Bearview Bride (BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance) (7 page)

Across the field, a tent flap opened. At that cue, the violinist mopped his brow and began to play. Relief seemed to ripple through the guests, though no one put their fans down. Tess snapped a few shots of Richard’s stunned face at the first sight of his bride, then turned to photograph Amy.

She seemed to float above the grass in her dazzling dress. The bride appeared to be blissfully unaware of the heat, her uncomfortable guests, or anything else. She only had eyes for her groom, who looked at her in awe.

Tess felt her stomach knot as she captured the scene. Amy and Richard might love each other, but Tess still felt that they were making a terrible mistake. They’d vow to love each other forever, but forever was a long time. Love couldn’t last that long. Though Amy looked radiant with joy and Richard was close to tears, they wouldn’t live happily ever after. No one ever did.

Tess kept her finger pressed to the shutter as Amy walked down the aisle. She gritted her teeth when Amy finally reached her groom, taking his hands at the urging of the officiant. Tess had seen her parents’ old photo albums. They’d looked just as jubilant in their wedding pictures. Less than ten years later, they hated each other. Tess sometimes wondered if her father went on his photo trips halfway around the world just to get as far away from her mother as possible.

She snapped photos robotically throughout the ceremony. Some women brought out tissues during the big kiss, but Tess felt nothing but dread. She tried to focus on capturing the moment, not on the huge mistake the couple was making.

The orchestra began to play, and Richard took Amy’s hand as they walked back down the aisle together. Tess snapped furiously as they approached. At least she had already decided she was never getting married. She couldn’t imagine putting on a poofy white dress and pretending to be happy.

But if she had to marry someone, surely that huge, handsome man who rescued her earlier that week wouldn’t be too bad…

No. Tess bit the inside of her lip as the guests trailed the bride and groom into one of the huge tents. That was a crazy thought. She didn’t have time for love right now, not that she loved Cade. That would be absolutely insane. She had just met the man, and he had probably forgotten her by now. Besides, there was no point in falling in love. It would just end horribly. Her parents were proof of that.

Behind her, there was a snapping sound.

“Excuse me.”

Tess turned. It seemed the mother of the bride was snapping at her.

“What are we paying you for? It’s time for family photos.”

Tess smiled painfully, willing herself not to bludgeon this woman with her camera. “I thought everyone might want some refreshments first, but I’m ready for whichever group you can round up.”

The mother of the bride stalked off, muttering about no-good, overpriced photographers.

Tess clenched her camera, trying to breathe. She was getting $500 for this wedding. That was what she had to remember. All she had to do was endure a gig or two like this every weekend—she suppressed a shudder—and she might be able to buy plane tickets by the end of the season.

“Botswana. Tanzania. Namibia,” she whispered to herself as the mother of the bride stalked back toward her. “These weddings will be worth it.”

By the time Tess finished the group shots, she wasn’t sure about that anymore. The group portraits had dragged on into the afternoon. Her clients wanted endless permutations, while their family members wanted food, drink, and a reprieve from photos in the blistering sun.

The session went particularly badly with the mother of the bride haranguing everyone, nitpicking Tess’s instructions, and frowning in most of the photos she appeared in. Tess felt drained by the time the group shots were completed, and she still had a few more hours to get through.

She slipped into the tent, hoping that the mother of the bride wouldn’t follow her. Securing her camera at her waist, Tess sidled up to the bar.

“Could I get a glass of ice water?” she asked.

The bartender nodded. “Coming right up.”

She only had time for a single sip of the wondrously cool liquid when there was a tap at her shoulder.

“Ahem.” It was the mother of the bride. Of course.

“Can I help you?” Tess asked.

“Yes!” The mother threw up her hands. “You can take photos, which is what we hired you for! My darling is over there.” She pointed a bony finger at the head table, where Amy and Richard were surrounded by a knot of well-wishers.

Tess set her glass aside, trying not to let her emotions play across her face. She had exactly one ten-minute break written into her contract, but she didn’t want to argue over ten minutes when $500 was on the line.

Forcing a smile, she picked up her camera. “I’ll get some right away.”

“See that you do.” The mother of the bride prowled to the other side of the tent, probably to harass some other poor vendor.

At least she hadn’t snapped her fingers this time, or Tess would have been sorely tempted to break them.

Defiantly, Tess took one more sip of water before heading toward the bride and groom. Weaving her way through their admirers, she finally made it to Amy and Richard.

“I’m going to take some candid shots,” she told them. “Just have fun. Pretend I’m not even here.”

Later, she thought that they might have taken her too seriously. Not only did they ignore her, but she practically had to chase them around the tent as they ping-ponged from one side to another in rapid succession. She was glad Amy was wearing a white dress, or she might have lost her. Richard seemed to have disappeared entirely, spirited away by his groomsmen.

Grimly, Tess kept her lens focused on Amy. She hoped that would satisfy her mother. Tess would give anything for a sip of Amy’s champagne, or the ability to sit down for just one second.

Ducking out of the tent, Tess stood in the stifling air to try and catch her breath. She wasn’t sure she had gotten any good shots of the couple before Richard had vanished. But how was she supposed to take photos of him when he couldn’t even stand by his bride for ten minutes?

Tess changed the battery for one that was fully charged, steeling herself to go back into the fray. Wildlife was never this frustrating to photograph. Sure, sometimes more elusive creatures required lots of patience, but their mothers never showed up demanding perfect photos.

She sighed. Then again, wild animals never paid her $500 for a photo session. The bride and groom might not be cooperative, but Tess was still going to give them the best photos she possibly could.

Holding her camera in front of her like a shield, Tess stepped back into the tent.

The toasts began, and some of the speeches seemed interminable. Tess had never been to a wedding where all ten members of the wedding party gave a speech. Still, she photographed each one dutifully, though she decided not to capture the moment when the maid of honor fell down mid-speech after one too many drinks.

While two of the bridesmaids consoled the maid of honor, the bride and groom had their first dance. Tess thought that these pictures actually had a chance of turning out nicely. Richard had put a wildflower behind Amy’s ear, and the two of them looked deep into each other’s eyes as they swayed across the dance floor. For a moment, Tess felt like there might be a chance that their love would last.

Then the music changed, and the spell was broken as everyone piled onto the dance floor. Tess circled the celebrants, trying to keep her lens out of range of any wild dance moves. Somehow, Amy and Richard kept dancing for over an hour until Amy’s mother pulled them away to cut their cake.

The bride and groom managed to cut their cake and share another kiss before Tess’s five hours were up. Taking one last photo, she approached the bride and groom.

“Thank you so much for letting me share your special day with you,” she said. “You’re a lovely couple, and I hope your lives together are full of happiness. I have to head out now, but I’ll do my best to get your photos back to you within a few weeks.”

“You don’t have to go.” Amy leaned heavily on her. Drink and dancing had obviously taken their toll. “You’re practically family now. Stay, have some cake.” She hiccupped dramatically.

“Thanks,” Tess said, “I might.”

Amy let out a whoop, then dragged Richard back to the dance floor, cake in hand.

“Excuse me,” a man slurred, “are you the photographer?”

She turned around to see a man with a boutonniere holding a very large glass of beer. “Yes, that’s me.” Tess hoped this wouldn’t be another request. She really wanted to go home.

“I’m the”—he hiccupped—“father of th’ bride. Shoulda given you this earlier.” He thrust a white envelope at her. “Here you go.”

She could feel the wad of cash inside. “Thank you,” she said.

“You earned it.” Clicking an imaginary shutter, he stumbled away.

“Here.” Beside her, the mother of the bride presented a piece of cake to her. It was covered with plastic wrap. “After all that work, you deserve some cake.”

Tess accepted it, shocked. “Thank you very much.”

Amy’s mother nodded, sniffed, and turned away, all without meeting Tess’s eyes.

Tucking the cake in the crook of her elbow, Tess practically sprinted out of the tent. Cutting through the field, she made her way down the path to the parking lot.

“Please don’t be dead,” she said as she approached her car. It seemed to listen about half the time these days.

Once she’d put her camera and gear bag on the passenger seat and the cake on the floorboard, Tess slumped in her seat. The back of her shirt was soaked with sweat. Her arms were numb from holding up a camera for five hours, and she could barely bring herself to lift them to the steering wheel.

She was still insanely thirsty, having only had those two sips of water over the entire five hours. Licking her dry lips, Tess looked longingly back toward the tent. That was where the closest water was for miles. But she couldn’t go back in there. Not when she’d just escaped.

Though her legs felt like jelly, Tess swung them into place. After a heart-stopping moment of silence, her car actually started when she turned the key. Gliding out of the lot, Tess began the half-hour drive back to civilization. She’d made plans to meet up with Aubrey after her first shoot. Tess grinned. This time, she was bringing cake.

On the open road, Tess punched on the AC. She turned up the dial, ready to blast it. The car squealed, and nothing but hot air emerged. Tess waited several minutes, but the air never got any cooler. She scowled, rolling down her windows. Yet another thing she needed to fix.

“Are you a car or not?” she said as the hot air rippled through the cabin. “Next time I’ll save myself the gas money and just get a mountain bike.”

By the time she pulled into Aubrey’s parking lot, her shirt was soaked through. She wished she hadn’t decided to wear a black long-sleeved shirt, but she had wanted to look professional. Tess leaned her head back. If she was forced to shoot another field wedding, she was wearing a bikini.

Before she got out, Tess paused to look inside the envelope. She found a stack of hundred-dollar bills… six of them. Tess silently thanked the generous father of the bride. He couldn’t have any idea how much this meant to her.

Stumbling out of the car, Tess headed up the stairs. Her legs protested each and every one. Why did Aubrey have to live on the third floor?

The door opened the second Tess knocked.

“You’re back!” Aubrey cried.

“I survived. Can I come in? I’m going to get heatstroke if I don’t get some air conditioning.”

“Of course.” Aubrey stepped aside to let her in. “Don’t tell me you were outside all day. Do you want me to crank the AC?”

“I was, and yes, please.” Tess flopped onto the tattered blue couch.

“Why would anyone have a wedding outside today?” Aubrey fiddled with the thermostat. “It’s sweltering.”

“Not just outside. Outside in an open field. And then under a tent. They didn’t even have fans.”

Aubrey looked aghast. “And you still took photos? I would have just keeled over and died.”

“I think I almost did.”

Aubrey padded into the kitchen. “Let’s see. Would you rather have some ice water, or just a bucket of ice?”

“Ice water, please. I’d get it myself, but I can’t feel my legs.”

Aubrey rushed over with the water, and Tess drank it in five gulps.

“You weren’t kidding,” Aubrey said. “How’d you even make it back here?”

“Sheer willpower.” Tess held up the piece of cake. “I knew you’d want to sample the competition.”

“And I do!” Aubrey grabbed a pair of forks and sank into the couch beside her. “Did you try it yet?”

Tess shook her head. “No time. I was too busy taking photos of the blushing bride.”

Aubrey dug in her fork, taking a heaping bite. Tess took a smaller piece. She wasn’t a huge fan of wedding cake.

“Well?”

Tess shrugged. “It tastes fine to me.”

Aubrey put her fork aside. “It’s been sitting around for at least a few days. That’s why it’s so dry. And the fondant is tasteless.”

“Yeah, but it was pretty.” Tess took another bite.

“Pretty? Tess, these raspberries are far too tart. They’re overpowering the flavor of the chocolate.”

Staring at Aubrey, Tess ate a third mouthful.

“Stop that!” Aubrey pulled the cake away. “I’m not going to let my friend eat substandard desserts.”

“I know. You spoil me.”

Holding the cake up to her eyes, Aubrey peered at it. “I wonder who made this. Do you think they’d hire me to make better cakes for them?”

“Probably, especially if you pitch it that way. I’m sure they’d really appreciate the compliment.”

“You know I wouldn’t say that to a baker’s face.” Aubrey slid the cake into the trash. “But I wouldn’t feed this to my guests.”

“What would you feed them, seeing as you threw away the only food I’ve had for five hours?”

With a devilish grin, Aubrey rose. “I know you’ve been working hard, so I made you a treat.” She pulled open the freezer and took out two bowls. “Lavender ice cream. Don’t start expecting it regularly, because baking’s much more fun, but I think it turned out okay.”