He had a point. But it was a choice made when I was not at my decision-making peak. “We were drunk, Matt. You know how awkward and clumsy I get. I’m going to make a fool of myself.”
The asshole seriously started laughing. “Well you aren’t awkward and clumsy all the time because in our career, you’d be dead if you were, or at least blown out of a few rooms. Maybe the other person won’t even be attractive. Then you’ll be fine. The only time you get like that is when you get nervous, which is when you’re around anyone you think is hot.” He clapped me on the back, then paused. “Hey, wait a minute. Why did you never get like that around me when we first started working together?”
“Sorry, bud,” I snickered, smacking him back, “But anyway, I don’t know if I can do this. I mean, it seemed like a good idea for a second when we were trashed. But now, thinking about actuallymeetingsomeone, could you imagine the disappointment? I walk in, I’m an awkward idiot, withthis?” I motioned at my face.
I hated that the idea still sounded a little intriguing, because the risks were just too high. I chewed on my lip trying to find a way out of it. It had seemed like a good way to kill a weekend evening back then, when drunk me was in charge. Maybe I could pretend to be sick.
Matt wrinkled his brow. “Are you serious? Please tell me that man isn’t still messing with your head. He was a damn fool. You’re hot as hell, dude. If I was gay, I’d totally go for you. Have you seen your bone structure? Besides, everyone digs scars, right?”
Catching a glimpse of my reflection in a boutique window across from us, I sighed. “Not when they go across your entire face.”
“They’re part of you and who you are,” Matt pressed on, “Don’t you dare let assholes ruin your self-esteem. You’re going to do great at this thing. I can’t wait to see these pictures. And maybe you’ll even like the guy. If not, you still had fun and you’re starting to get back out there. You’re at least meeting new people.”
I stood up, tossing my coffee cup into the trash can. “Fine, fine. I’ll do it. It would probably suck for the photographer if I cancelled the day before, anyway.” I cast another glance at the man I’d been staring at, who was heading toward one of the conference rooms. I already knew he was there for the convention; I’d been watching him since it started. He was olderthan me, but I preferred older guys. It was even hotter to picture him in his firefighting gear.
"I can just give him your number instead, if you’d rather,” Matt said with a chuckle as he followed my eyes. “Either way, I’ll be happy. I just want you back out there and smiling again.” I shoved him with my shoulder as he stood up beside me. “I mean, he’s a firefighter, they must love scars, right?”
I rolled my eyes but then looked at my phone, finding the email with the time and meet-up location of the photo session. “I don’t know. But most of them are straight.”
“There is no way you could statistically prove that to me, Devon.” But he was looking at my phone, too, trying to get the details so he made sure I didn’t back out when it was time. “Did you say on the form that you prefer hot older firefighters with muscles?” He said itwaytoo loud, and there wasn’t even a question like thatonthe form.
“Matt!” I hissed, but glanced back up. That hot guy was looking at us. HeheardMatt. I caught his eye without meaning to and it felt like my face was on fire. I was sure it was obvious even with the distance between us. I turned quickly and knocked Matt’s empty cup out of his hand and then tripped over my own feet.
The guy gave a little half smile and I was pretty sure a chuckle right before someone said, “Hey, Sam!” and he turned to duck into the conference room.
I turned to my best friend and smacked him on the arm. “Thanks,bro. Now he’s laughing at me.”
Matt smirked. “I don’t think that’s what that was, Devon. I think he just found that silly little dancecharming.”
“Fuck you, I’m not doing the thing now.” I grabbed my tool belt and fastened it around my waist as he picked up his cup to throw it away. I snatched my hard hat from the bench and stalked away. I heard him scrambling to grab his stuff and catch up to me.
“Devon, come on! I’m sorry I said it that loud. I really didn’t mean for him to hear it. You have to do this. It’ll be fun. You may get some guy who’s funny and nice but you aren’t even interested in. Then you could just relax because you aren’t nervous and hang out while you make a new friend. Don’t back out on Sadie because you’re mad at me.”
He said it like he knew Sadie, but it didn’t matter that neither of us did. He knew I wouldn’t be able to back out. I didn’t let people down when I made a commitment, it just wasn’t in me. I stopped and turned back,letting him catch up before we headed to the wing we were wiring. I would go because I said I would, not because my asshole friend was badgering me.
The whole thing was just pretend, anyway. They’d be pretending and I’d be pretending, but maybe it would be nice to pretend that someone cared again. Even if it was just for a few hours. My last relationship had ended when I kicked out the douchebag I’d been seeing for months, right after he told me he wished he could put a bag over my head when I wanted to fuck face to face. Maybe the person Sadie paired me with would be a better actor. Maybe it would be fun, at least after I got over my initial nerves, and at the very least I could get some cool photos out of it. Photos I could post so that asshole who still stalked my socials would think I’d found someone who liked how I looked despite my scars.
“I’ll go if you can manage not to embarrass me before the time comes.”
Matt gave a little “Pssh.” I whirled to face him. “First off,” he said, “You embarrass way too easily.” One more warning look had him going on, “I won’t. Ipromise.”
I gave a little huff and we headed down the empty hallway to work.
CHAPTER 02: SAM
I was at the back of the café in the hotel with Sadie. She had me get there a little early to sit in a high-back booth facing away from the door because she liked the element of surprise. She’d let me know a little about what to expect. She was very sweet and bubbly, visibly excited for me to meet my photo mate, and had quickly dispelled any nerves I’d had going into it. I wasn’t normally a nervous person, but I’d never done anything like it before. When I found the ad online and realized I’d be staying at the hotel for the convention, it had seemed like a fun time. She told me that she and her future wife had gone through the applicants together and picked out the couples. I wasn’t sure they’d had a lot of applicants at that particular place and time, but I was an optimist.
I was pretty excited to meet my photo-mate, too. I was bored at the convention, tired of seminars, and ready to have a little fun. My interest had already been piqued on my trip. That cute, blushing electrician I’d seen wandering around throughout my time there was probably too young for me, and he probably wasn’t even gay since he’d gotten so flusteredwhen his friend tried to embarrass him, but none of that stopped me from looking, becausedamn.Hopefully Sadie had found me someone equally intriguing.
“The lobby here is so beautiful,” She was saying, “Especially from the staircase with all the balconies in the background. The courtyard is perfect, too. The pool area is nice, even though it’s too chilly to get in. It will still make great photos. It’s going to be so fun!” Her excitement was contagious and I returned her grin. She was across from me, facing the entrance, and her eyes lit up suddenly. “Oh, there he is! Don’t peek.” I just nodded and held my hands up in promise as she jumped up and rushed over there.
I could hear her excitedly explaining things to my photo partner as they approached, but true to my promise, I didn’t peek around the seat to check. They stopped behind the booth, just out of view and she said, “Ok, are you ready?” She was hard not to like. Her joy was genuine and would hopefully put usbothat ease. She moved forward and I stood as she grinned. “Sam, this is Devon. Devon, Sam!” I almost expected a, “Ta da!”
In reality, she could have said it. I was certain the universe had never shined so brightly on me. That cute electrician was standing right there, looking like a deer caught in headlights. I’d told her age didn’t matter to me. I’d dated older men and younger, but damn, he was adorable as his cheeks turned red and his eyes widened. Did hereallylike older men? Had he requested an older man? Was that why he’d gotten so flustered when his friend teased him? Or had we been the only two that applied and Sadie just tried to make me feel better about it?
I looked him up and down, completely unashamed. While the tool belt hanging on his hips and that don’t-give-a-damn look he wore while working was hot, he sure looked nice in the jeans and tight black t-shirt he’d chosen for the photo shoot. His body was nice, not bulky but all lean muscle. There was a tattoo on his upper arm but I couldn’t tell what it was under the sleeve of his shirt. His strawberry blonde hair was tousled, but less wild than it was while he was working. There was a birthmark above his full lips. And the scar that couldn’t be ignored. It was old, but it must have been a bad injury. It started beside his right eye, slanting downward and across his face. It narrowly missed his eye, went over his nose and across his left cheek. Its placement pulled a pang of sadness from my mind that I didn’t quite understand.
The scar did nothing to detract from his beauty. His face was perfect as far as I could tell. When I was done checking him out, I smiled. He was biting his lip as he watched me, but he managed a little smile in return.
