She’d once been so carefree. But after years of carrying so many responsibilities, she’d turned cautious, weighing every decision and assessing how her actions might impact those around her…especially those she dearly loved. It was exhausting at best. At worst, she often wondered if she even knew who she was anymore.
Where had that girl gone?
Charlie Grace looked up and caught his gaze. Something shifted within her. He seemed to read her thoughts and see right through her into the very depths of her soul. It was both exhilarating and terrifying to be seen so completely by another person. A stranger even.
But as she looked into his eyes, she saw no judgment. Only understanding.
“I get it,” he told her. “I’ve learned sometimes you need to cut the strings to keep from becoming a Pinocchio.”
Nick uncapped his camera, then reached and brushed a strand of hair back from her face. “Do you mind?”
Her breath caught. Feeling self-conscious, she shook her head no.
He unclipped her hair and watched it fall free from the restraint. Smiling, Nick pointed his lens.
Click, click, click.
“I hope you didn’t think that was creepy,” he said. “It’s just that…well, I wanted to capture this moment, the way the sunlight reflects off your hair.”
Her hand instinctively went to the long curls lying across her shoulder.
He withdrew the camera strap from around his neck and held his camera out to her. “Here. Try it.”
She hesitated. It had been so long since she held a real camera. This particular model was no point-and-shoot, but way more complex…and more expensive. As she looked into his eyes, all she saw was trust. How could she refuse?
With trembling hands, she took his camera, feeling the weight of it in her hands, and for a moment, she was transported back to a time when photography made her so happy. As she brought the camera to her eye, she felt a thrill of excitement, as if she were reconnecting with an old friend.
“My, this lens is amazing,” she whispered as the world beyond shifted into focus. She scanned the horizon, landing on a bluebird with its bright, cerulean blue plumage that was almost iridescent in the morning sunlight.
Charlie Grace adjusted the lens with her fingers, zooming in until she could see the smooth lines of the small bird’s sleek feathers and its pointed beak perfectly designed for snatching insects out of the air.
She snapped a shot and grinned. Then took another.
The bird went airborne and flitted from tree to tree, moving with a grace and fluidity that was almost otherworldly.
Charlie Grace lowered the camera and sighed. “Did you see it? The bird?”
Nick nodded. “I am stunned by the beauty of this place you get to call home.”
She reluctantly handed him his camera. “Thank you. That made my morning. And it certainly has prompted me to pull my camera back out.”
“I hope so,” he told her, smiling.
“Well, hey…I have a daughter I must get ready for school. See you at breakfast?”
He again nodded. “At breakfast.”
Charlie Grace couldn’t keep the smile from her face as she backed away, already feeling a twinge of disappointment that duty called, and this chance encounter was at an end.
“Okay, yeah…see you at breakfast.” She slowly took a couple more steps back.
Nick’s lips curled into a gentle smile. He watched her intently. She could see a hint of mischief in his eyes, his gaze warm and playful.
It made her feel special.
She quickly glanced at her watch. “Oh, my goodness! I’m late.” She gave him a quick wave, then turned and broke into a full run toward the house. With every pounding step, she carried his smile with her.
16
