Page 5 of Picture Us

Rose laughed, hugging Ellen, “I’m so happy for you guys.”

Drew gave each of them a firm handshake and made their way toward their train. After giving her friends one last goodbye, Rose’s mouth dropped open. Drew was somehow already half a block away.

“Wait!” Rose hollered as she jogged toward Drew. By the time she had caught up to them, Rose could barely get a word out through her panting. “We didn’t exchange info.”

Drew blinked at her.

Rose nudged breathlessly, “So we can meet up and discuss which images we want to send.”

“I think email will work fine.” Drew stared back at Rose’s flushed face.

Taking a deep inhale to finally level her breathing, Rose shook her head and smiled, “I mean, it would be fine, but I’d really love to see your work in person.”

Drew let out a hiss of air, “You’ve never seen a real print? What are you used to… files?”

Rose’s forehead wrinkled, unsure why Drew was being so standoffish.Did they think she wanted to work together?Because she definitely didn’t. And if shewasgoing to work with anyone, it wouldn’t be some stuck-up, aloof asshole.

“Maybe. Would that be so bad?” Rose eyed Drew, trying to understand what they were getting at. But it was also the first good look Rose got at them. Their light brown hair was shaggy on the top with a tight shave on the sides. They were shockingly hot.

It’s always the douchebags…

Rose watched as Drew’s temple tensed. “Fine,” they relented.

Pulling her phone out of her pocket, Rose smiled. “Cool, just put your number in, and we’ll coordinate.”

She watched as Drew’s slender but strong fingers tapped on her phone screen. They didn’t look up when they asked, “Where do you live?”

“Huh?” Rose couldn’t even pretend she wasn’t confused.

Drew rolled their eyes. “Like, where should we meet?”

The sound of Rose’s palm slapping her forehead made Drew look up from the screen. Rose nodded. “Right. I’m in Bushwick.”

Drew laughed. “Of course you are.”

Rose wanted to ask what the hell they meant by that. But before she could, Drew continued, “Let’s meet at my studio in LES. Tomorrow at… 10 am?”

Are they kidding?Rose could hardly believe Drew had the gall to joke about Bushwick when they lived somewhere as pretentious as the Lower East Side. Of course the artsy film photographer lives in some massive loft in Manhattan.Probably a nepo baby, too.

Rose crossed her arms. “Sure.” She turned before Drew could, trying to give them a taste of their own medicine. But as she walked away, something felt wrong.

This was for Finley and Ellen. It wasn’t about her ego or this rude photographer. It was about delivering the best product to her newly engaged friends. Besides… if she played nice, she could say she was the bigger person, and that was the sweetest victory of all.

Licking her lips, Rose turned on her heels to face Drew, who hadn’t budged an inch. Rose smiled, trying to soften her gaze. “I’ve never worked with film. I’m excited to see how you captured all of this.”

Drew nodded.

Is that a smile?Rose squinted to look at the corners of their mouth. Call her crazy, but it almost looked like their full, soft lips were turning up ever so slightly.

She gave a warm goodbye that was met with silence and headed for her train, waiting until her back was turned to roll her eyes. She could still feel Drew’s eyes burning a hole in her back.

But Rose rolled her shoulders back and lifted her chin. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of turning around.

Her phone buzzed from her pocket as she walked. Pulling it from the pocket of her jeans, she was thrilled to see a text from Shannon.

Be to yours in like 40.

Rose smiled, happy for the distraction from the prying eyes behind her. She tapped back her response as she hopped onto the Q Train and popped in her headphones.

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