Right?
She exhaled a short breath, walked back into the office space, avoided looking at Taryn and Dan, both of whom said her name, and headed up to the front of the studio, heart pounding against her ribs.
Audrey McIntyre, as perfect as she had been in photos, sat in one of the waiting chairs, looking out the window, lean legs crossed, gray heels bouncing slightly. She wore a heather gray knee-length dress, Ralph Lauren from the looks of it, and it fit her perfectly. One leg bore a faint but extensive scar that went behind her knee, and Mal’s throat caught at the sight.
She wasn’t hiding it. She didn’t think she needed to.
And she didn’t.
“Miss McIntyre,” Mal said with a smile, coming more fully into the room.
Audrey turned and grinned, her blue eyes sparkling. “Miss Hudson.” She stood and reached out a hand. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Call me Mal, please,” Mal told her, taking her hand.
Again with the perfect smile. “Then call me Audrey.”
Mal nodded, even as her stomach clenched. “Audrey, then. Please sit.”
“Actually,” Audrey said hesitantly, “would you mind if we went out to talk? I’m starving, and that deli across the street looks really good.”
That was an unusual request, but Mal wouldn’t insult her by saying no. “Sure, let me grab my purse.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Audrey said with a flick of her hand. “I’ll cover you. It’s the least I can do.”
Mal’s arm hairs stood on end. “For what?” she asked, trying not to let the strain of her voice show.
Audrey gave her a look. “One, for agreeing we meet there so I can stuff my face. Two, you had to endure a contract at Lake Lure with my brother calling the shots. I’m fairly certain I owe you lunch, at least.”
Mal exhaled in relief, wondering how much of that showed. She forced a light laugh. “Well, if you insist…”
They made their way across the street to the deli, placed their orders, and sat at a table outside.
“I hope this is good,” Audrey said as she sat, adjusting the loose cap sleeves of her dress. “But I’d still eat it if it wasn’t. I’m famished.”
Mal smiled and wondered how Audrey could be so open and easy when her brother wasn’t. “It is good,” she assured her. “You’ll like it. Okay, so you wanted to talk about the Lake Lure pictures?”
Audrey sat up. “Yes. First of all, I saw the proofs, and they were fantastic. I mean, you really got the feel of the place. You can see why it means so much to us, right?”
Mal nodded, smiling at the memories. “I can. Your brother told me a little about your family’s history there, and he knew all the best places for me to get shots.”
Audrey grinned and ran her fingers through her hair. “Yeah, Hunter’s obsessed with it. But since it will keep the resort running just as it is, we let him go crazy there, and he’s really good at it.”
There really didn’t seem to be a need to answer that, so Mal just smiled tightly.
“I did have one thing I need to ask you,” Audrey said, turning serious.
A thousand and three warning alarms went off in Mal’s head. She forced her face to relax and crossed her ankles. “Oh?”
Audrey nodded once. “All the pictures I saw were of nature and the views and the houses, which are fantastic for the resort, and I’m hanging some in my house.” She made a face, as if she wasn’t sure if she could actually ask the question. “Do you happen to have any with Hunter in them?”
Mal had chosen that moment to take a drink of her lemonade and subsequently choked. “I’m sorry?” she coughed.
Audrey pressed a hand to her forehead and winced. “I’m sorry. That came out wrong. What I mean is, I am trying to think of what to get him for his birthday in September, and I thought if there were any pictures from your shoot where he’s in his favorite place in the world, he might really like that.” She gave Mal a desperate, apologetic look. “I am hopeless when it comes to getting him presents and…”
“I’ll see what I have,” Mal overrode, still coughing.
Audrey smiled. “Thanks.” She straightened up even more and said, “Also, I had a concern about the…” She stopped and suddenly slumped back in her chair. “Hang it, I’m done pretending. I didn’t come here about the resort photos, although it’s not a bad idea to get a picture with Hunter, assuming he sat still long enough for one.”