Page 55 of Kiss Away Your Pain (Wounded Hearts 2)

“Yes, he is. Please hold for me.”

“Vance, hello again.”

“Hey Tommaso, I have Enzo on the line with us.”

“Enzo, welcome to the project. We like your work and we’re looking forward to seeing what you bring to the campaign.”

“Thank you, Tommaso. I appreciate the opportunity.”

“Enzo has a request on the photographer. Do you have anyone booked yet?”

“We had someone in mind, but there was a scheduling conflict so now we’re scrambling to find a new one. Who do you have in mind?”

“Her name is Candice Gamal,” I say. “I’ve worked with her before and she’s incredible. She has a distinctive, creative eye and stops at nothing to get the perfect shot. She has a vision I’ve never seen in another photographer and her work ethic is outstanding.”

“Hmm. Where can I find her work?”

“She’s done Fendi, Guess, Versace, Dolce and Gabbana. She even submitted to Gucci before so someone there may have something for you to look at. She’s also on Instagram.”

“Really? Okay, I’ll have a look.”

“That’s all I’m asking. Please consider her. You won’t regret it.”

“You speak with great conviction. I’ll give her serious consideration,” Tommaso says.

“Thank you. I appreciate it. If you decide to move forward with her, please keep our conversation between us.”

“Yes, of course.” He promises.

We hang up and I’m so excited. Obviously for myself, but also for Candi. This would be her dream come true, and I’ll be the one who helped make it happen, not that she’ll ever find that out.

With long days and time differences, Candi and I don’t text much. My Thursday night, Candi’s Friday morning, I get a call from her.

“Hey, how are you? I wasn’t expecting to hear from you,” I say.

“I had to call you. I had to tell you. I’m gonna pee my pants.” Her words hurl out of her mouth, faster and higher in pitch with each sentence.

“What? Tell me. What?”

“Gucci!” she shouts with the joy of a child who’s been waiting for this moment her entire life.

A chill washes over me. I wish I could see her face right now. I wish I could be with her to share in her happiness in person.

“What?” I return, mimicking her excitement. “That’s incredible. Congratulations. I’m so happy for you.” A hint of guilt flushes through me that quickly washes away with how excited she is.

“Thank you. I just had to tell you. I can’t believe it. I’m still pinching myself.”

“When you’re home next, we’ll go out for a celebratory dinner.”

“Definitely. Hey, I gotta go.”

“Okay. You did it! Bye.”

“Eeee! Bye.”

Arriving on set, I’m excited to see Candi and to work with her again. I’m also a little nervous about how she’ll react to my being here and not having told her.

It’s going to be hard to be with her for hours and not kiss her. The shoot is scheduled for two days. Even though we’re both here, these types of shoots are typically fourteen- to sixteen-hour days. I’m sure we’ll need to sleep tonight and stay focused on the job.

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