Page 74 of Blame It on the Bikini
As she set down the phone, she let out a breath, still amazed by the opportunity that had just landed in her lap. She couldn't believe what was happening. A job in Morocco? How could she turn that down? She opened her calendar app. She didn't have any weddings scheduled for the next two weeks, which was good, because those contracts were impossible to break. Her other jobs could probably be rearranged or postponed.
A knock came at her door, and she wondered if the day was going to get even better if Grayson had decided to stop avoiding her. But it wasn't Grayson; it was her aunt.
"Aunt Josie," she said with a short smile. "Come in."
"I'm guessing I'm not the one you were hoping to see," Josie said with a knowing gleam in her eyes.
"I wasn't hoping to see anyone," she lied.
"I brought you the book I was telling you about." She held it up in her hand. "I finally finished it, and I think you'll love it."
She took the book as her aunt stepped into the apartment and shut the door behind her. "Thank you, but I don't think I'll have time for reading for a while."
As she set the book down on her dining room table, her aunt said, "Well, this is different. You changed the wall to your photographs."
"I thought it was time to look to myself for inspiration, instead of someone else."
"Good for you." Josie moved closer to the wall. "These are gorgeous. They'll sell in an instant when they go up in the gallery. Sienna is going to be delighted with all of this and more. I'm sure you're not done yet."
"I'm not done. I just got a crazy good invitation from Sienna. Her friend who works for New Frontiers magazine wants to buy my Joshua Tree photos, and she's also interested in hiring me for a shoot in Morocco."
"What? That is wonderful."
"The woman is going to call me at five today with the details, but I'd have to leave in about a week." She looked at her watch. "I have two hours to figure out how I can manage that."
"What's to figure out? You'll go to Morocco, shoot photos, and have the time of your life."
"But I have responsibilities. I have jobs I'll have to reschedule. Some of those clients might get angry. And I won't be able to help you as much."
"I can get by without your help, not that I don't appreciate it. But I would never stand in the way of you doing what you were meant to do."
"Maybe I'm not good enough." The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them.
Josie gave her a firm look. "Not a chance. Look at the wall, Lexie."
Her gaze flickered to the wall, then back to her aunt. "You're right. I'm just scared, but I'm also excited. I haven't traveled much and certainly not to a place like Morocco."
"This could be the beginning of a new chapter in your life."
"I'm just not sure I'm done with this chapter. I could be gone when Grayson makes his decision. If the building is going to be sold, there will be a lot to do in a short time. How can I not be here to help you through that?"
"If Grayson decides to sell, we'll have time to get organized and figure out our next move. I don't want you to make decisions based on that, because we don't know what's going to happen."
Despite her aunt's words, she didn't seem as unconcerned as she'd once been. "Do you know something?" she asked. "Because you're the one who has had faith this is all going to work out since the beginning. Now, you don't seem as certain."
"I still have hope that it will," Josie said. "But I did see Grayson put a suitcase into his car a short while ago before he drove away. Maybe it's just a short business trip, and he'll be back."
"Or maybe he's never coming back," she said heavily.
"Oh, honey, don't look so sad. We'll survive whatever is coming."
"I know we will. I just wish things were different. I wish Grayson wasn't hell-bent on selling our home. I thought once he was here, he would see how great it is."
"And you thought he would see how great you are, and he wouldn't be able to hurt you."
"Maybe," she conceded. "I know he doesn't want to hurt me. He's just very determined to make money for his father's business so that when he takes over officially, his father will believe it's in good hands. I'm also aware that this building sits on very valuable land. I'm sure he could make a fortune by selling it. I just don't want him to take away the place that I love."
"I understand. And you're not just unhappy about the possibility of losing this building; you're sad about Grayson. You're in love with him."
