Sophie jumps between us. “And Mandy had too much to drink.” She pulls the cup away from Mandy and laughs nervously.
“And I’ve had nothing to drink, so tell me, Mandy—what’d you hear about me that made you instantly hate my guts? Or is it just that you’re the slut at this party, but Nick already has another woman in his room?”
Mandy lunges for me and I’m ready to punch her, but Sophie and another girl jump in the middle. Sophie screams, “Mandy stop it! Sky, I’m going to kill you!”
We’re apart and I’m breathing hard. I press my fingers to my chest. “Me?”
“Yeah you. You’re not drunk. She is.”
“That’s a shitty answer, Sophie.”
“I’ve got an idea Conceited Chick will find interesting. I bet you that the best picture taken at this wedding is Nick Ferro’s and not yours.” Mandy smirks pointing a half-filled wine glass at me.
“Cut it out, Mandy.” Sophie warns Kool Cum to back down, but she doesn’t.
“Come on girls, let’s put money on it. How about twenty grand if you win?”
I have to ask, “And what if I lose?”
“Then you don’t show any of your pictures from the wedding, let the real wedding photographer sell his pictures, and let me into your room the night before we leave. I have a surprise for Nick Ferro, one he’ll adore.” Mandy’s face is pinched into a snobby scowl. She comes from money. Her fake titties almost look real and I don’t think that’s her original nose either.
I shake my head and mutter, “Asshole.”
“Oh, what’s the matter? Too afraid to put your money where your mouth is? I hear that mouth has been everywhere else, so what’s one more place?”
“Mandy!” Sophie scolds.
“Bitch,” I bite back.
“Whore.”
I roll my eyes and push up. “I don’t have time for this shit. We can’t all be pampered asses. I’ll talk to you tomorrow Soph.” Just as I’m about to walk through the door, Mandy finishes whispering to her friends. “We’ll double it. Come on Skylar, we know you’re strapped for cash and if you’re the best you have nothing to lose. Forty thousand bucks for the best shot of this wedding.”
I pause in the doorway, unsure what to do. It’s degrading, but it’s enough to get me out of the mess I’m in. I can win without screwing with Nick. The lighting is a nightmare and he can’t use his camera unless it’s set on auto. His pictures will look like crap.
“They’re using you. Walk away, Sky,” Sophie whispers in my ear. These are her cousins. She can’t stand Mandy, but the people you love and hate most are both invited to your wedding.
“Who picks the winner?” I ask and instantly hate myself for doing it, but I have to. There’s no other way out of this.
Sophie closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose. Mandy looks over at her cousin. “Sophie and Steven will pick, but you’ll have to make it so they can’t tell which picture belongs to which photographer. No cheating, trailer trash.”
“Go fuck a cactus, classless cunt.” Everyone gasps like they can’t believe I really said those words. “Oh, shut up. It’s not like you didn’t know you were one. I’m just the only person brave enough to say it to your face.”
Mandy grins wickedly, not denying my accusations. “So the bet is on?”
“Is she good for it?” I ask Sophie. My friend nods. After a moment, I nod and say, “Hell, yeah. I’m going to kick his ass so hard, even he won’t find my shoe.”
“You’re so crude.” Mandy’s little nose crumples up before she goes to say more, but I’m already gone.
Beat Nick Ferro. I need the best shots. I already have one, but I don’t know what shots he has. I tiptoe down the hall, into our room. After closing the door, I go over to his gear bag and fish out his only camera. Schmuck. I could break it and he’d be screwed, but I don’t play like that.
Nick inhales and rolls away from me as I sneak the camera under my blankets to look at the illuminated screen. I flip through his shots and terror grabs hold of my throat. He’s actually good. The angle of the portraits flatter everyone and his exposures are dead on. There’s no way these were shot on auto. When I check his settings, I can see that they weren’t. Damn it. Nick knows how to shoot.
As I press my eyes closed and silently curse, Nick yawns sleepily, “Taking dirty pictures with my camera? I’m a breast man. Make sure you get a good shot of underboob. I like that part.” I gasp and try to conceal it, but it’s too late. I’m totally busted. I drop the sheet and he can see me looking through his pictures. Nick is standing next to me, holding out his hand. “Hand it over.”
I sigh and hold it up. “You’re a liar.”
“What?” He laughs.
“You said you couldn’t shoot. You said you only shot on auto.”
“I never said that.”
“That’s what you told my assistant when she interviewed you to second-shoot a wedding.”