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2

ROSE

Rose frantically selecteda few dozen photos and applied a new exposure level to each.I have to get these out before I leave.

With Photoshop open, she got to work trying to cover up the few blemishes on the bride’s face. Rose thought she looked beautiful as is, but the client had requested they be removed.

A yawn forced its way forward, her recent string of sleepless nights finally hitting her. With a few quick adjustments, Rose saved each photo and dumped them into a shared folder with the clients. Once everything was uploaded, she slammed her computer shut and shot up from her couch.

She zipped around her yellow apartment, her deep red hair blowing in the wind her movements stirred up. Every one of her friends had told her not to paint the place when she moved in, that it would just be another thing to do when she inevitably moved out in a couple of years. But here she was, two years into her lease and still loving the warmth of the afternoon sun glowing on her golden walls.

Trying to center herself back to the task at hand, Rose started running a mental checklist of everything she’d need for the shoot. She looked around her place, trying to remember what was missing.

“Crap, where did I put that?” Rose twirled her long hair with her index finger as she tried to jog her memory.

Looking around the room, it was impossible to find anything. Though Rose would tell anyone that it was organized chaos. She paced around the room, scanning every surface in sight for her camera bag.

Rose was growing more desperate by the second. “Icannotbe late for this.” She closed her eyes and let a breath fill her lungs. The smell of the incense she burned earlier in the day stung the inside of her nostrils.

But a lightning strike smashed into Rose’s mind. “Got it!” She darted over to the kitchen counter where a compact, blue case sat.

She flung open the lid and double-checked that she had a few batteries, her camera, and a couple of lenses. Clicking the case closed, Rose clasped the buckle and tightened the straps before setting the case in a pink “Lavender Menace” tote bag.

Before she could run out of the door, her phone buzzed with a text. Rose blushed as she saw the name that popped up on her screen.

Shannon: Hey sweet thing, we still on for tonight?

Like a teenager with their first crush, Rose giggled and began typing a message back. Her finger hovered over the send button before she finally let her skin meet the screen.

Definitely. I want to see you every chance I get.

Rose tapped her finger against her phone case as she waited for another reply from Shannon. But after a minute, her eyes darted to the time on the top of her phone.

“Right, gotta keep moving.” Rose smiled to herself as she grabbed her things and ran out of the door.

It was only going to take her twenty minutes to get there, but she needed to make sure she had time to hide. The last thing she wanted was to ruin the surprise for her friend.Or screw up a job.

3

DREW

The slopeup Daffodil Hill was steep. Lifting their camera to their face, Drew pretended to take pictures of the landscape off the path. They slowly turned their body toward a couple walking a dozen yards ahead.

Ellen, the woman who had hired Drew, was blushing as she held hands with her girlfriend, Finley; the couple was a nauseatingly perfect picture of love. Drew clicked their camera.

As the couple continued up the hill, unaware of their tail, Drew tried to frame up a nice, parallel shot of the two of them walking. But each time they almost had the shot, a woman stepped in front of Drew’s lens, her red hair flying into frame from seemingly every angle.

Seriously?Drew rolled their eyes as the woman continued to weave into her shots.I’m not going to have anything usable.

Drew tried to pull ahead of the woman but knew if they got too close, Finley would start to become suspicious. Looking ahead, Drew knew there was only a few hundred more feet before Ellen would get down on one knee at the pergola in the center of the Rose Garden.

If they could just make it there…

Before they could say anything, the woman stepped back.Finally.Drew got to work shooting the couple. After a few more covert photos, they pulled the completed roll of film out of the camera and swiftly loaded a new reel into the back.

By the time their camera’s viewfinder was back up against their eye, they had only missed a few seconds. This reel of film would have to get them through to the big moment. After that, they would have an opportunity to switch rolls and talk to the couple.

They reached the crest of the hill, the beautiful Cherry Esplanade guiding Finley and Ellen’s eyes down the long lawn.