An Alaskan Wedding

by Nance Sparks

  “Don’t make me kick your ass, Tami. I don’t care whose sister you are. Kiki, you swear on our friendship, right?”

  “I swear.”

  Andrea felt her eyebrow twitch and looked at her shoes so she didn’t give herself away. The idea of Jack threatening to kick someone’s ass, even facetiously, was also irksome.

  “Okay then. God, you almost gave me a fucking heart attack! All ya’ll are assholes and the champagne buzz is completely gone. I need a drink.”

  “The bar is open!” Kay hit a button and opened a cabinet in the side of the car. She handed a small, unopened bottle of single malt to Jack.

  “Now this is more like it! Let me finish this and you can color up my face, and who knows, maybe I’d even wear that mullet wig!”

  Andrea leaned over to Sara. “Those two have the strangest friendship I’ve ever seen. Kay is so polished, and Jack is…a jackass.”

  “Indeed, but cross one and you’ll answer to both. Actually, it would probably be all three of them. Professionally, Kay’s this high-profile, posh attorney, always dressed to the nines, but when she needs to blow off a little steam, we leather up, call Jack and Mel, jump on the bikes, and take off. Feeling all that power between your legs is quite the rush. Jack’s all bark. She really does have a heart of gold. The three of them have organized quite a few large charity runs that help support the local queer youth center. That’s how they all met, young little dykes hanging out at the youth center. Now Jack’s on the board and is expanding programs.”

  “Hard to picture Jack at a board meeting. I wonder how many times the word fuck is in the minutes.” Andrea laughed.

  She peered out the side window as the car pulled into the parking lot. Riley was supposed to be out there somewhere, but damned if she could spot her. It was all so surreal. She was still reeling from seeing her again, out of the blue, after all of these years. She might as well have brought a fourth suitcase along to hold the guilt she still felt given what happened all those years ago. Still, she desperately wanted to spend some time with Riley, but to what end? Andrea had a career that kept her home. This was the first time she’d traveled alone, ever. She had two children who had school and activities and sports. From what she heard last night, it seemed that Riley spent most of her time traveling all over the country capturing photographs of lesbians in romantic settings. She couldn’t imagine Riley ever sleeping alone in any of those big hotel beds. She was sexy and available without any strings or attachments. Why on earth would she sleep alone? Despite all of the warning signs, despite the reality that nothing could come of this chance encounter, she desperately wanted some time with the one person she regretted pushing away so many years ago.

  Chapter Nine

  Riley stood behind the shrubs, well hidden in the shadows surrounding the entryway into the hall. She captured a shot of the limo pulling up and then several shots of the occupants filing out of the car while laughter and conversations continued. These were some of her clients’ favorite shots, portraits of smiles and overflowing affection for one another without anyone staring into the camera lens. Andrea looked around while trying to pay attention to whatever Sara was saying, and Riley wondered if she was looking for her.

  What she wouldn’t give to be at Andrea’s side today. It was the first time she wished to be part of the wedding party and not simply the photographer. Riley stepped out of the shadow when Andrea’s searching gaze drew close. Their eyes met and there was that incredible smile, dimples and all. The rest of the group remained oblivious of her presence, and Andrea didn’t give her away. She gave her a small, private smile before returning to her conversation. The group made their way into the building. Once they were inside, Riley moved into the open.

  It was easy to focus on the job while on Kay’s side of the building. The banter between the women was light and it was just another wedding shoot. Sara’s side of the building was an entirely different story. Riley walked into the room to take a few shots, and then she’d catch a whiff of the perfume Andrea wore to the welcome party. Her knees would get weak and her heart rate would shoot up. She’d take a deep breath and focus on the shots only to catch a glimpse of Andrea having her hair done, sipping on a drink and laughing at something one of the women had said. That smile, those sparkling hazel eyes, and those dimples would steal the breath right out of her lungs. Despite feeling frozen in place, she just had to get the candid shot of Andrea’s reflection in the mirror, whether or not she shared it with her client. She made sure to capture plenty of shots of the others, but her all-time favorite subject was sitting just twenty feet away and couldn’t be denied.

  Kay’s group met Riley at the altar and then out on the deck for the posed photographs. Kay was dressed in a white tuxedo with tails, tailored with a touch of feminine flair. The three members of her wedding party each wore black tailored tuxedos, their bowties matched to the colors of Sara’s bridesmaids’ dresses. Riley had fun with the shoot. Some poses were goofy and others more formal.

  Once finished, Riley sent Kay’s group to the other room and called out Sara and her wedding party. Sara looked beautiful. Her dark complexion contrasted beautifully against the white gown. She wore her dark brown hair down, allowing the soft waves to cascade across her bare shoulders. The bridesmaids’ dresses were each a different color. Sara’s sister Kelly wore a deep, dark green and her other sister, Rose, wore an almost midnight blue. While different colors, the dresses were the same cut with an open back and delicate straps. Each woman looked quite elegant. Riley captured shots as they exited the hallway from the dressing rooms, taking care to focus on the subject and blur the log background.

  And then, Andrea walked out and stole her attention. The deep, dark burgundy dress hugged her beautiful body in all of the right places. Her hair was up, a new look that Riley hadn’t seen before. She wore delicate dangling earrings and a stunning black choker with a garnet pendant teasing the hollow of her throat. Andrea was watching her step, her eyes looking down at the floor. Riley pulled up the camera and took several shots. Andrea stopped to pose where the others had and Riley took a few more shots to complete the series. She looked up, into the camera and Riley reveled in the return of those hazel eyes that seemed to look through the camera lens and directly into her heart. Each expression said something different, and Riley kept engaging the shutter.

  “Careful, stud. Drool probably isn’t good for the camera,” Sara whispered into Riley’s ear. “Though, she does look stunning, doesn’t she?”

  “Stunning doesn’t even begin—” Riley looked at Andrea through the viewfinder.

  “You heard everything today, didn’t you?”

  She stopped shooting and pulled the camera away from her eye, though she stared ahead at the now vacant space where Andrea had been. Someone had called her over to the group. “Not everything. I’m sure I missed quite a bit.”

  “I call bullshit. I saw your shoes, back behind the pedicure chairs. Your legs must be made of steel given the amount of time you crouched back there. I think I turned into a prune just waiting to see if you’d move. Way to hold out and stay on the down low.”

  Riley looked into Sara’s eyes. “I admit this is a first for me. I’ve never had my personal life cross paths with a job. I wasn’t sure what to do. I sat back there wondering if I should stay and get the shots you paid me to capture or should I leave and respect her privacy.”

  “Once the first few flashes went off, I think she knew that privacy was kinda out the window.” Sara smiled. “You made the right call to stay. We do want those shots. Besides, I don’t think anyone else noticed, or even knew where to look. I happened to look up when you snuck in. Honestly, there toward the end, I think she was hoping you’d stand up and make yourself known. I could see it in her eyes,” Sara said.

  “I almost did. Seeing her out of the blue like that yesterday threw me for a loop. We haven’t had much time to catch up.”

&nbs
p; “Threw you for a loop, huh? You’re funny. I like that you think you’ve landed. You’re still totally spinning out. I can see it in your eyes. Don’t worry, so is she. You two have one hell of a history, and I bet I only got the tip of the iceberg.”

  Riley looked down at the floor. There wasn’t much to say to that, and her history with Andrea was sacred.

  “Hey, you two, don’t we have shots to get at the altar and on the deck as a group before the guests start to arrive?” Kay walked up behind Sara.

  “Absolutely. My apologies. Let’s get to it.” Riley turned to walk toward the group. A hand tugged on her arm. Riley stopped and turned back.

  “I’m sorry if I overstepped. It’s a personality flaw.” Sara shrugged.

  “From what I’ve seen, you only have her best interests at heart. She’s lucky to have you in her life.” Riley smiled and then turned back to the group. She’d been glad for the interruption, though. There were things she wanted to say to Andrea, to tell her, but not with a group of people around. Especially clients who expected professionalism.

  It wasn’t long before the poses were complete at the hall. Kay and Sara made their way to the limo followed by those in the wedding party. Andrea was walking with the group and then turned back and walked up to Riley.

  “I was looking forward to seeing you in another suit, but jeans and a flannel look good on you, too,” Andrea said.

  “I plan to change after this next shoot. No sense ruining good clothes while hiding behind shrubbery.” Riley laughed.

  “Hadn’t thought of that.” Andrea smiled. “Could I talk with you for a minute?”

  “Would you like to ride with me to the next location?” Riley bent down to pick up a duffel bag but stopped and stood up when she heard footsteps approaching.

  “Andrea, come on! Kay and Sara are going to open their gifts from us in the car.” Kelly marched across the room toward them, clearly on roundup duty.

  Disappointed, Riley still smiled. “I got your note this morning. We’re good. Would you save me a dance tonight? I’m done around ten.”

  “Definite—”

  Kelly grabbed Andrea’s hand and pulled her toward the waiting limo.

  “Go, I’ll be right behind you.” Riley watched them through the glass doors as they climbed into the car. It was a huge limo. Surely there was room for one more. The car pulled away and she chastised herself. She wasn’t part of that group. She was hired staff and she needed to remember her place. Seeing Andrea was a wonderful surprise, but what did it change, really? They still lived in separate parts of the country, in very different lives. This could be a dream, but she’d wake eventually. Riley bent back down and picked up the duffel bag. Maybe she could get a couple of shots of the landscape on her way to the lake. Something to help her feel centered. Just a few more hours and she’d be off the clock.

  Chapter Ten

  The music started to play, and for some reason, Andrea felt a nervous knot develop deep in her stomach. She’d helped Sara plan for this day for so long, and now it was moments away from happening. She watched Kelly and Mel head up the main aisle and then Rose and Tami took their spot in the doorway. She turned to Sara, her eyes welling up a little at how beautiful she looked.

  “Don’t you dare, ’cause then I’ll start. I’ll kick your ass if I’m bawling while walking up the aisle,” Sara whispered. She had her arm hooked through her father’s arm. He beamed with pride.

  “Love you, my friend. I’ll see you up there, Mrs. Kay Martin.” Andrea tucked her arm into Jack’s and stood in the doorway.

  She drew in a deep breath and then focused on each step while walking up the aisle. For once, Jack was quiet, offering a bit of stability while matching her pace. She looked up in time to catch Riley’s eye and the sweetest smile she’d ever seen on her face. All of which quickly disappeared behind the large camera. Riley was dressed in a tailored black suit covering a white shirt open at the collar. She looked sexy as hell, but this wasn’t about her. It was about her friends. She focused and smiled at Jack as she let go of her arm. Jack winked at her and took her place next to Kay.

  Andrea took her spot next to Rose and then turned to watch Sara walk up the aisle. She was every bit the beautiful, beaming bride. She glanced over and saw the adoration on Kay’s face. She longed to feel that kind of love and to have someone look at her the way Kay was looking at Sara right now. She hadn’t realized it until that second, but she didn’t want to be alone anymore. Sara’s father kissed her on the cheek and then kissed Kay on the cheek and welcomed her into the family. Would her father be open to doing that for her someday?

  While Kay and Sara were saying their vows, Andrea resisted the urge to turn and look at Riley. She could hear the shutter quietly clicking and knew Riley was focused on capturing this moment for her friends. There were just a few short hours left and then she’d finally get some time with her.

  Once the rings were exchanged and the brides shared their first kiss as a married couple, the pace of the afternoon finally slowed down a bit. The wedding party mingled with everyone in the reception area while the row seats were swapped for round tables. Sara and Kay were occupied with close relatives eager to visit with the newlyweds. Andrea took advantage of the few moments of solitude and made her way over to the bar. She ordered two short glasses of whiskey on the rocks and then scanned the room for Riley, finally spotting her by the big windows.

  “I thought you might be thirsty.” Andrea held up the rocks glass.

  “Normally, I wouldn’t indulge until after the shoot, but a sip couldn’t hurt.” Riley lowered the camera and accepted the glass.

  “Almost everyone in this room has been drinking since nine this morning. No reason for you to be the only sober one here.” Andrea smiled.

  “Cheers.” Riley held up the glass and tapped it against Andrea’s. “You look absolutely beautiful, Andrea. You took my breath away when you walked out of the dressing room.”

  Andrea could feel her cheeks flush and couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. “Thank you. You look quite amazing yourself. Is it horrible of me to wish the afternoon away? I’ve never looked forward to ten o’clock so much in my life. It’s like you’re so close and still so far away.”

  “I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who feels that way. I’m sorry, one second.”

  Riley set the whiskey glass on a table and pulled the camera up to her eye. The shutter clicked several times before she lowered it and walked about ten feet away for a few more photos. Andrea turned and looked in the direction of the lens, eager to see what caught Riley’s eye. All she saw was a bunch of people surrounding Sara and Kay. She walked up next to Riley and couldn’t see anything different.

  “It’s just a mob of people. What do you see that I don’t?” Andrea asked.

  “Don’t look at the mob. Here, let me have your glass.” Riley set it down on an empty table. “Now, take your index finger and your thumb and make an ‘L’ with each hand. Here, lift them up overlapping the tips of your thumbs so they touch. Straighten your arms up so the box you created is an arm’s length away from your eye.” Riley moved behind Andrea and guided her arms in the correct position. She leaned into Andrea’s back, her lips close to Andrea’s ear. “Like this. Oh, perfect example just a little to the left. Now, forget everyone else over there and focus in on Kay and Sara’s grandmother. Put them inside of the box. Notice the height difference, see how Kay towers over her but then she crouched down to be at eye level. Kay’s in all white and the elder is wearing bright, bold colors, especially in the scarf around her neck. Look at grandma’s hands, all knotted and twisted from a lifetime of use. Look at her eyes and how her smile makes them light up and sparkle. See how she’s reaching up to cup Kay’s face and pulling her over for a kiss on the cheek.” Riley had her camera next to Andrea’s framed fingers. She pressed the shutter and an image popped up on the screen
and then another. The grandmother’s hands were gently holding the sides of Kay’s face and her lips were pursed and pressed up against Kay’s cheek. “When I have the camera at my eye, the noise goes away and these are the moments I look for.”

  “Oh my God, that’s beautiful.” Andrea lowered her hands. She stayed still, and Riley’s arms slowly lowered on either side of her. Riley’s hand rested for a moment on her waist. She could feel Riley’s breath on the side of her neck. “I don’t want you to move. Could we just stay like this?”

  “If I get to be this close to you, then I’d rather you turn around,” Riley whispered.

  Andrea shivered from head to toe. She slowly turned around and looked up into Riley’s eyes. “So, can we stay like this?” She teased the back of Riley’s hand with her fingertips.

  “I’d love nothing more.” Riley stared into her eyes for a moment. “I’m supposed to be working. Soon, okay?”

  Andrea nodded and stepped back. “Charge them double for making me wait. Personally, I think they have enough pictures.” She picked her whiskey glass up from the table.

  Riley smiled at her with that half grin and then ducked back behind the camera and began moving around the room again. Andrea looked at the clock on the wall. Three and a half more hours. The question was, until what?

  Chapter Eleven

  As the hours passed, the tender moments became less and less until the silly antics tipped the scale. Jack and Mel had their bow ties undone and the collars of their shirts were open by several buttons. The jackets were long gone. Jack was on the dance floor doing the worm while onlookers clapped to the beat. Riley took a few final shots and then started breaking down her equipment. The happy couple rarely wanted photos of the messier part of the night, where people’s inhibitions were drowned in alcohol, love, and sometimes, regrets.