She readjusted the strap of her shoulder bag and knocked on the door. Two seconds later a large, rugged teddy bear of a man opened the door and smiled down at her. He held a sandwich in one hand and shrugged his apologies.
‘Lu? Sorry—first moment I’ve had free to eat lunch,’ he explained. ‘Kelby Cotter.’
He raised the half-sandwich for another bite and gestured Lu to a seat in front of a very feminine, very messy desk. He swallowed his last bite, took a swig of water from the bottle on his desk and scrabbled amongst the papers.
‘Got it.’ Kelby flicked the memory card from her camera at her and Lu snapped it out of the air. ‘Amazing photos of Will. Can I have them?’
Surely he could have asked her over the phone whether he could use them? She should ask him to pay for them. Her brain whirled. But if she gave them to him and asked for the credit then that would help to raise her profile. ‘Uh...sure.’
Kelby tipped his head at her and let out a rumbling laugh. ‘You can’t just give your work away, Lu!’
‘So you’ll buy them from me?’
Kelby named a figure that had Lu’s eyes widening. It seemed that the Rays paid their photographers very well indeed.
Emboldened by his kind eyes, Lu asked why the CEO was dealing with publicity and PR issues.
‘Fair question. My head of PR flew to Cape Town to be with her terminally ill mother. I’m overseeing the department until she returns, and it’s easier to work in her office than move all her stuff to mine.’ Kelby leaned back in his chair and folded his hands across his portly stomach. ‘I have two other offers for you. Both of them involve you getting paid.’
Lu blushed and felt like an idiot. And excited. And nervous if these projects had anything to do with Will Scott. ‘OK. That sounds interesting.’
‘I browsed through the other photos on the media card Will gave me and I was blown away by some of your images. They are utterly fantastic.’
‘Thank you,’ Lu said, her brain racing to remember what images he was talking about. Some photos of the twins and their friends, the baby photo shoot, some beach scenes.
‘My partner and I have a six-month-old daughter and we’d love some photographs. Some portrait shots of her and some informal shots of the three of us.’
Yay! A job. ‘That’s very doable. I have a studio at home with all the props, backdrops and lighting. As for the informal shots, we can do them at your home—whenever it’s convenient.’
‘Uh...we live in a rather cramped loft at the moment, while our house is being built, so that wouldn’t work.’ Kelby fiddled with his pen. ‘Will says you have a beautiful garden...can we do them there? It’ll have to be on a Sunday. I’m swamped during the week.’
‘Sure. What about this Sunday morning?’
‘Fantastic!’ Kelby looked up at a sharp rap on his door. ‘Will! She said yes to doing Micki’s photos! We’re going to do them on Sunday morning at her house.’
‘Told you she would.’
Lu’s stomach swooped and rolled as she turned in her chair. Dressed in a pair of black athletic shorts, an untucked blue Rays branded T-shirt and trainers, he looked fit and sexy, his hair damp as if he’d just come out of a shower. Will stepped into the room and Lu’s eyes widened as he dropped his head to kiss her cheek. Because she pulled back—in surprise—his kiss landed on her temple. Will stood up and his eyes connected with hers. He’d clocked her surprise and those fabulous topaz eyes glinted with amusement.
Will perched himself on the corner of the desk and helped himself to the other half of Kelby’s sandwich.
‘Hey!’ Kelby protested.
‘Didn’t Angie put you on a diet? No carbs? Salad only?’ Will demanded in between bites. ‘I’m stopping you from getting into trouble with your woman, man.’
‘But I’m starving!’
‘Have a carrot stick or come run with me. Then you can eat shrimp and mayo sandwiches.’ Will wiped his mouth with a serviette he’d found next to the sandwich. ‘Or get your lard-ass back to the gym.’
‘Like I have time for that,’ Kelby grumbled.
Will waved the sandwich in Lu’s direction. ‘Have you asked her yet?’
‘I was interrupted by my annoying head coach,’ Kelby said, looking longingly at the empty plastic sandwich container. He turned to Lu and his eyes were serious. ‘I’m looking for a contracted photographer to work for the Rays—capturing official images of the squad for us to use for various promotional campaigns. I don’t have the time to phone around looking for freelance photographers who cost the earth even if they are available. I need you to be the official Rays photographer.’
Lu looked from Kelby to Will and realised that neither of them were laughing, so it couldn’t be a joke. She thought she’d make doubly sure. ‘Sorry—are you being serious?’ she asked, her heart racing.
‘Yep. You’d have to work flexible hours—work with me, work with the guys.’ He sent her a dubious look. ‘Can you handle twenty-plus men at a time?’
‘She raised twin boys. She’s pretty much Superwoman,’ Will stated calmly, and Lu shot him a quick grin and tried not to blush at his compliment.
Lu looked at Kelby. ‘Wow. Sorry, this is quite overwhelming. Are you sure?’
‘If you give me images half as good as the ones on that card I’ll be a happy man.’
Lu raised her chin in determination. ‘They’ll be as good or better.’
Kelby looked at Will and nodded. ‘I like her.’
‘I thought you would,’ he said, and Lu’s heart flopped against her ribs.
Kelby’s ringing mobile phone broke their look and, after telling his caller that he’d phone him back in five minutes, Kelby reached for a file on his desk. He handed Lu some papers and stood up. ‘Look that contract over and start on Monday.’ He waved his mobile. ‘Sorry, I have to sort something out.’
‘Thank you so much.’
Lu noticed Kelby’s eyes sliding to his desk drawer and saw that Will had caught the action too.
‘What are you hiding, Kelby?’ he demanded. Will stood up and walked around the desk, yanked open a drawer. He shook his head as he pulled out an oil stained packet. ‘Jelly doughnuts? Seriously? With your stress levels and lack of exercise?’
Kelby groaned. ‘Who are you? The food police?’
Will opened the packet, pulled one out and bit down. ‘These are good.’ He looked at Lu and waved the doughnut in the air. ‘Want some?’
Lu shook her head. ‘No thanks.’
‘I hate you so much, Scott. I’ll be back in five minutes,’ Kelby muttered, looking utterly bereft. ‘So are we on for Sunday, Lu.’
Lu felt sorry for him. Being on a diet was the pits. ‘Come at ten—for tea. I’ll make you some super-healthy beetroot cupcakes that you’ll think are laden with fat and calories.’
Kelby brightened immediately. ‘You—I like.’ He pointed at Will. ‘Him—not so much.’
Lu swallowed as the door clicked shut and Will resumed his place on the corner of the desk, his knee just inches from hers. He folded his arms across his chest and looked down at her.
He’d