"Steve! Allie!" Carrie greeted her friends with hugs and kisses.
"So these must be the notorious photos." Allison paused for a moment while she looked them over. "My, my, my. You weren't kidding when you said they were provocative."
One of the men admiring the photos turned around. "Well, hello there, Allison. I thought I recognized your voice."
"Scott! Fancy meeting you here." The two shook hands and Allison made the introductions. "This is Scott Andrews. He's one of the other volunteers for the children's reading program at the library. Scott, this is Steve Hudson, my significant other, and this is Carrie Daniels. She's been my best friend since high school."
The two men shook hands before Scott turned to Carrie. She noticed that he was quite handsome. He was tall, with salt-and-pepper hair and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. As his eyes met hers a puzzled expression came across his face. He looked back and forth at Carrie and the photos.
"Yes, it's me," she finally admitted and blushed. "I was the model."
"Well, I don't know what to say." He shook Carrie's hand once again. "I've never met a nude model before."
"Carrie and Louise go way back," explained Allison. "Carrie's a photographer as well. In fact, Louise was her mentor. So when Louise needed a model, Carrie decided to return the favor. You know, professional courtesy and all that. Carrie really doesn't make her living by posing nude for photos. It was just a one-time thing."
"Well, you'd never know it by looking at them." Scott returned his gaze to the display. "The camera obviously loves you, and you look very natural."
"Thank you," replied Carrie. "I was once a child model so I'm quite used to working in front of the camera. That's also how I met Louise, but that was some twenty years ago." She went on to explain that her early work as a model was what got her interested in photography, and she talked about how Louise had helped her get her career started. Scott seemed to be very interested in everything she had to say.
"So, what's your story, Scott?"
"I'm a software developer. I work for Morton-Evans."
"That big defense contractor?"
"Among other things. They make other products too. I'm involved with writing some of their educational software; the programs that schools use to help teach kids the basics. You know, reading, writing and arithmetic."
"Is that why you volunteer at the public library?"
"Yes. Helping to teach youngsters how to read helps create the best reading software. So, do you have any kids, Carrie?"
"No, I'm afraid not." Her smile faded from her face. "I'd love to have them, but so far it hasn't happened. I've just ended a very long-term relationship."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
As Carrie and Scott continued their conversation, Steve and Allison decided to step away. Both were pleased to see that Carrie had taken an apparent liking to Scott. When the time came for the show to end, they were still talking. Steve and Allison came back to say goodnight. Once they left Carrie decided to call it a night as well.
"It was nice meeting you, Carrie." Scott extended his hand once again. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to take you to dinner sometime. That is, if you think you're ready to start dating again."
"I'd be honored to have dinner with you, anytime." She handed him one of her business cards.
"All right, then I'll call you, sometime soon. In the meantime, I'm going to buy one of your photos."
"Which one?"
"Hmm... I'm not really sure." He looked them over again. "You really are a beautiful woman, Carrie. It's hard for me to decide. I'm really torn between the one of you kneeling on the bed, and the one of you seated in the chair."
"Why not get both?"
He thought it over for a minute. "I guess I could."
They shook hands once more as Scott stepped away to complete his purchase.
"I'll call you, Carrie, soon."
"I look forward to it."
As soon as he left, Carrie went to look for Louise. She soon found her, once again standing near the bar.
"Goodnight, Louise," she said as she gave her a hug.
"Goodnight, Sweetness. I'm so glad you came. Sorry I wasn't able to spend that much time with you, but I noticed you were spending a lot of time talking to a nice-looking man. Who is he?"
"A friend of Allison's. He seemed like a nice guy."
"Did he ask for your phone number?"
"He sure did." Carrie's face was beaming.
"Good job, Sweetness, I'm proud of you. See, I told you that other men would find you attractive."
"I know. So, I guess we'll have to wait and see if he calls me or not."
"If he does, he does, and go out and have some fun. If not, it's no big deal. There are plenty of other fish in the sea. Just remember, the first one after a big break up is never a keeper. Enjoy it for what it is, but don't get too attached. Okay?"
"I won't, Louise. It's going to be awhile before I'm completely over Doug, but it feels nice knowing another man finds me attractive."
"That's my girl."
Carrie exited the gallery and got into her car. Waiting for the engine to warm up, she sent a text message to Allison.
"Is Scott by chance single?"
By the time she returned to her apartment Allison had replied. "He's single. Known him for years. He's never once mentioned a wife."
Six
Scott pulled into the driveway, pressed the remote, and waited as the garage door slowly rolled up. He was about to step on the accelerator when he noticed the bicycle in his path. Annoyed, he let out a loud sigh as he threw the car into park and stepped into the garage. Bicycle moved, he got back in his car and pulled into his space. He shut down the engine and pressed the remote again. Once the garage door closed, he came into the house.
"Damn it, doesn't anyone know how to leave a light on around here? Someone could trip and fall over who knows what in the dark."
He felt along the wall for the switch, flicked the light on and went into the kitchen, where he spotted three large pizza boxes stacked on the counter. All were still warm, and each still had several slices of pizza remaining. The bottom box held his favorite--pineapple, ham and bacon. He reached into one of the cabinets for a plate.
"Hey, Dad."
"Hey there, Ben. So, how was school today?"
"Okay, I guess."
"Just okay, huh?"
The boy shrugged.
"So, how's Mom?"
"Okay, I guess," repeated Ben. "She says she's feeling better, and that by tomorrow she should be up and about."
"Until you or your sister bring home the next bug that's making the rounds at school."
Ben stood and watched while his dad fixed himself something to drink. "So how come you're home so late?"
"I stopped by an artist's opening tonight at one of our favorite galleries and I bought a couple of black and white photos."
"Where are they? Can I see 'em?"
"Later, son." Scott took his seat at the table. "They're still at the gallery, being framed. Meantime, your dad has had a long, hectic day, and he needs to kick back and take a breather. So where's your sister?"
"Upstairs. She says she's doing her homework, but she's probably hanging out on Facebook. So where are you going to hang the pictures, once you get 'em? It's not like we have tons of wall space left, you know. I swear, our house is turning into one big art gallery."
"Your mother and I are art collectors, Ben. And who knows, maybe someday we can sell off some of our collection to pay for your college education."
"Gee, Dad, why don't you let a guy get through the fourth grade first." Ben reached for a slice of the pepperoni pizza and began to walk away.
"Where are you going?"
"To watch some TV, if that's okay."
"As long as it's Disney Channel or Nick at Night."
"I know, Dad."
Ben disappeared. Scott listened to the sounds from the television set in the family room while he enjoyed his pizza. Finished
, he put his plate in the dishwasher and headed upstairs. He walked down the hallway, softly tapping on one of the doors before opening it.
"Hey, Sarah. What's up?"
"Hi, Dad. I'm busy doing my homework."
"No Facebook," Scott bluntly announced.
"But Dad." He heard the whine in her voice.
"Don't 'but Dad' me. You know the rules, and don't think for one minute that just because you're fifteen now I can't spank you. No Facebook for you young lady until you're homework is finished. Period. That means all of your homework, too. And yes, I will be going over your Facebook wall later on tonight, just like I do every night."
Sarah began to grumble, but Scott stood his ground until she exited Facebook and opened the files with her homework assignments.
"I'll be back to check on you later, and I'd better not be catching you on Facebook."
He closed her door and headed down the hallway, walking into the master bedroom. "So how are you feeling?"
Maggie Andrews had been bedridden with a bad cold for the past three days. He could see that the color had finally returned to her face, but her nose was still bright red. Her fair complexion and short blonde hair made it even more noticeable.
"I think I'm slowly returning to the land of the living." The sound of her voice revealed that she was still heavily congested. "So how was the show at Hanson Sisters? Was it as good as the last one?"
"It sure was, and I bought two new pieces to add to our collection of nudes."
"Really?"
"Yes," He motioned to the photos of a blonde nude on one of the walls. "This time the model is a brunette, a really pretty one too, and the photos are nicely done. They have to be framed. They should be ready day after tomorrow."
"I see. So where do you think we should put them?"
"How 'bout right here." He pointed to the wall directly above Maggie's head. "Over the bed is perfect. We can find a spot somewhere downstairs for the painting that's there now."
"All right. I should be up and about in the next couple days, so I'll pick them up and hang them over our bed."
Seven
Carrie heard the beep from her cell phone. She picked it up off the coffee table and smiled. It was a text message from Scott, asking if she was busy that day.
"Not too busy for you," she replied.
It was a Saturday morning. She'd just returned from doing her laundry and had no place special to go. Her phone beeped again. This time Scott wanted to know if he could stop by.
"Of course," she replied. She gave him her address and took her phone with her as she headed off to change her clothes. Scott soon replied to let her know he'd be there in about an hour. Exactly one hour later she heard a knock at her door.
"Come on in, Scott. It's good seeing you again."
"Likewise, although I now have those two photos of you hanging on the wall over my bed. You're the last thing I see before I go to sleep at night, and the first thing I see when I get up in the morning."
"I see." His comment, while well meaning, still made her feel a little ill at ease.
"So," he asked, "what plans have you made for today?"
"None so far, I'm afraid."
"In that case, what would you say to taking a little drive and perhaps going hiking at Lake Pleasant?"
"I'd love it." Her eyes lit up as she spoke. "I'll go get my camera."
He waited patiently as she grabbed a sweater and loaded up her backpack. A few minutes later he led her to a late-model, bright-red Chevy sedan in the visitor's parking lot.
"Nice wheels," she said as he opened the passenger door for her.
"Thanks."
He waited for her to settle in and fasten her seatbelt, then he slipped behind the wheel and they headed out.
"So, how have you been?"
"I've been good," she replied, "and I'm trying to keep busy. I'm in a feast or famine business. Last fall I was really swamped, but for the past couple of weeks it's been slow, so I'm doing some marketing. It looks like I'll have some new jobs coming my way in the next week or two."
"Good to hear. I always seem to be busy. I have to work long hours and put in a lot of overtime. As much as I'd like to be able to spend time with you, Carrie, you need to understand, upfront, that I'm just not going to be that available. But I'll still try to see you as often as I can."
"No worries. I sometimes have to work long hours myself and I'm not looking for anything serious right now. Remember, I just got out of a long-term relationship, and to be honest, I'm really enjoying having some time on my own."
They stopped for lunch, sharing a large order of fries with their burgers. Scott managed to brush his hand against hers a few times as she reached for a fry. He tried to make it look unintentional, but Carrie knew better. She gave him a wink in return. She enjoyed flirting with him. As soon as they arrived at Lake Pleasant they hit the hiking trails. Along the way she stopped to photograph the desert, the lake, and the mountains. They finally stopped to rest at a spot with a scenic view, where they would remain for the next few hours.
Scott continued to be fascinated by Carrie's stories of being a child model and local celebrity. He was surprised to hear that her childhood wasn't as happy, or as glamorous, as it appeared. While other girls her age played sports, took dance lessons, or just hung out with their friends, Carrie spent long hours in makeup chairs preparing for TV commercials or photo shoots and working under hot lights in dusty, draft-filled rooms. She made good grades at school, but she found herself rejected by her peers. The other children, particularly the other girls, were jealous, making her a social outcast. She described how painful it felt to be shunned and ridiculed by her classmates. She became a loner, with her only real friend being a boy named Alex. Allison would come along later, but by the time she finished high school, Alex and Allison remained her only real friends. Alex ended up going to college back east and they drifted apart once Doug came along. Even as an adult, however, Carrie remained a loner. Doug, Allison and Louise were still the only people she really knew.
Scott wrapped his arm around her and she leaned against him as she talked. Afterwards he silently held her while they watched a spectacular sunset. The clouds turned pink and red as the sky turned orange, purple, and finally, a deep indigo blue. Carrie captured the images of it on her camera. It was nearly dark by the time they made their way back to Scott's car. He drove around some of the back roads, eventually pulling over and parking in a secluded area. A full moon illuminated the night sky, creating stunning silhouettes of rocky hilltops dotted with saguaro cactus. He reached down and reclined his seat back, saying that he wanted to kick back and relax for a little while. They'd been enjoying the view for sometime when he finally broke the silence.
"Carrie, if you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be?"
"Well, I'll have to think about it for awhile."
Scott patiently waited for her response.
"Whole. That would be the word. I'm becoming whole. Last fall, when my ex first dumped me, I felt like I was broken and I didn't think I could ever be fixed. Now that some time has passed, and I'm learning how to live my life on my own terms, I'm beginning to feel whole, like I'm becoming a whole new person. So, what about you, Scott? What one word would you use to describe yourself?"
"Adventurous." He reached over to grasp her hand. "Safe and predictable bores me. I much prefer to live on the edge, in the spur of the moment, in the here and now."
He turned to face her, and as he looked into her eyes, he leaned forward and kissed her. It was a soft gentle kiss. When it was over, he began to slowly run his fingers through her hair.
"Carrie, I'm not going to make any promises about the two of us living happily ever after someday, but I want you to know something. I think you're an amazing woman. I also want you to know that I'm willing to take things as far as I can, for as long as I can. The only thing is, with my crazy workload, I just don't know how often I'll be able to see you. Please understand that most
of the time it will be just like today. We'll have to do things at the last minute, and on the spur of the moment. But I can promise you this--it'll always be an adventure."
"I understand, Scott. Like I said before, I'm not ready for any kind of a commitment, from you or from anyone else. So let's just enjoy the here and now."
He kissed her again. This time his tongue went into her mouth as he slowly inched his hand down toward her breasts.
"Carrie, I'm not going to make love to you tonight, but I need to know something. Are you using any kind of birth control?"
"Yes, I use the rings."
He kissed her again. This time he reached down and began gently stroking her breasts. He could feel her body tensing up. He stopped and began caressing her face.
"It's been a long time since a man's touched you, hasn't it?"
She knew she was allowing herself to get too involved with him too quickly. Then she recalled Louise's comment about the first one after a break up never being a keeper.
"Yes." She looked into his eyes. "It's been a very long time since a man has touched me."
"That's what I thought. You know, you're much too beautiful of a woman to be all alone in the world. You need someone who'll appreciate you. I'd like to be that someone, if you'll have me."
As he began kissing her again, he started to unbutton her blouse. Once again, Carrie began to tense up.
"I don't know about this, Scott."
"It's okay. I know you're still getting over your last relationship, but it will be all right, I promise. I'm not going to do anything to hurt you."
He began to kiss her again. The next thing she knew her blouse was completely unbuttoned and his hands were reaching inside her bra.
"You've been without a man for far too long," he whispered as his fingers gently caressed her nipple. "Just relax and let me touch you." He kissed her again as he reached back and unhooked her bra. He pushed it away and began licking and sucking her breasts. It was all happening much too fast. "You're beautiful, Carrie, so incredibly beautiful."
The Deception Page 4