Chapter 53
Hey Girly! Just checking in. My friend’s sister says she’s starting to receive a lot of applications, but she’s still interested in checking out your portfolio before she makes any decisions.
McKenna winced at the text message from Briella. She’d stepped outside to snap a few pictures with the Polaroid camera to make sure it was still working before tonight’s dance.
Resting the camera on top of the fence post next to the goat pen, McKenna ignored the humidity making her T-shirt stick to her back and forced herself to respond.
Thanks for the heads-up! The black goat with the white patch around his eye poked his head through the fence. McKenna knelt to scratch behind his ears a few seconds before another message pinged back.
So are you still planning to apply? Not trying to pressure you, but I get the impression this window of opportunity will be closing soon.
She straightened from the goat. I know. And yes, still planning to apply.
Okay. Glad to hear it! Let me know if you need anything. Praying for you! You’ve worked so hard for so many years. You deserve an opportunity like this.
McKenna stared at the message, sweat trickling down her back. She’d worked hard, that part was true. But she didn’t know about the whole deserve aspect. It’s not like there was anything special about her.
“If anything, I’m probably less qualified than most other candidates,” she said to the goat who was devouring a patch of weeds next to one of the fence posts. “This is the part where you say, No, no, McKenna, you’re a talented and amazing photographer. She’d be lucky to have you.”
The goat lifted his head and a clump of green fell from his mouth.
“I’ll take that as a sign of agreement. Thank you.”
One of the brown goats bleated and wandered her way. “What’s that? You think I’m being disloyal to Mr. Sullivan?”
The goat bleated again.
“I’m not saying you’re wrong. In fact, you make a good point.
I do owe him for giving me a job and teaching me everything I know about photography when I had nowhere else to turn.
And yes, of course I realize that I wouldn’t be a candidate for this job at all if it hadn’t been for everything he’s taught me.
But that doesn’t mean I need to stay at his studio forever, does it?
Couldn’t I at least move on once he gets comfortable working with Kristi? ”
The goats both peered back at her with all sorts of earthy filth hanging out of their mouths. “Are you even supposed to be eating that?”
“There you are,” Nate’s voice called out from behind her. “Better get dressed, little lady. Word on the street is you’ve got yourself the hottest date in all of Bugle tonight.”
“We’ll finish this conversation later,” McKenna said to the goats before turning to face Nate.
“Oh my.” She didn’t know what she was expecting to see, but a handsome Easter egg was not on the list.
“Wow,” she said with a laugh, lifting the camera to take a shot of Nate standing there with his hands in the pockets of a pair of baby blue dress pants with matching suspenders.
A pale-yellow button-down shirt stretched tight across his chest. “This one’s definitely going on the fridge,” she said, shaking the Polaroid picture.
“Like it?” he said, clicking the heels of his shiny white shoes together.
She nodded, still giggling. “I especially love how the pants are about three inches too short.”
“Yeah, well, that’s because Gus is about three inches too short. When he said he had something I could borrow, I should’ve asked for more details.”
McKenna finally tore her gaze away from his outfit long enough to notice his shorter-styled hair. “Did you get a haircut?”
“Hey, it’s the Bugle Dominoes Dance, baby. Go hard or go home, right?” He ran a hand over his dark hair, patting down the cowlick that wasn’t so prominent now.
“You certainly didn’t go home. My goodness. Not sure I’ve ever seen you so well-groomed. You may very well be the hottest date in all of Bugle.”
“And I think we both know how much that’s saying. Now, not to sound rude, but I can’t help wondering why you aren’t well-groomed.” He tapped the watch on his wrist. “We need to leave in an hour. Don’t women need, like, ten hours to get ready?”
“Not when they don’t have dapper outfits like yours to wear. All I have is the one dress I always wear, which only takes about five seconds to put on. I’m afraid what you see is what you get.”
“I like what I see,” Nate said a shade quieter. A shade closer. A shade more serious.
McKenna took an unbalanced step back, her laugh self-deprecating.
“Sure those glasses are still working for you? What you see right now is a sweaty woman with . . . very dirty knees.” Probably from kneeling next to the goat pen.
“I’m going to go groom. I mean, shower. What you see isn’t what you get.
I can do better. Not necessarily with my hair, but—” She motioned to the rest of her. “You know what I mean.”
McKenna started past him, but his hand snagged her to his side. The subtle spicy scent of his aftershave tempted her closer.
“Yes?” she said as his hazel eyes roamed her face. Almost like he was taking note of every single freckle. Hopefully not, because that was an endeavor that could take ages. And what man would want to take note of every one of her freckles anyway?
“Nate?” she said, hearing the insecurity leak out in her brief laugh.
His eyes remained locked on hers as he tilted his head, pausing a breath away from her lips. “I like what I see, McKenna,” he whispered.
Then his lips pressed against hers. Quick. Too quick.
He was already back to the B&B and disappearing into the house before McKenna remembered to breathe, let alone find her voice and say something along the lines of Get back here, mister. I want to do that again.
What was going on between them? Something was going on between them.
And she didn’t think she could wait until after the Harry Connick Junior concert to figure out what.
Because deep down she couldn’t help hoping that something good was going on here, and she was special enough, at least in one man’s eyes, to deserve it.