an end table and sat down on the couch. “So that means you got it on film?”
“Yup.”
She dropped her head in her hand. “Ughhhh.”
Paige sat down next to her. “What’s the matter? Do you need the medic again?”
“No, my head doesn’t hurt. But my self-esteem just got its ass kicked.”
“If it’s any consolation, it was a fantastic photo op.”
Avalon lifted her head and laughed. “Ouch! Okay, my head does hurt.”
“What can I do?”
“Delete those pictures.”
“Sorry, I can’t obliterate true drama.”
Avalon squinted in what looked like mock annoyance. “Then how about going over to that cabinet under the sink and fetching me some medicine?”
“Sure.” She jumped up and walked over to the sink. “Am I looking for a bottle of pills?”
“No. You’re looking for the bottle of whiskey,” Avalon said as she picked up the camera Paige had left on the couch.
“Keep your hands off that,” she said without turning around.
“How did you know I had your camera?”
“If it had happened to me, I’d be doing the same thing.”
“So you’re sympathetic to my embarrassing plight?”
“I am,” Paige said as she poured oak-tinged liquid into a small glass. “From awkward moments come graceful pictures.”
“Pour yourself some,” Avalon said. “Is that some famous quote?”
“I just made it up so you’d leave my camera alone.”
Avalon put the camera down and Paige returned with two glasses.
“Here.” She handed Avalon one. “I don’t know if this will help, though.”
“It certainly won’t hurt.” Avalon raised her glass to her and they both drank.
She grimaced as the liquid singed her throat and smoldered in her stomach. “Wow.”
“It’s a nice way to end the workday,” Avalon said.
After they both took another sip, Paige said, “What’s it like to have the paparazzi all up in your grill?”
“A necessary evil, I suppose.”
“What did they mean about going back to Club Raunch?”
“You’re probably the only one who hasn’t heard. That was where my ex and I broke up. It was a bit of a scene. Words and drinks were flying, and a lot of people caught it on camera. The whole scene got pretty ugly.”
“I’m sorry you went through that.”
Avalon’s nod seemed almost philosophical. Paige wondered what was behind that look.
“So, what does a photographer do when she’s not looking through a camera lens?”
She had to think for a moment. Her life had been fairly boring lately. “I originally thought I’d get a break after my last book came out. I was planning to take a trip somewhere. I like to go on photo excursions. The best part is getting lost and then finding things that I’d never have photographed if I’d stayed on track. But before I knew it, I was asked to get going on this project.”
“You’re behind your camera most of the time?”
She laughed, a little self-conscious. “No. I mean I have a life.”,
Avalon was watching her, an adorable sideways grin on her face that made Paige’s foot bounce in both nervousness and excitement.
“I do!” She couldn’t help but grin because she knew the stare was a challenge. “My best friend, Chris, and I do a lot of things together. I bike, sometimes. I…”
Avalon waited, which made it harder for Paige to think of anything interesting.
She looked up, scanning the interior of the motor home for nothing in particular. “Mostly, I’ve been getting used to being with me again. My lover and I broke up and it was pretty horrible for me.” When she looked back at Avalon, a flood of warmth filled her because her expression was so gentle and caring. It also rattled her a bit.
“What happened?” Avalon said.
“I guess the usual breakup. We grew apart. She wasn’t the easiest person to live with. Maybe I wasn’t, either. She was prone to depression and could get pretty mean. I suppose one too many nasty remarks finally made me see that I was becoming extremely unhappy.”
“I’m
“Yup.”
She dropped her head in her hand. “Ughhhh.”
Paige sat down next to her. “What’s the matter? Do you need the medic again?”
“No, my head doesn’t hurt. But my self-esteem just got its ass kicked.”
“If it’s any consolation, it was a fantastic photo op.”
Avalon lifted her head and laughed. “Ouch! Okay, my head does hurt.”
“What can I do?”
“Delete those pictures.”
“Sorry, I can’t obliterate true drama.”
Avalon squinted in what looked like mock annoyance. “Then how about going over to that cabinet under the sink and fetching me some medicine?”
“Sure.” She jumped up and walked over to the sink. “Am I looking for a bottle of pills?”
“No. You’re looking for the bottle of whiskey,” Avalon said as she picked up the camera Paige had left on the couch.
“Keep your hands off that,” she said without turning around.
“How did you know I had your camera?”
“If it had happened to me, I’d be doing the same thing.”
“So you’re sympathetic to my embarrassing plight?”
“I am,” Paige said as she poured oak-tinged liquid into a small glass. “From awkward moments come graceful pictures.”
“Pour yourself some,” Avalon said. “Is that some famous quote?”
“I just made it up so you’d leave my camera alone.”
Avalon put the camera down and Paige returned with two glasses.
“Here.” She handed Avalon one. “I don’t know if this will help, though.”
“It certainly won’t hurt.” Avalon raised her glass to her and they both drank.
She grimaced as the liquid singed her throat and smoldered in her stomach. “Wow.”
“It’s a nice way to end the workday,” Avalon said.
After they both took another sip, Paige said, “What’s it like to have the paparazzi all up in your grill?”
“A necessary evil, I suppose.”
“What did they mean about going back to Club Raunch?”
“You’re probably the only one who hasn’t heard. That was where my ex and I broke up. It was a bit of a scene. Words and drinks were flying, and a lot of people caught it on camera. The whole scene got pretty ugly.”
“I’m sorry you went through that.”
Avalon’s nod seemed almost philosophical. Paige wondered what was behind that look.
“So, what does a photographer do when she’s not looking through a camera lens?”
She had to think for a moment. Her life had been fairly boring lately. “I originally thought I’d get a break after my last book came out. I was planning to take a trip somewhere. I like to go on photo excursions. The best part is getting lost and then finding things that I’d never have photographed if I’d stayed on track. But before I knew it, I was asked to get going on this project.”
“You’re behind your camera most of the time?”
She laughed, a little self-conscious. “No. I mean I have a life.”,
Avalon was watching her, an adorable sideways grin on her face that made Paige’s foot bounce in both nervousness and excitement.
“I do!” She couldn’t help but grin because she knew the stare was a challenge. “My best friend, Chris, and I do a lot of things together. I bike, sometimes. I…”
Avalon waited, which made it harder for Paige to think of anything interesting.
She looked up, scanning the interior of the motor home for nothing in particular. “Mostly, I’ve been getting used to being with me again. My lover and I broke up and it was pretty horrible for me.” When she looked back at Avalon, a flood of warmth filled her because her expression was so gentle and caring. It also rattled her a bit.
“What happened?” Avalon said.
“I guess the usual breakup. We grew apart. She wasn’t the easiest person to live with. Maybe I wasn’t, either. She was prone to depression and could get pretty mean. I suppose one too many nasty remarks finally made me see that I was becoming extremely unhappy.”
“I’m
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