Page 84 of One More Betrayal

Kim’s camera is sitting on the kitchen table. Jess picks it up reverently and puts it away in the camera bag.

“The flood you mentioned to Kim,” I say. “That’s not how you lost your camera, is it?”

She took photojournalism courses in college. She must have had a good camera back then.

Jess looks away, but not before I see the pain in her eyes. “No, it isn’t.”

“Will you tell me what happened?” The pitch of my voice drops, my tone gentle and coaxing.

“My husband took away a lot of things I loved. That was his way of controlling me. But my camera…my camera was different. That he smashed because he thought I was having an affair. I wasn’t, but he refused to listen and destroyed my camera as punishment. The rest of my gear vanished shortly after that.”

A string of curses marches through my head. After everything he put her through, I’m surprised she picked up a camera again.

But I guess that’s the point. She didn’t. Jess has been using her iPhone camera. And that was only because Robyn had been encouraging her to revisit some of her old hobbies.

I stroke my thumb across her cheek. “I’m sorry for everything he put you through.”

I swear, I’ll never let anyone else hurt you like that.

A voice in the back of my head calls me a liar. I’ve already hurt her. I hurt her Saturday when I got myself arrested.

I can’t do that to her again.

30

Jessica

July, Present Day

Maple Ridge

* * *

Friday after work, I’m sitting in Picnic & Treats with Simone, Zara, Avery, and Em. Troy and his brothers have already left with the Marine vets who are here for their mountain excursion weekend. They’re due back Sunday afternoon.

“I’ve been working through the online course that focuses on wedding photography,” I tell the four women. “But it’s one thing to watch the videos. It’s another to apply them to real life. I need to practice.” I smile at them, channeling Bailey’s puppy eyes that are hard to resist. “And I need to practice with brides and grooms. You four and your grooms. Well, more like one husband and three men acting like grooms. Garrett, Kellan, and Noah.”

Emily heaves a dramatic sigh. “Once a fake bride, always a fake bride.”

Zara snorts and grins at me. “We had to do the same for Kim when she agreed to be a wedding photographer. Maybe that should be our next business. We rent ourselves out to photographers wanting to get into the wedding industry.”

I laugh a low rumble in my throat. “At least I won’t be working with rookie fake brides.”

“You’ll have to count me out.” Avery shrugs, her lower lip caught between her teeth. “Noah and I have only been together for five months. I don’t want to freak him out and have him believe I’m already imagining us walking down the aisle.”

I make sure there’s nothing in my expression that gives away my relief. If I can avoid being near a cop, all the more power to me. Even if it is Noah.

“Are you…thinking of that?” Simone asks, her face glowing.

Avery shrugs again. “Not really. Well, maybe once or twice. But I don’t want to jinx what he and I have by even thinking it.”

“Alright,” I say. “You and Noah are exempt from helping me practice.”

Emily’s phone buzzes on the table. She checks the screen. “Simone, Letty asked me to thank you for hooking her up with the wig person you recommended.” Emily turns the phone around to show Simone whatever is on it.

“That looks great. Tell her she’s welcome.”

Zara and I exchange curious glances.

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