“My place. Why?”
“Who are you telling to get comfortable?” he inquires, implying I’m trying to get laid.
“Candace,” I tell him honestly.
“Who?”
“That girl I told you about,” I explain.
“What’s going on with you?” he asks, knowing damn well that I don’t ever hang out with girls and that I have never even been interested in anything more than a passing screw.
“Nothing,” I shrug off, not wanting to leave her in the other room alone for too long. “I’ll be there in a few hours, okay?”
“Sounds good,” he says before hanging up.
Walking back out into the living room, I find Candace kneeling down, looking at some of my mattes that are stacked against the wall. Stepping next to her, she looks up at me.
“I’m sorry,” she says as she puts the mattes down and stands up.
“For what?”
“I wasn’t snooping or anything, I just noticed these and was curious,” she nervously explains.
“Candace, I have nothing to hide. I told you to make yourself comfortable, and I meant it.” I take a seat in one of the overstuffed leather chairs and drink my water.
“Where did you get those?”
“They’re mine,” I tell her.
“Yours?”
“Yeah. Sometimes I get bored and like to mess around with my camera.”
“That’s pretty amazing for just messing around,” she says as she continues to stand against the large panoramic window. “You only shoot people?”
“For the most part, yeah.” I get up and walk over to the photos and pick up the one lying on the top. It’s the shot I took of Gina. It’s a nice photo, but makes me almost feel guilty for having it. For spending so much time working on it, only to have Candace admire it.
“She a model?” she asks as she looks at the photo with me.
“No, just some chick I used to know.” I toss the matte down and motion for her to sit with me on the couch, and when she does, she continues, “So, when did you get into photography?”
“When I was in college I took some art classes. So, one day I just decided to buy a camera and started taking pictures. Like I said, I pretty much have no clue what I’m doing. Just a little hobby of mine I mess around with every now and then.”
“You ever do anything with them?” she asks.
“No.”
I watch her as she begins to relax, getting more comfortable the longer she’s here. Having her here in my space—I like it.
“Maybe you should,” she encourages, and when I look into her eyes, I’m at a loss for words, so I simply repeat hers, “Maybe I should.”
We sit here for a few moments without speaking. I don’t pull my eyes away from hers, and when I see the nervous shift in her, I cut the intensity and ask, “You sure you don’t want to come out to the bar tonight to see Mark play?”
Taking a deep breath and looking down, she says, “I told you, I have to work.”
“I just picked you up from work.”
“I know, but I have to go back. One of the girls quit and Roxy hasn’t hired anyone to replace her, so I’ve been picking up extra shifts,” she explains. “Plus, I’d probably be tired and no fun to be around.”
“I can’t imagine it not being fun to be around you,” I admit much too honestly, and when she shifts her eyes to look out the window, I take her cue and ask, “You ready to finish the run?”
Standing up, I reach out for her hand. She doesn’t take it at first, but when I smile down at her, she slips her hand into mine. I keep a strong hold on it as I lock up and we head out.
When we get outside and to the end of my driveway, I still have her hand. This is the longest she’s ever let me touch her.
“Wanna make it a long run, or are you ready to head back?” I ask.
She takes a moment, and then looks up at me, saying, “Long.”
I give her hand a soft squeeze before letting it go, and something about the way she’s looking at me right now makes me feel like I’m finally having an effect on her.
Chapter Fifteen
Leaving now. See you in two hours?
I read Candace’s text as I’m working in my office at home. She’s been really busy this past week, but we managed to grab another run a few days ago. We decided to meet up after her dance practice today before I have to go into work.
I’ll meet you in the parking lot.
OK, catch you later.
Before I can type another response I get an incoming call from my mom.
“Hey.”
“Hi. What are you up to this weekend?” she asks.
“Not much,” I tell her as I stand up to go get a drink from the kitchen. “I’m supposed to meet up with Candace in a few hours then go to work.”
“Really?”
She’s surprised, knowing that I have never shown interest in a girl before.
“So . . . you really like her?” she asks, not even skating around the subject.
I grab a water and flop down on a chair in the living room. “Yeah,” I sigh as I lean back and stare up at the exposed beams.
“Have you told her?”
“It isn’t like that,” I tell her. “She’s slow to warm up to people. Well . . . at least with me.”
“But you’ve known her for over a month. Seems like enough time.”