Dead Girl Pictures

Decisions

I can't stop myself from taking her hand. She looked so sad right then like the weight of the world came crashing into her at once. I want to take that fear and stress away from her mind but I will have to wait for now. Jake appears back on the deck with Natalie in tow. She looks a bit flustered and they are holding hands. Kate claps her hands at this development and Natalie blushes deeper. Jake just pulled her closer and gave her a kiss on the side of the head, a pat on the ass and hands her a beer. She looks at it for a second before taking a drink. She looks my direction and smiles a welcome at me.
"So dinner will be ready in about 45 minutes. We are doing steaks and all the sides tonight with s'mores for dessert." Natalie says. Everyone nods in agreement and relaxes back into their chairs.
"Samuel are you staying for dinner?" Natalie asks.
I turn to Alex with raised eyebrows in silent question.
"If you want to you are welcome to have dinner with us." She says to me.
"Then yes. I would love to hang out for dinner" I say with a smile.
Natalie heads back inside with Jake behind her. Now that he has staked a claim to her she may have a hard time leaving his sight. I know how he feels. Alex's hand is still held in mine.
"Five bucks says he talks her into staying the night" Brian says out loud.
Kate and Alex just shake their heads.
"No bet" Alex says "You know he will. I don't think he would have to do much talking." She says this with a soft smile on her face. Like she is happy for both of them. I want to tell her how happy I can make her, how I can cure her disease and give her everything she has ever wanted. But not just yet.
First I need her to want me as much as I want her.
Not long after that Jake pops his head out the door.
"Dinner is ready y'all. Come and eat before it gets cold."
We all get up but I noticed that Alex gets up slower than the rest of us. I help her carefully to her feet and she gives me a grateful smile.
"The day is catching up with me it seams" she says in explanation.
I want to call her on the small lie but don't. We will get to a point she can be honest with me all the time. For now I just hold her hand and lead her inside.
The dinner table is all set up and ready for us. Jake is grabbing everyone more drinks and Natalie is plating the sides to bring over.
We all take our seats around the table. I make sure to hold Alex's chair out for her to sit. I then take the one next to her. Brian and Kate are across from us with Jake and Natalie taking seats down from them. We all start passing plates around as Natalie's helpers bring in the steaks for us. I offer Alex a bit of everything that is passed around and make her plate as I do mine. She looks a bit shocked by this. I have a feeling that her last boyfriend wasn't that attentive to her. Well, she had better get use to it from here on out. I want to do the little things for her. Conversation flows around us like a river but we are both asking each other questions until Natalie gets her attention.
"Alex, the pictures of the house are amazing! Thank you for them. It really brings out the beauty I see in the place. Sam, you should see them. They are prefect." Natalie states.
I noticed a blush starting on my girl's cheeks at the praise. She doesn't know that I have seen her work online or that I follow all her accounts.
"So, you are a photographer I take it?" I ask her. She nods at me while taking a bite of salad. I noticed she hasn't eat much at all tonight. I wonder if that has to do with the cancer and figure it does. I had noticed some nausea medicine in her bag the first day they were here.
"My friend is to modest. She is an amazing photographer with a great eye. She can see pictures in a different way than most people can. She can tell a story better than most. Her Insta is huge right now as are her other socials." Kate says.
"Thank you for that" Alex says while making a face at Kate.
"Why has it blown up lately?" I ask her.
She shrugged her shoulders at my question.
"It's nothing really. Just some stuff going on with life and my health. It's nothing big." My girl lies through her teeth. I want to turn her over my knee and let her know that lies will not be tolerated between us anymore. But for right now I just look at her.
"I would love to hear about it when you are ready." I tell her in a soft voice.
I turn my attention back to the group at large as conversation picks back up again. They start talking about what they have planned. I recommend a hike further out of town and offer to go with them tomorrow afternoon and then have everyone over for dinner at my house after. Natalie agrees to have her crew set up over at my place tomorrow instead of here. I tell the group as a whole I have work tomorrow morning but would meet them here around 2. As I am talking I lay my hand on her thigh and stroke. She shifts in her seat as I get higher on her leg. Her shifting makes me smile.
"Everyone ready for dessert?" Natalie asks as she stands up. While we were eating her crew had lit the fire pit and sat out several trays of s'mores making sets. We all move back around the fire pit and I notice that Jake pulls Natalie down into his lap. I smile at them, Natalie is a great woman and I hope that Jake treats her right. I look over at my girl and I want to do the same but she isn't there yet. Instead I pull her chair over closer to me.
"I take it you like s'mores?" I ask her.
"Yep!" She smiles at me "It is one of my favorite desserts because you cook it outside."
I toast her a marshmallow and we talk while eating. I learn her favorite book, movies and things to do at home. I tell her all about my work and life here. Soon it gets late and everyone starts getting ready for bed. I get up to go home and Alex smiles at me as I make my way over to the steps.
"It was really nice meeting you, Samual." She says. I don't say anything but cup her face and pull her in for a kiss. She comes to me easily and opens up for my kiss.
"See you tomorrow, Alex" I say after letting her go. She stands there on the steps with a bemused expression on her face and her hand on her lips.