by Chelsea Hale
She sounded like she kept busy enough on weddings without the affiliation of a studio. Besides, her dream was to film for commercial projects—the Olympics and Hollywood. That was a totally different track from what he’d offered.
It was late, but he stayed another hour, making sure everything was ready for a full day of photo shoots in the studio. Nothing was out of place. He only straightened and re-straightened the demo books each time he passed them.
“Becca, will you check on the Turner family and see if they will consider an indoor shoot if the weather is bad?” Peter asked her.
“I’m on it. Any other calls?”
Peter drummed his fingers along her desk as the bell rang, signaling a client entered. “That’s all for now.” He turned toward the door and smiled at the face he didn’t recognize. “How can I help you?”
“I need to see Peter Jorgensen immediately,” the man said. Several potential clients had dropped by over the last few weeks since the bridal show, but mostly it was the brides who visited first.
“I’m Peter,” he said.
The man stopped for a minute, then shook his head. “I pictured you older. Much older. Not someone my age. The way Coco speaks of you, I thought you’d have a lot of experience.”
A referral from Coco? That was nice of her. “What can I do for you?”
“I’m Jeffrey Harmon.” He shook Peter’s hand. “I want to talk to you about Coco.” He glanced toward Becca. “Is there somewhere private we can go?”
Peter stiffened. Crap. He really wasn’t sure what had come over him when he’d kissed Coco. It was a crazy impulse. He could explain that to Jeffrey and hope it would be okay. “Let’s use my design room.” He led the way and held the door open. He glanced back at Becca, and she smiled. She would handle the rest of the walk-in clients.
Peter took the leather chair and faced Jeffrey on the couch. Better get this over with. He’d been out of line. He could own up to that. “Look, I’m sorry—”
“For calling Coco to come shoot a wedding last minute for you? No worries, man. I probably deserve being stood up on a date.”
Peter’s eyebrows rose. Was he not here to talk about the kiss?
“I know what you’re thinking; it’s not that I do it on purpose, but I’ve had to cancel on Coco last minute before, and I didn’t realize how bad that sucks until it happened to me.” He shook his head. “I was trying to surprise her. She didn’t know I was coming home early.”
Nope. That hadn’t been what he was thinking. “Sorry for the … inconvenience, then.” Why was Jeffrey here, wanting to talk privately if it wasn’t to ream him out over kissing his girl?
Jeffrey cleared his throat and looked around. Peter had seen that uncomfortable look on several clients before, usually the groom’s. “Coco says you’re the best photographer she’s ever worked with.”
“That’s generous of her. She’s a great videographer.” And I want to hire her and add videography services to my studio. He wouldn’t let his mind wander past that.
“She says she’s never looked forward to a wedding so much.”
“Wedding?”
“Tyler and Liz’s. Or are you guys doing others between now and then?”
Peter cleared his throat. “I don’t think we have any planned.” Though, he wanted to ask her to bid two different weddings that hadn’t booked with another videography service yet. “Becca would know for sure.”
He cleared his throat. “She seems to like that sort of stuff.”
“She’s very talented.”
“Yes. Well, she also recognizes talent, and that’s why I’m here. I need your help.”
“Okay,” Peter said, still unsure why they were talking privately.
“Coco and I are flying home to South Dakota next week. All of our families are in town, and we’re having a big dinner together.”
“Sounds fun, but I usually don’t travel for family photo shoots, only commercial ones, or conferences. Tyler and Liz’s trip to Aspen was a rare exception.”
Jeffrey ran a hand through his hair. “Right. Yeah. Sorry for the extra details. I’ll have someone in South Dakota take pictures this week, or sometimes Coco just sets it all up on her tripod thing and takes the picture that way. I’ll have to remember to tell her to bring her camera to dinner. It would be a good time to get a picture.”
Peter nodded.
“Back to why I’m here.” He chuckled nervously. “I’m proposing next week while we’re at dinner. Coco praised you to the sky after that wedding you shot together, and I knew she’d be okay if I booked you in advance for our wedding. She deserves the best.”
Coco was going to be engaged. Knife twist. Doing Coco’s wedding? Double twist.
“Here’s the thing,” Jeffrey continued, “I want to work out the exact date of the wedding so we can tell her family on that day. I know my work schedule through the summer, and I need to schedule my wedding in between those shifts. Coco says your schedule fills up fast, especially after the bridal show thing.”
“Coco will be ready to get married that soon? This summer?” The way she took notes in her notebook, he thought she’d be more methodical about the whole thing. She’d have a hard time planning her own wedding on top of her school and helping with Liz’s wedding. She’d want a little more time, wouldn’t she?
Jeffrey’s eyebrows rose. “We’ve been together for a long time. I’m sure she’s already figured out most of the details.”
“We can compare schedules,” Peter said, getting up to turn on the computer. “Which month?”
“I’m wondering if you can also hold two or three dates until I ask Coco about what she prefers, too. I don’t want her to think I picked the wedding date alone.”
He was picking them alone … and wanted Peter to hold dates. Peter didn’t reserve any spot on his calendar unless it was paid for. “I’d need separate deposits for each of the dates, but I can roll all of the deposits into your final choice once you’ve decided. Or if you book for next year, I can let you have your pick of almost any day.”
“Thanks. I’m trying to make it easy. It needs to be this summer because I have an overseas job contract for three years starting at the end of August. I want to give her a proper honeymoon before we move.”
Peter’s hand hovered over his mouse. He thought of partnering with Coco more and more since the Lowell wedding. He hadn’t imagined her leaving. He cleared his throat. “Is Coco excited about the move?”
“She will be. She’ll be with me and taking some pictures or little video clips for my job. We’ll make a good team. She’s wanted me around more and complained about my travel schedule, so this is a good solution.”
Peter swallowed his disappointment. He’d resigned himself to stay arms-length away from the videographer he had started to fall for, but he hadn’t imagined they wouldn’t work together anymore.
Jeffrey pulled up his calendar on his phone, and Peter held three different days on his summer schedule.
“I want all of this to be a surprise…” Jeffrey said slowly.
“I won’t say a word.”
Peter’s heart rate sped up as Coco walked toward his studio the day after Jeffrey talked to him.
Coco opened the door, carrying three DVD cases, each individually tied with elegant silver ribbons around them. She carefully slid one of the cases out from the bow and handed him the disc. “They’re all ready,” she said.
“The covers look professional. The bows are a nice touch. They’re going to love them.” He kept his voice as upbeat as possible.
“I hope so. I usually hear from clients afterward. I’ve never actually sat with them while they watch their whole video for the first time.” She twisted the strap on her leather purse between her fingers.
He smiled at her, trying to reassure her that the showing would go well. “I was physically sick the first time I showed clients my work. It’s not like a studio setting where you can have a redo. You get one shot, and that’s it. And it�
��s a wedding, so it’s hard to top the importance of that day. They’re trying to save costs, so they’re eliminating very good photos but ones that they have problems with. It’s a raw experience. Your part of this will go smoothly. In fact, they’ll love it, and then wonder why the photos aren’t up to par with the videos.”
That comment got a laugh out of Coco. “So, I’m worrying over nothing?”
His hands instinctively wanted to wrap around her, to show her this evening would go well, but he kept them at his sides. “Nothing.”
“Can I stay as you go through the pictures with John and Tina after the video? I’d like to see how it works.”
“Of course.”
“Thanks. I’ve thought about your business proposal. I’d like to do it. Staying will give me some insight to how these client meetings go.”
He couldn’t say anything about Jeffrey. She’d be engaged next week, and by the end of the summer she’d be moving to … Where was it again? Somewhere overseas. It wouldn’t work for him to pretend to give her a job right before she’d be leaving. Thoughts swirled around him, kicking up dust on the lens of the situation. He ran his fingers through his hair. “I may have been too hasty in bringing up that idea before—”
“You don’t want to work together?”
Next to dating her, working together was his best idea before Jeffrey visited him. He blew out a breath. He couldn’t explain. Not yet. “Let’s talk about it next week, okay?” By then she’d know why he couldn’t offer her the job. It would all make sense.
Her brow creased. “Okay.”
John and Tina Lowell came in laughing, then stopped.
Peter turned quickly toward them, stepping back from Coco.
Both the bride and groom looked tan coming back from their honeymoon and were all smiles.
“I told you, John, they are a couple. We should stop interrupting them like this.” She giggled.
“No, we weren’t, we aren’t—”
“You don’t have to explain to me.” Tina sat down on the couch, snuggling close to her husband in the same place Peter and Coco had sat previewing the video last weekend.
Coco took a small chair to the side that still had a good view of the bride and groom. It wouldn’t be obvious that she would watch them the entire time. Peter stayed behind the couch, at a small desk with the computer—his typical spot when he was helping clients choose their photos. Once the DVD was done, he would move on to the pictures.
Peter caught Coco’s eyes every few minutes. Her body language began to relax as the bride and groom made positive comments. Tina squealed and sighed during parts, and John put his arm around her, pulling her in closer. It was obvious they were in love. They praised Coco to the skies about the video and made comments about how well Peter and Coco worked together on the wedding. What was Coco thinking? She observed everyone but kept her emotions hidden under an unreadable expression.
When it came to the dipping scene, the bride and groom commented about how perfect it looked. They’d become believers in the proper way to dip and had gotten several dipping pictures on their cruise. They’d even taught another couple how to do it.
“I’m glad it helped,” Peter said.
Coco’s cheeks pinked slightly.
“You guys are naturals,” Tina said.
“It helps that I took social dancing for my first year in college,” Coco explained.
Peter raised his eyebrows at her, but she only shrugged. They finished up the other video sections.
When the video ended, John and Tina praised Coco again. Peter was proud of her accomplishments. He hoped the picture portion would go just as well.
“That was the best wedding video I’ve ever seen. I’m recommending you to all my friends. Do you have cards on you?” Tina asked.
Coco beamed and handed her a few cards from her bag. “Thanks. That is very sweet of you.” She removed the DVD from the player and slid the bow back in place. “You guys make such a cute couple.”
Tina took the DVDs. “Three copies?”
“I always make ones for the parents of the bride and groom. It was a special day for them, too, and this is a nice way for them to remember it.”
The bride gave her a hug. “That is so perfect. I am definitely going to give all of your cards away! Thank you!”
Coco smiled. “It was my pleasure. Thank you for letting me spend your special day with you … and last minute, too.”
Tina handed Coco a pink envelope. “It was last minute, and we really appreciate all your work.” She clutched a hand to her heart. “I can’t even imagine not having this beautiful wedding DVD. We weren’t sure about your pricing, but Peter gave us an idea about it. Then we added in some extra for coming at the last minute, and the rest”—she beamed at her husband—“is because we’re so grateful.”
“Thank you,” Coco said, slipping the envelope into her bag. “Enjoy looking through your photos. You have too many winners; it might be hard for you to narrow them down.”
“You’re not staying?” Tina asked Coco.
“Thanks, I’d love to stay,” Coco glanced quickly at Peter. “but I do have some … video editing I need to get done for a class this week.”
Peter watched the exchange between Coco and the bride, amazed at how well Coco connected with people she’d only met once before. He wondered what changed her mind. She had seemed eager to stay when she asked permission earlier.
Tina gave her another quick hug and waved Coco’s cards in the air before ceremoniously putting them into her rhinestone clutch.
Peter couldn’t think straight the next day. He wanted to call Coco several times, but the more he thought of her, the angrier he got that he’d had to withdraw his offer. Not that she knew why yet, but she would soon enough. He didn’t want to be around when she came back engaged. He needed a new project to focus on.
“Becca, book travel for me in my calendar. I’m going to California and I need to see applicants for my videography services.” He handed her a paper. “Here are a few names to start with.”
Becca looked confused. Of course she would be.
“Just do it, please. I want to interview several of them when I get back. Have them come in next week and give them a first-round interview.”
“I can do that,” she said.
Chapter Eighteen
Coco snuggled next to Jeffrey on the plane. A week home for spring break—it was the first time in years he’d planned to stay the entire time she went home. He flipped another page in his book about the Amazon, unaware when she snuggled closer to him.
“Research or pleasure?” she asked, when the plane took off, heading for South Dakota.
“Hm?” he said, not looking up.
“Your book. Is it for your work or just for fun?”
He had an arm around her and gently stroked her upper arm. It didn’t send tingles up or down her. “Always both.” He kissed her temple and she only felt his lips make contact with her skin. No fireworks. No anything. It was just comfortable, and the same as it had always been. He put the book down. “Sorry. When I travel with my colleagues they watch movies or read, and I do the same. Just a habit. I can put it away if you didn’t bring something to do.”
Coco smiled. It made sense that flights were his personal time. She rarely flew with him; they usually met in South Dakota. “I brought some work, so I can do that if you want to read your book.” She always had another video to edit.
“Okay, great because I really want to finish this book.”
She waited until the plane reached flying altitude, opened her laptop, and started working. She pulled up her files, and her mind wandered to showing her wedding video to John and Tina the week before. She’d done such a great job—why had Peter taken back his offer to work with her? She shouldn’t care, but she did.
Her parents met them at the airport when they landed. Coco and Jeffrey took turns talking, and they planned through the week. Jeffrey wanted to do a combined family dinner and star
ted working out some of the details of it with his mom. “Coco, since there will be a big group of us, will you bring your big camera?”
“I always have it with me,” she said, smiling. It was the first time Jeffrey wanted her to bring it along. Maybe he was beginning to understand just how important quality photos were to her.
Coco was surprised that Jeffrey had work to do the next day, but she spent time with her family, catching up and hanging out.
Her brother Matt dribbled a basketball through the kitchen. “Hey, sis, are you coming to my game tonight? We’re going up against the Chargers. Coach says I’ve got a chance at impressing scouts.” Matt was a very aggressive forward on the junior varsity team.
“I wouldn’t miss it!”
Matt spun the ball on his finger for a few seconds then continued dribbling. “Great. Is Jeffrey going to come, too?”
“I’m sure he’d love to.” At least, she hoped he would. If it wasn’t baseball, it was hard to convince him to come.
Coco sent another text to Jeffrey, hoping he’d show up to Matt’s basketball game soon. She cheered loudly, stamping down how bugged she was Jeffrey hadn’t responded to a single text.
He arrived close to halftime, and sat down next to her on the bleachers. “How are they doing?” Jeffrey asked, looking at the scoreboard. The Bengals were down eight.
“We still have half the game to recover,” Coco said, keeping her eyes on the court.
During the halftime show, she finally turned to Jeffrey. “You’re kinda late.”
“Sorry. I got tied up with a work call. I excused myself as soon as I could.”
“I thought you were taking a vacation this week.” Work never ended.
“I’ve only got a few things to coordinate. It shouldn’t interfere with the rest of our plans.”
Coco nodded, knowing that a week with Jeffrey, seeing him every day was more than she usually got. “I’m glad you’re here now.” She slipped her hand into his.
