by Chelsea Hale
Peter was on her right side, so Coco decided to turn left to continue filming the couple as they walked away from her. The plan would have worked perfectly, except Peter jumped into her line of sight, blocking her view of them turning around and smiling.
“This is a great shot,” Peter said. “Okay. Now smile at each other and look like you’re more in love. That’s it. That’s it. Now Tyler, go in for the kiss.”
Coco rolled her eyes. She pressed the pause button. The poor button was going to get worn out in just the first hour of filming, and she had a whole week to look forward to. One more calming breath would keep her voice steady as she spoke. “We need to do this shot again.”
Tyler and Liz made the trek through the snow back to their starting places.
“What was wrong with that shot? Those pictures were perfect,” Peter said, looking down at the LCD screen on the back of his camera. “See?” He held the camera lens so she could see the photo.
“Glad your pictures turned out, but you stepped into my shot. Again.” She huffed. “You. Sit. There.” She enunciated each word and pointed to a rock off the path from where she would film.
He blinked. “You wanted the entire walking scene?”
Could he get any denser? “That’s what I’m going for. The entire thing.”
“Okay. Walk with me then,” he said.
“No. I’m staying in the same spot until they get to that line and turn around. You already got your perfect pictures. You don’t need more from this angle.” She pointed to the rock again.
Peter shrugged. “Okay. It seems like a strange shot to film, but I assume you know what you want.”
“I do.” She adjusted her settings, and they filmed it three more times. With any luck, she would have enough footage to make the perfect, magical shot.
Chapter Two
Peter stepped out of the restaurant he’d recommended to eat at, before caravanning the final two hours to Aspen, pleased with the successful morning of photography. He breathed in the fresh mountain air. It was always nice to be home.
As the other three left the restaurant after lunch, he had lingered to talk with one of his old friends in a different section. He hadn’t talked long, but the pang of not keeping in touch more with his old friends hit him.
He shook his head, focusing his thoughts on the morning’s photo shoot. They were an easy couple to work with—Tyler and Liz, and their videographer had set up some interesting shots.
He smiled as he thought of the week they were going to spend together in Aspen. Spending a week during a photo excursion with Coco was going to be an enjoyable one, just like the morning had been.
He stopped short of his car. Coco was parked on the other side of the street, holding her cell phone to the sky. Snow clung to the trees and roofs of Main Street, but the streets and sidewalks were plowed, and the sun was shining. It was the perfect day to take pictures or go skiing.
“Do you need help?” he asked as he crossed the street toward her. “I thought you were already on your way with the others.”
“I tried to send an important email to Jeffrey but it didn’t go through. My texts aren’t going through either. I think he’s on his layover right now and wanted to talk.” She looked up at him, squinting with the sun in her emerald eyes. “I don’t have great cell service here and Liz’s phone is going straight to voicemail, and my texts will not go through. I don’t know if they’re still in Breckenridge or if they are already headed out … aaaaand my car won’t start.”
He breathed easier. He could help with car trouble. “Do you need a ride to Aspen? We can leave your car here.” The day was getting better and better. Carpooling with a beautiful girl for the next two hours would be great.
“What I need is a jump so I can drive myself.” She squinted at him again, though this time it looked more like a glare.
He held his hands up, palms facing her in a sign of innocence. “Okay. I’ll drive my car over and give you a jump. We’ll both be on our way to the same place in two cars in no time.”
She jabbed an ungloved finger at her phone one more time and stuck the phone in the air. “Fine.”
Peter tried to jump her car several times, but the stubborn thing refused to cooperate. “Looks like your car is dead.”
She rubbed her hand over her temple. “Just my luck.” She glanced up at the parking sign next to her car. Cars left overnight would be towed at the owner’s expense.
“Hey. I have a buddy who works down at the car shop not far from here. If you give him the keys, he’ll tow it there and get your car fixed. You can pick it up on your way home at the end of the week.” He looked at her defeated face. “Come on. I’ll drive you.”
“I need my car fixed so I can go to Aspen.”
“I’ll drive you to Aspen. I don’t mind.”
She raised her eyebrows at him.
Did she mind? Her facial features had been hidden behind her camera during most of their filming, but he could see now that she had some fire in her.
She blew out a breath. “Okay.” She popped her car trunk.
He opened up the back of his SUV. Skis, gear, and suitcases filled the back. He moved a few bags to make room for her luggage. “What can I load up for you?”
She pointed to a suitcase, two bags of camera equipment, and her tripods. She unzipped one camera bag, moved a few lenses around, and packed a small blanket around them.
“You don’t pack light.”
“It’s only one suitcase of clothes.”
“I meant your camera equipment. You’ve got some nice stuff.” He loaded it carefully, making sure not to jostle the bag. He knew how expensive it was.
“Um, thanks.” She grabbed her purse and another camera bag from the front seat, then locked her car doors with her key ring.
He held the door open for her to get into the passenger seat of his SUV.
“Are you looking forward to Aspen?” he asked.
“Sure.”
“I used to go there a lot when I lived in Breckenridge. Have you been there before?”
“Only once.”
He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel. “So, you were trying to send an email before? Was it to a client?”
“Jeffrey is my boyfriend.”
This conversation was like pulling teeth. “How long have you been together?”
“Seven years.”
Peter whistled.
“What?” she asked.
“Seven years. That’s a long time.”
“We’re almost engaged.”
“My congratulations. What a fun time in life,” he said, though it hadn’t been his experience.
It only took a few minutes to get to the car shop, but with the stilted conversation it felt much longer.
The smell of grease and antifreeze hit Peter hard as he entered the car shop.
“Peter!” a voice from around the corner said.
“Randy! So good to see you!” Randy had been Peter’s best friend since Peter could remember.
“Don’t tell me your beaut is giving you trouble already?” Randy smiled, the grease on his face crinkled with the motion.
“No. My car is doing well. Runs great.” He surveyed the small shop area. Old magazines clung to the waiting area rack. Dust covered the dirty cash register. The penny candy machines were all empty except for the middle one that had a wooden nickel jammed in it. Everything looked the same as the last time he had seen it … and the time before that.
“What brings you to town, then?” He glanced between Peter and Coco.
“We’re just up here for an engagement photo shoot, and—”
“You’re engaged!” Randy whistled loud, and then wiped off his greasy hand on an even greasier towel hanging at his waist. “Has it been so long since we talked? I had no idea. Pleasure to meet the future Mrs. Jorgensen.” He shook her hand. “You’re getting a good one with Peter. He’s the cream of the crop. I always knew it’d take an amazing person to win him over. Congratulations! Y
ou’re one lucky woman.”
Pink touched Coco’s cheeks. She stuttered and cleared her throat, looking to Peter. “Um, we’re not—”
Peter clapped a hand on Randy’s shoulder. “You’re a good man, Randy. Kind words. It’s actually Coco’s car that has the problem. I suspect it just got too cold this morning, and there may be water in the fuel line, but take a look and see what you think. It’s across the street from the sandwich shop.”
Randy handed Coco a form and a pen. “Fill this out, and we’ll take care of your car.”
“Thank you,” Coco said.
“Randy, we’re actually headed up to Aspen for the week with some friends. Can you store her car here until we get back?”
Randy put a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Sure thing.”
“You’re a pal. I’ll let you know when we’re headed back into town.”
Peter and Coco got back into Peter’s SUV. Coco sat looking straight out the window with her arms folded tightly across her body. Her foot tapped incessantly on the floor. It was obvious as a smudge on a lens that something was wrong. As he pulled onto the I-70 toward Aspen, he broke the growing silence between them.
“I’m sorry about back there.” He dared a glance at her and kept his hands at ten and two on the steering wheel. Her raised eyebrows seemed to convey he should go on, so he plunged forward. “Randy. Well, he’s a character. Not that I meant to lead him on, but he gets excited about the idea of seeing me married and settled. Hopes I’ll buy the land for sale next to his property and open up a studio in Breckenridge. I’ll explain it to him when we pick up the car, but it was just easier to let it be.” He hoped that would satisfy her, and she wouldn’t be completely bugged during their entire stay in Aspen.
“You think I’m mad about that? It doesn’t bother me what someone I will never see again thinks.”
“Oh.” Maybe she just had a bad attitude in general. Suddenly Tyler and Liz’s plans to stay a week in Aspen weren’t as appealing. Perhaps he could talk them into taking all their pictures within the first day or two so he could get back to Denver. At four hours away, Aspen wasn’t a quick one-day trip, but if the videographer was grumpy the whole way, it might be better to not take the extended vacation.
He tried again. “Is there something else bothering you? Is it the cost of fixing your car? Randy is very competitive and honest. He’s not going to overcharge you. He may even give you a deal since he thinks you are my fiancée.”
Coco tilted her head. “Wow. I don’t even know what to say to that.” She shook her head. “You are so off on so many points, I’d laugh if you weren’t so obnoxious.”
“Look. It’s over a two-hour drive from here to Aspen. I’d rather not spend the entire time wondering why you’re ticked off. What’s wrong? Is it because you wanted to talk to Liz on the way up to Aspen? Trust me, you’re better off being stuck with me as company than being the third wheel with those two. You’d never get a word in edgewise.”
Coco laughed hard. “At this point I would take being the third wheel.”
“Ouch. I’m that bad of company? I can definitely fix that. We still have a two-hour drive. Anything is fixable in a two-hour drive.”
She shifted in her seat to look directly at him then adjusted the heaters. “Two hours is enough time to solve my problem? Fine. We’ll give it a try. You are my problem. There. Happy?”
“Still confused.”
“You think you’re a one man show. You commandeered the photo shoot. When I tried to offer suggestions, or place Tyler and Liz, you were constantly in my shot.”
He clenched the steering wheel harder. “There has to be more than that.”
“Your attitude toward me. Talking to me like I’m just Liz’s roommate.”
He blinked and looked at her. “You are Liz’s roommate, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but that’s beside the point. At this shoot, I’m the videographer. Not a friend doing a favor, not just someone tagging along. I have a job to do, just as professionally as you doing your job.”
He was stunned. “I’m sorry about that, Coco. Really I am. I wasn’t trying to get into your shots. You set up some very unique angles. I got excited about taking my photos. I wasn’t trying to barrel over you.”
“You know, it’s one thing when you’re taking pictures. You can erase one or two of them, or Photoshop something out. Film is different. To get grand cinematic shots everything has to be perfect through the clip. The entire time. Not just for a moment, but for the whole thing.”
“That makes sense.”
“I can’t have Tyler and Liz making faces between every shot, stretching and relaxing and looking half asleep. Your shot might be done, but mine continues into the next one. I need the emotion to last longer than just a few clicks.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think about any of that.” He reached over and squeezed her hand that rested on the console between their seats, trying to reassure her he hadn’t made her miserable on purpose. “Thanks for letting me know.”
She pulled her hand back immediately, huffing out a breath. “I’m under a lot of pressure to get the shots I need. I’m her roommate, and she knows the quality of work I can do. I don’t want to give her less than my best because a photographer can’t remember common courtesy.” She lifted her chin a little higher in the air.
“I’m sorry about this morning. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?” He glanced over at her, and her lips turned into a slight smile.
“I suppose so, but stay out of my shots.” She laughed a little.
He found himself thinking about her laugh for several minutes as they drove in silence. Her laugh was beautiful. Every mile they drove loosened the tension between them. Music played softly in the background.
“How did you meet Tyler and Liz?” Coco asked.
“Tyler was one of my college roommates. So, we have that in common.”
“Ah. Where is home now?”
“Denver. I’ve got a studio downtown. I love it there, but I grew up in Breckenridge.”
“That’s how you know Randy.”
“We were next door neighbors growing up.” He smiled at the memories that flooded his mind. “He was always under a car, building one or taking one apart or sometimes both at the same time.”
“Have cars always been his passion?”
“Always.”
“Have you always wanted to be a photographer?”
“Not always. I’ve had a passion for it, but I got more into it in high school. Before that I wanted to be an astronaut.”
“What changed your mind?”
“My mom told me if I went to the moon, my dog wouldn’t be able to go with me.”
Coco laughed. “Smart mom. And do your parents still live in Breckenridge?”
“No. They moved to Tennessee a few years back with my younger brothers and sister. My older sister is married and lives in Colorado Springs with her family.”
She nodded.
“Where are you from originally? Boulder?”
“No. South Dakota.”
“Do you miss it?”
“I suppose I do a little, but Colorado has been a great place to be the last five years. I’ve loved CU.”
“They have a great film program.”
“They do. I’ll be finished with my degree in May, and I’m going to miss it. It’s been home.”
“I understand that. What are you going to do with your degree?”
“With a Masters, I can pretty much do anything. Shooting weddings has been a fun side business while I’ve been in school. I’m slowly building my résumé though. Filming in Hollywood or at the Olympics sounds exciting.”
“Those are big dreams.”
“Only the biggest and boldest for me.”
“Good for you, Coco.” He was impressed by the way she talked about her future, like she knew exactly what she wanted to do. Her drive to succeed would help her go far. Pride swelled in his heart for her.
Chapter Thr
ee
As they pulled into the circular drive of the Grand Vista Hotel and Spa in Aspen, Coco let out a sigh. She had hoped her first view of the venue would be with better light. It wasn’t very late, but the hour delay had cost them the ability to see the golden sunlight gleaming on the hotel. From what she could make out in the fading light, it would be a spectacular place to host Liz’s guests during the three days surrounding her wedding events.
A bellhop came out with a cart and started loading their bags. Peter talked to the bellhop while Coco went inside and found Liz in the lobby.
Liz rushed to Coco and gave her a hug. “Where have you guys been? We thought you were right behind us.”
“My car died. I tried to call you.”
Liz held up her phone and frowned. “Dead. My charger was packed in the trunk.” She looked between Peter and Coco. “Was Peter close to you when it happened?”
Coco explained what had happened. Warmth spread through her when she realized Peter had saved her from being stranded in Breckenridge.
“Glad you’re safe,” Liz said. “I’ll start a group text, so everyone has each other’s numbers. It will be easier to coordinate in the mornings. I have a lot of appointments with the event planner to see the different rooms and decorations.”
“We’ll still get some morning time in for the video shoot, right?” Coco asked. “Mornings have the best lighting.”
“As long as we don’t freeze.” Liz laughed.
Tyler sidled up next to her and put his arm around her waist. “I don’t think there are supposed to be too many morning storms.”
“You guys already checked in?” Peter asked.
Liz nodded. “And we already ate, but there’s a bunch of restaurants just up the road. If you guys want to eat first, then we’ll go on one of the hotel tours.”
“Let’s save the restaurants for when we can all go together,” Coco said. “I’m fine with grabbing some food here.”
Liz smiled. “I’ll go over my agenda and see if I can nail down the event coordinator for her exact schedule. Check your phone for the group text.”
Liz showed Coco to the suite they would share for the next week. Coco respected Tyler and Liz’s traditional beliefs to sleep in separate rooms until after they married. She dropped off her coat and changed out of her sweater to go down to dinner.
