Accidentally in Love, page 10
Reid came up with the plan to buy the house from their dad and get him out of their lives altogether. The house sold within a few weeks of being on the market earlier that year. Incidentally, however, Reid had put his relationship with Cassie on the rocks when he took a job title—and the paycheck that would pay for the house reno—that jeopardized their work together on the advertising campaign. Somehow, they overcame this and other obstacles, and Russ was so glad it had worked out for them all.
Thankfully, Russ had enough odd-job experience to handle most of the work the house needed, and after months of updates and minor renovations, they finally sold the house—meaning their dad didn’t have the burden of a house he didn’t want in the Chicago suburbs anymore, and their mom didn’t have a place to crash when she was passing through. Then, as everything fell into place for Russ to move into Cassie’s old apartment, he found out he was definitely getting his associate degree, and he had gotten into culinary school.
Russ wasn’t usually the sentimental type, but he did feel some kind of way when the house officially sold and it wasn’t “theirs” anymore. Reid didn’t care much, but Russ felt a slight attachment to the house in which he did have some decent memories, especially with his mom. He clung to those like promises—promises she never kept, because eventually Rose Montgomery always left. Still, he wanted to think about the good times, like the way she sat in the same old chair that looked out the front windows and waited for him when he got off the bus or when she read to him before bed. Some of those memories were fleeting because they had happened when he was so young, but every so often, he’d get a flash of a vivid moment, so brief he wondered if he’d invented it as some kind of coping mechanism.
At least it was something.
Sitting there with his brother, his future sister-in-law, and his boss who was also a good friend—people who had become his family and wanted to see him do well—was actually heartwarming . . . a real feeling Russ didn’t have to conjure up.
Compartmentalizing his feelings had never been an issue . . . until Russ met Sam. Reid had invited Russ to assist at a photo shoot last year—the infamous Luscious Lingerie “orgy” photo shoot at the Garfield Park Conservatory. Cassie starred in and directed an ad campaign for Dana’s first lingerie line, while the rest of the BB crew—including Sam in an incredible silver bikini—and a bunch of models posed behind her against the backdrop of the giant Fern Room.
The moment Russ first laid eyes on Sam, she grimaced her way into his heart. Considering Reid and Cassie were now engaged, Russ decided it was a good omen that he and Sam had officially met there. Any time after that, he made a point to tag along with his brother when there was the smallest chance Sam would be around. As the youngest people in their circle, Russ and Sam naturally gravitated toward one another. But truthfully, he had been a goner from the first time she gave him the side-eye.
While Reid and James discussed a recent winning streak for the Bulls, right at the end of the season, of course, Cassie focused on Russ.
“Seriously, though, why did you wait until the night of the party to tell her about New York?” Cassie’s eyebrow was raised as though she was anticipating an excuse from him.
Russ sighed. “A while before, Sam told me that her dad was never reliable and was always moving around and, I don’t know, flaked out on her and her mom. I wanted to tell her before then, but everything was moving so fast . . .”
“I get that,” Cassie said, nodding. But the look she was giving Russ was razor-sharp. He knew he was in for it with whatever she said next. “But you know Sam well enough by now that you need to be up front with her. She looks tough, but she likes to know what is happening. Like we said, she has a lot going on right now.”
Russ understood then that he had completely blindsided her with his plan. And add to that the fact that her dad had a heart attack . . . well, he was just piling complicated feelings on top of worries and who knew what else.
But this was not the first time someone had told him that a lot had changed about Sam since he’d gotten to know her. For some reason, for the last few months—even before her family stuff had happened—everyone had been so careful around Sam. He wanted to figure out what was going on and be a part of making her happy, not adding to whatever Sam was going through.
SEVEN
After her chat with Kit, and a copious number of cookies, Sam went to bed early to avoid a longer discussion about going back to their burlesque class. At this point, it was the easiest thing for Sam to do, instead of dissecting her feelings about it all. Besides, she was busy enough with work, so going to burlesque or planning shows would only add to her never-ending list.
When she was at home the week before, supporting her parents after her dad’s heart attack, Sam had tried to take some time away from business matters to decompress, but she knew she was going to feel her time away from BB. The great thing about working at an in-demand photography studio was there was always something going on. That was also the worst thing about it. Sam felt lucky that she had a job she enjoyed, and it was empowering to be in a workplace owned by a Black woman she looked up to, but she also secretly wondered how long she’d be able to sustain this workload.
Sam loved that Cassie thought her idea about the photobooth bus was lucrative, but she wondered if in the long run it was going to be worth it for the business. It was a huge expense—something she was learning more and more about as she spoke with the renovation crew. And applying for summer festivals and eventually paying vendor fees was going to be no small feat. Sam knew that BB was doing well, and this was going to be a great way to get new customers into the studio, but it was just . . . a lot.
When Sam left the apartment the next morning, Kit told her she was going to do a quick workout before heading into the office, so Sam wasn’t surprised when Kit waltzed into the BB studio with still-wet hair, barefaced and pink from exfoliating or whatever skin care treatment Kit had done that morning.
“I must tell you, my dear, I’m so happy you’re back in the office,” Kit said, plopping down on a cozy chair adjacent to her workstation. “We spent an entire morning in the dark because we forgot you always turn on the lights. Cassie was about to call the building manager when she walked by the light switches and, lo and behold, we just had to flip them on.”
Sam genuinely laughed out loud—she knew she was an integral part of the team, but that was extreme.
The rest of their morning went as usual, although Sam was feeling particularly swamped with tasks. She spent the better part of the morning making calls to different printer manufacturers. Who knew that requesting spec info for portable photobooth printers was so uncommon? No one really knew exactly how big they were. When she finally found someone in the city who had one in stock and was willing to measure it for her, Sam breathed a sigh of relief.
Cassie came to the studio that afternoon after a meeting for her upcoming collaboration with Luscious Lingerie—the same company she unexpectedly modeled for the prior year, which also brought Reid into her life and changed everything forever.
Or something.
“All right,” Cassie said at their rescheduled staff meeting. Since Sam had been at home on Monday, they’d moved it to Tuesday so Sam could be included. “Sam, we’re happy you’re back and hope all is going well at home with your dad.”
Sam nodded her gratitude. “I hope my blubbering didn’t put too much of a damper on the engagement festivities. And I’m glad to see the office is still in one piece since I’ve been away for a week.”
“To be fair, we’re hanging on by a thread and so glad to have you back,” Cassie said, slumping down and exhaling like she’d been holding her breath the entire time Sam was gone. “I know you’ve only been in for a few hours, but do you have any updates on our summer plans?”
Sam took a deep breath before launching into an explanation about the BBPB. Things were moving along, and she was going to visit the garage handling the specialized updates the following week. “The contractor recently found samples of vintage bowling alley floors that they should either be able to restore or find someone to re-create, and it won’t be over budget.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” Cassie said. “And the festivals?”
“I sent follow-up emails this morning to all twelve I applied to and have heard back from four that we’ll know for sure about next week as well. The renovation timeline is tight, but I think it’s all going to work out in time for the Randolph Street Flea Market, over Memorial Day weekend. We can use a lot of props we already have, and I’m going to spend some time in the storage closet tomorrow to see what we can repurpose before I start placing orders for new ones.” Sam looked down and realized she was tapping her foot uncontrollably against the side of the table leg. Just sitting in this meeting made her antsy about how much more she still had to do. “I’ve also been avoiding festival weekends for summer client bookings anyway, so we’ll be good on that front.”
“My multitasking maven, what can’t you accomplish in just a few hours?” Kit said, before giving her own update on makeup plans for summer photo shoots she and Cassie had on deck with Chicago magazine, and new hair tools she was interested in ordering before too long. Sam made a note to check the following month’s budget to allot for those expenses.
“You both are amazing, and I can’t thank you enough, Sam, for leading the charge on the bus,” Cassie said, standing to indicate the end of the staff meeting. “What’s on the agenda for the rest of the day?”
“We have a solo engagement gift session with a new client, Fiona, who should be here in about forty-five minutes,” Sam said, slightly peeved that Cassie hadn’t looked at the schedule.
“Crap, I told the Frank Lloyd Wright Studio I’d go in today after they close to take new house photos for their website,” Cassie said. “Sam, can you take the lead on this shoot? It should be pretty straightforward.”
Sam hesitated, looking down at her growing to-do list. “Sure, but—”
“You are a godsend,” Cassie replied, looking down at her phone. “Thank you! I need to leave now to get out to the studio and take advantage of afternoon light.”
Before Sam had a chance to say anything to the effect of her being impossibly overwhelmed with catching up from being away and having a new list of tasks to take care of as a result of their staff meeting, Cassie had left the office and Sam was left sitting at their meeting table next to the kitchen.
“I’ll put the pot on because your bride-to-be will be here in half an hour, my sweet,” Kit said, filling the coffee maker with water and pressing start on the electric kettle. Sam was going to need all the extra caffeine she could get.
Sam loved taking the lead on photo shoots, and she tried to reframe this new responsibility as a way to express herself through one of her favorite creative outlets. She enjoyed applying her critical eye when it came to setups and the full scope of how things looked, along with adding her own creative spin on what worked and what didn’t when it came to boudoir photography. She enjoyed adding something funny or off-kilter to most of her work—her current favorite thing was a small skull tucked in a corner, barely noticeable. But having read this client’s questionnaire stating she was bringing her own clothes and didn’t want a style consult, as well as seeing the pretty and very standard photos she included as inspiration, Sam felt like this was going to be a simpler shoot. There was nothing wrong with that, but Sam liked when things got a little weird. Before heading over to the corner of the BB studio reserved for photo shoots, Sam grabbed a white and gray leopard-print throw pillow with a secret skull motif mixed into the pattern to add to the bed on set.
Thankfully someone had the wherewithal the day prior to set up the lush bed scene with fluffy pillows, blankets, and quilts of different textures, along with a few requested props off to the side—an oversized button-down shirt, aviator sunglasses, and deep red rose petals.
Before a client showed up, Sam liked to take a few minutes to get mentally prepared to deal with people outside of her friend group, who were all used to her deadpan delivery. Clients, not so much . . . and because she was in charge of everything from the set design to the photos, Sam wanted to make sure she was accommodating and professional.
Thank God it’s just an hour-long shoot.
“I know I’m not well-versed in photography assistance, but our client today is coming with her hair and makeup already done,” Kit said from the Glam Zone. She was looking at the appointment call sheet, seeing that the bride-to-be would be camera-ready upon arrival. “I’m at your disposal, boss lady.”
Sam smiled at her best friend, grateful that Kit would be around for the photo shoot. Sam pointed at a shelf along the wall. “Can you set up the tripod? I’m going to use a classic camera instead of digital.” Though digital cameras were nice and could accommodate more, Sam still loved to use her old 35mm camera. Plus, she thought their client, Fiona, would get a kick out of the overall “vintage” vibe.
Just as Sam was mounting her camera to the tripod, the studio buzzer went off. Kit skipped over to the front, let Fiona up, and stayed to greet her at the door. Sam absently thought about how she could get used to having an actual assistant, especially if she was going to take on more responsibility at BB.
“And this is your photographer for the day, Samantha Sawyer,” Kit said, leading Fiona to the bedroom set.
“Thank you, Kit. Hi, Fiona. My name is Sam and we’ll be working together today—”
“Oh, I thought I’d be working with Cassandra Harris, the owner,” Fiona said, flipping her long blond hair over a shoulder. Fiona’s hair was already curled, but those curls were falling fast. Maybe Sam could ask Kit to touch them up at some point during the shoot.
“Cassie is out of the studio today, but rest assured, we’re going to have a great time together,” Sam said in her most calming voice and hoping her face didn’t come off as annoyed as she felt. Sam completely understood the desire to work with Cassie—she was an incredible photographer. But with her recent rise in popularity and Buxom Boudoir becoming a highly sought-after Chicago photography destination, Sam had updated the website a few months earlier with a disclaimer that Cassie could not be guaranteed for every single photo shoot.
Squaring her shoulders, Sam reminded herself that she had learned so much from Cassie, both about photography and how to deal with clients. More than likely, Fiona was feeling nervous about taking provocative photos.
“Can I get you anything before we go through your idea list? Water, tea, or—”
“Could we have something a bit stronger?” Fiona interrupted. “It’s just I’m a little nervous to take my clothes off in front of strangers.”
“I understand, and luckily we always have a bottle of bubbly on hand. Kit, can you open the champagne?” Sam said, feeling her eyes widen as Kit walked over to the fridge. Kit winked at her and busied herself with getting a little liquid courage for their client.
“Here you are, my dear,” Kit said, leaving the bottle on a side table near the set. She barely set it down when Fiona quickly drained her glass. Kit filled it up again and moved to the side, waiting for Sam’s instruction.
“So, Fiona, I loved your suggestion for a gray color palette,” Sam said, motioning for Fiona to sit with her in a couple of comfy chairs next to the set. Fiona plopped down and looked anywhere but at Sam. There was a lot to take in—the studio had a lofty ceiling, huge windows that let in a ton of light, shelves with props and equipment nearby, as well as all of the fun, retro décor Cassie and Dana loved so much.
“Yes, your red lipstick will really pop against it,” Kit said.
Fiona just nodded.
Okay, she’s going to be tougher than I thought . . . No matter. Sam was going to get through this. Cassie had faith that she could handle more photo shoots, so Sam wasn’t going to let her down. Even if Fiona seemed as excited about his photo shoot as Sam was about her parents getting back together.
Sam blinked a few times to rid herself of that thought and focused completely on her task at hand.
“What color is the nightgown you brought with you?”
“Also gray.”
“You want everything to be gray?” All gray would muddle together without much contrast.
“Gray is Bobby’s favorite color.”
“We can definitely work with that. I think I’m going to bring in some light gray textures and perhaps a white blanket or two on the bed. To add some contrast to the final product.” Sam led Fiona over to a privacy screen where she could change, then she continued on to a storage closet to find another blanket or extra sheet to contrast the suddenly all-gray color palette she was working with. When Sam emerged a few minutes later, Fiona was leading a loud conversation with Kit and was finally showing some spirit.
“I can’t believe you guys know him. He’s stupid-hot,” Fiona said.
“Who is this?” Sam said, draping a luxurious white faux fur blanket on the bed. Kit was fluffing Fiona’s hair while Fiona was scrolling through her phone. This was the most animated she had been, talking about some mystery person. At least she was showing some kind of emotion. Sam could work with this, whatever conversation she was now joining.
