Chapter 17
Lacy forced herself to wait five minutes after Drake left the room before gathering her camera bag, room keycard, and wallet. She then picked Snowball up and hugged her tight.
“Wish me luck,” she whispered. “But tomorrow will be the real test. Guard the rooms, Snowball. We’ll be back later.”
She left by her room door and was not surprised the hallway was empty. Walking toward the elevator bank, she wondered if there were really people staying in the other rooms, or if they were the only ones on the floor.
Then she reminded herself that the evening’s party was due to begin in the next five minutes.
Any convention-goers were probably already downstairs, waiting to be let into the room.
She should probably be there already, taking pictures of the partygoers, but the organizers had not been too specific about what they wanted photographed.
She would have to find one and get more specifics as to exactly what they wanted from her.
Drake’s declaration continued to haunt her, and she could not help smiling as the elevator opened with a half dozen women already on board.
“Room for one more?” she asked as they shifted around.
“Sure, always room for one more,” an older woman said, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the moving box.
Lacy turned just in time to watch the doors come together just inches from her nose.
Her heart began to pound and she slammed her eyes shut and began to count, not listening to the chatter of the other passengers, just waiting to get out again.
Thankfully the trip was short and the doors opened before she passed out from not breathing.
She wasn’t sure why she didn’t like crowded elevators, but she didn’t.
One or two other riders were okay, but more than that and she became claustrophobic.
Quickly exiting the elevator, she hurried to the lobby. She needed a soda and preferred a bottle she opened herself. After buying that, plus a package of crackers that she slipped into the pocket of her bag, she headed to the back of the building where the evening’s gathering was being held.
Skipping the line of a couple dozen readers who were checking in, she slipped around the table and grabbed one of the volunteers. “I’m looking for Cressida Brioni. Do you know where she is?”
“You’re Lacy, the photographer, right?” the volunteer asked as she reached for a walkie-talkie.
“I am.”
The volunteer nodded and turned away. After a minute, she returned with a cloth bag, which she handed to Lacy.
“This is for you. It’s got the schedule, your t-shirt and mug, and some swag.
Cressida is on her way. If you want to head in that direction, you’ll run into her.
” The woman pointed to the left of the table where Lacy could see a hallway ran down the side of the room where tonight’s event was beginning.
“Thanks!” Lacy took the bag and headed in the direction the volunteer had indicated.
She really wished Drake was beside her, but she suspected that wouldn’t happen nearly as much as she might want this weekend. After all, they both had responsibilities to the people who had paid them to be there. She would just have to make the best of the time they could be together.
Turning the corner, she saw the short, slim, brunette powerhouse who was responsible for organizing the book signing weekend. She looked just like her pictures on social media.
“Hi, Cressida, I’m Lacy Grey,” she said once they were a few feet apart. “I just wanted to get confirmation of what you wanted me to take pictures of this weekend.”
“Oh, Lacy, great to meet you in person. To answer your question, shoot everything. Anything. People, table decorations, the dance party, whatever strikes your fancy. Tomorrow morning, I want to get everyone together before the sighing for a group shot, and if you could go around and take pictures of each author at their table that would be great.”
Lacy nodded as she mentally filed away the information. “That sounds totally doable.”
“Great. Oh, I’ve also had a couple of authors ask if you were available to shoot new headshots for them.”
“Sure, I’d be happy to. Tell them to find me and we can set up times and places.”
“Wonderful. Thank you. You’re a doll. Now, you’ll have to excuse me. I have a dozen fires needing me to put them out. But we’ll talk again, yes?”
“Sure,” Lacy responded to the back of Cressida’s head as she hurried away.
Entering the room where the evening’s meet and greet for authors, assistants, volunteers, and others involved in the signing was going on, Lacy automatically scanned the room, looking for Drake.
She smiled when she found him sitting on the edge of the stage at the far end of the room with a group of giggling women gathered around him.
Moving to an empty corner of the room, she pulled out her wallet and slid it in her back pocket, then retrieved her camera before leaving the rest of her gear on the floor.
Taking a deep breath, she turned and began shooting the room to establish where this portion of the event was taking place.
She then went to the side tables where snacks and drinks were set up.
Taking a series of shots to capture all the goodies, she began wandering the room and taking pictures of the group.
She circled Drake but did not approach him.
She did wonder what would happen if she stepped between him and the older woman who was flirting hard.
When Cressida stepped up on stage and called for attention, Lacy took several pictures of her before retreating to the back of the crowd and sat down at an empty table.
In the process, she lost track of her Daddy.
While he tried to stay focused on everyone around him, and not keep track of where Lacy was at every moment, it was difficult.
He smiled and gave hugs and talked to the readers who followed him on social media.
He watched her come into the room and wander around the space taking pictures of everything.
Once the mistress of ceremonies began the evening’s program, he slipped around the edge of the room. After filling a plate with goodies from the snack bar and grabbing two bottles of water, he continued to where Lacy had settled at one of the back tables.
“Hi,” he said as he sat in the chair beside her.
They were at a table farthest from the stage, so he felt safe whispering without drawing too much attention.
When she jumped with a gasp, he laid a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, Lacy-girl, it’s just me.”
“You scared me,” she whispered, smacking his arm. “Don’t do that again.”
Though he wanted to grin, he forced his expression to be stern as he looked into her eyes. “Don’t hit, little girl, or there will be consequences later.”
Lacy immediately softened and dropped her gaze. “Sorry, Daddy. But it was your fault. You snuck up on me.”
“It’s okay. I’m sorry I surprised you. To make amends, I’ll share my food with you,” he said, setting a bottle of water in front of her and sliding the plate piled high with various snacks closer to her.
She looked from the plate to him and suddenly he watched as her eyes grew glassy with unshed tears.
“Lacy? What’s wrong, Lacy-girl?”
“You’re willing to share your snacks with me. That’s so sweet, Daddy. Thank you,” she said as she plucked a bite-size muffin from the plate and popped it into her mouth.
Before Drake could suggest they skip out and find an empty closet with a lock, a trio of women approached the table. They looked nervous, so he smiled, hoping to help to relax them. “Good afternoon, ladies.”
“Hello,” they said in chorus before turning their attention to Lacy.
“You’re Lacy Grey, the photographer, right?” the one in the middle said. She was apparently the spokeswoman of the group.
He sat back and ate an apple slice while Lacy straightened in her seat.
“Yes, I’m Lacy. Can I help you?”
“Cressida told us we could talk to you about doing new headshots?”
“Yes, I’d be glad to. How about we step outside to talk? Or, if you’d prefer, we could go ahead and do them right now. It shouldn’t take too long.”
The women went wide-eyed and exchanged looks before nodding as if one hand controlled all three heads. “That would be wonderful. Is what we’re wearing okay to do them now?”
“If you’d like my opinion, I think you all look great,” Drake said with a smile.
The three women giggled and blushed. “Thank you.”
“Let me grab my camera bag and I’ll meet you out in the hall and we’ll go find somewhere to take the pictures,” Lacy said as she pushed to her feet.
Drake had to remind himself he could not feel jealous when the women left without another word to him.
He watched as they trailed after Lacy out of the room like baby ducks following their mama.
He had to remind himself that Lacy was here to work just like he was.
Their alone time would have to wait until later the evening’s events had broken up.
With a smile, he began planning ways to use the time from now until then to stoke the fire that simmered between them.