The Blind Date by Landish, Lauren (suggested reading .txt) 📕

And like the spoiled little prince he is, he comes trotting into the bathroom like he knew all along what was happening in here. And that it was entirely for him.

Chapter 18 Riley

“Thanks again, Mike,” I tell the diner owner as he stands back, his arms crossed over his big belly.

He’s been very understanding and gracious in letting me have a photo shoot at Big Mike’s. I hadn’t even considered that when Noah and I had our date here, but when a well-known photographer contacted me saying she’d be in the area today and would love to collaborate, I knew the diner was the perfect spot.

“No problem, Miss Sunshine . . . uh, Riley? Yeah, I’m gonna go clean the kitchen or something,” Mike says awkwardly and then disappears.

“Don’t worry about him,” Wayne tells me with a wave of his hand. The helpful waiter offered to come assist with anything I needed today when he found out about the photo shoot. “He doesn’t know how to deal with celebrity.”

I laugh at his comment. “I’m not a celebrity. Just someone trying to make the world a bit brighter.”

“M’kay, Little Miss Sunshine. I see you acting humble, but you’re the biggest celebrity I’ve ever waited on, so I’mma need you to own that so I can brag appropriately.” He wags his yellow-painted nails—in solidarity, he told me—to highlight his point.

When I was here before, Wayne had no idea who I was. I doubt he truly does now, either, but when people hear ‘photo shoot’ they go a little crazy. Even me. I’m a bit starstruck by the photographer whose work I’ve followed for years.

“Riley?” India, the photographer, says, getting my attention. “Let’s get you sitting on the bar, feet on the barstool.” She bends down, looking through her camera to check the setup.

There are lights on tripods, and India has an assistant with a reflector board, but earlier, India explained that she mostly wanted to use the restaurant’s neon and overhead lights so that the images have that ‘authentic diner feeling’. That had sounded perfect to me.

I nod, climbing up ungracefully to the bar top. I strike a few poses, flipping my yellow tulle skirt this way and that and showing off my white T-strap heels and yellow lace bobby socks. It’s not quite a pin-up costume, but it’s heavily inspired by that vibe while staying true to my brand of sunshine yellow and fresh white. I had to rush ship it to get it here in time for India’s visit, but as soon as I put it on, I knew it was absolutely worth it.

“And kick your right leg out,” India instructs me. I do that, and then we start truly flowing, neither of us needing direction. It took me a long time to know my best features and how to highlight them. I had to study posing the same way India studied aperture. Together, we work our way all over Big Mike’s, taking shot after shot until India’s phone dings.

“Oh, shit, that’s my alarm. My husband will be here in fifteen minutes so I’m afraid we need to call this a wrap.” India smiles, her thick lips glossy and teeth bright white. She could be a model herself with her high cheekbones and striking dark eyes, but she’s utterly fabulous behind the camera. “This has been amazing, Riley. Thank you for being my model today!”

I gush back, “Are you kidding? Thank you for being my photographer! I can’t wait to see everything.”

I climb down from the jukebox where we took our last shots and give India a big hug. “Can I help you clean up or pack?”

She shakes her head. “Oh, no, nobody touches my gear but me. I don’t even let my husband touch my babies.” She holds her camera to her chest protectively, though she smiles as though she’s kidding.

“We’re opening in thirty minutes,” Mike calls through the window to the kitchen.

“They’re done,” Wayne calls back. “We’ll be ready to open in twenty.” He’s been watching the whole thing, offering water here and ideas there. Some of his placements were really great, actually. I don’t think I would’ve thought to do photos in the men’s room, especially since I’d never been in there, but it’d been fun acting like I was doing something sneaky and naughty for the pictures. And the men’s room had a whole row of posters of female icons from decades past, from Marilyn to Tina Louise, Farrah Fawcett to Brooke Shields.

A school bus pulls up outside, and India turns. “There he is, ready to get on the road.”

“The bus?” Wayne asks, looking out the window like a pack of feral school children are going to rush the place demanding chocolate chip pancakes and cream sodas while overwhelming any sense of order there might be.

As if feral kids would be on a school bus anyway.

India nods. “Yeah, we converted the bus to be our home on the road. It’s not fancy, but it’s ours.” To me, she says, “I’ll work on editing while we’re traveling to the next stop, so I’ll send you everything tonight. Do a check-through for approval, and then we can do a coordinated post to release them to the public in a couple of days.”

India waits for me to nod in answer, and I add, “That sounds amazing. Thank you so much, India.”

She gathers all her gear, and too soon, India and her school bus-driving husband are gone.

“Wow,” I breathe in awe. “India Inkspot Photography.”

Wayne pulls up his still-glassless glasses to raise a brow, adding, “Uh, wow . . . Riley Sunshine.”

I laugh and give him a high-five. “Thanks, Wayne. Do you think I could get something to go?”

“Chocolate cake shake?” he suggests. Maybe he remembers that Noah and I didn’t get one when we were here or maybe it’s his standard suggestion, but he’s absolutely right. That’s what I want. I don’t care if it’s not yet eight in the morning. Cake has eggs and milk in it. Those are breakfast