Page 11 of Why Not Now?

I put the key in my pocket while Spencer uses his own to open the door. Cindy and Bethany are at the church, taking pictures there. It should have started about half an hour ago. I’m going to take some shots of the reception area before people show up, then have a break before people arrive after the ceremony.

“If you need anything at all, just let me or Derek know. Adalie will also be around for about another hour. Vic will probably be here too in her office, but she’s working on some spreadsheets, so go to her last.”

I set my things down so I can sort through what I’ll need, then turn to him. “I think I’m good for now. Thanks.”

“No problem.”

He hesitates and anxiety washes through me. What has Derek told him? Is he going to say something about it? Then he shakes his head and offers me a smile. “I’ll leave you to it.”

When he walks away, I let out a breath, trying to shake off the weird feelings roiling within me, avoiding thinking too hard about what they are. About how warmth had flooded me when Derek greeted me. About how an unexpected calm filled me, making me want to unburden myself to the one person who’d always been there for me.

Except for when he wasn’t.

I take my pictures, losing myself in the process of capturing the images. When I return to the room for my break, the thoughts flood in again, memories of the way Derek used to touch me like I was the most precious thing in his world. No one has ever made me feel as special as Derek did. And I’d be lying if I say I don’t want to have that back.

I’m immensely grateful when a woman breezes in, distracting me from my thoughts before I’ve taken more than a bite of the sandwich I’d brought with me.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asks, staring at me.

I recognize her, but I can’t remember where I’ve seen her before. She’s obviously part of the kitchen staff, wearing a red chef’s jacket and black pants and Doc Martens. Her blonde hair is twisted and clipped to her head. She’s holding a plate with a dome over it.

“Taking a break before the guests arrive?” I say.

She rolls her eyes. “I meant, what are you eating?” She sets the plate in front of me, lifting the lid with a flourish. “When you’re here, if you’re hungry, you come to me.”

“Holy shirt, this is beautiful,” I say, quickly getting up to clear some things from the table and grabbing my camera.

The plate is a gorgeous, clean white. On it are artfully arranged, bite-sized pieces. I take some pictures of the plate while the woman laughs.

“Did you just say holyshirt?”

I nod as I turn the plate and take another few pictures. When I sit again, she points to each item. “This is a beef and bacon slider. A croquette, cured salmon rolls, avocado stuffed tomatoes, and a mini taco. I’m Lis, by the way. We weren’t formally introduced at the last wedding.”

I remember the name. “You were one of the maids of honour. The twin sister.”

She nods. “And the head chef. Tina, my sous-chef, took over that night. I’ll have to get back to her in a minute, but I wanted to make sure you were fed.”

“This looks amazing. Thank you.”

“No problem. You and the other photographers all get dinner as part of the contract with Blue Vista. So whenever you’re here, you don’t need to bring your own food.” She looks skeptically at my sandwich, but doesn’t comment. “These are the appetizers being served tonight. The buffet will be ready at 5pm, if you want to take pictures of it before the guests descend.”

I pick up a cured salmon roll and bite into it. Flavour explodes in my mouth, the salmon pairing with a cream cheese and dill filling in a way that has my mouth watering for the second one on my plate.

“Good, right?” Lis asks, smiling widely. “That’s a new addition to the menu. Personal recipe. All right.” She stands. “I have to get back to work. See you later.”

I barely wave at her as I eat the other salmon roll, my eyes closing in pleasure.

“You’re going to be fun,” Lis says before she leaves.

I eat all the food she gave me. Everything is as good as the salmon rolls. Lis is incredibly talented if she can make food like this. No wonder she’s head chef at one of the most difficult to book venues in Vancouver. After the first wedding, I’d done some research on my newest place of employment. The owners of Blue Vista had spent the last few years making a name for themselves as a premier spot to get married. They have contracts with one of the highest ranked bakers and florists in the city, as well as an impeccable crew and a five-star rating on their in-house catering. I hadn’t remembered much of the food from that first wedding since Derek had been sitting right across from me, distracting me every two seconds.

When my plate is clean, I go back upstairs. Bethany arrives shortly after the guests start to trickle in, Cindy staying with the wedding party. I focus on work and don’t see Derek again. I notice Spencer a few times and once, Lis comes upstairs to check on things. But Derek remains out of sight. Not that I’m looking for him.

There’s no table set aside for the photographers tonight, so we eat downstairs in the room in shifts. I let Bethany and Cindy eat first, since I’d gotten the appetizers before they got here. After I’m done with dinner—another delicious dish of pork tenderloin with Brussels sprouts and squash—I tidy up and turn toward the door, only to run smack into a wall of muscle.

Derek holds my elbows to keep me steady and I stare up at him, entranced by his deep brown eyes as the sweet and spicy scent of his cologne invades my senses, causing the memory of when I’d first given it to him to flash through my mind.

“Are you trying to tell me something, sweetheart?” he asked with a smile.

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