The drive to McIntyre Park in and of itself is gorgeous. My maps took me the scenic route, thankfully, so I got to drive down vacant winding roads, through open fields of farmlands, past quaint churches and tiny corner stores, and beneath giant longleaf pines and oak trees blanketed in Spanish moss. Florida got a bad rap sometimes, which was justified in some ways.It’s hot, we have some scary animals (and bugs), and yeah, some of the people around here can be pretty crazy. But all of that was worth it to me at the end of the day. I much preferred the small towns and the nature that surrounded them than being stuck in a big city with too few trees and too many skyscrapers.
I was instructed to park behind the mansion at the heart of the park. As I drove behind the tall, white Victorian mansion adorned with a beautiful wraparound porch, my body bumped around each time my car rolled over protruding tree roots. I scanned the edge of the mansion for Sadie. My chest tightened when I realized I wasn’t sure how any of this was going to work—where would the other woman park her car? Would Sadie grab me or her first? Were we going to be blindfolded, or instructed to close our eyes, or what?
Anxiety is a real fucking bitch.
There were no other cars behind the mansion, and it didn’t seem like people parked back there very often, since the grass was pristine. I parked my car and immediately grabbed my phone from where it rested in the passenger seat. A text from Sadie came in as soon as I unlocked the screen, and I exhaled a deep sigh of relief.
Sadie: Be right there!
Of course,Sadie knew what she was doing. It obviously wasn’t her first time doing this. She was in the middle of shooting these stranger sessions for a whole year, after all. Traveling the world and setting up various photoshoots.Duh.Immediately, I felt ridiculous for being concerned with all the small details. I knew myself well enough to acknowledge that I wasn’t too worried about those things—it was my way of coping with what I wasactuallynervous about—the actual photoshoot and meeting the mysterious person I’d been paired up with.
As I waited for Sadie to come and grab me, I pocketed my phone and my keys, then hopped out of the car. After locking the doors, I leaned against the hood of my ancient Toyota Camry and took in the breathtaking sight of the mansion and the surrounding grounds of McIntyre Park.
I was no architecture whiz, but I imagined that the mansion had to at least be one hundred years old, if not older. I knew from stalking the details of the park online that it was well maintained. People could rent themansion for weddings and the like, and I could see why. The mansion itself screamed old southern charm, especially paired with the giant oak trees that bordered the building on all sides, each one with plenty of Spanish moss swaying from their thick branches in the slight breeze.
It was approaching the golden hour, and though it was humid as usual and still quite warm outside, there was a slight chill to the air that told me we were no longer in the excruciatingly hot summer months. Bluish-gray clouds danced around the sun up above as I gazed upward and forced in a deep breath.
“Hey! You must be Bella!” a chipper voice called out from nearby, which practically made me jump out of my skin.
“Oh gosh! Hi!” I said, turning my eyes to Sadie and clutching my chest.
Sadie grinned and tucked a strand of her long brown hair behind her ear. Her other hand playfully tapped at the thick black strap of her camera gear bag which was crisscrossed along her chest. “Did I spook ya? Sorry!”
I shook my head and came to a stand in front of her. “No, no,” I lied. “I was just lost in the moment, I guess. It’s beautiful here.”
“Right?” she asked with a contagious laugh that eased my nerves a little. “I’ve never been to this part of Florida, but I found this park absolutelystunningwhen I was searching for a spot for this shoot! Have you been here before?”
“No, I haven’t!”
Sadie beamed at me. “Awesome. So, are you ready?” she asked with a waggle of her eyebrows. I nodded, despite the buried down anxiety which made me clench my jaw. “Sweet! Your partner for the shoot just pulled up on the side of the house. I’m going to position you both back to back on the front porch, because I am loving how it wraps around the building.”
I laughed. “I was just admiring that myself!”
“Perfect, then! Okay, so I’m going to leave you here for a few so I can get everything set up. Then, I’ll bring around your partner first and position her on the porch. After that, I’ll grab you and I’ll help you walk around to the front of the building. You’re gonna have to walk backwards so you don’t see her before the first photo.”
I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped which was due to an awkward blend of excitement and anticipation. “Well, that sounds like a fun adventure to me.”
“Yay!” Sadie exclaimed with a little dance. I was never too fond of meeting people for the first time, but something about Sadie was easy andinviting, thankfully. I immediately felt comfortable in her presence, and for that, I was glad. “I’ll be back soon!”
With that, Sadie bounced away, and I was left alone once more, wondering what the mystery woman I would meet in just a few minutes would be like. Even if we didn’t hit it off romantically, I begged the universe to at least make this experience a fun one. I could have really used a win.
CHAPTER 04: CAM
I stood on one end of the porch and stared out at the oaks and longleaf pines that surrounded the perimeter. The air smelled fresh—like soil and freshly cut grass gently baked by the Florida sun.
My excitement had made me antsy. I was practically vibrating in my best pair of black Doc Martens. I’d already touched up my tinted ChapStick three times. Now, my hands smoothed out my black skirt patterned with tiny white moths. It was my favorite skirt, and it was made of a thin material. Perfect for being outside this time of year. I’d paired the skirt with a light white sweater (which was a bit too hot, but hey, I was going for looks, not comfortability) and my usual natural makeup.
My foot tapped against the old wood of the porch as the seconds crawled by. I’d already cracked my knuckles and adjusted all of my rings on each hand. I felt myself sweating and prayed that I wouldn’t be smelly during the photoshoot.
It wasn’t like me to get all worked up like that. Typically, I was easygoing and a very “go with the flow” kind of gal. But sometimes, my excitement made me too energetic to the point that it would make me dizzy. I forced myself to take a breath. The last thing I needed to do was turn around and meet the stranger I’d be taking photos with and scare her off by being too fucking hyper.
Sadie, who I immediately became obsessed with the moment she introduced herself, played with her camera from where she stood a yard or so away from the porch steps.
“How’s it looking so far?” I called out when I could no longer stand the sound of my own thoughts.
She had instructed me to stay put, looking off to the side, so I couldn’tseeher, I just knew she was there. “Great!” Sadie called back. “We’re almost ready to get started. You excited?”
I smiled and bit down on my bottom lip. “Super excited.”
