Portrait of Love

by Debby Mayne

She stopped and turned to face him. “Okay.”

  He rubbed his chin and studied the floor. “Your sister mentioned going to church with you.” He looked up and directly into her eyes. “I’ve been looking for a church home. Where do you go?”

  four

  Mandy was caught off guard. It never dawned on her that Tony might be a Christian.

  “It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me,” he said. “I understand if you don’t want me to go to your church.”

  She felt terrible. “No, I’m okay with it.” She reached for a slip of paper and jotted down the church address. “We have Sunday services at nine and eleven, with Bible classes in between.”

  He took the paper, looked at it for a few seconds, then met her gaze. “Thanks, Mandy. I’ll be there on Sunday morning, probably first service.”

  “That’s when I go,” she said. “I’ve always been sort of an early bird.”

  “Me, too.”

  As soon as Mandy got to the camera area, she felt like kicking herself. What did he care if she was an early bird? He wasn’t her friend; he was her boss.

  ❧

  Tony loved that Mandy was a Christian. Even though Small World was founded and owned by Christians, they didn’t limit themselves in who they hired, as long as the applicant’s references and backgrounds checked out. Their philosophy was to be a shining example from management on down, knowing Christ would do all the work to win hearts.

  ❧

  Mandy had had back-to-back appointments until late after-noon, when Tony joined her at the camera. “Bella just called in sick,” he said.

  “She was supposed to close tonight.”

  “I know. She also had an appointment scheduled right when you were supposed to leave.”

  Inwardly groaning, Mandy thought about how exhausted she was. But she didn’t want to let on to Tony, so she squared her shoulders. “That’s fine. I don’t mind closing.”

  He shook his head. “Let’s split the responsibility. If you don’t mind taking her client while I go grab a quick bite at the deli, I’ll close.”

  “But—”

  “You’re not in this alone anymore, Mandy,” he said firmly.

  Mandy’s gaze locked with Tony’s. His kindness filled her with warmth. She quickly looked away. “Okay, that’s fine.”

  Tony waited around until her appointment arrived, then he left with a wave. “I’ll get my food and bring it back here,” he said.

  “You don’t have to—” His expression stopped her, mid-sentence. “Okay.”

  Once again, he held her gaze a couple of seconds longer than necessary, causing her insides to feel as though they were plummeting to the floor. She looked away to regain her focus.

  As difficult as it was to admit, he’d been kind and fair from the moment they first met—even though he did seem a bit grouchy at first. If he’d been a dictatorial jerk, it would have been easier to justify being angry at the company.

  The buzzer on the door sounded, alerting her to the next client appointment. After she assured the parents everything would be okay, and letting them know they could even watch from the door, she began positioning the children for their photos. Her notes stated that they weren’t allowed candy, so she pulled out some of the more colorful props to get their attention. It took her forty-five minutes to get a half-dozen good shots.

  After she finished, she ushered the children back to their waiting parents. “Give me a half hour to put this together, and you can choose the package you like,” she said.

  The father looked pleased. “Last time we had studio portraits done, we had to wait weeks for the proofs.”

  His wife laughed. “I forgot to tell my husband this is all high-tech now.”

  Mandy grinned. “You’ll have the finished package in just a few days.”

  “That’s wonderful,” the children’s father said. He slapped one of the company brochures on his palm. “And from what I’ve seen of your prices, we can come here often as the kids grow up.”

  She heard a rustling sound from the office down the hall, letting her know that Tony had slipped back into the studio sometime while she was photographing the children. After the family left, he joined her.

  “Why don’t you head on out now, Mandy? I’ll stick around until closing.”

  “Are you okay with walk-ins?” The instant those words left her mouth, she remembered she wasn’t in charge. He was the manager, not her, and if he wasn’t okay, he’d have to deal with the consequences.

  He didn’t seem fazed. “I’m fine. Remember, they put me through the crash course. I’m sure I’m not as good as you, but I don’t think anyone is.” He grinned and winked. “At least now I know what to do if some kid gets out of control and sends candy flying. Your family is waiting.”

  Mandy smiled. “If things get crazy, call, okay?” She grabbed her purse and made a beeline for the door, where she stopped, turned, and faced Tony, who stood behind the counter, head down, focused on some of the reply cards from their last mailing.

  When he glanced up, the look of consternation on his face touched her heart. “Need something?” he asked.

  “No, I’m fine. I just wanted to. . .” She licked her lips and smiled. “I wanted to thank you for being so understanding.” Then she ran out the door before he had a chance to say a word.

  She was at her parents’ house in just a few minutes, and her mother pointed to the table. “Set a place for yourself, dear.”

  Dinnertime conversation centered on Christina’s lack of a job, which was typical, but now it suited Mandy just fine. However, right before dessert, her father put down his fork and leaned toward Mandy. “Have you discussed that promotion with the company executives?” he asked.

  Mandy had been perfectly content not being in the limelight, but with such a direct question, she had to answer. “No, but that’s a moot point now. They put a family member in charge.”

  “They might not have known you were interested,” he said. “Did you ever tell anyone?”

  “Well, yes, but I was told to apply as soon as they posted the position.” She squirmed in her chair. “They never posted it.”

  “Mandy, hon, I know you like to play by the rules, but sometimes the rules don’t apply.”

  Christina had been quiet, but now she nodded her agreement. “Yeah, you really do need to let people know you’re not a doormat. Show them what you’re made of. Maybe if you dressed a little nicer—”

  “Christina,” their father said with a warning tone. “You’re not exactly the voice of authority on gainful employment.”

  “But—”

  Their dad cut Christina off. “I think your sister knows better than you do.”

  “It would definitely help if she had clothes that didn’t make her invisible,” Christina said.

  “Stay out. . . ,” Mandy said before glancing down at her plate. This was exactly what she dreaded.

  “Okay,” Christina said, holding up her hands. “But at least you can step up the wardrobe a bit.”

  Their mother grinned. “I think Mandy looks professional.”

  “Professional—yes,” Christina agreed. “But boring. What’s wrong with adding a splash of color here and there, or carrying a great handbag to let people know she’s important?”

  Mandy shook her head. “I don’t need a handbag that costs more than most people’s mortgage to feel important.”

  Christina shrugged. “Maybe not, but you definitely need something.” She smiled at Mandy. “Next time you go shopping, take me with you, and I’ll get you out of your rut.”

  “I think you need to let your supervisor know that you’d like to move up with the company,” their dad said, ignoring Christina. “It’s his job to relay that information and make sure you have all the tools you need.”

  Mandy nodded to close the conversation. “Okay, I’ll do that.”

  After she finished helping clear the table, Mandy gave her mother a hug. “Thanks for the food. I really need to go home now
.”

  Her mother followed her to the door and gave her a pleading look. “Please, Mandy? Help your sister—for the family. Christina will be much happier in the long run if she has a good job with her own paycheck.”

  Mandy couldn’t argue. “Okay. Just give me a day or two to think about what I can do.”

  Before her mother had a chance to say anything else, Mandy took off. All the way to her apartment, she thought about how to help her sister.

  Even though Mandy and Christina had the same basic features and people could tell they were sisters, there was a huge difference between them. Christina’s blond hair was brighter, and she wore it long, to the middle of her back, while Mandy kept hers cut short to keep it out of her face. They had the same shape of eyes, but Christina framed her blue eyes with black eyeliner and mascara, while Mandy barely swiped her eyelashes with a stroke or two of brown mascara to complement her hazel eyes.

  Once she reached her apartment, she locked the door, kicked off her shoes, and flopped onto the sofa. Then she turned on the lamp and picked up the book she’d been reading. As her eyelids drooped, she allowed herself to fall asleep right where she was. The next morning, she awoke with a crick in her neck and her rumpled top twisted around her torso.

  With three hours to get ready, Mandy decided to take a long shower and spend a little more time on her makeup. Christina had given her one of the free makeup bags last time she’d been to the cosmetics counter, so she had a trial tube of black mascara and some shiny, tinted lip gloss. The image that stared back from the mirror was in stark contrast to her usual plain look.

  Mandy was tempted to wash it all off and start over. She reached for her washrag then stopped. No, she’d keep her clown face on for the day. The children wouldn’t care, and the only other people who’d see her were their parents and Tony. The parents were always so frazzled, so she didn’t worry about them. Tony, on the other hand. . .

  Okay, the last thing she needed to worry about was Tony. Even if he thought she looked ridiculous, so what? She wasn’t trying to impress him.

  Next, she went to her closet and inspected the contents. Three pairs of black pants, a brown pair, and a couple of khakis were on the left side. She had three skirts—a black pencil skirt, a muted floral tulip skirt, and a brown A-line. Her tops were equally boring, with mostly neutral colors and basic styling. Even the way she organized her closet was boring, with groupings of sleeveless, short-sleeved, and long-sleeved lined up in order of light to dark—white, tan, brown, and black being the predominant colors. On a whim, she’d bought a red cardigan, but the tags still hung from the sleeve, and it was shoved all the way to the end of the rack.

  She reached for her typical black slacks and white top. Then, after only a slight hesitation, she grabbed the red cardigan and yanked off the tags. It was time to step outside her narrow box and take chances.

  Mandy got in her car and drove to the studio. As she came to a traffic light, she glanced in the mirror over her visor and shook her head. She felt silly about fretting over her makeup and wardrobe.

  Shop lights along the street were still dim when she arrived, since most of the businesses hadn’t opened yet. A few groups of seniors sat at the tables outside the coffee shop down the street, chatting and enjoying each other’s company. Mandy scurried past them, head down, hoping none of the familiar ones would notice her. She was glad when no one called out to her.

  She slipped inside the studio and went through her normal routine of putting her purse in the office and setting up for their first customers. The sound of shuffling papers in the manager’s office alerted her that Tony was in, but she didn’t want to face him yet.

  Five minutes before opening time, Tony appeared on the other side of the counter from where she stood. He stared at her for several seconds before she looked up.

  His eyebrows shot up. “You look very nice, Mandy.”

  “Thank you.” Her voice squeaked, so she cleared her throat.

  “Is something special going on today that I need to know about?”

  “No.”

  “Red is a good color for you,” he continued.

  Mandy didn’t know what else to say, so she repeated her thanks and changed the subject. “We have several appointments today, and both studios are booked after Bella gets here.”

  “Oh, Bella called in. She’s still sick, and I have to leave for a meeting at the regional office.” He offered a smile. “But I called and left a message for Steve to come in.”

  Mandy nodded. “Good. Thanks.”

  “We need to hire someone else. I don’t know how you’ve held up as well as you have, but this isn’t a good situation.”

  The phone rang. It was Steve calling to say he couldn’t come in because he was studying for finals.

  Mandy looked over the schedule and figured out a way to handle all the clients. She only had to call one and reschedule, and they agreed without any problem.

  After her first appointment left, Tony handed her a slip of paper with the message, Your mom called, and she’d like you to call ASAP.

  Mandy took it and went to the smaller of the two offices. Her mother answered after the first ring.

  “I’m sending Christina over to see you.”

  “That’s fine, but not now. This isn’t a good time,” Mandy said. “Today’s schedule is crazy. I have to work late and handle an extra load.”

  “You really need to help us out on this. Your father is upset that she’s not out looking for a job, and I told him I’d have you talk to her during your lunch break. She listens to you.”

  Mandy felt the weight of the world on her shoulders as her mother explained what she wanted her to do. Finally, she agreed and hung up.

  Tony appeared at the doorway right when she was leaving. His expression turned to one of concern. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine. My sister is having a hard time finding a job, and my mom wants me to talk to her during lunch.”

  He grinned. “I think it’s good that you and your sister are close like that. Why don’t you take an extra hour for lunch, since I’ll be here, and you’ll have to handle everything by yourself tonight?”

  “Thanks.”

  Mandy had one more photo shoot before lunchtime. When she finished, she went out to the front in time to see her sister standing at the counter, with Tony grinning.

  five

  Mandy turned to Tony. “You did say I could take extra time, right?”

  “Absolutely. In fact, if you need even more time, I’ll be here until three.”

  Christina’s eyes lit up. “Maybe we can get in a little shopping.”

  Mandy glanced back and forth between Christina and Tony. “No shopping, Christina. An extra hour is plenty.”

  Once they were out the door, Christina glanced toward the electronics store. “Where’s that cute guy?”

  “If you’re talking about Brent, he’s there somewhere, probably waiting on a customer.”

  “Maybe I’ll go there later and let him wait on me.”

  “Christina. That’s an electronics store.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “You’re not exactly a technical genius.”

  “I can buy electronics as well as the next person.”

  Based on Mandy’s experience with her sister, there was no doubt she could buy anything as well as the next person. “I’m sure you can—if you have the money.”

  “Your boss is so cute!” Christina stopped and turned Mandy to face her. “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed his cuteness.”

  Mandy shrugged but wouldn’t meet her sister’s eye. “He’s okay, I guess.”

  “Okay?” Christina snickered. “Girl, you need some serious man-finding lessons.”

  “I’m not looking for a man.”

  “Oh, come on. Don’t give me that. You used to tell me that you wanted a traditional marriage, with kids, a house, and”—Christina waved her arms—“the whole kit and caboodle.”

  “One of thes
e days, yeah.”

  “One of these days is here, Mandy. Open your eyes. You’ll be thirty in a couple of years, and the man of your dreams just might be standing in front of you every day.”

  “Tony’s my boss. He doesn’t count.”

  “Sure he counts.” Christina grunted. “He’s cute and nice. He’s probably a Christian, since he asked about churches.”

  “Yeah, well. . .”

  “Don’t let a good one get away without at least exploring the possibilities.”

  Mandy shook her head. “I can’t risk losing my job.”

  “You won’t lose your job. He values you too much.”

  “I don’t know about that. He seems annoyed.”

  “That’s because he wanted his family to give him a better job.”

  Had he actually told her that? She thought of the chatty men at the airport. Mandy let the comment slide. “How am I supposed to, um. . .as you put it, explore possibilities without making a fool of myself?”

  “Just keep your eyes open for opportunities to let him know you’re interested.”

  Easy for Christina—guy magnet from way back—to say. “Nah, I’m not interested.”

  Ignoring her, Christina started making plans. “First, we need to get you some decent clothes.”

  “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

  Christina tilted her head and gave her a you’re-kidding look. “I’ve already told you. Bo–ring.”

  “I’m wearing a red cardigan.” Mandy lifted her head slightly as she pulled the sweater together in front.

  “And black mascara and shiny lipstick.” Christina nudged her and smiled. “Yes, I noticed.”

  During lunch, Mandy managed to turn the conversation back to Christina’s job hunt. “Did you revamp your résumé to fill in some of those gaps I mentioned?”

  Christina nodded. “Yes, and I included the volunteer work you reminded me of. Who would’ve thought to do that?”

  “That’s work, and it shows that you didn’t just sit around all that time,” Mandy said. “And it shows that you care about others.”

  “True.” Christina tapped her finger on her chin. “I’m just not sure where to start.”