by Laura Conway
“They’re not professional,” Payton said, leaving her camera down on the stone wall beside her as they backed up against it, and Angela slid her arm around Payton, angling her arm to get the view behind them as they both smiled.
She liked to think that her photos were improving. She’d taken photos here at least once a year since she was seventeen, and they’d evolved. She’d bought new gear over the years, taken shots from different angles as she learned more and started to see things more creatively.
“Perfect.” Angela slid her phone into the back pocket of her jean shorts. “God, it’s strange being here.”
“I know. I’ve come here plenty of times without him, but it is different now.”
“I never thought I’d say this,” Angela said as she leaned against the wall, “But I wish I was religious. My mother keeps throwing out things like ‘He’s in a better place’ and ‘He’s with his father now.’ I never know what to say, because I don’t think that. I don’t know what I think, but it’s not that.”
“I know. I’m the same,” Payton said, picking up her camera. “I’ve just tried to come to terms with the idea of not knowing and being happy with that. There’s no point worrying about something that I’ll never get the answer to, so I don’t. I’m just trying to keep going, to make him proud.”
Angela nodded. She slid her shades back on, blinking back tears.
“Anyway,” Payton said with a sigh. “I’m starving. Lunch down at the port?”
“Let’s go.”
* * *
Payton brought the ice-cold bottle of beer to her lips and took a long drink before she started making another fajita, adding a generous portion of guacamole to the chicken and vegetables already in the wrap.
“This is still one of the best places to get Mexican food,” Angela said between bites. “I don’t even bother in London anymore, because I’ll just compare it to this place.”
“I know. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get down here.” Payton rolled up her wrap and took a bite. She should have come here on day one. “Delicious as always.”
They finished their food, taking their time people watching. Tourists and locals strolled along the port, some stopping to admire the yachts, others pausing to read menus of all the restaurants along the way.
“You know,” Angela said, sitting back, “Now, that I’m back here... There are people I should have told about your father. The owner of this place, for example. I know he recognized me but was probably wondering where Luke was. There’s a tapas bar near the apartment that he always went to. An English bar... There are so many people who are probably wondering what happened to him. It’s been more than a year since anyone would have seen him.”
Payton nodded. “Yeah. I’ve actually gotten to know the owners of Sun and Sand. Jackie lives across the hall and I’ve met Oliver and his fiancé.”
“You have? They’re such lovely people, and I never reached out to them. God, I feel awful, but those first few months went by like that,” she said, snapping her fingers. “I know it was a small funeral, but I still should have tried to contact them.”
“I apologized. Oliver was quite emotional when he found out.”
“They’ve actually invited me to their wedding. Oliver and Alvaro.”
“Hmm. I thought they might. I’m going too.” Payton took another drink. “Jackie invited me.”
“Oh? She didn’t ask Megan?”
“Her ex? They split up a year ago she said.”
“Oh. I never met her, but I thought Jackie was happy. So, are you two...?”
“What? No. I’m just going as a friend,” Payton said, reaching for her drink again. She’d know if Jackie had asked her as a date, wouldn’t she? No. She definitely asked her as a friend. “We’ve gotten to know each other over the last couple of weeks, with her being across the hall and everything.”
“She’s lovely. She’s actually from the same part of London as your father. Shoreditch.”
“Really? I mean, I thought the accent was similar, but I’m not exactly an expert on English accents.”
Angela nodded. “You’re surrounded by Londoners.”
“Some of the best people I know,” Payton said, clinking her bottle against Angela’s.
Chapter Ten
Jackie took the elevator down to the hotel bar, scanning the tables for any familiar faces, and she spotted a group of Oliver’s friends from London who’d flown in two days ago over in a booth at the far side of the room. She didn’t see Payton or Angela, but they were probably still settling in.
Jackie had unpacked her clothes, hung up her suit and made sure she had everything she needed for the big day tomorrow. Now, she thought she deserved a relaxing evening. She was debating going for a wander around Marbella, but she’d wait and see what Payton and Angela were doing. She also wanted to make sure that Oliver was okay. He was definitely the more nervous of the two.
“Jackie.” Speaking of Oliver.
“Hey. All set for tomorrow?”
“Yes and no. I’m fine, but we have a problem, and I don’t really think it’s a big deal, but Alvaro is going to lose it,” Oliver said in a rush.
“What? What is it?”
“Our photographer was in a car accident last night. He’s okay, but he broke his leg.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah.”
“What are you drinking?” Jackie asked, getting the bartender’s attention. “Whiskey?”
“Yes. A double. Please.”
Jackie ordered the same for herself. Alvaro was a bit of a perfectionist. When she first met him, she thought it was just with his cooking, but it extended to almost every area of his life. This would be a disaster.
“I’ve rang all the numbers he gave me for other photographers in the area,” Oliver said, “And then I went to Google and tried a few more, but naturally, everyone’s booked,” he said as he ran his palm across his face. “I know everyone will have their phones out, but Alvaro wants professional photos. He already has a wall lined up in the living room for a huge photo from tomorrow.” Oliver sighed. “I can’t let him down, but I don’t know what to do. I haven’t told him yet.”
“Have you talked to anyone at the hotel? This place is high end. They might have a contact that we wouldn’t know about.”
Payton and Angela entered the bar just as Oliver pulled her into a hug. “That’s a good idea, Jackie. They have to know someone. Somebody who’s done weddings here before.” He let her go.
“It’s a long shot,” Jackie said as brought her tumbler to her lips and took a sip, “But I can’t think of anything else.”
“What’s a long shot?” Angela asked as she gave Oliver and Jackie a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Oliver took a drink after he’d said hello to Payton. “We don’t have a photographer. Well, we did, but he was in a car accident. He’s fine, but he’s in no shape to do the wedding. I have to go tell Alvaro. I should have told him already.” Oliver wasn’t far off a nervous breakdown. He was rambling and getting jittery.
Angela grabbed Payton’s forearm, whispering something in her ear, and Payton frowned. Jackie could just about make out Payton’s words. “What? No. I’m not-”
“What’s going on?” Jackie asked, pushing herself on to a bar stool.
Angela and Payton shared another look, followed by a sigh from Payton. “I have my camera with me,” Payton said, biting her lower lip. “But I’m not a professional or anything. I have a decent camera though, and if you’re really desperate, I’d be happy fill in.”
Angela wrapped her arm around Payton’s waist. “She’s being modest,” Angela said. “She’s an amazing photographer.”
“I don’t have a ton of experience with portraits, and I’ve never done a wedding.”
Oliver threw his arms around Payton, practically lifting her off the ground. “Would you really do it? I was going to ask my brother, and that’s only because he has the latest iPhone,” Oliver said, finally lettin
g go of Payton.
“Yeah. Of course, I’ll do it. I have an Instagram account if you want to show Alvaro and make a decision. I won’t be offended if you find someone else before tomorrow.”
Jackie watched the whole exchange with a smile on her face. Oliver went from the depths of despair to the happiest man in the room in a matter of seconds.
“What are you drinking?” Jackie asked them.
“Wine,” Angela said. “Anything white.”
“Same for me,” Payton said, her cheeks flushed as Oliver gave her arm a squeeze and left the bar, presumably to talk to Alvaro.
Jackie got their drinks and they found a table out on the terrace, overlooking the ocean and the beach below where Oliver and Alvaro would be getting married tomorrow.
“At least it was the photographer,” Angela said, crossing one leg over the other, “And not the celebrant.”
“Yeah,” Payton said with a laugh. “I would have been no help there.”
Jackie could see what Payton meant when she’d said that Angela didn’t feel like her stepmother. They looked like friends, easily joking or finishing each other’s sentences.
“I guess, I should have a look around,” Payton said, her gaze focused out across the ocean. “See what their plans are for the ceremony and double check my gear.”
Jackie still couldn’t believe their luck. “Good thing you had your camera with you.”
Payton’s sea blue eyes met hers. “It goes everywhere with me.”
Chapter Eleven
Payton stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the fourth floor, breathing out a sigh of relief as she leaned her head back against the cold metal. She’d done it. She’d photographed the wedding, and as far as she could tell, it had gone really well. She wouldn’t know until she got back to Benalmadena and could upload the photos to her laptop.
She let her camera hang around her neck as she rolled up the sleeves on her black blazer. She’d borrowed it from Angela and wore a pair of her own black skinny pants, her dress still hanging up in her hotel room. There was no point in changing now. It was almost midnight. She’d stayed beyond what had probably been expected of her, getting shots of the band and everyone out on the dance floor.
The elevator doors pinged, and Payton almost collided with whoever was on their way in. “Sorry... Jackie,” she breathed.
Payton was glad to have the distraction of photographing this wedding otherwise she didn’t know how she would have kept her eyes off Jackie today. That suit. With nothing on underneath the blazer.
Jackie’s hand was on Payton’s forearm. “Sorry. That was my fault. Is the camera okay?” she asked with a half-smile. “Not that I don’t care about you.”
Payton smiled. “I’m fine.” Her hand had reflexively shielded her camera. “And this is fine. I’m just bringing it up to my room for safe keeping. No backups. No laptop to upload the photos to.”
Payton hadn’t had a drink yet, but naturally Jackie was tipsy. She’d been drinking all evening. “Precious cargo.”
“Hmm... Having fun?” Payton asked as she stepped out of the elevator.
“Yes. I just came up to fix my hair.” Jackie turned, pointing to her up-do. “I went a bit mad on the dance floor.”
“And I have the evidence,” Payton said with a smirk. “Not just photos either.”
“Noo...”
Payton nodded. “Another reason to make sure this gets back to my room safely,” she said, holding up her camera.
“I’ll walk back with you. Wouldn’t want anything happening to those photos.”
“I hope you’re not thinking of trying to delete anything on here.” Payton found her keycard in her back pocket.
“Definitely not. Imagine if I deleted the wrong photos?”
“Exactly.”
Payton opened the door and Jackie followed her inside while she carefully put her camera into her gear bag and tucked it away in the bottom of the closet, the royal blue fabric of her dress hanging above it.
“I’m sorry that you had to work today,” Jackie said, standing in front of the sliding glass doors that led out onto the balcony. “I invited you so you could have fun, get to know some of the people that Angela and your father were friends with, not work.”
“I loved it,” Payton said with a grin. “Really. I’m actually on such a high right now.” She felt almost giddy. She’d been nervous last night, not sleeping properly, and she’d been a bit of a mess this morning, but once she got into it, she had adrenaline pumping through her veins. It must still be, because Payton couldn’t remember the last time she felt this alive.
“Maybe this is your new career. Wedding photographer.”
Payton shrugged off her blazer and hung it on the back of the chair. “Maybe, but man, was it stressful.”
“That’s just because it was your first time.”
“I guess.” Payton stood in front of the closet. “Should I get changed? I wasn’t going to, but I can’t really go down there looking like this.” She glanced down at her black pants and white shirt. Her hair was tied back in a bun. She didn’t want it bothering her while she was working, especially down at the beach where there’d been a light breeze.
Payton met Jackie’s eyes when she didn’t answer her. Is Jackie checking me out? “Not that there’s anything wrong with a suit,” Payton added. “But you’re rocking that look right now and doing it so much better than I ever could.”
“You look great,” Jackie said softly, but there was a hint of sadness in her voice.
“Thanks.” Payton cleared her throat. “I should probably get changed though. This seems like it could be a late one... I think I need help with the zipper though. Angela did it for me the other day when I was trying it on.”
“Sure. Yeah. I’ll be here. Or do you want me to wait outside so you don’t have to go into the bathroom?”
“You can stay there. It won’t take me long. Oh, I just remembered,” she said bending down to open the mini-fridge. “I brought a bottle of white wine. We both did. It was Angela’s idea, but she seems to be having a great time. I think she was nervous about being at an event like this on her own.”
“Every time I saw her she was on the dance floor,” Jackie said, coming over and taking one of the tumblers that Payton had filled. “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” Payton said, clinking their glasses together. “It won’t take me long to get dressed.”
“Take you time.”
Payton took another sip and then took her dress down off its hanger and brought it into the bathroom. She stripped out of her clothes and pulled the hair tie out, shaking her blond locks free. She’d have to do something with her hair, too, but for now, she just wanted to get the dress on. She shimmied into it, the smooth fabric clinging to her body. It showed off her curves, coming down to the middle of her thighs.
Payton reached behind her, but the zipper was in the middle of her back, and it was such a snug fit that she couldn’t get it closed herself. Good thing Jackie was here. She stood in front of the mirror, taking a few seconds to touch up her makeup.
There were beach waves in her hair after having it tied up all day, so she used that to her advantage. She slid a few bobby pins into it, styling her hair in a half up, half down look. She took one last glance in the mirror before she left the bathroom. It would do for the hour or two that she’d be downstairs at the reception.
Payton opened her mouth to ask Jackie how she looked but the room was empty. She picked up her glass and took a drink, her eyes falling on the open sliding door. Payton slipped her feet into her heels and went out onto the balcony.
Jackie turned as Payton stepped outside. Their gazes locked, and for the second time tonight, Payton could swear that Jackie was attracted to her. The way she was looking at her right now sent a chill through Payton’s body.
“Wow,” Jackie whispered.
“Thanks. So, it turns out I do really need help with the zipper.” Payton came all the way outside, tur
ning her back to Jackie.
The sound of the waves crashing into the shore below and the faint beat of the band’s music were the only things Payton could hear as Jackie’s fingers grazed her skin as she eased the zipper up, one tooth at a time until it was secured at the base of her neck.
Payton swallowed as she turned. “Thank you. So, we should probably head back downstairs.”
“We probably should.”
But neither of them moved, and Payton couldn’t stop herself from glancing at Jackie’s lips, wondering what it would be like to kiss them.
Chapter Twelve
Jackie took a step back as Payton turned to face her again.
“Thank you,” Payton said in just above a whisper. “So, we should probably head back downstairs.”
“We probably should.” Jackie didn’t move though and neither did Payton.
What had she been thinking coming back here? All day, Jackie had struggled to take her eyes off her. Payton had been so absorbed in her work that hopefully she hadn’t noticed. Jackie could blame the alcohol. She’d been steadily drinking all day, but she still knew what she was doing, and right now, all she wanted to do was take a step towards Payton and close the gap between them.
She wanted to know what Payton’s lips tasted like, and Jackie didn’t know where this was coming from. Yes, she thought they’d had a few flirtatious moments over the last couple of weeks, but today, it was all Jackie could think about.
Jackie knew she shouldn’t do it. Payton wasn’t staying in Spain, and as a rule, Jackie had never been one for flings or one-night stands, so why was she even thinking about this?
But it’s just a kiss. Jackie wasn’t even thinking beyond the next few minutes.
They should really go downstairs, and then she could forget about this before she did something stupid.