Page 4 of Curvy Crush
She pokes out her bottom lip. “Distract me. What’s been going on in your life?”
I take another sip of my wine and pick up a roll. I tear it in half and start buttering it. “Well, I spent my morning putting out all those fliers. It did some good. I booked three appointments today, and I got a call from an Evan Miles? He’s looking for someone to photograph his art for his new website. Do you know him?”
She’s taking a drink of her water, but she nods her head.
“What’s he like? What’s he look like? Have I ever met him?”
She presses her lips together. “I doubt it. He doesn’t get out much. He’s a great guy, but he’s an artist, and you know what they say about those.”
“No, what do they say?”
“You know, they’re a little grumpy from time to time because they’re always so focused on making the best art they can. He can be touchy and takes his art very seriously, but once you get to know him, he’s a great guy.”
I laugh. “That’s like saying he’s an asshole, but you’ll get used to it.”
She laughs and shrugs.
“Do you think I should even waste my time interviewing?”
Her brows pull together. “Of course I think you should take the interview. You’re talented, Lola. Anybody would be proud to have you work for them.”
I roll my eyes. “Now you’re just sucking up. What do you want?”
She laughs. “I’m serious. Go to the interview, get the details on the job, then decide if he’s good enough for you. Not the other way around. Got it?”
I hold back a smile, but I nod and we carry on with dinner.
It’s going on eight before we leave, and I managed to forget all about the interview while I had Stella to distract me. Now that I’m alone though, all I can think about is making a good impression. I’m a good photographer, and I know that, but I also get super nervous. When I get nervous, I get goofy. I make jokes I shouldn’t, I get overly talkative, and I have this nervous laugh that always gives me away. I just hope I don’t blow this interview.
When I get home, I get everything ready for tomorrow. I pick out a killer outfit, settling on a pair of black dress pants and a black, short-sleeved dress shirt. The shirt is one of those that cross in the front and it’s held together with a red sash. I plan on pairing the clothes with my favorite red pumps.
I remember that I haven’t updated my portfolio in a while, so I make the trip out to the backyard and let myself into my little she-shed. I sit behind my computer and flip through my portfolio as I click through images on the screen, deciding on which photos to remove and what I should replace them with. I like to have a variety of the kinds of photos I keep in my portfolio, but since this job will require more still-life photos, I take out a lot of the candid images and replace them with photos I’ve taken of landscapes. I pull stuff out and put stuff in, decide against it or find a picture I like better, and do it over and over until I’m finally okay with the selection. When I finish, I close the book, take a deep breath, and open it, wanting to see it with fresh eyes.
The first several pages are family pictures, then it moves onto special events such as weddings and parties. Then there is the environmental section that I took just for fun, all sceneries of landscapes, ponds, and overgrown grass. There’s a sunset, trees, and even some wildlife. I’m not so sure about some of these, but again, I want a variety.
Hours pass before I think I finally have everything together to kill the interview tomorrow. When everything is done and tidied, I go back inside my house and lock up. I take a long hot shower, where I take extra time shaving and prepping for my big day. By the time my head hits the pillow, I’m so relaxed that I drift into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Chapter Four
EVAN
Iwalk into the bar and grill and find Shepard already waiting for me. I see his slicked-back, raven-colored hair from the doorway, and head over, sitting across from him.
“Hey, long time no see,” I say as I slip into the seat.
His eyes widen and his lips turn up into a smile. “Hey, man. Good to see ya,” he says, slapping me on the shoulder.
“I hope you haven’t been waiting long. I got a little caught up in the studio.”
“Oh, no. I’ve only been here long enough to order a drink. How are things going with your art, anyway? I feel like we haven’t spoken in years.”
I nod. “Good, good. I’ve been hired to paint a series for the art department at the local high school.”
His brows raise. “That’s great. How’s the website coming along?”
I nod as I pour a beer from the pitcher on the table. “It’s not up and running yet, but we’re working on it. I’ve hired a design team to build the website, and I’m interviewing photographers tomorrow to take the pictures to post online. It’s a small town so these things take time. It’s not like living in a big city where there are millions of people who are all fighting for the same job.”
Shepard laughs.
