She ran the video back and made sure it was there, clear and usable. She worked automatically, leaving her brain free to admit that even in her mind, she wasn’t sure what happened after the hoped-for admission of love. Did he propose? Offer to show her the world? Or simply carry her off into the sunset?
Telling herself that not only was it a fantasy, but that even if it came true, she didn’t have to write his lines for him didn’t make her any more comfortable with the unknown. She knew her twisting stomach nerves came from the fact that there was a shoe waiting to drop. This one in the form of Elaine coming clean with her family. And when that happened, Del was going to find out that Maya had known about the cancer all along and hadn’t told him. She had a feeling that conversation wasn’t going to go very well.
If only she knew how he felt about her. Asking made sense, but she couldn’t. Not until she could tell him how she felt, which she couldn’t until she didn’t have to lie to him.
And here she was, back where she’d first started.
Del walked over. “Why are you looking so serious? That was a great shot.”
“You have no way of knowing that.”
“I could see it in your eyes.” He flashed her a grin. “I nailed it.”
“Have I mentioned how your modesty is your best quality?”
He moved close and lowered his voice. “Is that what we’re calling it these days?”
He leaned in as he spoke. His warm breath teased the side of her neck and made her shiver. Or maybe it was simply being near the man himself. Del had always had the power to get to her. Time and distance hadn’t changed that fact.
She stared into his eyes and wondered if what they had was enough to survive what he was about to learn. Del had a lot of great qualities, but from what she could tell, forgiveness and understanding weren’t two of them.
She returned her attention to the camera and played back what she’d filmed. He watched intently.
“Great shot,” he told her. “The colors pop against the backdrop. You can see enough of the mountain to get a real sense of place.”
She nodded. “We have a lot of material. I’ll want to do a few shots of the live nativity in December, but otherwise, we’re nearly there.”
His dark gaze settled on her face. “Does that mean you’ll be going back to your desk job?”
“Sure. I have editing to do and cable access to worry about.”
“How interesting is that?”
“It depends on who Eddie and Gladys talked into giving over their butt photos.”
“Ever think about doing something—”
Two teenage girls approached. “Hey, Del. Hi, Maya. Filming for the town videos?”
Maya held in a sigh. Talk about bad timing. She turned to the teens and reminded herself that they’d been a big help with the questionnaire and discussion.
“We are,” she said cheerfully. “Shooting B-roll. Do you know what that is?”
“Background stuff,” one of the teens said. “For between the main action shots. It provides color and context.”
“Good answer,” Del told her. “What’s up?”
The girls exchanged a look, then glanced at Del. “We’ve been talking about your project,” the blonde said. “And we have some ideas.”
Her brunette friend nodded vigorously. “Like going to a country where girls have to get married really young. You could follow the couple for a few years and see what happens. Also, what about careers? Here everybody talks about how we can be anything.”
The blonde wrinkled her nose. “Which isn’t exactly true. Trust me. No one wants me doing anything with the space program. We’d crash for sure. But if I was good at math—”
“Like me,” her friend said with a smile.
“Yeah, like you, then I could do anything. Is it like that everywhere? Do all kids have opportunities? Or does it come down to what your parents do? If your dad’s a farmer, you’re going to be a farmer?”
Del listened intently. “I like this and I see what you’re saying. How much is choice? How much is geography or financial means?”
“Uh-huh. And there are expectations. Like getting married and having kids. But at what age? If you’re supposed to get married at eighteen, it’s hard to go to college, right?”
Her friend nodded. “Plus, there are family rules. In my family, everyone goes to college. But if you’re the first one to go, are you supported or expected to help pay the bills?”
“Nice,” Del said. “You’ve given us a lot to think about. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” the teens said together, then headed back to the festival.
“Good ideas,” Maya told him. “Although it would make me sad to see a young girl have to get married.”
“I agree, but it happens.” Del looked around. “What about different cultural celebrations? It’s been done a lot. Is there a fresh twist?”
“We could brainstorm that.”
“I’d like that.” He paused. “About what we were talking about before,” he began, just as her cell phone rang.
Maya pulled it out and glanced at the screen. “Caller ID says City Hall, and as I work for the mayor, I need to take this one.”
She pushed the talk button. “This is Maya.”
“It’s Bailey. Mayor Marsha needs you to go to the Lucky Lady Casino right away. Ernesto and Robert want to talk to you and Del.”
Telling herself that not only was it a fantasy, but that even if it came true, she didn’t have to write his lines for him didn’t make her any more comfortable with the unknown. She knew her twisting stomach nerves came from the fact that there was a shoe waiting to drop. This one in the form of Elaine coming clean with her family. And when that happened, Del was going to find out that Maya had known about the cancer all along and hadn’t told him. She had a feeling that conversation wasn’t going to go very well.
If only she knew how he felt about her. Asking made sense, but she couldn’t. Not until she could tell him how she felt, which she couldn’t until she didn’t have to lie to him.
And here she was, back where she’d first started.
Del walked over. “Why are you looking so serious? That was a great shot.”
“You have no way of knowing that.”
“I could see it in your eyes.” He flashed her a grin. “I nailed it.”
“Have I mentioned how your modesty is your best quality?”
He moved close and lowered his voice. “Is that what we’re calling it these days?”
He leaned in as he spoke. His warm breath teased the side of her neck and made her shiver. Or maybe it was simply being near the man himself. Del had always had the power to get to her. Time and distance hadn’t changed that fact.
She stared into his eyes and wondered if what they had was enough to survive what he was about to learn. Del had a lot of great qualities, but from what she could tell, forgiveness and understanding weren’t two of them.
She returned her attention to the camera and played back what she’d filmed. He watched intently.
“Great shot,” he told her. “The colors pop against the backdrop. You can see enough of the mountain to get a real sense of place.”
She nodded. “We have a lot of material. I’ll want to do a few shots of the live nativity in December, but otherwise, we’re nearly there.”
His dark gaze settled on her face. “Does that mean you’ll be going back to your desk job?”
“Sure. I have editing to do and cable access to worry about.”
“How interesting is that?”
“It depends on who Eddie and Gladys talked into giving over their butt photos.”
“Ever think about doing something—”
Two teenage girls approached. “Hey, Del. Hi, Maya. Filming for the town videos?”
Maya held in a sigh. Talk about bad timing. She turned to the teens and reminded herself that they’d been a big help with the questionnaire and discussion.
“We are,” she said cheerfully. “Shooting B-roll. Do you know what that is?”
“Background stuff,” one of the teens said. “For between the main action shots. It provides color and context.”
“Good answer,” Del told her. “What’s up?”
The girls exchanged a look, then glanced at Del. “We’ve been talking about your project,” the blonde said. “And we have some ideas.”
Her brunette friend nodded vigorously. “Like going to a country where girls have to get married really young. You could follow the couple for a few years and see what happens. Also, what about careers? Here everybody talks about how we can be anything.”
The blonde wrinkled her nose. “Which isn’t exactly true. Trust me. No one wants me doing anything with the space program. We’d crash for sure. But if I was good at math—”
“Like me,” her friend said with a smile.
“Yeah, like you, then I could do anything. Is it like that everywhere? Do all kids have opportunities? Or does it come down to what your parents do? If your dad’s a farmer, you’re going to be a farmer?”
Del listened intently. “I like this and I see what you’re saying. How much is choice? How much is geography or financial means?”
“Uh-huh. And there are expectations. Like getting married and having kids. But at what age? If you’re supposed to get married at eighteen, it’s hard to go to college, right?”
Her friend nodded. “Plus, there are family rules. In my family, everyone goes to college. But if you’re the first one to go, are you supported or expected to help pay the bills?”
“Nice,” Del said. “You’ve given us a lot to think about. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” the teens said together, then headed back to the festival.
“Good ideas,” Maya told him. “Although it would make me sad to see a young girl have to get married.”
“I agree, but it happens.” Del looked around. “What about different cultural celebrations? It’s been done a lot. Is there a fresh twist?”
“We could brainstorm that.”
“I’d like that.” He paused. “About what we were talking about before,” he began, just as her cell phone rang.
Maya pulled it out and glanced at the screen. “Caller ID says City Hall, and as I work for the mayor, I need to take this one.”
She pushed the talk button. “This is Maya.”
“It’s Bailey. Mayor Marsha needs you to go to the Lucky Lady Casino right away. Ernesto and Robert want to talk to you and Del.”
