Page 92 of The Christmas Holiday
‘Now you don’t have to. Here,’ he said, dismissing my protest and handing me the camera. ‘They start there.’
He really was talented. Whether it waslandscape, architecture or portraits, Hunter had a touch that effortlessly stepped it up and created shots on a whole new level. His photographs tonight clearly captured the joy, fun and excitement of the evening, not to mention the love between his two friends.
‘Oh! I love that one,’ I smiled, turning the camera back towards him to show him the one I meant. Liv had her head back, laughing,and was tilted at forty-five degrees having slipped on the ice and been caught by her fiancé, who had joined in the laughter and was looking at her with such love in his eyes that it almost brought tears to my own.
‘Yeah, me too.’ He turned his head and looked at me. ‘You’re going to be a mess at the wedding, aren’t you?’
I handed the camera back at him. ‘No! Not at all.’
‘You hadthat soft expression on your face. The one that only ever seems to happen when you think no one’s watching.’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
He rubbed his hand over his mouth, his fingers stretching to his jawline. ‘You’re totally impossible. You do know that, don’t you?’
‘If I didn’t, the fact you feel the need to remind me so often keeps me more than aware.’
I met hiseyes defiantly and felt the smile begin. The crinkle began around his eyes and the curve of his mouth strengthened.
‘I’m glad you are in a way.’
I laughed. ‘That, I find hard to believe.’
Hunter glanced out onto the ice, and returned the wave Liv sent him as they sailed past. His blue gaze then turned and settled firmly on me.
‘Anyone else might have taken the hint that I didn’twant them on the trip and pulled out.’
‘I think telling me flat-out at the first meeting that you’d tried to replace me counts as a little more than a hint.’
He gave a chuckle. ‘Probably true.’
‘Definitely true.’
‘But you’re pretty hard to replace.’
‘I really wanted the job.’
Hunter frowned, ‘No. I meant—’
‘Oh my God! I’m going to have bruises for weeks! I’m not suremy backside is ever going to be the same.’ Liv clomped towards us on her skates and slumped into a seat. ‘Ow,’ she said as her bum protested at the action.
‘I’ll be happy to take on a study of that,’ Sandy teased, pulling up the chair next to her and flopping down. ‘You two all right?’
‘Yep.’ Hunter smiled, but I noticed a slight tightness in his jaw that hadn’t been there before.
‘I was just about to head back to the hotel, actually. Mia? Do you want to share a cab?’
‘I’m more than ready to go, if you can wait a minute?’ Liv said as she hung her head upside down and fought with the laces on her skates. ‘Then we could all go together.’ She tipped herself back up, having loosened the boots. ‘I’m going to really miss not being with you two! I want to make it last as longas possible.’
‘Sure,’ Hunter nodded, smiling at her. ‘We can wait.’
‘Oh, you are a sweetie, really,’ Liv grinned as she and Sandeep clomped back ahead of us to exchange their skates for shoes.
‘I’d appreciate you keeping that information to yourself, though, if you don’t mind,’ Hunter teased her.
‘What’s it worth?’ Liv asked, thunking the skates down on the counter.
Huntertook a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he thought. ‘How about me not getting hold of your phone and deleting every single selfie you’ve ever taken?’
