Page 54 of Finding Haven
“We met at the Elysian Bar,” I say with a laugh. “I was actually there because this one”—I nudge Bex—“convinced me to go on a blind date. It was terrible. He gave me weird vibes, and he kept trying to push me to order a drink. I had to use the excuse of needing to use the restroom just to get away from him.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Hailey chimes. “You were out on a date with someone else and ended up meeting Zack?”
“How the heck did that happen?” Chelsea laughs.
“You gotta tell them alllll of it,” Bex says, smiling as she nudges me back.
I dive into the story about how the date with Jeremy had been a disaster, how I came out of the restroom to find him nowhere in sight but instead found a handsome stranger sitting at the bar alone. I tell them about how there was a spark between us even then, but I left the bar without telling him my name. Before I have a chance to overthink it, I’mtelling them about my boudoir photography business, how it sort of led to my account on Frisk, and how I found out about Zack being my top subscriber the day Austin took us all to play laser tag.
By the time I finish, all three of them are staring at me, bright smiles across their faces.
“That’s insane!” Hailey laughs. “I’m jealous. I’m so sick of dating assholes who aren’t worth my time.” She sinks back against the couch, crossing her arms over her chest.
Chelsea pokes Hailey in the arm. “You know how to fix that,” she says. “You gotta stop being scared and just do it.”
“I can’t. It’s not worth losing him as a friend,” Hailey says.
“Losing who as a friend?” I ask, eyes flicking between the two of them. I’ve only been around Hailey a handful of times, but her comment makes me think about the way she made it a point to wrap up a few Snickerdoodle cookies for Ethan at the barbecue. And now that I think about it, they were a little flirty during laser tag and sat awfully close at the bonfire. But as far as I know, Chelsea, Hailey, and Ethan have all been friends for years.
Chelsea gives Hailey a look, silently urging her to tell us.
“Ethan,” Hailey confirms. “Every guy I try to date falls short because none of them even come close to making me feel the way Ethan does. Other than Chelsea, he’s the only one who’s always been there for me, no matter what.” Her voice softens as she talks about him, and it makes my heart ache for her. I can’t imagine wanting someone for that long and not being able to say or do anything about it.
“You two are both idiots,” Chelsea mumbles under her breath, making Hailey’s brows pinch in her friend’s direction. “I’d be willing to betthat he has feelings for you, too. He’s never been in a serious relationship, and I’ve never heard him talk about another girl. And the way that man looks at you… He doesn’t see anyone else, Hails,” Chelsea says with a gentle smile.
“But what if you’re wrong?” Hailey murmurs.
“What if I’m not?” Chelsea counters.
The room is quiet for a few minutes before Chelsea breaks the silence. “So, boudoir photos, huh? Do you ever photograph friends?”
An hour later, our living room has been transformed into an impromptu studio. We took down any personal pictures hanging on the walls or decorating the shelves, moved the furniture around until the sunlight streaming in through the windows was hitting it just right, and Chelsea and Hailey stripped down to their underwear or changed into lingerie. Becca did their hair and makeup, and having been a model for me more times than I can count, is being an amazing hype girl.
My boudoir playlist is on in the background as I direct Chelsea into a pose, demonstrating how I want her to position her legs and arch her back over the edge of the couch from where she sits on the floor. The sunlight is hitting her from the side, creating the perfect shadows to highlight the curves of her body.
“I know these are for my brother, but damn, you look hot,” Hailey says to Chelsea as she holds the pose.
“I sure hope so because this shit feels awkward,” Chelsea laughs, relaxing after I’ve snapped a couple different angles of the pose.
“Some of them definitely feel weird, but I promise I wouldn’t make you pose in an unflattering way. You look amazing,” I say, loading a preview of the pose on to the back of the camera for her to see.
“Holy crap. That’s me? How did you make me look like that?” Chelsea asks, stunned. It’s a reaction I’ve heard more often than not. Most women don’t see themselves as beautiful or powerful, and sometimes, all it takes is showing them who they are from a different perspective. Yes, their hair and makeup have been done, they’re dressed in lingerie or wearing only their underwear, and I’m guiding them through flattering poses for their body types, but the magic is entirely them.
The stretch marks, dimples, freckles, scars, and curves of their bodies are real and unedited.
“This is what you look like, Chels. You’re beautiful,” I tell her, my cheeks beginning to ache from how much I’ve smiled tonight. Every time I pick up my camera and use it to help someone see just how incredible they truly are, my passion for boudoir photography grows exponentially.
42
Zack
Leadsettlesdeepinmy stomach as our plane touches down in Charleston, my head dropping back against the headrest. My hand tightens around Quinn’s, our fingers interlaced as she squeezes mine back.
“I’ve got you,” she says softly. She has repeated the words countless times over the last ten hours since we arrived at the airport this morning. Each time they fall from her lips, I find myself clinging to them as if I’m adrift at sea and they’re the life raft sent to save me. She has no idea how much her coming on this trip with me means to me. I don’t think I would have made it this far without her.
Releasing her hand, I dig my phone out of my pocket and switch off airplane mode, text notifications from my siblings and Tessa immediately flooding my screen. I’m sure Leah and Aaron are simply checking in to see what our status is, but what if Tessa is texting to say she’s changed her mind and doesn’t want me to come? What if, now that I’m finally making the trip and have accepted her invite, she’s decided that having me around is too much? Taking a deep breath, I open the text thread from Tessa first.
Tessa
