by Donna Alward
“Ah, but you still went after it.” He put his hands in the pockets of his khaki shorts. “You made a plan and put yourself in the right spot at the right time. That’s preparation meeting opportunity.”
She laughed. “I know theoretically you’re right. I think there’s a slight philosophical difference in our thinking. Anyway, that’s great, as long as you’re happy about it.”
He seemed happy. His eyes were lit up and he had an air of confidence and satisfaction that was...well, charismatic. She’d never denied that he was attractive or that she was attracted to him. It was more about choosing not to pursue something that would be short term and not, well, meaningful. No matter how...
Her gaze fell on his lips, slightly parted, an imperfect bow shape that looked utterly kissable.
No matter how sexy he was...or how amazing it might be to be his, even for a moment.
She looked away. Ugh, she had to stop thinking like this! It had to be the hormone surge or something. She was normally far more levelheaded and less obvious. After Jared’s abrupt departure from her life, she’d vowed to make sure never to let herself fall until she was sure it was exactly what she wanted. And Drew wasn’t it...no matter how alluring he was.
“Did you want to see the pictures from the other day? A few turned out really great.” She started to lead the way to the back room. Juny had run out for coffee, but there was no worry about leaving the storefront empty. Foot traffic was light today and the electronic bell would always ring if someone came in.
“I’d love to. Was the bear one good?”
“There were a couple from that sequence that I like a lot.”
She stopped by her computer and sat; he leaned over her shoulder, close enough she could smell his spicy aftershave. She inhaled deeply, imprinting the scent on her brain. This really was going too far. Hadn’t she decided that they were too different? Opposites might be exciting, but it could also cause a lot of friction.
And why was she continually trying to talk herself out of liking him?
“Wow. I love that one.”
She’d pulled up the picture of the whisky jack first, letting the grey-and-white bird fill the screen. “He’s pretty, isn’t he?”
“Very. That’s such a soft grey.” He pulled up a chair and sat beside her, leaning over to peer at the monitor. “Know what other bird has a gorgeous grey colour? An albatross. Their heads are amazing. It seriously looks like a watercolour.”
“I didn’t think they were grey.” She spun in her chair to face him, getting a jolt when she realized how close their faces were. There was a half second where he paused, the miniscule flash of time it took to take half a breath, and then he leaned back a bit, settling in his chair a bit more. Heat rushed up her neck.
“There are different species, with slightly different sizes and colourings,” he said, moving back into the topic smoothly. “Look up a grey-headed albatross. I saw them on a New Zealand expedition to Macquarie Island.”
Of course he had. She’d traveled some and had moved around within Canada a lot, but Drew was a different sort of traveler. He was an adventure seeker. Part of her was jealous that he’d had such trips, and totally envious of the photographic opportunities. Another part was simply curious.
“Did you see penguins?”
He laughed. “Tons. Like this ginormous rookery with thousands and thousands.”
She sighed. “That must have been amazing.”
“You haven’t seen them?”
“Only at the zoo. And once at SeaWorld, when I was a little kid.”
“Would you like to?”
She turned in her chair. “Is that an invitation?” At his surprised expression, she laughed. “Just kidding. But yeah, I’d like to. I’d like to photograph tons of different ecosystems. Right now, I’m here, so I’m focusing on my backyard. There’s lots to keep me busy.”
He sat back in his chair and tapped his lip. “But where would you go if you could go anywhere in the world?”
She thought about it a long time, struggling for an answer. “I’ve always wanted to go to Iceland. The geography is so unique and I have a secret wish to photograph an Icelandic horse.” She met his gaze. “I suppose that sounds silly. But you see...no other horse is allowed on the island. They’re incredibly unique and untouched.”
But his warm eyes held hers. “Not at all. I wish I could take you on some armchair travel, but that’s one place I haven’t been, either. Though I’ve been to Norway.”
Of course he had.
“Aspen Outfitters must be doing really well for you, if you can travel so much before you’re even thirty.”
“It does okay.”
It was a rather bland answer, and she puzzled for a moment, but his financial status and how he spent his money wasn’t any of her business.
“It keeps you in passport stamps,” she said lightly.
He laughed a little. “It does. Last year I went zip-lining in Costa Rica.”
Harper’s eyes widened. “Zip-lining in the jungle? No thanks. I’m afraid of heights.”
“Really?”
She nodded. “Really. I don’t even like getting up past the second step on a stepladder.”
His eyebrows lifted. “I wouldn’t have guessed that. How do you manage skiing, or the gondolas? Surely you’ve done both, living here.”
She smiled weakly, her stomach doing a little nervous flip just thinking about it. “I take deep breaths. I don’t look down.”
His eyes lit up. “You know, one woman in our group was terrified. She was literally crying on the platform. But she did it—took that step off, and she loved it. Couldn’t wait to keep going.”
Harper shuddered. “Good for her,” she said drily, and then they both burst out laughing.
Now they were sitting there smiling at each other like idiots, and as the moment drew out, she wanted him to lean over and kiss her.
The doorbell sounded out front. “Excuse me for a moment,” she said, scrambling to her feet. “I’ll be right back.”
It was Juny, who’d returned with a coffee for herself and an iced fruit-infusion tea for Harper. “I got them to add a splash of soda water for some fizz,” Juny said as she handed over the cup.
Harper thanked her and told her to take the money out of petty cash and then took a deep breath, grateful for the interruption, before going back to Drew again.
“Sorry about that. It was Juny, bringing back some drinks.” She took a sip of the cold tea—cranberry and pomegranate from the taste of it—and sighed. It was delicious and refreshing, just what she needed.
“No worries. But I would like to see the bear before I ask you for a favor.”
A favor? Curiosity whetted, she resumed her seat and brought up the thumbnails, then picked one of her favorites.
“Oh, man,” Drew said, drawing a breath. “He’s huge. That’s magnificent.”
Her heart leaped a little at his praise. “I like the balance of it, and the grey tones of the rocks play with the water and the coolness of the green in the evergreens.”
She hesitated. “There are other ones where I’d adjusted the exposure, but I don’t like them as well. Even with this one, I considered changing the hues slightly, or playing with the contrast, but I actually like it as is. I just made a few minor tweaks.”
He was quiet for a moment. “You’re right. The eye’s drawn to the bear itself. The rich brown really stands out.”
She was pleased he understood. “Now, want to see something fun?”
She scrolled until she got a photo of the canyon, the narrow expanse of water with the forest on either side. She brought up her editing software and made a few clicks. The photo changed and Drew let out a quiet, “Oh, cool.”
“Right? It’s fun to play with.” She’d basically turned her photo into a watercolour painting. “If I chang
e the opacity and contrast a little, the definition of water against the sky is better.” She dragged her cursor and watched the shades pop a little more.
“Do you do a lot of editing this way?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Not really. I play with it, mostly. Like...look at this.” She opened up a picture of a wild rose. “This is an ‘underpainting’ feature. What do you think?”
“I think someone could easily go down a rabbit hole of playing with all sorts of photos and wake up a week later.”
She giggled. “Pretty much.”
“Know how those would look great?”
She frowned. “How?”
“If you took some of your favorites and did them up as greeting cards or postcards in the storefront. You could keep the gallery as is, but add a small section near the counter for cards or smaller photos, perhaps pre-matted.”
He wasn’t wrong. Except...
Except it felt like commercializing on something that she took very seriously. Reducing it to a short-term consumable that could easily be tossed aside, rather than appreciated and cherished.
But what Drew saw was a business opportunity.
“It’s an interesting idea,” she offered, feeling the need to toss him a crumb, although she didn’t know why.
“I have them now and again. And now...for my favor. Could you come with me this afternoon? I’d like for you to see the building I’m considering. Tell me if there’s something I’m missing.”
“Why me?”
“Because you have a sharp eye and attention to detail. I went in and saw all the possibilities. But I’d like a second pair of eyes to go through it with me this time, and pick out where I’m going to have issues.”
She chuckled. “I am so flattered that you want to use me as a fault-picker.”
“No, no, no. Attention to detail, remember?” But he smiled, too. “What do you say?”
“You want to go now?”
“I can have the Realtor meet us there.” He hesitated. “As long as you’re not too busy. I know you have your own business to run.”
It would be an excuse to spend more time with him. She knew she shouldn’t want to, and then wondered why the heck not. Lately her whole life had consisted of work, feeling tired and sometimes nauseated, and no social life beyond Adele and Dan, where again, the talk was always of the baby. As the days went on, she found herself getting more and more attached to the tiny life inside her. So much so that she knew she had to keep her mind on the big picture. Like other parts of her life, and what she was planning to do after the baby arrived and she went back to her normal routine.
None of which she felt she could discuss with anyone, because she had been the one to suggest the surrogacy and she didn’t want to appear to be a complainer.
“I can spare an hour or so.” Actually, the idea of leaving the studio and walking through town in the sunshine sounded blissful. “Where’s the building?”
“Half a block off Banff Avenue, right near the Ptarmigan Inn. I looked at a few other spaces, but none had the square footage I need and the only other one that did wasn’t as central.”
“Sounds logical. Let me close this down and I’ll be right with you.”
He went back out to the storefront and she could hear him talking to Juny as she closed her programs and shut down her computer. Deep down she got the feeling she might be stepping into trouble, but she’d been doing the same things day after day for too long. This weekend she’d be at a wedding the whole time. Why not enjoy an afternoon off, particularly in the company of someone as sexy and funny as Drew?
CHAPTER SIX
DREW WAITED FOR Harper out front, and spent his time first contacting the Realtor, then chatting to Juny. She looked cute with leggings and boots and a colourful flowy top of some sort, a pair of dark brown braids touching each shoulder. But when Harper came out from the back room, his breath caught. She was wearing a simple denim skirt and a peasant blouse, little sandals on her feet, and her hair was in what he realized was a customary ponytail. He couldn’t tell if she was wearing makeup or not. It didn’t matter. Harper was just...different.
He shouldn’t be here. She’d said as much when she’d dropped him off the other day. But he couldn’t help it. A few quiet hours and the first thing he did was find himself walking toward her gallery, eager to see her teasing eyes and smiling face.
“I’m ready if you are,” she stated, slinging a small bag over her shoulder.
“Should I close up?” Juny asked.
“I can come back. You don’t have to stay until six.”
“It’s no trouble. I’m meeting some people at seven, so it works out fine.”
“Then sure. Taking a few extra hours would be amazing. Thanks.”
Drew held the door for her and they stepped out into the afternoon sunshine. “I parked a half block over, and we can take my ride if you want.”
“You did get your rental.”
“I did. It makes it easier if I have to run to showings or meetings. But we can walk if you want.”
“It’s a beautiful day. Let’s.”
The day was hot but with that crisp-mountain-air feeling. Sidewalks were swept and kept clear, with hanging baskets on the streetlamps and brightly coloured planters outside each business. He looked over at Harper, who’d slid on a pair of sunglasses against the glare. She looked good, but he missed being able to see her eyes.
“Does Juny know?” he asked.
She looked over at him. “You mean about the baby?”
“Yeah.”
“Not yet. I have to tell her soon, though. Other than the doctor, you’re the only one outside the three of us to know anything.”
He felt oddly privileged, even though he knew it was just because he was in town. Plus it made him feel as if they shared a secret.
He heard an odd gurgle and saw her cheeks turn a bright pink. “Did you eat lunch?”
“Not yet, but I thought we had to meet your guy.”
“We do. But ice cream.” He pointed to the Cows Ice Cream store. “And you need your dairy, don’t you? Calcium and all that?”
She laughed. “And fat, and sugar...but I love ice cream. It’s one of my secret vices.”
“You have more than one? I don’t believe it.”
Then she nudged him with her arm and he felt a warmth slide through him. He genuinely liked her so much.
“I have many. I keep them hidden.”
He looked at her again, gave her an assessing up-and-down glance and shook his head. “Nope. Still don’t believe you. You’re too sweet.”
She barked out an unladylike laugh and he couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. They were still smiling when they looked both ways and scooted across the street to the Cows Ice Cream shop.
It was summer. There was a line.
But he didn’t mind. He watched as Harper scanned the flavor menu, her sunglasses now perched up on top of her head. It had been a long time since he’d enjoyed someone’s company so much. She wasn’t the type to expect expensive and intimate dinners and big romantic gestures. A cone of ice cream, or a walk in the forest... Harper was the kind of woman who appreciated little things.
Lately it seemed that anyone he tried to date within his business circle came with an expectation of... He frowned a little. Status? A certain standard? Whatever it was, it frequently left him feeling like they were interested in what he could provide rather than interested in him.
He wanted to think money hadn’t changed him, that it had just made things easier. Like this trip. He could stay in a hotel for two weeks at summer rates and not worry about maxing out a credit card. It didn’t mean he needed or expected five-star anything. Did he? Had he really changed over the years, as his success had grown?
He thought about his day-to-day life and realized he had lost touch with what
it was like to be...well, normal, for lack of a better word. Sure, financially he’d found it rougher in those days, but his success came with a price, after all, as much as he downplayed it. And that could be summarized in one simple word: responsibility. He was responsible to his shareholders, responsible for the people who worked with and for him. As the man at the top, sometimes it was hard to know whom to trust.
His lifestyle was nice, but being with Harper reminded him of the guy he used to be and had lost a little along the way. Easygoing, laughing more, up for a cone of ice cream as a special occasion.
“I’ll have a small Cowconut Cream Pie,” Harper ordered, then looked back at Drew. “And what are you going to have?”
Her voice drew his attention back to the task at hand. He really didn’t care, but he gave the flavors a cursory glance and replied, “Fluff ’n’ Udder.”
Harper giggled.
“These names are ridiculous,” he said firmly, but his lips twitched. “And I like peanut butter, so hush.”
They gathered their cones, Drew paid and they made their way back out into the sunshine again.
The ice cream was cold and rich and delicious, but it also melted fast so they put decorum aside and took substantial swipes with their tongues, catching it before it ran down the waffle cones. Once Harper looked over and snickered, then took her napkin and wiped a dot off his chin.
Their cones were almost gone when she took a bite of the waffle and it left her with a dollop of coconut ice cream on the spot where her upper and lower lip met.
He didn’t think, didn’t analyze, didn’t weigh pros and cons. He simply stepped forward and kissed it off, his lips lingering on the corner of her mouth as she froze in surprise. Then she let out a soft, gentle sigh, and he closed his eyes and slid his mouth ever so slightly to the right, kissing her properly while she responded sweetly, with a hint of hesitation and shyness.