Page 17 of Colors and Curves
Lacey and I wander through the showroom while she looks at the photographs again, pointing out the ones she likes.
“I hate it that we don’t have a lot of time to talk anymore. Jocelyn mentioned some heated tension between you and this angry but gorgeous photographer.” She waggles her eyebrows. “How do you plead?”
I roll my neck and growl. “Guilty. He has me in knots, and I don’t even know him. Well, I know the photographer side of him, but that isn’t much. He’s very cryptic. Just looking at him gets me on edge. Or maybe I’m desperate. I can’t tell you how damn hard it was for me to remain professional the entire time he was here!”
“Ooh la la. So what are you going to do about it?”
I rub my hands together. “I don’t know. I promised myself I wouldn’t get involved with anyone for at least six months when I moved here. My heart can’t take another letdown. But who knows—I’m probably talking about something that isn’t even there. Not to mention, there’s business between us. And I don’t know what his relationship is with his agent.”
Lacey’s phone rings. She pulls it out of her back pocket. “Sorry. Let me get this. It’s someone from the marina. Don’t they know Will is on the phone with Josh?” I nod and she walks to a quiet corner. “What? I can’t hear you?” She heads back to me. “The reception’s bad. I’ll take it outside.”
I check the messages on my phone while I wait for them. Nothing. Who am I expecting a message from on a Sunday?
Will’s voice sounds from my office. “Shit!” Now what? I find him frantically wiping coffee off my desk with tissues.
“What happened?”
“Somehow the cup slipped from my fingers. I caught it, but I’ve got coffee all over my shirt and on your desk.” I walk around him to see.
“That’s not just a little bit.” I laugh. “You’re going to stink in this hot weather. Do you have another shirt in your backpack?”
“Funny enough, I do. Let’s clean this up, then I’ll change quickly.” We wipe up the rest of the coffee, then walk out to the front where his bag is.
“Where’s Lacey?”
“Someone called from the marina. Reception is bad in here, so she went outside.”
“The one day we take off, and all hell breaks loose.” He pulls his shirt off and rummages through his backpack.
“Do you always have a spare shirt with you?”
“No. But I have to go straight to work, and I wanted to wear one of the marina shirts. Good thing.”
Frantic barking grabs Will’s and my attention. I jump and glance out the window. Julius is standing in front of the entrance with Chance. He’s wearing a light blue button-down and khaki shorts. Nice change from black and white. My skin tingles, and my face suddenly flushes. He doesn’t look happy when he glances at Will and then back at me. Julius, not Chance. Chance’s tail is whipping fast enough that it’d leave a mark on someone’s skin. I look back at Will, and he swiftly puts his shirt on.
“I’m sorry, Sky. I forgot where I was. I should’ve changed in the bathroom.”
“It’s fine. The gallery’s closed.”
“Who’s that guy? I don’t like the way he’s looking at us.”
“Well, I kinda don’t blame him. You’re standing there half-naked. People might get the wrong idea. But I can take care of myself. You don’t recognize him from the picture I just showed you? He has sunglasses on now so maybe you wouldn’t. That’s the photographer, Julius. I wonder why he’s here.”
The real question should be, how did he know I was here?
Julius’s jaw ticks as usual. Lacey returns and stands behind him at an angle where I can see her. She says something to him. He looks at me once more, then backs up from the door. His body is tight, like every muscle is cramped. Lacey bends over to pet Chance, but he snaps at her. She jerks her hand away and swings the door open. Julius tugs on Chance’s leash and mumbles something.
“That dog’s crazy,” she exclaims. “He almost bit me. Is that Julius? He’s way too intense.”
“Yes. Give me a second.”
Julius moves away from the door as I walk toward it. Why does he look so pissed off? Is it because of Will? Wait a second… is he jealous?
Chance’s tail is wagging so hard that he can’t control his backside. I open the door, and he bolts toward me. I pet his head and stoop to his level. He licks me more than he did the other day, and props his front paws on my shoulders. I lose my balance but catch myself with my hand on the sidewalk. “Hi, sweet thing. At least you look happy to see me. Can I get up now before I fall on my butt again?” Julius pulls lightly on his leash, but Chance doesn’t budge.
“Down, buddy,” that sexy voice says. “Come here.”
I stand up and wipe down my white capris that now have paw prints on them. “Chance seems happy to see me, but you don’t. Why is that?”