Page 90 of One More Shot
‘No,’ Bailey shakes her head. ‘I meant me and you. Just one photo.’
In all my years of wedding photography, I don’t think a bride has ever askedmeto be in a photo. Blending into the background and becoming invisible is a core part of my job, and I’ve never been asked to stand in the spotlight before.
‘Why?’
Bailey gives me a wry smile as she takes my hands in hers and squeezes gently. ‘I’m not going to push anything because it’s definitely not my place, but also… I’m not blind.’
Amber muffles a snort from her spot on the bed but otherwise pretends to be very interested in the buckle on her shoe to give me and Bailey some semblance of privacy.
Bailey squeezes my hands again. ‘There’s something between you and Dane. Something real.’
‘I—’
‘And if there’s a chance that my future sister-in-law is at my wedding right now, I need to make sure I’ve got at least one photo with you.’ The smile on her face is completely genuine. ‘Just one. So we have something to look back on in ten years and remember this moment.’
‘Bailey, I—’
‘I know how Dane is with relationships and dating,’ Bailey says, completely ignoring my attempt at an interruption. ‘But he’s different with you. We’ve all noticed it.’
Amber nods. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy with someone before.’
‘We’re just friends,’ I force out, but the words feel wrong on my tongue.
Bailey raises a brow. ‘Right. Okay then. Well, as Dane’s very good friend—’
Another snort from Amber.
‘I’d really like a photo with you.’
My response hasn’t changed. ‘Why?’
‘Because you’re important to Dane, so you’re importantto me,’ Bailey says simply. ‘Even if you guys haven’t figured it out yourselves yet.’
I can tell she’s not going to budge on this, however ridiculous she sounds. ‘Fine,’ I say, dragging the word out as much as possible to make my displeasure clear. I don’t think Bailey cares, though. ‘Just the one.’
Bailey beams like she’s just won the lottery and I pass my camera over to Amber and allow myself to be pulled into a one-armed hug with Bailey.
Amber ignores the ‘just one’ rule and takes a handful of photos of the two of us. I have to pray that the smile on my face isn’t as awkward as it feels.
‘I meant what I said, Eliott,’ Bailey says through her smile, still holding me close. ‘In ten years we’re going to look back on this photo and feel so glad that we took it.’
Ten years…
I try to picture myself ten years from now and, to my surprise, a vision comes to me quite clearly. I’m sat at a large dining table with Cash and Bailey hovering to my right, and Amber and Finn hovering to my left. Dane is tucked close beside me. He looks older – we both do, but we also look happy.
Sohappy.
Everyone is flicking through what I quickly realise is a wedding album. Bailey and Cash’s wedding album.
I’m smiling as we turn the page and land on a photo of me and Bailey.
‘There we go,’ Bailey murmurs next to me, snapping me out of the daydream I’m rapidly descending into. ‘You see what I mean?’
‘Yeah,’ I say, my lips curving upwards into a genuine grin for the first time since Bailey suggested we do this. ‘I do.’
Chapter Twenty-NineDANE
‘… So if you’ll all join me in raising a toast to the new Mr and Mrs Reid!’
