Page 31 of Why Not Now?

“These are awesome, Ava. Did you send your portfolio to Spencer and Vic?”

“Oh. I didn’t know if that was a serious offer. Besides, what can they do? You guys have an awesome business, but can they really get my name out there?”

Derek chuckles, and I glance at him over my shoulder. “Yes. Have you heard of Cole Enterprises and Sterling Properties?”

“Who hasn’t?” I say. Especially since I want to do photography for businesses, I certainly know two of the largest companies in Vancouver.

“Spencer Cole and Victoria Sterling. Neither of them work for Daddy’s business, but they have connections just the same. And that’s not including me. I’m the acquisitions director. I’ve been building relationships with businesses in Vancouver and the surrounding area for the last five years.”

I snap my jaw shut when Derek taps my chin, my mouth having fallen open as he explains his high-profile friends.

“You sure made it big in the friend department,” I say, turning to the computer to finish saving my files. I move to stand, but Derek presses me back into my chair.

“Where is your portfolio saved? Is it online?”

“I—Derek. This isn’t a big deal.”

“It is. Where is it saved?”

I navigate to the website where I’ve created an online portfolio of all my best pictures. It’s something I’m incredibly proud of. I’ve put so much time into it, selecting the exact layout I want, learning how to adjust the template that came with the website builder so it would work for what I need. Each picture is carefully curated, with web pages dedicated to different types of businesses I’ve photographed. I’ve sold a few of the pictures when a business owner notices me and I told them what I’m doing. Most only live on my website.

Even though I’ve made the website itself as perfect as I can, I never really tell people about it, not wanting to feel like a failure in this if no one decides to hire me.

“Good. Open an email.”

His hands are still on my shoulders and he’s kneading the muscles there. Heat swamps my body, flashing through my limbs and pooling at my core.

He leans forward and his breath caresses my cheek. My eyes drift closed.

“Open an email, Ava,” he says, right next to my ear and I shiver, but I also do what I’m told. Once the blank email is open, his hands leave my shoulders, and I whimper in protest. He laughs softly as his arms come around me to reach my keyboard. He types three addresses into the To field, then moves to the subject line.

“All yours, sweetheart.” His hands settle back on my shoulders and he keeps massaging while I type the subject and the body of the email.

I’m melting into my chair as his fingers find and rub away the knots in my neck and shoulders. If he offered to give me a full-body massage, I would not be turning him away. I’d almost rather stay home tonight and let him keep touching me than do whatever it is he has planned.

I hit send and his hands leave my shoulders again. He claps. “Let’s go.”

“Hm?”

“Come on, Ava. Christmas awaits.”

The haze lifts and I remember what I was going to do. I stand, finding him much closer than I thought he was going to be.

“I need to get changed first.”

“You look perfect. Get your camera.”

As I usually am in the colder months, I’m wearing light grey leggings and a cream-coloured sweater dress, my wardrobe more of a uniform to remove some of the decision-making from my life. I suppose it can work, though for the first time in a long time, I wish I had a more diverse wardrobe like I used to in high school. “Okay. Go upstairs and I’ll be up in a minute.”

He leaves me and I grab a belt to go with the dress, run a brush through my hair, leaving it loose, and gather my camera and a couple other things, then head up to see what Lacey and Derek are doing.

They’re sitting in the living room where Lacey has books spread over the couch.

“What are you studying, Ace?” he asks, looking over her books.

I stop to eavesdrop.

“I failed a math test this week. My teacher is the absolute worst.”

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