Chapter 7
That afternoon, Sierra hovered over her phone, thumbs tapping in a rhythm only she could hear. Twenty-four hours. Was it too soon? She paced while Salem judged her from his perch atop the couch. She typed, paused, deleted, and typed again:
Sierra: Hey Lauren, these turned out incredible. You’re so photogenic you made it easy.
She stared at it and then hit send. Her phone buzzed almost instantly.
Sierra grinned at the screen like a complete dork and typed back a breathless yes.
Lauren’s makeup studio took up one corner—white muslin over windows, ring light against the wall, palettes cluttered across the table.
The entire space glowed with the perfect soft light photographers dream about.
The air carried a mix of vanilla and the sharp bite of alcohol cleanser, a scent Sierra already linked to her without thinking.
Barefoot and wearing an oversized smock freckled with color, Lauren leaned over a model whose smooth brown skin set off luminous green eyes. Her movements were steady, like those of a painter, each brushstroke coaxing shimmer into shape along the curve of a lash line.
Sierra lowered into a crouch behind her camera, finger resting above the shutter.
Click. Click. Click.
It wasn’t just the model who was captivating, but Lauren too.
There was something magnetic in the way she worked.
The precision, the softness, the trust between her and the client.
Watching her felt like watching art in motion, as if Lauren had reached inside the model and pulled confidence forward to sit on her skin.
Between shots, Lauren snapped behind-the-scenes photos on her phone, stealing moments of the process. Once, Sierra caught her pointing the lens toward her instead. Their eyes met, and Lauren smiled before turning away with a small laugh under her breath.
“These are going to be amazing.” Lauren touched Sierra’s hand. Her voice was light, but her eyes held something warmer. “I mean it. You’re making me look real good right now.”
Sierra’s heart skittered. “I could say the same.”
The shoot kept its energy light and playful.
The model shifted from fierce to goofy without warning, tossing a wink toward Sierra or striking a mock runway pose with a hair flip.
Lauren laughed more freely now, her voice rising above the shutter clicks.
When Sierra caught a frame where Lauren was adjusting a collar with her tongue poking out in concentration, she couldn’t help but smile behind the camera.
After it wrapped, Sierra grabbed her laptop and slid the SD card in with careful fingers.
Images bloomed onto the screen, one after another.
The model’s cheekbones gleamed, glitter catching like frost. There was Lauren too, mid-motion, hand on a brush, or reaching to tuck a strand of hair.
Sierra stole a glance at Lauren, chin nearly brushing her shoulder.
Lauren’s expression softened with each photo. “These are... damn. You’re seriously talented.”
Sierra felt the compliment curl through her like a warm hug. “You’re the one doing all the magic.”
“I push powders around, but you’re the one catching lightning.” She hesitated, then tugged out her phone. “Look, I got some of you too.”
Lauren flipped through a few quick snapshots of Sierra behind her camera, head tilted in focus. One where she was laughing with the model and another mid-squint as she adjusted her lens. The angles weren’t perfect, but the feeling was there.
Lauren questioned with self-doubt. “These are cute, right? Not professional or anything, but good vibes.”
Sierra smiled. “They’re more than cute, and they’re honest.”
Lauren glanced up. “Do you mind if I post a couple of these?”
“Only if you promise to tag me.”
Lauren’s eyes sparkled. “Well obviously I will.”
A few taps later, Sierra’s phone buzzed.
Lauren: My girl @SierraFrames absolutely crushed this shoot today. Camera magic. I can’t wait to do it again. ??
Sierra stared at the words on her screen, warmth blooming across her chest. My girl. Her cheeks ached from smiling.
As they packed up the equipment, their hands brushed over a compact. The touch was brief, a little clumsy, but neither of them pulled away too fast. They shared a look, a flicker of unspoken emotion that both of them felt.
“You have an eye for this.” Lauren’s voice had dropped to something gentler. “It’s not just technical. You see people.”
Sierra blinked. “That means a lot, especially coming from someone who makes people feel beautiful for a living.”
Lauren looked like she had something else to add, but she just nodded. “We make a good team.”
Back at home, Sierra sank into her couch, still riding the high. Afternoon sun spilled across the floor. Salem sprawled on the cushion with his usual disdain. Sierra set her tea on the coffee table, reached for her phone and dialed Thalia without thinking.
“Thalia, I’m on cloud nine, and I can’t feel my feet.”
“That sounds dramatic, even for you, so what happened?”
Sierra flopped backward, staring at the ceiling as if it held answers. “Lauren asked me to shoot a makeup session and it was amazing. Like, actually amazing, but it wasn’t just the shoot. I mean, that was great, but... being around her.”
“She’s kind of magnetic, isn’t she?”
“Magnetic isn’t even the right word. It’s like she walks into the room and the light listens.”
Thalia let out a small sigh. “Okay, poet. So, are you going to ask her out or are you going to talk about her like a Victorian diary for another month?”
Sierra buried her face in a throw pillow. “I don’t want to ruin anything, but we’re working together again next month. It’s a collab series, so I’ll see her a lot.”
“Then ease into it and maybe suggest coffee or tea. There’s less pressure that way.”
Sierra sat up, heart fluttering again. “It’s casual, smart, and friendly but could be flirty.”
“Exactly, Sierra, so don’t overthink it.”
Which of course meant she was now going to do nothing but overthink it. Still, Sierra opened her messages and started typing.
Sierra: Hey Lauren. I’m still buzzing from Friday and was wondering if you’d want to grab coffee Wednesday morning? I promise great espresso, and I’d love to pick your brain about makeup secrets.
She stared at the message for way too long and then finally hit send. Seconds later.
Lauren: Hey Sierra! I’m still not over how amazing those shots turned out. Coffee on Wednesday sounds perfect. How about 9 AM at Bean and Bloom? I’d love to trade makeup tips for photography secrets. Can’t wait!
Sierra read it twice, then read it again, and her whole body tingled.
She picked up Salem, stood up in the middle of the living room and spun once, bare feet sliding on the hardwood. Salem blinked at her as if she’d lost her mind.
“I’m in trouble, Salem, but it’s the best kind.”
He blinked, flicked his tail, and pawed at her chin as if he disapproved of this nonsense.
She laughed, setting him down with a kiss on the top of his head. Still smiling, she pulled her hair back into a bun, tucked her phone into her pocket, and took a deep breath.
Coffee on Wednesday, a new shoot on the horizon, and maybe... something more.