“So it’s work you’re missing?” This was probably safer territory. They’d always been able to connect over photography.
“Well, it’s hard to book jobs not knowing exactly when she’ll be healed enough for me to get back.”
He’d been lucky in his business. Byron Bridges had retired the year Zach graduated from college. Coming home to take over his studio had been a no-brainer. There’d been a built-in client-base, and as the only professional photographer in town, he tended to stay busy year-round. So busy, he didn’t have time to pursue his other interests. But maybe, since Fate had sent Lexi back his way, he’d get a little reprieve. And maybe he could help her out along the way.
“Work with me while you’re here.” The words were out before he could think them through, but he wouldn’t have taken them back. He missed working shoulder-to-shoulder with her in a dark room or on digital proofs. No one understood the lure of being behind the camera the way she did.
Those melted chocolate eyes blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“Since Byron retired, I’m the only gig in town, so I’ve got more business than I can handle. There’s a waiting list, and there have been some jobs I’ve had to turn down because of time constraints. I know it’s not growing your client list for
Austin, but it’d surely keep some income flowing while you’re here.”
Why did she look so stunned at the offer? They were friends. Or damn it, they used to be. He wanted that back. Spending actual time together would give him the chance to reestablish their friendship in a way he couldn’t online. He’d known he’d missed her, but he hadn’t realized how much until he’d seen her again. He needed her to say yes to this.
“Your clients want to book you. Your skills. Your style.”
“They want good pictures,” he corrected. “Most aren’t that fussy about who takes them, and you’re every bit as good as I am. It’d be great to have someone to refer them to that isn’t an hour or more away. You brought your gear, didn’t you?”
The look of vague insult almost made him smile. “Of course I did.”
“Then it’s a win-win for us both.” Please, say yes.
She fidgeted, and he was sure she was trying to come up with some excuse. “Well, if you truly don’t mind and don’t think they’d mind, I’d certainly appreciate some referrals.”
Zach held in his whoop of relief. “Of course I don’t mind. What are friends for? I’d love to get to really catch up while you’re here. It’s been ages.”
Again that…something flashed across her face, but she stepped up to the counter to place her order. By the time she’d finished chatting easily with the barista and paid, he’d already mentally rearranged things in his studio to accommodate another photographer and started a list of ways to remind her of all the reasons they’d been friends in the first place.
Grabbing the paper bag and tray of coffees, she turned toward him, smiling again. “I’d love to catch up while I’m here. But later. I promised Mom brownies and a mocha, and I already ran into Mrs. Landon on the green, so I’ve taken longer than I meant to.”
Squashing the disappointment that they couldn’t start that catching up now, he pasted on his own smile. “Of course. Give your mom my best. And come on by the studio tomorrow. I’ll give you the grand tour. It’ll be nice to share it.”
“Looking forward to it.” She lifted the bag in a sort of wave and headed out the door.
As he watched her go, Zach couldn’t quite shake the feeling that she was running. With luck, he’d eventually suss out why.
Chapter 2
Because she needed to burn off a little more nervous energy before she got back in her car, Lexi took the long way, skirting by the fountain. It actually ran now, which was more than could be said for it back when they were in high school. A tiny, foolish part of her wondered if that was why that long ago wish hadn’t come true.
I wish Zach would see me the way I see him.
He hadn’t. Ever. The truth of that had been too painful for her to cope with, so she’d put distance between them, hoping time would heal the wound. Apparently, it had. Getting through that whole interaction had taken less acting than she’d expected. She was legitimately happy to see Zach. He had, after all, been her closest friend for many years. She didn’t hate him or wish him any ill will. She just wanted to turn off the feelings that had turned on for her their senior year and go back to only being buddies. Things had been so much simpler then.
For a fleeting moment, she considered dropping another coin in the fountain, updating her wish. Could you even do that? But ultimately, she let it alone. She’d spent all these years building up what it would be like to see him again. She’d always been so afraid to look him in the eye and see the knowledge of her feelings for him. Maybe to see that he thought it was sweet, or cute, or that she was just a little bit pathetic. And then she’d have to die from the abject mortification. But it had been…fine. Turned out Zach was still as clueless as he had ever been. Sure, she’d felt a little awkward, but not the dry-mouthed, tongue-tied, heart palpitations she’d expected. He was just…Zach. Perhaps it was time she admitted they were all grown up and she’d moved on.
Thank God.
Clearly, he still thought they were friends, like he didn’t even notice the distance she’d put between them. The contrast to her own perceptions was jarring. But maybe this was a good thing. Maybe she could put her old crap away and they could find their way back to being real friends while she was here. Wouldn’t that be something? The idea of it had her smiling as she let herself into the little gray house with the bright turquoise front door.
“I was beginning to think you’d been kidnapped by a drug cartel.”
Lexi glanced at the TV, where the protagonist of her mom’s current favorite telenovela was engaged in a dramatic stare down with the son of the cartel’s head. “Ricardo totally figured out Maria’s undercover, didn’t he?”
Her mom gestured expansively toward the screen, wincing a little as her movement shifted the ankle she had propped on a pillow. “Yes, but he doesn’t know why yet.”
Crossing the small living room, Lexi set the coffee and brownies on the table in front of the sofa before sinking cross-legged to the floor. “She’s going to have to trust him if she has a prayer of finding out what happened to her sister.”