Saved by the Cross (Cross 3)

18 - Photographer

A/N It happened again. Wattpad did send notice of yesterday's chapter. If you missed it go back one chapter.

Every time Gray sat in front of a venue where wealthy people gathered in tuxedos and gowns, he waited for his door to open. Weeks passed, and it never did. Each week he found himself disappointed.

Parked at the Petersen estate, Gray sat back and relaxed. The guests gathered inside were all from the same tree-lined lane, except Monty. Ironically, he grew up only a short distance away. Often Monty drove to Weston without Gray, but he had offered to get out of his own four walls for a while. If he had the night off, he might have met up with his friends on the force which meant at a bar and that wasn't the best scene for an alcoholic.

He sat with his laptop out and the windows down. There were voices on the patio. He watched Julio leave through the kitchen door with Sofia's niece Lina. When he smoked, Monty used to sneak outside through the kitchen. Sofia often spoke to him. The memory of Monty sneaking out of parties reminded him of Doyle. Why couldn't he stop thinking of her.

Julio, Sofia's brother-in-law, stopped by his car. "Yo, Gray. Come on up to our apartment. You don't need to sit in the car."

He smiled. "I don't need to intrude. They won't be late because Ana's with them."

Julio smiled. "We just saw her. Rosa has her in the kitchen."

Gray smiled at Lina. "Did you play with your cousin?"

"She's trying to crawl."

Gray nodded. He had seen her squirm like an inchworm. "She is amazing."

"Tia said I can get my picture taken."

"Picture?" He looked at Julio.

"Sofia has a photographer coming to the house. She wants the girls together."

"Photographer. No one mentioned it?" Gray frowned.

Julio shrugged. "Do you want to be in the family picture?" He laughed at himself.

"No. I would ruin it." If Doyle was coming, Sofia would have said something. Wouldn't she have?

Julio laughed. "Are you sure you don't want to come up?"

He shook his head. "Thank you. I have some work to do."

After the father and daughter walked to their apartment above the garages, Gray looked across the lawn. Beyond was a garden with a fountain people claimed was magic. Gray could take a walk to the fountain, but he didn't know what to wish for. A best seller? Austin had agreed to ask an assistant literary agent to look at his writing. To make him forget K? He still thought about her and missed her.

The following evening, Gray was determined to forget about her on his own. He combed his hair and put on a pressed shirt. As he walked into Whole Foods, he smiled. The store wasn't crowded. Single professionals shopped at night. He carried a basket instead of pushing a cart. The vast produce section held a wide selection. He scanned the area and zeroed in on a blonde looking at fruit he didn't recognize. He joined her and picked a green and red fruit about the size of his palm.

"What's this?"

She turned to him and smiled. "A mango."

"Right, but how do I know if it's ripe?"

When she smiled her eyes sparkled. "I'm wondering the same thing. I put it to my nose, but it doesn't smell."

He squeezed it. "It's hard."

She looked at him sideways and smirked. She gave him the 'I'd like to find out' look. Usually he felt the start of something, a sensation. He looked at her and appreciated her ample breasts. She looked to be over thirty.