Page 83 of Castings & Curses

“Hey, I heard the pictures came in.” Eric’s deep rumble caught me off guard.

“What are you doing here?”

“I work here?” he responded.

“That’s not what I meant.” I shook my head. “So you’re here to look at hot guys with me?”

“In a way. I have some marketing experience.”

Ash snorted behind me.

Twisting, I shot a quick glance at Ash before returning my attention to Eric. “And by some, that sounds like a lot.”

“Or he really likes men without their shirts on,” Ash snickered behind me.

“Weiss, I swear, don’t make me have to hurt you.”

There was a loud squeal from the back of the station.

“You didn’t bring Liv, did you?” Eric asked.

More shrieks followed by laughter.

“I did, I take it Sarina is here?”

He nodded.

“That’s great. They’ll keep each other occupied, and we can make a decision on these pictures,” I said.

“Oh wow, this shot is an action movie all in one.” Eric held up the cover photo I had separated out. He flopped it around. “What’s the star mean?”

Ash snagged it out of Eric’s fingers.

“That is our cover. I think this year is going to be an exceptional one. Let’s hope for a second print run.”

We picked and sorted and narrowed down the calendar options to twenty. Considering there were hundreds of images to start with, I think we had done a good job in an hour’s time.

“Mommy look!” Liv called as she ran into the mess. She was holding a small brown poulet in her hands. Sarina was holding one too.

“Does that chicken have a tutu on?”

“What do you have there?” Eric reached down and took the bird from Sarina.

I just stared at the chicken Liv held out at me. “Isn’t she pretty?” Liv asked. “Can I keep her?”

“Aunt Terri-Ann has chickens. I bet she’ll let you put tutus on them. No, you cannot keep this one.”

“But I love her!” I heard it in her voice, the tired, hungry edge of a whine.

“I bet she loves you too.” Ash reached out and took the bird. “We’ll keep her here for you to visit any time.”

“See, isn't that nice?” I asked.

“Why don’t you help the guys put these birds back where they belong, and we’ll go get some lunch,” Eric said to Sarina. He turned to me. “Is that okay with you? Lunch?”

He was asking me out again. I gulped. Damnit, Paise, he’s your kid’s friend’s father, and he recognizes a four-year-old impending meltdown if there isn’t some food in the immediate future. That’s not a date.

* * *

---