I jostled in my seat as a loud car horn blared behind me. The light had turned green.
Without a wasting a second, I pressed on the gas and tossed my phone face down into the passenger’s seat.
CHAPTER 04
I’d love to have you.
The email acceptance still haunted me two weeks later as I sat in the parking lot of an old building downtown. The windows had been boarded up after the latest hurricane and various styles of graffiti painted the outside bricks.
It wasn’t too late to run. To disappoint two strangers I’d never met and reverse my car straight off the road into the lake to hide from the entire experience.
I tapped the center console and glanced from the clock to the entrance Sadie told me to take.
There were no cars parked along the street. At least, not any that looked remotely interested in what would happen in the abandoned building. Loose leaves dragged down the sidewalk more than people enjoyed an evening stroll.
An alarm blared from the passenger seat. I set it to remind myself when I was supposed to be inside.
I gripped the gearshift and inhaled deeply.
“You can do this.” I lifted my hand from the gearshift. “Change is good.”
I turned off the vehicle and reached for my bag.
The old building was beautiful inside. Broken glass laid along the edge of the walls and various beams of raw wood held the strong ceiling in place.
“It’s quite the place.” A blonde woman smiled as I pulled my eyes from the way sunlight glittered through a translucent part of the small section of glass ceiling. “You must be Eloise.”
I crossed the room to meet her.
“That’s right. Sadie?” I shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too!” She beamed a smile.
I crossed my wrists over my bag and took in the equipment set up near the right of the room. The sun was beginning to set, leaving us with little time to work in a building with no electricity.
“I didn’t even know this place was here.” I blushed as memories rushed into my head. “I've lived here all my life.”
“It’s always an adventure when you step out of what you know.” Sadie said, smoothing down her long blonde hair. She pointed behind me where a few popup stations and more equipment were positioned. “You can change there and then I’ll introduce you to your partner. We only have about an hour and a half to get everything shot while the sun is working with us.”
“I’ll get right to it, then.” I took a step toward the stations, then turned back around. “Thank you, again. I can’t imagine how many, much more interesting, applications you received.”
Sadie had kind eyes. Her thoughts read across her features like she was paid to keep a smile on her face. It was natural, at least. Not the fake southern sweetness I was used to around here.
Refreshing, truly.
“You’ll have fun. Just take a deep breath and let me know if you need anything.” She reached out and squeezed my shoulder, then guided me toward the changing stations.
The photoshoot was meant to feel raw. A boudoir shoot without guidelines and gentle boundaries where I’d walk out in my underwear and meet a total stranger.
Kathryn would have drooled over seeing Hayley participate. I wasn’t surprised she dashed at the chance to tell her wife about the opportunity. But telling me? That was a shock and a half.
The tent to my right ruffled as my partner stepped out. I paused, shuffling my panties up my thighs to listen.
“That looks great!” Sadie’s gleeful voice spoke first. “Maybe ruffle your hair—yeah, yeah, that looks perfect.”
“Thanks.”
I frowned. A one-word response wasn’t much of a hint towardwhowaited outside for me.
