| Lainey arrived at the airport at 9:20. She parked the truck, and went inside. She immediately went to the first monitor she could find, and looked for Jeff�s flight. She found the gate number, and headed that direction. She knew she was late, but she hoped Jeff wouldn�t be mad. She arrived at the gate just as Jeff was coming off the plane. She let out a sigh of relief and walked over to him. �Hey�� Jeff said. �You didn�t forget me.� �Of course not.� �How long have you been waiting?� �I wasn�t waiting, I just got here.� �Oh, cool. So let�s get my bag so we can get out of here.� Jeff said. The two of them walked together to the baggage claim, and waited for Jeff�s luggage. As soon as it came out, Jeff grabbed his bag and the two of them headed back to the truck. Jeff threw his things in the back, and Lainey handed him the keys. �Thanks again for letting me borrow your truck.� �It�s no problem; I�m just sorry that Lizzie gave you shit about it.� �It�s no big deal.� Jeff got into the driver�s seat and Lainey sat on the passenger side. They left the airport, headed for Cameron. After they were out of Raleigh, and back on the less traveled US-1, Jeff said, �Any new news from Cameron?� �No, not really?� �Did you bring your camera?� �No.� �Are you still going to come over and take pictures of my aluminummies today?� �Yes, but I just figured I�d get it when we get back home.� �Okay, cool. So when do you work again?� �I don�t know. Cassidy and I are going to take all of our vacation time we�ve accrued. She thinks I should open my own studio in our barn.� �What do you think?� �I�d love to be my own boss.� �Then you should do it. What do you have stopping you?� �Nothing really. I told her we should too. Cassidy has a degree in accounting, and she said she�d do the books, and help me out too.� �I thought she worked at Beefeater�s?� �She does, but she�s sick of it. She says she tired of cooking for other people.� �You would have so much freedom to do what you want, when you want.� �I know, that is why I told Cassidy to set it all up.� �Well, can you afford to do it?� �I have money, but I�m just kind of iffy about sinking it all into something that I am not sure is going to work.� �Do you have a portfolio or something?� �I do, in my line of work you kind of have to. People like to see what you can do before they hire you.� �Can I see it sometime?� �Sure, if you want to.� �Well, since I am hiring you to photograph my aluminummies, I think I should see it. To see what kind of work you do.� �I have never shot aluminummies before, so I don�t have any shots like that in my portfolio. It is mostly portrait and wedding photos. But I do have a couple of landscape pictures that I took in the living room, and upstairs in the hallway.� �I still want to see it.� �Alright, I�ll show it to you when we get my camera.� �You�ll have to show me your landscapes too.� �I will.� Jeff and Lainey arrived in Cameron around eleven o�clock, just as Jeff said they would. Jeff drove to Lainey�s house first, so she could get her camera. Cassidy had the door open, because it was such a nice day. As soon as Jeff and Lainey got out of the truck, Liger came tearing out the door and jumped on Lainey. She fell to the ground and Liger started licking the side of her face. Jeff walked around the front of the truck and said, �Liger, come here boy.� Liger stopped and looked at Jeff. He licked Lainey one more time and ran over to Jeff. Jeff bent down to pet his dog, and Liger licked the side of his face too. Jeff stood back up, and walked over to Lainey. He took her hands and helped her to her feet. �I told you Liger liked you.� �I know, but jeez�� Lainey and Jeff headed into the house, and Liger was right on their heels. They walked inside, and Cassidy was in the kitchen, cleaning. �Hey Cass, we�re back.� Lainey said. Cassidy turned around and looked at her sister and Jeff. �Hey Lainey. I called Beefeater�s, and told them I had to leave town. I have three weeks of vacation time off. I also called Olan Mills for you. You have the next month off.� �Thanks Cass, but I could have done it.� �It�s alright� hi Jeff.� �Hi Cassidy.� �I like what you and Lainey did to the basement. It looks really good down there.� Cassidy said, trying to be nice for her sister�s sake. �So I was online while you were gone, and check out some prices for lights and backdrops and things for the studio.� �That�s cool. We�ll have to go over them later. I�m going to run upstairs and grab my camera and my portfolio. I�ll be right back.� Lainey headed up the stairs, which left Jeff and Cassidy in the kitchen. Before Cassidy could start grilling him, Jeff said, �So you and my brother are dating now?� �Yes, we are. What about you?� �My girlfriend just broke up with me. But you already knew that.� �Yes I did, but what is up with you and my sister?� �We�re friends�� Jeff told her. He was afraid if he told Cassidy he was interested, she freak out on him. �I hope to become better friends with her. I think she�s great. She really understands me, ya know?� �Lainey is very kind hearted. I am only going to say this once, so listen up. Lainey�s happiness means the world to me. So if you plan on screwing with her, don�t.� �What do you mean Cassidy?� �What I mean is that Lainey attaches herself to people quickly. So if you plan on being her friend, make sure that you plan on staying her friend.� �Okay� I do plan on remaining friends with her.� �Alright. Now that we�ve got that straight, what the hell is up with your yard?� �My yard?� �Yeah, those aluminum things� why do you have those everywhere?� �I built them. That�s the creative side of me. I dream up things, and then make them reality.� �They are very interesting. So tell me about Matt.� �What do you want to know?� �Anything you�re willing to tell me.� �You should know a lot about him, since you are dating him and�� Lainey came back down the stairs and said, �I�ve got it.� She had her camera bag slung over her shoulder, and an oversized album in her left arm. She said, �Sit down Jeff, and I�ll let you look at my portfolio.� Lainey walked over to the table, put her camera bag on the table, and sat down. Jeff sat next to her. Cassidy walked over to look too, even though she�d seen it over a dozen times. Lainey opened the book, and the first photo was of a bride. Lainey said, �This is Kendra, one of mine and Cass�s best friends from Charlotte. Her wedding was the first one I shot. I had just gotten out of Photography school, and she offered me a thousand dollars to shoot her wedding.� �She told Lainey that all of the photographers she�d contacted had asked for that much. But she�d rather have Lainey shoot her wedding.� Cassidy told Jeff. �We don�t care for her husband, but Kendra is just the sweetest girl�� Lainey showed Jeff her entire portfolio, and told him a little bit about each photo. When she was finished, Jeff said, �Wow Lainey, you are really talented. You should have gone into business for yourself a long time ago. So can I see these landscape shots you were telling me about?� �Sure, follow me.� Lainey led Jeff around the house, showing him all of her photos. He was flabbergasted over her talent. He was amazed at some of the shots she had taken. They finally made their way back downstairs, and it was about twelve thirty. Lainey grabbed her camera bag, and turned to her sister. �I am going over to Jeff�s to shoot some photos. I�ll be back a little later.� �Alright. I am going to go down to Aberdeen to do some shopping for dinner. Jeff, you should come over tonight and eat with us.� Cassidy said. �Sure�� Jeff replied. �Okay, then it will be the three of us. You�ve got your phone, right Lain?� �Yes, I do.� �If you�re not around by the time dinner is ready, I�ll give you a call and let you know to get your ass home.� �Okay Cassidy. I�ll see you later.� �Have fun!� Lainey and Jeff walked out the front door, and went out to the truck. They were getting in, and Liger came bolting form inside the house. He jumped right up into the truck, and in the middle of Jeff and Lainey. Jeff backed up, and drove over to his house. When they arrived, they saw Lizzie�s car in the driveway. �Great�� Jeff said in a sarcastic voice. �Lizzie?� �Yeah. If you want to wait here until I can get her to leave, I understand.� �Only if you want me to. I have no problem going with you though. I have nothing to hide.� �Okay� but will you do me a huge favor?� �Sure, what?� �Pretend you are my girlfriend. It may be easier to get her to leave.� �Okay�� Lainey said. She had no problem with it at all. When they got out of the truck, Jeff met Lainey at the front of it, and took her hand. He said he wanted to make it look good. The two of them walked up to the front door. Jeff opened the door, and Lizzie was sitting on the couch. He and Lainey walked in, and Jeff said, �I thought you�d be gone by now.� �What is she doing here?� Lizzie asked snottily. �Lainey is my girlfriend. What are you doing here?� �Well Jeff, I was hoping that we could talk, but I see you�re busy.� �I am� so when are you going to move your things out?� �Is it really over Jeff?� �Yes�� Lizzie stood up. �Can�t we talk about this in private?� �Anything you can say to me, you can say in front of Lainey. She IS my girlfriend.� Jeff leaned over to Lainey and kissed her on the cheek. He looked back at Lizzie, and she was beat red. She grabbed her bag and said, �Fine, whatever Jeff.� And she stormed out the door. She got into her car, and tore out of the driveway. Jeff and Lainey watched her drive out, but Jeff never let go of her hand. He turned to Lainey, and said, �Thanks.� �I�m glad to help.� Lainey said. �She�s so mean to you anyway; you deserve to be with someone who will respect you more.� �I think so too.� Lainey let go of Jeff�s hand, and walked over to the couch. She set her bag down, and unzipped it. She took her camera out, and rewound the film that was inside it. She went to reach back down into her bag to get a fresh roll of film, and screamed at the top of her lungs. She jumped back and ran into Jeff, who was standing directly behind her. �Oh my God!� Lainey exclaimed. �There is some sort of rodent in your house.� �What?� Jeff asked. �It�s over there in my camera bag�� Lainey said as she pointed over to the couch at her bag. Jeff walked over and looked inside. He stuck his hand into the bag, and lifted out the animal. �It�s not a rodent Lainey, its Witty.� Jeff had the animal in his hands and walked toward Lainey. �What the hell is Witty?� �Witty is my prairie dog. I promise he won�t bite you. Would you like to pet him?� �No, not really. You have a prairie dog for a pet?� �Yeah, isn�t he cute?� �Cute?� Lainey asked, and gave Jeff a look of disgust. �Come on,� Jeff said. He walked over to Lainey and said, �Witty won�t bite, he just wants to see who you are. Pet him�� Lainey slowly raised her hand to the prairie dog, and pet him for a few moments. Jeff smiled, and said, �See, Witty is very loveable, he just wanted to say hello.� Jeff set Witty down on the floor, and he scurried back over to the couch and climbed up on it. He curled up in the corner and closed his eyes. Lainey looked at Jeff and said, �Do you have any other weird animals I should know about before I have another heart attack?� �I have Imag�, but he�s in the other room, and won�t be out unless I let him out.� �What is he?� �He�s a South African Raccoon.� �You have a raccoon as a pet?� �Yeah, do you want to meet him?� �Um�� Lainey looked scared to death. �Sure, I guess.� �It�s fine Lainey.� Jeff took Lainey�s hand and led her down the hall to the room where Imag� was. Jeff opened the door, and the raccoon was right there. Jeff let go of Lainey�s hand and picked the raccoon up in his arms. He turned to Lainey and she jumped back a little. �It�s alright Lainey, you can pet him.� Lainey pet the raccoon hesitantly, and as she was bringing her hand back down, Imag� sniffed her hand. She jumped and put her hand down at her side. �Okay, how about we do those pictures now.� Lainey said. �Sure�� Jeff said. He put Imag� down in the room and shut the door. He followed Lainey back out into the living room, and she grabbed a roll of film out of her camera bag. She loaded it into her camera, and said, �Where do you want to start?� �How about we start outside.� Jeff replied. He headed toward the door and Lainey followed him. |
| * Chapter Thirteen * |
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