by Chelsea Hale
“Um—”
“Or was it a sci-fi this week, just to shake things up?” Liz asked.
Coco laughed at the playful banter. “Okay, see? There’s nothing new. He likes hanging out at his apartment the night he comes home from a trip. I don’t blame him. He’s been away from his place and doesn’t want to go out. Half the time he’s too exhausted from his trips to think of anything creative.”
“I, for one, think it’s super cute,” Jenny said in her practical tone.
“Oh, I do, too,” Mandy reassured Coco.
“We’re in a comfortable place.” She cleared her throat, willing the sudden memories of the peppermint hot chocolate she’d had with Peter to be swallowed. Why had he come to mind?
“Is Jeffrey going to be here for Liz’s wedding? I can’t remember.”
“He thinks so, but you never know when he’s off saving the world if he’ll be back in time.” Her smile felt genuine.
“A regular Superman,” Jenny said. “You’re lucky. He sounds like the perfect guy.”
“Hm. Superman.” Liz looked between Jenny and Coco. “You know, when it came right down to it, Lois turned down Superman and chose Clark Kent instead.”
“They’re the same person,” Coco said. “So, she really didn’t turn Superman down.”
“Yeah, but at the time, she didn’t know that.”
“So, the moral of this story is…” Coco waited for Liz to fill in the blank.
Liz shrugged. “Maybe there’s a reason why Clark won her heart after years of her pining for Superman.”
Mandy laughed. “Your philosophical discussions on fictional superheroes are void now that you’re engaged to your perfect match.”
“Jeffrey is practically Superman,” Coco said.
“Is he also a Clark?” Liz asked.
Coco opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Was she missing something? Something crucial? She drank the last of her peppermint hot chocolate, the smell and flavor and warmth brought her right back to yesterday when she had sat next to Peter in the crowded café. Her roommates continued talking, but she barely caught the glimpses of conversation, keeping her hands wrapped tightly around the warm ceramic mug.
Was Jeffrey a Clark? She’d have to think on that.
Chapter Nine
After rescheduling all of his appointments to accommodate his time in Aspen, Peter’s week had been full of back-to-back photo shoots and editing sessions. Even with no time to think, he couldn’t keep his mind from continually wandering back to Coco. Every time he switched angles or zoomed in closer, he heard her words in his head. “You’re in my shot.”
She was beautiful, funny, and kept him on his toes. When his camera battery died, she had an extra camera for him to use, and even though it came with a steep learning curve, he loved the way she explained the differences in their cameras so well that he was able to finish the photo shoot without too many hiccups.
She’d be coming to fix the picture compatibility issues he had. He looked forward to spending more time with her, especially at the bridal show. They shared a common passion for capturing memories, and he liked her perspective and creativity.
But … she had a boyfriend. One who traveled all over the world and sent her flowers to her hotel. Yellow roses. Was that a subliminal hint? Even he knew that yellow roses were a symbol of friendship, not love. He’d confirmed that her favorite color wasn’t yellow. Coco’s second favorite color was red, and she looked great in the red hat during the product photo shoot. Where were the red roses? They’d been together for seven years. Seven. If he was in love with someone as amazing as Coco, no way would he let work travel get in the way of them getting married right away.
He knew the problems that came from waiting too long. He’d fallen in love with someone who had a different dream than his. He wouldn’t make that mistake again. His previous girlfriend, Lana, was only a few weeks away from being his fiancée, and she had made her choice.
Her travel plans were more important than relationships. He didn’t blame her, not really. She was doing her best to follow her dreams, and chasing after someone who wanted to be a European actress wasn’t his path. He had thought maybe he could talk her into being happy without that dream, but he’d waited too long to do anything about it.
In the end, their relationship wasn’t strong enough to weather the long distance. They were both building separate dreams. One wasn’t better than the other, but he knew that if Lana had truly been the right one for him, he’d have been more willing to give up his dreams to follow her as she fulfilled hers.
Two days later, a soft knock came at his studio door early in the morning. His nerves tingled with anticipation. He hadn’t come up with a good reason to call Coco again that week, though he’d racked his brain for something besides the obvious of just wanting to talk.
He’d sent a few texts, and she always responded, but that was the extent of their connection over the last week.
Finally, he went through all of the photo books that were out and arranged and rearranged them. His two assistants had taken care of his booth at the Elegance Bridal Show. He wouldn’t need to be there to man it this year.
He unlocked the front door of the studio and opened it wide. “Hey, come on in.”
Coco had on a dark purple coat and black leather boots. Her eyes sparkled and her short hair was styled with hair gel.
“Wow,” she said as she stepped inside and took a full three-sixty view of the room. “This is an incredible studio!”
“Thanks. It’s been one of my favorite places for the last five years.”
“Five years. How would that be? You opened it while you were in college?”
“Summer before I graduated, when I was twenty-one. It was a big investment at the time, but I can’t imagine my life without it.” Which was probably another reason why traveling all through Europe with Lana hadn’t been the right choice for him.
She lifted the laptop bag off her shoulder. “I’ll need a tour after we set up the photo transfer.”
He led her to one of the three design rooms off the main entrance of the studio. Clients used those spaces to look through their pictures and choose which ones they wanted for enlargements or for their books. He turned on the computer, projecting an image of Brainard Lake onto the wall in front of them. The large screens for viewing with comfortable leather couches in front was one of the innovative ways he was able to create his client base. He brought the lights down and then up again, showing Coco the various lighting styles. “I dim the lights when I’m showcasing a client’s photos. The presentation is more effective when there’s a sharp contrast.”
“This is a great setup. It would be amazing to do editing on this kind of a screen. The previews would be so much better.” She smiled at him appreciatively.
They hooked up the computers, and when Coco was certain they were transferring properly, he gave her a tour around the studio.
Each studio and design room was different. The offices were spacious and had clean lines. Upstairs was a large open space with short walls set throughout the area. One corner held props and chairs, but the rest stood as a house set-up. There were counters and appliances, couches and chairs together. It was almost completely floor-to-ceiling windows.
“This is amazing. You do a lot of your action shots here?” She ran her fingers along one of the marble countertops.
“Yeah. I toyed with the idea of living in the upstairs, but then this idea came to me. I’ve been able to do a lot of product shots here. Companies will hire the models and bring their own products, and I take the pictures and provide the atmosphere for what they want.”
The décor ranged from modern to contemporary to simple. He had three different kitchen cabinet colors on the same wall, so he could tailor the shots. Furniture, bar stools, and lighting was easily switched out to create the mood he was going for. He was proud of the innovation, but Coco’s praise made him feel on top of the world about it.
She moved to the window facing the back of his building. “You have a gazebo and a garden?”
“It makes for an easy place to take outdoor shots when the weather is nice. Sometimes ‘on location’ is still this location.”
They finished with the gallery wall, and she spent several seconds analyzing each of the photos. “You have a great eye for composition.” She looked up at him. “Not that I’m surprised. I peeked through the pictures from last week, and you have strong clarity, even straight out of the camera with no touch-ups or filters.”
“It’s my focus.” He laughed.
“I’m serious. This is impressive. It’s a little daunting to see how good you are.”
He waved his hand in the air. “No sense in giving me a big head about it.”
A large canvas on one wall held a scenic shot with a lake surrounded by mountains. Sun sparkled on the water. “This is breathtaking.”
“That’s Brainard Lake. It’s one of my favorite spots in Colorado.”
“I need to go there sometime. That view is amazing.”
“Would you like to come with me to Brainard?” he asked. “I’m doing another outdoor product shoot soon.” He had several of them, actually.
“Another one?”
“In the winter, I average two a week. There are a few things that were delivered after I left for Aspen. Brainard is a great place for photos.”
“I suppose that would build my résumé.”
“They can definitely help you diversify. You could even do some filming of the products for practice.”
“Thanks, Peter. I’d need to do a weekend with my class schedule, though.”
“Maybe we could go on the Saturday afternoon, after Liz’s bridals in a few weeks.”
“That could work.”
He didn’t want to pressure her, but he’d be happy to have her company for another product shoot. “Let me know what you decide.”
“Okay.” She paused on a candid shot taken in the upstairs studio with a family. Kids played on the floor in the foreground, and parents laughed in the background, slightly out of focus. “You have a way of bringing a moment to life.”
“Thanks. That was one of my favorite shoots. They’re an easy family to take pictures of. That’s my sister.” He pointed to the woman on the couch.
“It feels like I’m right there. Just one of the family. Happy and smiling.”
Exactly. She’d pinpointed the moment with just a few words. It was how he thought of the moment when he looked at the photo. It’s why it was one of his favorites. He wanted to be there. He was one of the family, but he wanted his own, too.
Chapter Ten
Coco’s fingers tangled together as Peter drove her to the bridal show. Thank heavens she wasn’t going alone; she’d have no idea what to expect.
Peter’s eyes flashed to her hands, and the corner of his mouth twitched upward. “It’s fun. Mostly organized chaos and high-strung brides.”
A laugh flitted from her lips, and she jammed her hands under her thighs to stop fidgeting. Funny how in just a short time, Peter could read her like a photography book.
He parked and helped her out of the car. There was a harsh bite to the winter air, and Coco stuffed her hands into the pockets of her purple coat and followed Peter inside.
He held out a ticket when they got to the table.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she said, noticing it was already paid for.
“It wasn’t a big deal. I always get mine early. I avoid the lines that way.” His smile was disarming. She found herself a little too entranced and looked around at the sights of the convention center as they checked their coats.
The woman registering tickets handed them each a thick magazine full of the information from each booth, a swag bag full of samples, and a map of the convention floor. Each booth had numbers and letters assigned to it. Coco scanned through it, trying to make sense of where she stood on the map floor.
Peter placed a hand on her elbow and led her to the far right. “We’re starting on this side.”
His warm touch radiated even through her sweater. She cleared her throat. “Lead the way.”
The photography and videography booths were mixed together in a large section. Coco wished it had been separated into two groups, but found herself stopping at just as many photography booths as videography ones. Each company had displays, demo videos playing on iPads, and photobooks, showcasing popular locations for photo shoots and filming.
“How come you don’t have a booth here?” she asked after they went down one complete aisle. “It seems like a great place to drum up business.”
“I do. Three rows over.”
Coco raised her eyebrows. “Then why are you spending the day with me? Why pay as a patron if you can get into the show for free?”
“It’s been a few years since I’ve walked the floor and seen what everyone else was doing. Besides, my assistants have everything under control, and they’ll do a great job getting business going and the word out today. You wanted to do research, so we’re doing research.”
He shrugged as if it was the most natural thing in the world to be with her instead of at his booth.
They spent the next aisle analyzing all of the booths, how they were set up, and what they liked about each of them. At one point, Coco grabbed his hand and tugged him forward through a gap in the crowd. She stopped in front of a winter wedding slideshow. “Your photos have more depth than that,” she whispered.
They continued forward, occasionally picking up a business card or a flyer. They walked for several more booths before she realized his hand had never left hers. She stopped and looked down. Then she eyed Peter, reading uncertainty in the crease of his brow. She had initiated the hand holding. Not him. She immediately pulled back, ignoring the idea that his hand in hers fit. “Sorry,” she mumbled.
For a moment, she’d thought Jeffrey was with her, at a bridal show, after a beautiful winter proposal. He’d never come to something like this, even if he was the groom.
The next demo video was so enthralling that they stood and watched the entire thing. Coco stared at the screen in front of her, trying to make sense of the swimming text of the videographer’s name. The large screen projecting a wedding video jumped in her line of vision. Dark spots appeared as she continued to blink at the screen, and she swayed back and forth. Something tightened around her elbow. Sound started to escape her.
The next thing she knew she was sitting, the cold hard wood of the chair pressed against her back. Something squeezed her fingers, but she couldn’t make sense of her location. Cool water touched her lips, and there was a soft pressure on her cheek.
“Coco, drink,” the voice next to her ear said.
Mental fog surrounded all of her thoughts. She drank a few sips, but a metallic taste lingered in her mouth. Her head swam; she was going to be sick. It took all her concentration to lift her hand to her head.
“Take it easy,” the voice said. This time she recognized it as Peter’s.
Her eyes flew open as she looked around. The Elegance Bridal Show. Dizziness set in again as she took in the scene before her. “What happened?”
“You locked your knees and fainted during a demo video.”
“It was a captivating one.” She smiled weakly. Her arms shook a little, and she blinked slowly.
“Oh, dear.” A woman wearing a gold vest came up in front of them. They sat in the aisle break, next to one of the water cooler stands. “Someone said we had a fainting. It’s usually the grooms who get overwhelmed by the convention, not the brides. Don’t worry, dear, you’ve already made the most important decision in this whole process.”
Coco blinked, trying to keep up on the woman’s incessant pace. She was only catching every other word. “The most important decision?” Which was what? Her research? Choosing to come to the foremost annual bridal show? Her brain felt like several film negatives had been processed together to create a picture she couldn’t understand.
>
“Why, choosing the groom, of course.” She patted Coco’s hand and motioned between the two of them. “Don’t be overwhelmed by all of the booths. This is to help you narrow your decisions down in just one day, and it can be a lot to think about. Even if you only get a few ideas with us, and contacts to follow through with later, it’s a worthwhile experience.”
Coco blinked. The woman thought she was a bride? Engaged to Peter? The sudden thought of it made her heart race. She needed to set this woman straight.
Tightness squeezed her fingers again and she looked down to see Peter’s hand wrapped around hers.
“Are you okay?” he whispered.
“I think so.”
“There’s a health room just down this next aisle over. We prefer all injuries or accidents come to the room,” the woman insisted.
Coco knew she couldn’t shake her head, so she said, “I’ll be fine in just a few minutes.”
“It’s a liability issue.”
“We aren’t pressing charges.”
The woman looked between them both, obviously flustered. “Well, if you exhibit signs of another fainting spell, please go there. I’ll go get you both some cake samples. Sugar always helps.” She left before either of them could protest.
Peter rubbed soft circles over the back of her hand with his thumb. “How are you really? We can leave.”
She gave him a wry smile. “I’m fine. Feeling a little stupid for locking my knees.”
“It was a captivating video.”
She nodded. Then put a hand to her head.
The woman came back with a mountain of cake samples on a very small plate. She handed Peter one fork and a napkin to go with it. “Hopefully this will help you feel better. Please find another person wearing a gold vest if you need anything else.”
“Thank you.” Coco smiled at the woman until she walked away. She closed her eyes, leaning into Peter. “My head hurts.”
“That tends to happen when you faint. Do you want to go to the health room?”
