LAUREN

 

The day February arrived, Gabe announced that he had enrolled in an architecture course at the local polytechnic, starting in a week. It would mean that he would have to cut back on his shifts at the café, and it would be a struggle financially for him, but it would also mean the start of him chasing his dream.

The day February arrived was also the day I heard from Tyler. It was a simple text message that enquired if it would suit me to do the first photoshoot at the casino the following week, the same day Gabe started his course. I quickly checked my scheduled shifts and, discovering his request fell on one of my days off, sent back a reply to say that it suited fine. The next text was simply a confirmation of flights there and back on the same day.

If Gabe was nervous about starting his course, it didn’t show. He didn’t appear to fuss over every little aspect like I was doing with the casino shoot. In fact, I was impressed at his patience as I attempted to pack the night before. Gabe was staying over and he lay on the bed, hands under his head and smiling at me, amused, while I sorted through lenses and tripods and reflectors and lights. It had been years since I had used all my equipment, and worry chewed at my gut that it wouldn’t be up to scratch.

“Dad and Tyler loved what you did with just a camera, having all this added stuff...” Gabe picked up one of the lenses and rolled it in his hands. “Well, that’s just a bonus. Stop worrying. You’ll be great.”

I sunk onto the bed. “I can’t help it. Worry is in my blood.”

Gabe grinned. “Want me to take your mind off it?”

Gabe had made love to me every chance he got since we returned. His need was insatiable, and as much as I loved it, there were times I just longed to lay in bed without his hands roaming over my body.

“I need to get this sorted,” I said.

Gabe rose to his knees, pouting. “Please?” he said. “It won’t take long.”

“Gabe.” I put my hands on my hips and glared at him.

He laughed and held his hands up. “I suppose you need a break sometimes. But I’m warning you, it won’t be for long. I’m not sure how long I can last without you.” He lay back on the bed, cupping his hands behind his head and crossing his legs at the ankles. “God, you’re sexy.”

“I’m packing,” I said, getting up and toying with one of the lenses.

“I don’t really care what you’re doing. You’re sexy.”

I looked over at where he lay across the bed, a cheeky smirk on his face and a bulge in his pants. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

“But not enough to tempt you?”

My shoulders fell in feigned frustration. “You are unbelievable. We’ve already had sex today.”

“And?” he prompted.

“And… are you excited about starting your course tomorrow?” I changed the subject.

Gabe shrugged.

“A shrug? That’s all I get?”

“I’ll admit it’s a lot less than I want to give you.”

“Gabe,” I warned again.

He laughed. “Okay, I’ll stop. But I am a little worried about you heading away to spend the day with Tyler.”

“I’m not spending the day with Tyler. I’m going up there to do a job. He probably won’t even be there.”

“Oh, he’ll be there,” Gabe replied. “No doubt he’ll be waiting at the airport to pick you up.”

I rolled my eyes. “Are you jealous?”

Gabe lifted an eyebrow. “Honestly? Yes. But I do have a way that you could help me feel a little better about it all.” He grinned wickedly.

“Do you ever give up?” I asked.

“On you? Never?” Gabe leapt from the bed and scooped me in his arms, lifting me off the ground and kissing me deeply. When he threw me onto the bed, panic hit as the lenses jostled on the mattress. Climbing on top of me, Gabe caged my body with his thighs. “Just give me a little something to remember you by.”

“It’s one day,” I said, but I couldn’t help laughing.

Gabe kissed my nose. “One day too many, if you ask me.” He kissed my lips and then my neck. A small wave of heat flushed at the apex of my thighs and I began to rethink my refusal. Still kissing the curve of my neck, Gabe lifted up the hem of my shirt and exposed the soft flesh of my stomach. “You’re so beautiful,” he said, lowering his mouth. Only, instead of peppering me with kisses, he held me tight and blew a raspberry on my stomach, causing me to close in on myself, paralysed with laughter.

“And here you thought I was only after one thing,” Gabe said. He held my protesting arms above my head and brought his mouth to my stomach again, the vibrations sending me into another fit of laughter.

* * *

Instead of my alarm waking me the next morning, it was Gabe’s hands gently massaging my breasts. His head dipped under the sheet and his mouth found its way to my nipple, pulling it into his mouth. I rolled my head to the side, the bright red numbers on my clock showing that it was ten in the morning. Panic jolted through me.

“Gabe!” I exclaimed.

His head popped up from under the covers. “Morning, beautiful.”

“It’s ten o’clock,” I all but shouted.

Gabe looked at me, confused. “What time does your plane leave?”

“What time does your course start?” I shot back.

“Shit!” Gabe tossed the covers away and leapt from the bed, his pale backside bringing a smile to my face. He ruffled through the mess of clothes lying on the floor. “Shit, shit, shit,” he said before slumping onto the bed. “Is there really any point in going?”

“Gabe!” I scolded. “You can’t start out by missing the first day.”

“But arriving over an hour late is okay?”

“Better than not arriving at all.”

Gabe reached down and pulled a shirt over his head before standing up to face me, his erection proud and strong. “What am I going to do about this?”

“Want me to whack it with a pencil?”

Shock twisted Gabe’s expression. “Not exactly what I was thinking. Why would you whack it with a pencil?”

I shrugged. “I heard somewhere it’s what the nurses do in the rest homes when the old fellas get a little over excited.”

“Well I’m not an old fella, and you’re not a nurse. I can think of things I would far rather you do with it. Things that don’t involve a pencil.”

I shook my head and reached down to the ground where his jeans lay and flung them at him. “Get dressed.” I laughed.

Gabe put one foot through the leg of his jeans. “Maybe I should stay and make sure you get to the airport okay.” His eyes lit up. “Maybe I should just come to the city with you.”

“Or maybe you should go and start the course you enrolled for.”

Gabe fought with the other leg of his jeans. “And you don’t want a quickie?”

I threw my pillow at his head. He ducked and grinned, leaning over to plant a kiss on my nose. “Catch you later, beautiful. Hope you press the shutter well.”

“Hope you listen well,” I shouted as he left the room.

Flopping back down, I tucked the blankets under my chin once he was gone. I didn’t need to be at the airport for another hour and a half, so I had plenty of time to shower and get ready.

Smudge strolled into the room and appeared to look around for Gabe. The traitorous cat loved Gabe, despite the fact that I was the one who served him. Since arriving back, Gabe had spent most nights at my place. His toothbrush sat on my bathroom counter. His clothes were sprawled across my floor. His scent clung to my pillows.

I drove the short trip to the airport and checked in online, using the link to the app that Tyler had sent me. There had been very little communication about what was expected of the photoshoot and I didn’t even know what stage the construction was at. I didn’t know whether to expect a large building rising to the skyline or nothing but the foundation. But I was guessing, if Tyler wanted me there, there would be more to photograph than a concrete pad.

I hadn’t told any of my family about my new job, mainly because when the consent for the casino was brought to the public’s attention, my mother was one of the first in line to travel to the city to protest it. I doubted if finding out that her daughter was involved in some way was going to help our already strained relationship at all.

I had flopped down with my single carry-on into a chair to wait for the signal to board when my phone vibrated in my pocket. It was Billie. 

Billie had decided that we were to be best friends and texted me repeatedly. A lot. Many times. She informed me when a large chain-store showed interest in stocking her clothing label. She texted through photos of the fashion show. She texted when she spent the morning vomiting after consuming, yet again, too much alcohol. This text was merely to wish me luck for my first day on the job. It was nice of her, but I wasn’t sure if I was as invested in this new-found friendship as she was. While in high school, we knew each other but never really got along. And now, the only thing we shared in common was being with men from the same family. And that in itself was awkward enough without us becoming best friends. Well, on her end at least. No one would, or could, ever replace Peta.

Tyler did not meet me off the plane. In his place was a smiling, pimply-faced boy holding a sign which had my name on it. He grinned awkwardly when I approached and stuck out his hand. “Jimmy,” he said.

I shook his hand then pointed to the sign. “Lauren.”

“Mr Thornton said to say he was awfully sorry he couldn’t meet you himself, but he got tied up on a conference call.” He stuck out his hand again. “I’m Jimmy.”

I smiled and shook his hand again, once more pointing to the sign. “Lauren.”

He laughed nervously. “Yeah, right. We’ve already been over that, haven’t we? Sorry. I’m not usually the one doing this sort of stuff. I’m just the dogsbody around the construction site. This is the first time they’ve trusted me with something so big.”

“I’m not that big, am I?” I teased.

Colour flooded Jimmy’s cheeks. “I—I’m—I didn’t mean—” he stammered.

I laughed. “It’s okay, Jimmy. I was just teasing.” Somehow the nervousness of the boy relieved some of mine. “Shall we get going?”

“Have you got more bags or anything?”

I held up the pack hanging from my hand. “I’ve got everything I need right here.”

Jimmy threw the sign into a rubbish bin before running his hands down his pants. “Right then, let’s go. I’ve parked a little far away. I hope you don’t mind walking a bit. I wasn’t sure where I was supposed to park and there were all these signs everywhere saying taxi lane, and bus lane and big crosses and green ticks. In the end, I just pulled to the side and hoped I wouldn’t get towed.” Jimmy stopped walking. “You don’t think they will have towed the car, do you? The boss would kill me if I got Mr Thornton’s car towed.” His face paled and he started walking quicker, muttering under his breath, “Please don’t let the car have been towed.”

“You’ve got Hamish’s car?” I asked.

Jimmy shook his head. “Hamish?”

“Mr Thornton,” I clarified.

“Hell, no.” He looked at me quickly. “No, ma’am.”

“Ma’am?” I repeated. “I’m not that old, am I? Please, call me Lauren.”

Jimmy nodded seriously, promising not to call me ma’am again. “I work for the company that has the construction contract. And I believe Mr Thornton’s name is Tyler, not Hamish, all due respect, ma’am.”

I pursed my lips together at his insistence on calling me ma’am. “You call Tyler Mr Thornton?”

“Everyone calls him Mr Thornton,” Jimmy said reverently.

We walked out of the airport building and I followed Jimmy as he walked briskly down the sidewalk. He wasn’t exaggerating when he said he had parked a long way away.

When we finally reached the car, the same sleek black one that Tyler had driven during the Christmas holidays, Jimmy popped the boot and then cursed when he realised I had carried my bag the whole way. “I should have carried that for you.” He cursed again. “Please don’t tell Mr Thornton. He made me promise to treat you with the utmost respect.”

I smiled and tapped my nose, winking at Jimmy as he roughly threw my bag into the boot. I winced as it bounced on the hard floor. “It will be our little secret. But there will be no hiding if you break any of my equipment though.”

“Shit,” Jimmy said, picking my bag back up and placing it more gently in the boot. “Fuck!” he exclaimed. “He also told me not to curse and here I am swearing like a trouper. I’m awfully sorry about that.”

“I’m sure I will survive your disgusting language somehow.”

“I’m so sorry,” he started before seeing my grin. “Oh, okay. You’re kidding. I’m really sorry, I’m just so fucking nervous. The boss hasn’t trusted me with anything this important before.” He looked up at me, grinning, before it dawned on him that he had sworn again. “Fuck, I did it again, didn’t I?” He shook his head. “Fudge, I meant, fudge. Sorry, the construction site isn’t really the best place for restraining colourful language.”

Jimmy held open the passenger door and I climbed into the seat. “You can stop being so nervous, Jimmy. You’re doing a fine job.”

Jimmy manoeuvred his way out of the airport and soon we were weaving into the traffic that flowed into the centre of the city.

“Mr Thornton told me to take you straight to the site, is that okay? Do you need to stop for food or anything? Are you staying at a motel that you need to check into?”

I shook my head. “It’s just a quick trip up and back in one day.”

“Mr Thornton said you were a brilliant photographer.”

“Well, I can confirm that I do take photos.”

Jimmy laughed. “I guess that’s a good start.”

Fortunately, the traffic wasn’t bad and it wasn’t long before we pulled up to the construction site. A large sign boasting ‘Thornton Industries’ sat proudly at the entrance. Two people sat under it, holding signs condemning gamblers to hell.

“That’s Dustan and Daisy,” Jimmy said, rolling down the window and waving to them as we passed. “They’re here every single day.”

“Every day?” I repeated.

Jimmy nodded. “Mr Thornton says he admires their commitment to their beliefs and sends them lunch each day. They refuse to eat it though, claiming it was bought with blood money. I’m not sure where they think Mr Thornton made his money, but I’m pretty sure he never killed anyone for it.”

At least Jimmy was entertaining.

The casino was more than a concrete pad, but little more than framework. Scaffolding stretched high into the sky and men with harnesses wandered over it with barely a care that they were high above the ground. As we crossed over the tape that signalled the construction site, Jimmy reached into a tub and pulled out a hard hat.

“Here,” he said, holding one out to me as he placed another over his head. “It’s the rules.”

In the far corner of the site, Tyler stood with his back to me, phone placed on his ear. He wore a dark suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and tapered down to his hips. He wasn’t wearing a hard hat. When he turned, his eyes flashed, but he didn’t smile. He strode over, informing the person on the other end of the line that something important had come up, and held his hand out. “Lauren.”

I shook his offered hand and smiled nervously. All the anxiety that had left at Jimmy’s appearance returned with a vengeance. “Mr Thornton,” I said, mimicking the way Jimmy spoke of him.

Tyler’s head tilted to the side and a ghost of a smile crossed his face. “I hope the lad looked after you well?”

“Jimmy performed his duties perfectly,” I replied, giving the boy a warm and reassuring smile.

Tyler dismissed him with a jerk of his head and nodded for me to walk with him. “He’s a good kid, that one,” he said as Jimmy disappeared around a corner.

“He is,” I agreed.

“Off to a good start considering he’s only twenty-one.”

“Twenty-one?” I asked, it suddenly dawning on me why Tyler sent him to collect me. Jimmy, little, nervous, pimply Jimmy was the same age as Gabe.

“Yes,” Tyler confirmed. “Maybe I should have sent someone else? I know how tempting men of that age are for you.”

Anger flooded my veins but I chose to ignore Tyler’s comment. I didn’t see what else I could do. “Do you have any instructions?” I asked tersely.

“Instructions?” Tyler mused. He crossed his arms and stared high into the air. “There are many things I could think of to instruct you to do, but in this particular case, I’m going to leave it up to you. Just do what you did at the show home. I like the way you see things, showing the flaws as beauty.”

“Is that what you think I did?”

“It was, wasn’t it? Well, that’s the way I saw them. You are very talented. I haven’t come across anyone else who sees through the lens the way you do.”

“Thank you,” I said, and then added, “I think.” Even though he was essentially complimenting me, there was a general hint of amusement in his tone.

Jimmy strolled past pushing a wheelbarrow and waved.

“So, how’s my little brother?” Tyler asked.

I gritted my teeth at his smirk. “He’s not little.”

Tyler lifted a brow. “Good to know. We Thornton men aren’t known for being small.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Even though Tyler was extraordinarily handsome, he was also infuriatingly annoying. At least it kept me in check when my eyes got stuck on him.

“Billie informs me he has enrolled in some sort of class?”

“Architecture. It is his first day today,” I said.

“And he made it on time?” Tyler asked.

I remembered the panic of the morning. “Of course. He’s a lot more responsible than you think.”

“Forgive me if I reserve judgement. I’ve known Gabe a lot longer than you.”

Tyler’s phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket, quickly checking the screen before bringing it to his ear. He answered with one word. “Speak.” Then he fell silent, listening to the voice on the other end which was nothing more than a faint mumble to my ears. “Okay, okay,” he said, as though calming someone. “I’ll be there soon. No. Don’t go anywhere. Don’t move, just wait there.” His eyes flicked over to mine. “I know you don’t want to put me out, but I told you to call if you needed me. You obviously need me. I’m on my way.” The voice continued, low, dark and pained. “Yes. Nothing important.” Again Tyler’s eyes flicked to mine. “It’s fine, Jake. Fine. Yes, I know where it is. Be there soon.”

“Sorry,” he said, turning his attention back to me. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to leave you to it. Just get what shots you would be interested in seeing if it was your money being invested in the place.”

“You’re leaving?”

“You can handle this on your own, can’t you? I will get Jimmy to show you around and make sure you don’t walk anywhere you shouldn’t. This is a construction site. You need to be careful.” He looked down at the flimsy shoes I was wearing, toes exposed. “Next time bring better footwear.”

“Yes, sir,” I said with mock severity.

Tyler scowled. “I look forward to seeing what you produce.”

“As will I,” I mumbled under my breath.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch that,” Tyler said, raising an eyebrow.

“You weren’t supposed to.”

Tyler looked around the site and signalled for Jimmy to come over. Jimmy started to run but Tyler shouted at him, telling him not to run on a construction site.

“Is everything okay with Jake?” I asked.

“He’s staying with me at the moment. He isn’t doing too well.”

“I’m sorry,” I replied. I couldn’t imagine the things Jake had seen while he was overseas. He hadn’t told his family anything about his time over there. They knew nothing of what he had seen, where he had been, what he had done. “Has he talked to you about any of it yet?”

Tyler shook his head as Jimmy reached us, grinning from ear to ear. “What’s up?”

“I have a matter to attend to and I need you to escort Lauren around the site. Make sure she doesn’t get into anything dangerous.”

Anything dangerous? He sounded like he was giving instructions to a babysitter. There were signs all over the site, warning of possible dangers, placing restrictions on access. Everything I needed to keep safe was plainly spelled out.

“I can read,” I said.

Tyler grunted and started to walk away before turning and walking backwards, grinning at me as he said, “It was good to see you fully dressed this time, Lauren.”

Jimmy looked over questioningly.

“Don’t ask.” I shook my head. “Is he always this pleasant?”

Jimmy threw his head back and laughed, causing his hard hat to wobble on his head. “Mr Thornton isn’t one for pleasantries.”

We spent the next two hours strolling around the site. As well as the usual photos of the construction, the working men, and the progress of the build, I made sure to include images that caught my eye. Footprints in the dust. A half-eaten sandwich sitting on a beam of wood, the cluttered work site blurred in the background. An orange hard hat hanging on a nail.

It was exactly two hours before my flight left when there was only one image I wanted to capture. It required shooting from above, so I instructed Jimmy to find me an extension ladder, and he held it firmly at the base as I climbed the rungs, my camera banging against my chest with each step.  The sun was just beginning to set and there was always something magical about any object when photographed in the golden glow of twilight. Even a construction site. The men’s hard hats glinted in the sun, their tanned arms covered in a sheen of sweat, wet patches under their armpits. I was just taking the final images when a gruff voice sounded below.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?”

I looked down to find Tyler glaring up at me, arms crossed and mouth in a hard line. “You’re back,” I said before training my eye back on the camera and pressing the shutter once more.

“Get down from there this instant.”

I let the camera fall around my neck. “Why?”

“Why?” Tyler’s frown deepened. “You’re up a ladder on a construction site.”

“There are many people doing more dangerous things than that,” I said, looking around at the varying positions some of the workers were in.

“They are employed to be in those positions. You are not employed to be in that position.”

I turned my back to Tyler and took a step down the ladder. “I needed to be up here to get the angle I wanted.” Reaching the bottom, I stood on firm ground, squinting up at Tyler. “And I’m not employed by you, I am contracted by you. You didn’t exactly give me any instructions, and I was merely doing what I thought was best, so which position did you expect me to be in?”

Tyler’s mouth twitched. “Not a dangerous one.”

“I was up a ladder. It hardly calls for danger money.”

“But it does mean that since this is my project, and my father’s company running it, anything which happens on this site is my responsibility. If you were to fall and injure yourself, I would be held legally responsible. I am not ordering you to not climb ladders because I am worried about your safety, I am ordering you not to climb ladders because I’m worried about the legalities of it.”

My skin prickled. “Ordering me?”

“In this case, yes.”

I lifted the camera from around my neck and placed it securely in my pack. “I will be sure to follow orders next time, Mr Thornton.”

“That’s all I ask.” Tyler strode away and talked to the site manager while I packed my gear away.

“I think they’ll be the best shots,” Jimmy said quietly.

“Thank you, Jimmy. I think so too.”