned to Aretha.
“Congratulations.”
“For what?” Aretha said. “You haven’t seen any pictures yet.”
“For holding your own with Scylla. Most people are intimidated by her.”
“I survived my daughter’s terrible twos,” Aretha said, rummaging around in the bag slung over her shoulder as she headed back toward the truck to reorganize her equipment. “I don’t scare easily.”
Good for you
, Regina thought.
Don’t take any stuff off these girls. We’re in charge in West End, and don’t you forget it
.
“That’s good to know,” Serena said, falling into step beside her, “because I’d love to work with you again.”
That was the last thing Aretha expected to hear. She wonderedsuddenly if that whole scene with Scylla had been some kind of test to see if she was tough enough for the big time. She didn’t like those kinds of games, but if that’s the best they got, she thought, I’m home free.
“What did you have in mind?”
“A big assignment,” Serena said. “Artistic freedom. Creative control. Great money.”
Aretha chuckled and pulled out another camera, peered through the viewfinder, and set it down close by. “You should cut that as a record. Make yourself a video. Get the girls to do a little dance. How could anybody resist?”
“Can you?”
Aretha stopped sorting through her equipment. “Are you about to make me a job offer, Ms. Mayflower? Because if you are, I’m kind of busy right now, so I think you should probably talk to my agent.”
“I already have,” Serena said. “Perhaps she can share some of the details with you while I go check on the girls.”
“Absolutely,” Regina said, smiling in spite of herself. “I’d be glad to.”
“Good,” Serena said, nodding at them both as she headed inside. “It’s a pleasure watching you work, Ms. Hargrove.”
“Thank you, Ms. Mayflower,” Aretha said, sweet as pie, but when Serena was safely out of sight, Aretha turned to Regina and shook her head.
“You better hurry up if you’re going to make me rich and fabulous because I am about to knock one of these Glamazons out before the day is over.”
“You’re already pretty fabulous,” Regina said, “but you’re about to be a whole lot richer.”
Aretha snapped open one of her cases and pulled out her favorite Leica. “As long as I don’t pose them in front of any graven images, right?”
“They want you to shoot all the photographs for their new portfolio.”
Aretha’s busy hands stopped all motion. “Are you kidding?”
Regina shook her head. “Serena’s ready to make you an offer right now.”
“That’s crazy! I almost came to blows with her superstar and now she wants to make a deal?”
“Some artists need that kind of drama to do their best work.” The comment sounded innocent enough, but Regina was
signifyin’
and they both knew it.
“Then I guess I need to get back to that work.” Aretha grinned. “Since I’ve got to rethink the whole afternoon’s shoot.”
“Go! Be creative!” Regina said, shooing her away. “I will open formal negotiations and find out exactly what these girls have in mind.”
“Thank you,” Aretha said, looking around the area quickly to be sure she wasn’t leaving anything behind. “I’ve got so much stuff! What I really need is an assistant!”
“Duly noted,” Regina said. “I’ll put it in the contract.”
Aretha hoisted her camera bag and looked at her friend. “You’re good at this, you know?”
“Getting better all the time,” Regina said. “Getting better all the time.”
Chapter Eight
Dinner Rush
The drive from Atlanta to
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