Page 9 of Almost
Once this is all said and done, I won’t have to anymore.
The portrait I stop in front of to try to hang next is from my trip to Thailand last year where I spent two weeksphotographing the elephants in the wild. It was one of my favorite trips I’ve been on.
I pick it up, but my arms don’t quite fit around the frame making it quite the balancing act. It almost catches on the door frame from the back at the same time I hear Sebastian’s familiar voice as he and Kiera discuss something. The smell of Chinese takeout is overpowering, immediately causing my mouth to water.
I have no doubt that it was Bash’s idea to get Chinese. A white flag because I thought this meeting was just supposed to be me and Kiera.
I set the portrait carefully against the wall, wishing I’d taken a few minutes to at least freshen up. Since I cut my hair, it’s been a struggle to keep it up in a ponytail so it’s always slipping out and falling in my face. I’d brought a nicer shirt to change into, as opposed to my tank top and denim shorts that are easy to move around in, but I don’t think I’ll be able to change into the shirt since they’re early.
Kiera smiles widely at me when she realizes I’m out here. “Hey! This place is amazing.”
Sebastian drops his hand from where it rested on Kiera’s back, offering me a tentative smile that I choose to ignore. I don’t want him to smile at me. He wasn’t supposed to be here. “Thank you, I appreciate that. It’s definitely a lot more work than I thought it would be, but I think it’s coming together nicely.”
This is a terrible idea. I should have listened to Owen, Blake, and Penelope. Why didn’t I listen?
“Seb said that this was your favorite so I thought it’d be nice if we brought some. I also brought my binder with pictures of our venue and everything else so you can get a feel for it,” Kiera says, glancing over at Sebastian who triesto muster a smile. It makes me feel a little better that he’s uncomfortable too.
“Thanks, I’m definitely a sucker for Chinese takeout. I lose track most days of what time it is so I don’t normally end up eating till I get out of here. You can set all your stuff over here, and we can get started,” I say, motioning to the bar that I haven’t decided what to do with. I’ve been putting it off because there are much more pleasant things I’d rather do, such as picking what portraits are going to go on the walls. “So when is the wedding?”
“June twenty-sixth,” Kiera answers automatically.
I got the invitation a few months ago for a save the date that I didn’t bother opening before throwing it away because I wasn’t going to go. Now I’m fucking photographing it. Thankfully Kiera doesn’t mention my lack of response to that invite. “I’ll make sure I put that in my calendar so I don’t schedule any trips for then.” That was going to be my excuse for not going. “How big is the guest list?” I ask, directing all my questions toward Kiera because if I don’t have to talk to Sebastian, this will go much smoother.
“We have one hundred and fifty people that have RSVP’dyes, the plan was always to keep it under two hundred so we’re right on track. It’s at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. You wouldn’t believe how beautiful it is there,” she says excitedly, opening the book and flipping through until she lands on the page she wants. “This is the courtyard that I’m planning on using, but there’s an indoor hall available to us if the weather doesn’t cooperate. I was thinking we could do a walk-through soon to pick out spots on the property for wedding party pictures.”
“I’m impressed,” I admit, glancing over the pages before looking at her. It’s really hard to avoid Sebastian over hershoulder, but I’m doing my best. “I’m going to be honest with you, though, I’m not really a wedding photographer. I don’t really photograph people at all. I did Owen and Blake’s as a present. I really had no idea what I was doing, so the person I had with me was a saving grace. I can make some calls to people I’ve worked with in the past who do weddings if that’s a route you’d rather take?”Please say yes and put us all out of our misery.
“Oh my god, no! You really should consider doing weddings. If our photos even turn out half as nice as theirs did, I’ll be happy.”
There’s really no way out of this. Why does Kiera have to be so nice about it?
“Okay then. What’s the color scheme?” I ask with a polite smile.
See? I can be an adult. I’m playing nice. I can definitely do this.
Kiera tucks a strand of her pin straight dark hair behind her ear. “We’re going with navy and champagne gold. All the groomsmen will be wearing navy suits, and the bridesmaids will be wearing gold dresses. They’re gorgeous. Has Blake shown you hers yet?” Her smile is genuine and I swallow, shaking my head.
I didn’t even know that Blake was going to be in the wedding party. I should have assumed that she would be since it makes sense with Owen no doubt being the best man. I know that they’re friends, I’m just surprised.
“Oh. I assumed she would have, but that’s okay,” Kiera says, her smile a little dimmer than it was before. I feel like I just kicked a puppy. Honestly, no wonder Sebastian couldn’t say no to her.
“I’m sure Blake was going to, she just probably hasn’t gotten around to it yet,” Sebastian interjects, speaking for the first time since they got here, causing me to turn to look at him.
His hair is shorter than last time I saw him, but he’s still as handsome as ever. Goose bumps ripple across my arms when Sebastian’s dark brown eyes shift from Kiera to me. I underestimated how much it would hurt to be in the same room as him. I thought that after five months, I would have gotten over what he said.
I should be thanking you for saying no. Asking you to marry me was the biggest mistake of my life because you are the worst thing that almost happened to me.
I guess I haven’t, though.
“He’s right. I’m sure she didn’t want to show me until it fit correctly,” I reassure her, surprising myself in the process.
Before Kiera can speak, she gets a phone call and smiles apologetically at me. Goddamn, does this girl ever frown? “I’m sorry, it’s the clinic. I have to take this.”
“Go ahead, it’s okay.”
She wanders out of ear shot and Sebastian sighs tiredly. “I don’t quite know how this is going to work if you can’t even acknowledge me.”
I roll my eyes and look over at him again. “I can acknowledge you, I’m just choosing not to,Seb.”