Page 19 of Picture This

“Feel guilty.”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

I gave him a sad smile. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“I was driving.”

“Still not your fault. Emily doesn’t blame you, so you shouldn’t blame yourself.”

“It’s just one of those things I’ll never forget. But I hear you.” Noah sighed, running a hand through his hair. “That got heavy. Sorry.”

“No apologies.”

“Tell me about your job. What’s new in the world of New York City forensic photography?”

I scrunched up my nose. “Yikes. Now we’re talking heavy.”

“That bad?”

“I liked it at first. It was a thrill. But after about a year, it really started to weigh on me. Some of the things I’ve seen, I can’t forget. And there’s only so much compartmentalizing I can do before I feel like a robot.”

“Sorry. So are you going to quit?”

“That’s my plan. It’s taken me a while to get over the guilt of spending years and thousands of dollars on a college education I won’t use. The photography courses weren’t a waste. I had some amazing professors who taught me so much. But I don’t need a degree in criminal justice to do weddings and newborn portraits.”

“Is that what you want to do?”

I shrugged. “Maybe? I’d prefer to do original artwork, but I don’t know if it will sell. There’s a gallery in the city that’s doing an exhibition for me this fall. Everything is kind of riding on it. I’ve pretty much convinced myself it will flop and I’ll spend the rest of my life photographing puddles of blood and severed limbs.”

“Nah. You’re going to crush it. I’ve seen your stuff on social media and the pictures your parents have at their house. It’s fantastic. No more severed limbs for you.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“I am right.” A dimple formed in his cheek as he grinned.

God, that dimple was sexy.

He reclined deeper against the bed, crossing one ankle over the other. “Remember that time you and Emily were having a sleepover at my house? I was home for spring break my sophomore year. She was pissed because we voted on the movie to watch, and we both picked The Shining instead of whatever rom-com she wanted to watch. Thirty minutes in, and she stormed out, slammed the door to her room. But you didn’t go with her. You stayed on the couch with me, and we talked through the rest of the movie.”

“I remember.” I closed my eyes, picturing us on the couch, facing each other, barely glancing at the TV. “I was so nervous. God, I had the biggest crush on you.”

The words slipped from my lips before I could stop them.

Noah sat up straighter. “You did?”

“Um, yes.” It was too late to deny it now. “You didn’t know?”

He shook his head. “No.”

Part of me had always wondered if Noah had suspected my feelings, but I guess not.

Ugh. For years, I’d kept this crush a secret. Years. A single afternoon in a tent, and I blurted the truth. What the hell was wrong with me today? First, I told Emily I was moving, when I’d planned to wait until after the wedding. Now this.

Maybe I should have had that bourbon earlier.

Things were going to get awkward. Damn it.

“You know what? Forget I said that. You don’t need to hear about your sister’s best friend’s crush.” Stop saying crush, Delylah. My face was getting hot and undoubtedly turning a brilliant shade of red. “Let’s, uh, talk about something else. What’s your favorite part of teaching?”