“Did you at least look at the thing I sent you earlier?” she asked.
I kept my eyes on Murph to avoid the annoyance I knew she would throw my way when I said, “No, I was too busy to check my messages.”
I flinched away when she smacked me upside the head. “Boy, pull out your phone andlook, would you? God.”
With Murph tucked safely in the crook of my left elbow, I dug my phone out of my back pocket and clicked the link in her message. It brought up an ad for Sadie’s Strangers, a couple’s photo session with a randomly assigned partner, specifically for queer folks.
At least I knew what got her started down the “go have a mindless fling” road.
Maura tossed the gathered hair, then pressed herself up against my right side so she could see my phone. When I didn’t move beyond the initial info slide, she reached over and flicked through the sample images. They were well-shot, and the heat between the couples was palpable even through a phone screen. They lookedhappy, unburdened, and I wanted that, too.
“You should apply,” Maura said. Her head dropped onto my shoulder, and she tucked her arm around mine. “It would be a good way to have a fun afternoon.Maybeyou’ll even get a happy ending out of it if you play your cards right.”
She snickered at my annoyed sigh.
“You just spent the last hour telling me how bad I am at managing my time, and now you want me to essentially go on a blind date?” My protest sounded weak, even to me. “How do you also expect me to juggle someone wanting more from me than I have to give right now?”
“Oh mygod, it’s not an arranged marriage, Z!” She tipped her head back to look up at me. “There’s no guarantee you’ll get picked, and even if you do, it’s just a photo shoot.”
When I didn’t argue, a slow smile spread across her lips.
“And you want to do it, don’t you?”
The truth was, I didn’t remember the last time I’d done anything frivolous. Between undergrad, med school, volunteering, and internships, there’d been no time for fun for the last eight years. It made for a killer resume, which was a big part of how I landed my residency in Boston in the fall, but it left my social life… vacant. Lonely.
Maybe spending a few hours with a stranger and a photographer wouldn’t be the most practical use of my time, but I was more than overdue.
“You know, I think I do,” I said.
She squealed so loud I went momentarily deaf in my right ear, and she dragged me to the couch.
“Fuck yes. Open up that application, and let’s get this bitch filled out.” She plopped down and patted the seat beside her. “We’ll make sure you soundirresistible, Dr. Harrington.”
Summer had run itself out in the time since I’d filled out Sadie’s application, and the air blowing in Maura’s open car windows was crisp. It played havoc with my hair, undoing all the effort she’d put into making itperfectbefore we left her apartment. Which just meant even more fussing when we parked.
The closer we got to the pin Sadie dropped on the map for us, the easier it got to put thoughts of my impending move out of my head. Mostly because nerves were gnawing at the pit of my stomach and making me increasingly queasy as the miles ticked down, and I was too busy focusing on staying calm to think about anything else.
I’d been looking forward to this since I got the email from Sadie a week ago telling me I was one of the two she’d selected for her visit to KC. She’d been patient with all of my questions, and assured me my inexperience with modeling wouldn’t be an issue.
“It’s about being yourself,” she’d said, “and seeing where the day leads you. And I’ll be there to guide you when you need me to.”
But it had been a long time since I’d made any connections that weren’t professional, and I was out of practice socializing rather than networking. Maura promised me it was like riding a bike, and I would surprise myself. I hoped she was right.
We pulled into the parking lot of Cave Spring Park—empty but for an old Ford pickup and a little red Camry parked in front of the Interpretive Center building—and rolled to a stop at the curb. Maura killed the engine and twisted in her seat.
“Oof, yourhair,” she mumbled.
“You wanted the windows open,” I reminded her, earning a pinch on the back of my hand for my sass.
“Let me fix this.” She popped her seat belt off and leaned over the console to rake her fingers through my hair. “How are you feeling about today?”
“Nervous,” I admitted. “But excited. Thank you for suggesting it.”
“You know I got you, boo, even when you fight me on it sometimes.” She tucked a last rogue strand back into place, then patted my cheek. “Now gohave fun. Maybe make out in the woods a little. And give meallthe deets when I pick you up.”
I chuckled. “This is why you wanted to drive me, isn’t it? So you’d get the tea piping hot and have me as your captive until you can wring every last detail out of me?”
“You know me too well.” She leaned forward to peck me on the cheek, then reached past me to open the door and wave me out. “Text me when you’re ready for me to come get you.”
