Eight. Maisie
Eight
Maisie
FOUR MONTHS LATER
Maisie flitted in between guests, snapping candid shots of couples dancing, friends chatting, little kids making up games. She paused next to a table of groomsmen, planning to get a shot of them all chatting. She paused when an older gentleman slid his chair back, stood up, then held his hand out for his wife. Such a simple but thoughtful gesture. She ignored the pang in her chest, watching the sweetness unfold, threads of conversation wrapping around the music. The two brides hadn’t let go of each other all night. It was absolutely adorable and the wedding was elegant. Both women had three brothers each so instead of having any bridesmaids, all six men had stood up there with them. It was one of Maisie’s favorite weddings she’d ever photographed. The fact that it was for a very wealthy Seattle family who would certainly share her name around was just icing on the gorgeous cake.
“I had twenty bucks on tonight’s game,” one of the groomsmen said.
Maisie tried to unobtrusively take a couple shots.
“You probably would have won if King hadn’t blown his knee,” another said.
“That was a damn cheap shot the other guy took,” said the first.
Reaching over to grab a wine bottle, one of the other guys chimed in. “Yeah, but King hurt his knee years back when he was still a rookie.”
Maisie’s stomach churned, a buzzing sound filling her head. Athlete. Hockey. Nick King. He’d told her without telling her anything. And then he’d left without a word.
Grabbing a few more shots, Maisie wound her way toward the bar, in need of some water or a soda. She was almost done for the night but she didn’t want to go home to her apartment, curl into bed, and dream about him again.
When she’d gotten home from Hailey’s wedding, she’d still been so hurt that she didn’t even tell Lexi. She felt bad, not telling her closest friend, but, in her mind, telling Lexi would magnify its importance. It was just a moment in time. A blip. An amazing, heart-changing moment that she’d always remember.
The bartender smiled at her. “Hey, Maisie.”
He’d worked at other weddings she’d photographed. “Hey. Great party. Can I get a Coke?”
He poured it, told her about his buddy who was looking for waitresses near Pike Place if she knew of anyone. She thought of Lexi, who had decided the only way to really move forward was to finish her degree, so she was looking for some supplemental income. Maisie took a long sip of her drink and moved to the side of the room.
Laughter rippled in the swells of the music. When she’d gone online that morning months ago, there’d been several posts online about Wes Jansen’s wedding and his who’s who of guests. Including Nick.
Maisie wanted to believe what they’d shared was real, but she didn’t know if that made it hurt more or less.
Shaking off her mood, she pushed away from the wall where she’d been leaning.
Sulking wasn’t her style. She had several weddings and sessions booked over the next few months, and her brother-in-law had just secured them a Christmas getaway at a tree farm. Her sister was pregnant! She hadn’t seen her whole family in so long.
She had so much to look forward to. She wouldn’t let the memory of Nick King hold her back.