Page 35 of Under the Northern Lights
He grinned. “You prefer organic over this?” Gage did a playful flexing-muscle pose that made Aurora snort with laughter. Then he switched it up, shifting into his best imitation of aGQmodel pose.
Giggling, she shook her head. “If you ever give up your piloting career, I think you definitely have a future in modeling.”
“Good to know I have options,” he said with a chuckle.
She lowered her camera. “I think I have enough river shots.”
“How about I take a few of you?” he asked, holding out a hand.
She blinked in surprise. “Of me?”
“If I had to be the subject of some of your pictures, I think it’s only fair you are too.”
“But I’m the photographer,” she countered.
“Whose pretty smile should be captured.” He wiggled his fingers. “I promise not to break your camera.”
“Well, I suppose since I trusted you with my life when you flew me here, I can trust you with my camera.” Aurora handed over her prized possession. “The settings should be good. Just click that button,” she said.
“I promise not to let you down. Now, let’s have you look out over the water.”
“I thought we were going with organic,” she said as she followed his instructions.
Gage stepped farther up along the riverbank to get just the right angle. “Tip your head slightly. That’s it.”
She glanced his way. “Have you done this before?”
“Focus on the water,” he reminded her as he adjusted the lens for the shot. The camera was going to love her. He didn’t have to be a photographer to know that much. “And yes, I have. About a year or so ago, we had a couple ask if they could get married on one of our fishing boats during their stay. Of course Mom said yes. She’s a diehard romantic.”
“I could tell,” Aurora said, so quiet he almost didn’t hear her. “She and your father are so adorable together.”
“The couple hired me to fly their preacher in for their version of a perfectly romantic Alaskan wedding.” He snapped another shot. “Only they didn’t have a photographer to capture their special moment, so I volunteered. They wanted to exchangenuptials while the boat was moving, and Reed had to be at the wheel.”
“That was nice of you,” she said, turning away to look out over the water.
Was that a quiver he’d heard in her voice when she’d responded?
“Their pictures came out really good, if I should say so myself,” he went on as he made his way back to where she stood. “Of course, how could they not when you’ve got a couple clearly in love and a backdrop of the water and the distant, snowcapped mountain peaks?”
A soft sniffle had Gage lowering the camera and closing the rest of the distance between them. “Hey,” he said gently, “everything okay?”
She shrugged. “I thought it was—I was—but now I’m not sure.” Another sniffle followed.
That didn’t sound like okay to him. With the camera held securely in one hand, he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. “You can have your camera back. I certainly didn’t mean to upset you.”
Her hand trembled as she took the camera from his grasp and lowered it to her side. “It’s not about the camera. Honestly, it’s nothing you did at all.”
“Then what’s wrong? Are you not feeling well? We can head back to the lodge if you aren’t.”
She brushed a tear from her cheek. “Today was supposed to be my wedding day.”
“What?” he said in surprise. That was not anywhere on his list of possible reasons for this sudden change in her mood. She’d been so happy on the way there.
Aurora looked up, her teary-eyed gaze meeting his. “I was engaged, and Ben had agreed to bring me to Alaska for our honeymoon. I wanted to experience the place that brought mymom and dad together all those years ago. But, as you can see, there was no wedding.”
“Aurora,” he breathed, “I’m so sorry.” He drew her into the circle of his arms.
She nodded, accepting his comforting embrace.
