With the Wind | A Short Novel (8 page)

             
“I will do as I please, sir.  Now, are we going to take some pictures, or what?”

             
Daniel allowed himself simply to revel in the moment. 

             
He had his dream camera in his hands and his dream girl in front of him.                He spent the next two hours with his lens full of Misty Buffett and his head spinning with possibilities for the future.             

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

              “He has a girlfriend?  Is it serious?”  Anthony asked.

             
“I think they’re going to get married, as soon as he can bring her here.” Misty explained.

             
“Are you still helping him with his English?”

             
“Not so much,” Misty lied.  “I think Daniel has lost interest in his lessons and in me, for that matter.”

             
“What’s happened?”

             
“He barely acknowledges me anymore.  He sort of grunts and nods whenever I say hello.”

             
“Hurt your feelings?”

             
“Nah.  I like him and all, but there is only so much one person can do, you know, to help.”

             
“What about the brochure.  I put you in charge of that, Misty.  We need a new one.
Now
.”

             
“I thought Daniel might do it.  He is a great photographer.  It’s cheaper to buy the equipment and keep it in house than it is to hire someone.”

             
Anthony stood and moved to the bar and poured himself a brandy.

             
“Do you still want Daniel to take the pictures?”

             
“Might be a good idea.  Whatever you want to do, Daddy.”

             
“Why not?  I like giving people a boost up when I can.  Do you still have the time to direct the project?”

             
“I guess.  If you want me too, I’ll do it.”  Misty tried to sound as disinterested as possible.

             
“Hello love,” Wilson said, as he walked in the room.  He kissed Misty on the cheek.

             
“We were just discussing Mr. Novikov,” Anthony explained.

             
“Oh?” 

             
“I guess he’s lost interest in his English lessons and he’s not being too friendly to Misty.”

             
“Sorry to hear that honey.  Do I need to speak with him, remind him to use good manners?” Wilson asked.

             
“No.  I was telling Daddy it’s no big deal.  I don’t care all that much.”

             
“I would like Daniel to take the pictures for our new brochure.  Would that be okay with you, Wilson?”

             
Wilson looked at Misty, trying to gauge her reaction to the question.  Misty busied herself looking at the mail, as if she didn’t care one way or the other.

             
“Do you think that’s a good idea, Anthony?”

             
“I think there are no issues we need to be concerned about.”

             
“Can you manage him, Misty?  Show him what we want done?” Wilson wanted to know.

             
“What?  Oh, sorry love.  We got a sweet letter from Julie and Russ.  They’ll be able to make the wedding after all.”

             
“What I was asking you was do you have time to work with Daniel on this project?”

             
“Yea, sure.  I guess.  If that’s what’s best.”

             
Wilson looked at Anthony and nodded.

             
“It’s settled then,” Wilson said.

             
“Get him what he needs and get started, Misty.  Tell me in the next few days if Daniel is going to work out, or if we have to go another route.”

             
“Okay Daddy.  I’ll point him in the right direction.  Wilson, did the caterer call you back love?  They were concerned with …” 

             
`

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

              “So now things are back the way they were?” Daniel asked.

             
“No, you must still seem uninterested in me.  We are working together, but we are not friends,” Misty answered. 

             
“That makes me sad.”

             
“Why?”

             
“I consider you to be my close friend.”

             
“Daniel, this is just a…”

             
Daniel sported his silly grin, the one he used when he was teasing Misty.

             
“So you think you’re pretty clever now, do you mister?”

             
“You are sensitive, Misty.”

             
“Don’t forget it, either.”

             
“It would not be possible to forget you.”

             
Misty winced.  Her shoulder hurt.

             
“What is wrong?”

             
“What’s wrong, use the contraction.”

             
“Okay.  What’s wrong?”

             
“It’s my shoulder.  Once in a while it kinks up and causes me misery.”

             
“Turn around.”

             
“Excuse me?”

             
“Face the other direction.  I fix shoulder.”

             
Misty turned on the blanket and faced the pond.  Daniel moved close behind her and straddled her with his legs. 

             
He began to rub her neck - carefully at first, more exploring than massaging. 

Misty felt a soothing wave pass through her as soon as Daniel touched her.  He found the kink buried deep in her right shoulder and he went to work on it in earnest - applying deep pressure, then lightly working, and then applying pressure again.

              Once the muscles in her shoulders were kneaded into compliance, Daniel moved on to Misty’s scalp. 

His fingers dug deeply into her head, but not painfully.  His hands were full of her long blonde hair. 

She leaned back into his chest and he responded by switching his attention to her face.  Now his touch became very gentle, he was caressing more than massaging her.

Misty was completely gone, off in another world. 

The only thing she wanted was for Daniel to kiss her as tenderly as he was touching her.  After a kiss she yearned for him to …

They both heard the jeep at the same time. 

It was coming up the road in a hurry.

“Daniel, we have to…you have to…”

“I know.”

Daniel stood, gathered up his camera and gear and quickly walked to the pond.  He set up his tripod and tried to look as if he had been taking pictures all afternoon, not touching Misty.

It was Jose.  What was he doing here?

“Hello, Miss Misty.  I guess your phone is not working.  Your Father sent me to get you.  Something about a meeting with Father Mike you were…”

“Oh my gosh!  I totally forgot.  Can you take Daniel back when he’s done here?”

Misty gathered up her things and began to toss them into her car.

“Yes, Miss.”

Daniel heard the conversation, but pretended not to be interested.

Jose walked over to him as Misty sped away.

“Take many pictures today?” Jose asked.

“Some.”

Jose noticed that Misty’s blouse was unbuttoned and that her hair was unusually messy. 

He knew that Daniel and Misty had not come to Martin’s Pond to take pictures.