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Seeing it on the larger screen brought me back to that very moment. Her laughter. That wild, snorting thing I heard in my head when I thought about her. The way the crew responded to her happy vibe. The sunlight glinting off her hair. Her battle with the wind for her modesty.
A battle she well and truly lost as evidenced by the pictures I took just before this one.
“My ass is about to fall out!” She looked at me incredulously. “Wait. Why are you taking pictures of me?”
I scanned the screen of my laptop for further evidence of my little crush but found none. Facing her, I replied as nonchalantly as I could, “You’re a beautiful woman. Why wouldn’t I take a picture of you?”
She moved to answer, but I continued. “The entire crew loves you. This,” I waved to the screen, “is what you bring to the set. This is what makes you so good at your job.” I shrugged. “It was a moment. I captured it. It’s what I do.”
“You watched me dance. Twice.”
I gave her a lazy smile and earned her scowl in response. “Don’t read anything into it. I’m a guy, but I’m not that guy.”
“Not that guy,” she repeated. “What does that even mean?”
I smirked and leaned back in my chair. “Again, you’re a beautiful woman. Anyone with a pulse would watch you. That doesn’t mean I want to keep you.”
Her face flushed.
Something akin to shame dulled her cornflower blues.
I was going to hell for sure.
“Of course not,” she murmured. “I don’t recall ever asking you to.”
“Right.” I stood up and took hold of the back of her chair to hold it out for her. “I trust you’re satisfied with what we have so far?”
“Yes.” She stood quietly and gathered her things while I crossed the room and opened the door.
“Goodnight, Ares.” She crossed the threshold, her little chin dipped, refusing to meet my eyes.
I grit my back teeth together. “Goodnight, Hope.”
Complicated
Hope
Friday, we worked a full day then rushed to the airport. Even if there had been time to talk to Ares, with the speed with which he ushered me out of his room the other night, I doubt it would have done any good.
I chalked the picture he took of me up to a really nice compliment. It was possibly the nicest compliment I’d ever received. And if I had to throw my entire weight over the Pandora’s box in my brain to do that? What did that matter?
Watching him work, I knew being the object of his attention would be something. And the picture was beautiful. I wondered if he’d let me have a copy. As for watching me dance, I had no answer for that. At least none that existed out of the box. When he didn’t show outside the yoga room on Thursday night. I assumed it was a one and done type of thing. Just as well. The girls were less than impressed with the zoom practice. I left the room more tense than I was before practice. It wasn’t ideal but what could I do?
Friday night, I arrived home shortly after 10:00 p.m. more tired than I had a right to be.
I fell straight into bed without stopping to shower off the airport. Morning arrived earlier than usual, and I only managed to throw in a load of laundry before heading to Lucky and Minty’s place to pick up Brayleigh.
Instead of coming to me with squeals and laughter, she turned her face into Lucky’s neck.
The stricken look on Minty’s face reflected my own heart. She waved me to come forward and slipped out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with Lucky and our daughter.
I rubbed my palm slowly over her little back.
“Hi, Tweetie,” I murmured.
I could feel Lucky’s eyes on me but couldn’t look at him. What if I saw recriminations there? I already felt bad enough. Didn’t I deserve something for myself? Was I not entitled to go after my dream job?
“How was your week?” Lucky murmured and I hazarded a glance at him.
