Page 77 of Taming I Do
“Go ahead.” He started the truck as I answered.
“Hello?”
“Where are you?” Stella asked, her voice just shy of a high-pitched panic.
“I’m leaving the middle school. I had a talk scheduled here this morning.”
Stella had been sleeping off her late-night wine and whine fest when I left earlier that morning. Which meant I hadn’t had a chance to grill my mother about the weird run-in with Suzy. All I’d managed to get out of Stella last night was that she knew Suzy from way back when. After that, Stella refused to talk about it.
With everything else going on, I was willing to give my mother a pass. But only for a day. Two at the most. I’d never seen Stella act so strangely. There was something going on, something my mother didn’t want to tell me about, which made it even more important that I figure it out soon.
“When is Franco going to be in town?” I asked.
“This afternoon. He messaged me an address of some warehouse he found to set up his shoot. I need you to meet me there in half an hour.”
“Okay. What do I need to bring for wardrobe?”
“I’ve got it. He wants you all in white so we can focus on the makeup. We could use some muscle, so bring that cowboy with you.” Stella seemed to be back to her old self, barking orders like she hadn’t spent most of the night before in the fetal position on the bathroom floor.
“I don’t know that Jasper will be up for it.” I peeked at his profile from the corner of my eye.
“Whatever you need, I’m there.” He nudged his chin my direction.
With a shrug, I put the phone back to my ear. “He’ll be there. We’ll see you in a bit.”
“What was that all about?” Jasper asked.
“Stella said they might need some help moving Franco’s equipment. Do you have anything going on this afternoon?”
“Nope. Where you go, I go.”
I returned the smile, wishing that could be true forever. My phone pinged with an incoming text. “Crap on a cracker.”
“What is it?”
“Stella just texted me the address where we’re supposed to meet the photographer.”
“And?”
“It’s in Swynton.”
Franco wasn’t thrilled about the last-minute change in plans. I could tell by the exaggerated air-kisses he gave me when we met up at Lacey’s wedding warehouse. Thankfully, Jasper had been able to coordinate with the mayor, and we had access to the space as long as we needed it.
“What’s all this?” Franco stood at the edge of the screened-in tent where the butterflies flitted around a bunch of potted perennials that Lacey must have brought in for them. “You didn’t tell me this place came with built-in props.”
“Those are very important butterflies.” Jasper stepped between Franco and the zippered front of the tent. “They’re already promised to a bride for her wedding this weekend.”
“That’s a shame.” Franco swayed, his hands moving through the air as graceful as always.
“I’m picturing you all in white with hundreds of butterflies resting on your dress.”
“Why don’t we get the shots Monique suggested first? If we have time, maybe we can talk about incorporating some ofyour other ideas.” I stood behind Franco and shook my head at Jasper. There was no way I’d let the photographer wipe out the butterfly collection. Not after it had cost me a bruised hip to gather most of them.
“Fine.” Franco shifted into “go mode,” which meant he started bossing everyone around. “Delilah, go get ready. Stella, I’m going to need you to pitch in with styling today since I don’t have my assistant.”
“Can I do something to help?” Jasper asked.
“Sure. Can you grab my lights from the back of my SUV? Just be careful with them.” Franco tossed his keys to Jasper.
