Chapter 02 CAM
The email hit my inbox a couple weeks after I sent in the application. When I got the notification on my phone at work, I almost squealed from where I stood in the historical fiction section of the library, putting back newly returned books in their proper homes on the shelves.
I looked around me to make sure no one was nearby, and then I did a quiet little happy dance. In a few short weeks’ time, I’d be at a couple’s photoshoot, meeting a complete stranger. I couldn’t think of anything more exhilarating.
I must have still been grinning like a total cheeseball when Ian found me, hauling another stack of books in their arms for me to put back. “What’s with you?“
they whispered with a cocked eyebrow and a glint of their usual sass.
Instead of answering right away, I stuck my tongue out at them as they placed the books on my cart.
“Dramatic. Tell me.”
“You know that photoshoot application you sent to me a couple weeks ago?”
Ian nodded. “You got in?”
I bit down on my lower lip and suppressed another squeal. “I’m so excited, I could run a half marathon right now.”
Ian snorted. “Right. You, my very best friend who loathes working out.”
“Shut up,“
I muttered with a smile.
Ian crossed their arms and leaned against the shelves. “When’s the shoot? Do you have any details yet?”
A mother with her young son walked down the aisle, so I shelved a couple of books and waited until they rounded the corner to reply. “Second Tuesday in October. It’s going to be a sunset shoot!”
“Where at?”
“Out there in Miccosukee—McIntyre Park.”
“Ooo,“
Ian whisper-screamed while wiggling their eyebrows. “That’s romantic.”
Ian’s right—McIntyre Park is romantic. It’s a hotspot for weddings and engagement sessions. The park was about forty minutes away from where I lived in Tallahassee, so I knew the drive wouldn’t be bad at all. I’d never been there, but I’d seen a lot of pictures from friends who’d gone and posted their photos on social media. The rolling hills of the park had giant oak trees adorned with Spanish moss scattered throughout the premises, a sizable pond nearby, and a beautiful old mansion. From what I’d seen online, it was utterly gorgeous. It had the old southern charm that always kept me rooted here, in my hometown. I was sure it would be breathtaking at sunset.
What would be more exciting than visiting the park for the first time would be meeting the mystery woman I’d be doing the photoshoot with. As a lesbian in my hometown, I pretty much already knew the dating pool and had already made the rounds. The people here tended to fall within overlapping circles, so options were a bit limited. I hadn’t had a long-term relationship since college, and at first, I loved being single and discovering myself. But now, it had been years since I had anything serious, and I craved connection. Intimacy. Love, even. That’s not to say that this stranger and I would hit it off—but why not try? That’s why I was excited when Ian sent me the details about Sadie’s Strangers. You never know what will happen if you don’t take a risk every now and again.