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Baroness Albertine was wonderful; it disgusted him that they couldn t see the monster behind the
noble title.
With camera in hand, he d discovered he had a talent for capturing the true essence of a
person on film. That was when the obsession to show the world what he saw began. Not just in his
grandmother. He wanted everyone to be warned that beneath the prettiest of faces could lurk the most
evil of creatures
He loved the camera. He loved it, because it recorded the truth.
Scout frowned at the pearl gray sky just as he clicked.  I think I felt a raindrop.
 Mm-hm. He clicked again just as glanced over at him. That was going to be a good one.
 Ugh, don t point that thing at me. It s loaded.
 This is not a gun. He grinned when she threw out a hand, palm out.  You can trust me. You
may have heard that I am a professional.
 Yeah, but I m not. Then she looked up again in a one-eye-closed squint that was so damn
cute he had to take a shot of it.  I think it s starting to rain. Does your camera like water?
 Not really. But he wasn t about to put it way. Not when there was still a chance to capture
the truest essence that was Scout.  Turn this way and give me a smile.
 I ll give you a knuckle sandwich if you keep that up. But the response was absent as she
began digging in her huge catch-all purse. She emerged with a red cylinder and popped a button.
Instantly a brilliant red umbrella sprouted above her and she gave him a dazzling smile just as he
clicked.  Ta-da.
  You are like Mary Poppins with that bag. He took another picture, just to be sure. The
color red was made for her.  Let me guess you checked the forecast before meeting me.
 Actually, no. I just try to be ready for every little thing that could go wrong. That way I
always have a plan to fall back on.
 More of your early-life training for scouting out trouble?
She nodded and twirled the red canopy with a jaunty air.  Remember Crazy-Ass Foster
Mom?
 The dandelion stomper?
 The one and only. She and her hubs often forgot about things like kids needing food more
than once a day and blankets in the middle of winter. That s when I discovered something important.
If you think of all the things that make you miserable like hunger, or in this case, rain you can
prepare and make the best of it.
He looked up from the camera, fury spinning inside him at the idea of young Scout being
miserable.  This is why you haul that monstrous bag around all the time.
She grinned, holding up her slouchy denim hobo bag.  What? Isn t this fashionable enough for
you?
 If it makes you happy, I am happy. But if she ever wanted a replacement made of fine Italian
leather, he d get right on that.  Has it occurred to you that you have spent a vast amount of time
thinking of things that make you miserable?
 Ew. That makes me sound like some nut job. I think of how to avoid being miserable.
There s a difference.
 And a bigger difference still is thinking of things that make you happy.
 I&  For a moment her smile faltered.  I ve never really looked at it that way.
 Perhaps no one has ever given you enough reason to stop looking for things that could make
you miserable. He could be that person the person who gave her a reason to concentrate on joy
rather than misery. But in order to do that, he had to let go of what had brought him into her life in the
first place. Having that lie hang over his head made it impossible for him to let his guard down, even
when he wanted to.
And he did want to. Enough to forget his past whatever the hell it was and focus on the
future.
If he wanted to come to her clean, he d have to let it go.
He could do that.
He had to do that.
And he would. For her.
 Walking in the rain with an umbrella makes me happy. With a little smile, she peeked out
from under the canopy before moving to shelter them both under the bright material.  Sharing my
umbrella with you makes me even happier.
 Yeah? God, she was cute. He tucked her close to his side and pressed his mouth to her [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]