Read Online The Azalea Assault by Alyse Carlson - Free Book Online

we have another photographer, or they will leave. I believe I’ve found someone for the job.”
    Clamor broke out again until Samantha stood and shouted, “Enough! Let’s move ahead!” She sat down again, and the board had the decency to look embarrassed as they quieted.
    “Go ahead, Cam.”
    Samantha’s eyes were red rimmed. She’d been crying, which renewed Cam’s belief there’d been a relationship between Samantha and Jean-Jacques, and she wondered how a class act like Samantha could end up carrying on with a lowlife like Jean-Jacques Georges. Then again, some people were drawn to fame, and that wasn’t exactly counter to what Cam knew of Samantha. She must have stood contemplating too long.
    “Cammi?”
    “Right. Sorry. I’ve found a talented local photographer who I believe is perfect for the shoot. It will save the magazine feature, and I’m hoping you’ll approve suggesting her to Jane Duffy and Ian Ellsworth. They are the
Garden Delights
decision makers, but, before I approach them, I wanted the buy-in of the board.”
    They all nodded their approval, and Madeline Leclerc beamed. Cam’s tight regard for protocol would avoid future problems for their office, should something go wrong.
    Cam opened the large portfolio and began slowly flipping pages. Occasionally, a painting or drawing was stuckin, but most of the pages held photographs. The board was impressed. Halfway through, she reached a picture of her father in a rose garden. Cam knew the shot had captured a moment of profound grief, but in that, there was a deep, touching beauty. She caught her breath.
    “Cam, who took those?” Samantha asked, clearly moved.
    “My friend Annie.”
    “They’re beautiful. She’s caught both the subject and the floral majesty very well.”
    “I didn’t realize that picture was in there,” Cam said.
    “When was it taken?”
    “Soon after my mother died. He used to wander in our roses to be near her. I didn’t know there were pictures.”
    “Well, I think Annie’s skill is evident, and isn’t your father one of the human subjects for our shoot? They seem to have a rapport.”
    “If you only knew,” Cam muttered, thinking about Annie and her father laughing together and then refusing to reveal the source of fun.
    “I move Cam present Annie’s work to
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,” Samantha said decisively.
    “So moved,” Neil Patrick said.
    Several “ayes” were announced, and then Samantha said, “Opposed?”
    Silence followed, though Cam wasn’t sure Joseph had voted. Still, no one opposed, and Joseph could be disengaged that way.
    “Good. I’ll go talk to Ian now.” Cam smiled, gathering the portfolio and leaving the board to the rest of their meeting.
    A ll three of the magazine photography staff members were in the front room of the servant’s house, the two men picking at what looked like the remains of a catering tray.
    “Look, I met your friend,” Ian sneered at her suggestion. He began pacing and wouldn’t meet Cam’s gaze. “She seemsflaky at best. No offense.” His tone was even more hostile than his words.
    Cam breathed out slowly. Obviously anyone would take offense, and this Ian character was an idiot. “I’m not asking you to take it on faith. I’m asking you to look at the portfolio. Where is the harm in that?”
    He walked off as though he had a thousand better things to do, but silent Tom, who’d been watching, sat and gestured for Cam to lay the portfolio on the coffee table in front of him. She obliged and then started to follow Ian, but she’d only gotten a few steps when it occurred to her she just needed to appeal to the other
Garden Delights
decision maker. Jane Duffy would have at least as much say as Ian Ellsworth.
    “Tom, do you know where Ms. Duffy is staying?”
    “The Hotel Roanoke. Probably easier to call her cell, though. Ian has the number.”
    Ian was the last person Cam wanted to ask for anything at the moment, especially as her goal was to undermine him.