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Her gaze flicks between us as if waiting for us to make a big announcement. A diamond-on-the-finger announcement.
I hug Simone. “I was just admiring Garrett’s work.” I point at the pond. “It looks great,” I tell him.
“Thanks. Let me know if you want me to add a pond to your backyard.”
“Stuck on a plot point?”
“Nope. Things are going great. Well, maybe not for my protagonist.” He flashes me a wry smile. “But that’s good news for me.”
“It’s a miracle he’s even here,” Zara says. “He disappeared into his story and forgot he was supposed to be at his parents’.” She smacks him on the arm. “If I hadn’t gone over to his house, he would still be typing away on the computer.”
Garrett shrugs, clearly having no defense for almost missing his parents’ dinner.
A man in his early sixties approaches our group. The brothers’ father, if their similar good looks are anything to go by. He smiles at me, and there’s no missing the same warm-brown eyes he shares with Troy, Garrett, and Lucas. “You must be Jessica. I’m Ian.” He holds out his hand for me to shake. His grip is firm but welcoming. “I’ve heard so much about you. It’s about time I got to meet you.”
I return his smile. “Thank you. I’m happy to finally meet you too.”
“You boys ready for your first Wilderness Warriors clients?” Ian asks them. “I can’t believe they come in less than two weeks.”
“We were ready until Troy here got himself injured.” There’s no malice in Garrett’s tone. Just the usual teasing between brothers.
“It’s not like you guys can’t run it without me,” Troy tells them. “Am I pissed I can’t participate yet? Yup. I was looking forward to the upcoming canoe and climbing trips. But what can I do?”
Ian chuckles in what seems to be sympathy. “And how’s the festival planning going?”
“Good. Right now, I’m busy trying to find sponsors to pay for the equipment rentals.” A lot of sponsors from what Troy has told me. Running a fundraising festival isn’t cheap. I anonymously donated five thousand dollars, which only Troy knows about, but he didn’t want me to donate more than that.
“Your restitution payment is for your new life,” he’d told me when I’d offered to donate a large chunk of what he still needs. “I’ll find another way to get the money.”
“How’s that going?”
“Slow. But I’m hoping to reach our goal very soon. Because if we don’t, we’ll have to cancel it. I’d rather not do that if I can avoid it. People’s lives are at stake. Individuals like Colton and their families.”
Troy’s dedication to making a difference to those who struggle with PTSD fills me with warmth. I just want to hug him and show him how incredible I think he is.
“Have you asked Anthony Bell?” Ian asks.
“The owner of Bell Automotives?” Troy shakes his head.
“It’s worth a try. The worst that can happen is he says no.”
Kellan joins the group. “Dad, Mom needs you. She’s ready for you to put the food on the grill.”
Ian nods at him, a warm smile on his face. “Thanks, son.”
As he walks, he draws my attention to the picnic table where his wife is standing. His movement is proud and distinguished and belies his former Marine training. It’s much like the way his sons walk.
Emily enters the garden through the kitchen door. She’s glowing. And it’s not only her blond hair that’s glowing due to the angle of the sun. She’s glowing with excitement like she is the sun.
“Hi, Jess.” She gives me a careful hug and steps away. “I’ve got a new wedding client, and she’s looking for a photographer who specializes in the photojournalistic style you excel at.” The flood of words rushes out, making it difficult to know what to grasp hold of first.
“Hi, Em,” I say on a light laugh, buying myself a little time before responding. “I’m not a wedding photographer. I don’t know the first thing about it.” Just like I didn’t know anything about photojournalism until I took courses in college and practiced. A lot. “And I don’t think wedding photographers use their iPhones to shoot wedding photos.”
I love being able to use my phone to take photos, but I miss the feel of a DSLR camera in my hands. Miss using different lenses depending on what I’m trying to do. I don’t have that option with my phone.
But as much as I miss having a DSLR camera, I’m not ready to buy one or the rest of the equipment just yet. The camera I want—the model like I used to own—is expensive. And I’m not sure it’s a good idea to use my restitution payment for it.
“I bet you could find an online course on the topic,” Simone says. “There’s a course for everything these days.”
