“Trust me, honey. Finding out early can make all the difference. I’m sure there is nothing to worry about, but it’s not worth the risk.”
“I know. I know I need to do it. I guess I can no longer live in denial.”
“Whitney, this disease might not ever touch you again, but if it does and we find it soon enough, then that makes all the difference. I know it sucks and you don’t want to deal with it, but you have to. You have to face this head-on and stay on top of it. She would want that.”
Tears prick my eyes. “Yeah, I know she would. I just. . . . I’m really happy here, Kathy. Aaron is amazing and his family, they’ve accepted me. I love my job and just all of it. I love it. I’m living like she wanted. I’m scared out of my mind that these tests are going to show something and ruin that. Take it all away.”
“Honey, listen. Even if the test finds something, that doesn’t take all that away from you. From what you’ve told me about Aaron and his family, they will be there to stand by you. You need to look at it from that angle. You have all of these people who love you and will fight with you.”
“Yeah. Listen, I have to go. I’m taking family pictures for Kinley today.”
“Okay, call me after. We should have the results within a day or two. I’ll call you as soon as I get them.”
“Thanks, Kathy.”
We say our good-byes and I let myself back into the house. “Whitney, you okay?” Kinley asks.
“Yeah, that was Kathy. She was a good friend of my mom’s. It’s just hard sometimes talking to her.” It’s not a complete lie.
“I’m sorry. I can’t imagine how hard that is for you.”
“Each day I learn to cope a little easier. Aaron has helped,” I confess to her. “He’s been there for many breakdowns.”
“He loves you, of course he has.”
I can’t hide my smile.
“See, just hearing it lights you up. I never thought he would fall. He was always so reserved with women, but from day one you were different for him.”
“Ready?” Evan asks. He has Lexi on one hip and Walker on the other.
“Yes.” McKinley goes to him and squeezes in the middle of the kids and kisses him. I grab my camera from the table, where I was switching my lenses. Quickly I snap a few pictures. McKinley turns after the fourth or fifth sound of the shutter.
“Sorry.” I smile. “I just couldn’t resist.”
“Those are the best kind of shots! I can’t wait to see them.”
I hold my camera to my chest. “You made me promise not to show you until edits were done.”
Evan throws his head back in laughter, causing Lexi and Walker to imitate him. “You really think you can hold out, babe?”
“Yes. Besides, Whit is a super-fast editor, so it will be a short wait.”
We all laugh. “All right, let’s get this show on the road.” Evan carries the kids outside and we start our day of family pictures.
We take shots on the front porch, by what Evan assures me is an old oak tree. I’ve never been able to tell the difference. We use the barn as a backdrop for a few, the fence, the hayfield, and so many more. I’ve already taken close to five hundred shots and we have not headed to her parents’ yet.
“That’s good. Now let’s head over to Mom and Dad’s. It’s about N-A-P time,” Kinley says.
“Good idea, I’ve already got a ton of material here,” I tell her.
She grins. “Yay! I’m so excited to see them.”
“Get in the truck, woman,” Evan chides her.
Kinley and I laugh as we load up in the truck. She sits in the back with the kids, while I ride up front with Evan.
“Unca Awon!” Lexi cheers as soon as we pull into the driveway.
Glancing up, I see my man walking from the barn toward the house. He’s shirtless, his sculpted abs on display, black jeans hanging loose on his hips, cowboy hat on top of his head, and that beard, the one he grew for me. I could look at him all day. And this . . . seeing him shirtless and in that hat. It’s a vision I’m sure to store in my memory bank. He’s gorgeous and. . . .
“He’s all yours.” Evan laughs, reading my mind. I pull my gaze away from Aaron and see that he and Kinley are both smiling at me.
“Can you blame me?” I ask them.
Kinley shudders—he is her brother after all—causing Evan and me both to laugh. My door is pulled open and Aaron is there in all his sexy glory. He doesn’t say anything, just places his hand around my neck and pulls me into a kiss. “Can’t look at me like that, Whit,” his deep voice rumbles. Kinley and Evan chuckle while Lexi asks for her kiss. “Missed you,” he says, kissing my forehead before stepping back and helping me out of the truck. “I got to go get Lex.” He grins. “She needs some Uncle Aaron love.” With that, he leaves me to go do just that.
Aaron takes Lexi from Evan so he can get Walker. Kinley and I are talking about the scenes here we want to shoot.
“I want to get one in the loft. We have one of Aaron and me with Mom and Dad, we’re all sitting in the open door. I want one just like it.”
I look over at Aaron and he winks. I wonder what McKinley would think if she knew what we had done up there? “Sounds good,” I tell her. “You all head up. We can start there.”
“I’m going to carry Lexi up for them.” Aaron leans in for a quick kiss that is over just as quick as it started and follows his best friend into the barn, both of them with kids on their hips.
“Girl, he has got it bad.” Kinley laughs.
“He’s not the only one,” I admit.
She grins. “Okay, I’m heading up.” She claps her hands, hugs me, and then races to follow the guys.
I walk to the side of the barn and then away from it. I want to be able to get some far and close shots. My zoom lens will help with that.
“Ready,” Kinley calls. She and Evan are sitting in the open doorway their legs hanging over the side. Lexi is standing behind them in the middle, and Evan is holding Walker.
I take several shots, zooming in and moving to get different angles, calling out for them to look this way and that. It helps that Kinley knows what I’m thinking as a fellow photographer. The instruction is minimal, and within minutes, the scene is shot.