Chapter 9

It rained that evening. The clouds had gathered before dinner, and by the time we’d finished eating, the downpour had begun. It didn’t thunder or lightning much. Just a hard, steady rain.

The porch was covered, so I sat outside, wearing a windbreaker against the cool evening, my whiskey glass in hand. I liked the rain. It cleansed things. It washed away the grit of the day.

My mind drifted some to the lunch with Wendy. I didn’t have to read between the lines. What she wanted was obvious. I just ... I just didn’t know what to do about it.

Worse, I knew what Caroline would say. She’d tell me she wanted me to be happy. She’d tell me to give Wendy a chance.

It ... it just wasn’t that easy. Wendy was serious. I wasn’t ready for serious.

But ... I had to admit getting laid would be pretty nice. It just ... wouldn’t be casual with her. Fun, exciting, and sometimes wild, I was sure. But ... not a fling.

I wasn’t ready for serious.

I drank more of my whiskey.

The back door creaked open.

I snorted softly. Of course Katie would come looking for me.

She walked quietly out to my side. Instead of sitting, she just smiled at me before looking out at the rain. She was close enough to see the goosebumps on her arm.

“Nice night,” she said.

“Yeah.”

“What’d you think of Wendy’s suggestion?”

I rolled my eyes. That was Katie—direct and to the point.

“I thought it was a good one.”

“Yeah...”

“But you don’t like it.”

“It’s fine.” I shrugged. “I just ... well, it’s too soon.”

“Uh-huh.” Her tone was flat.

I grimaced. “It’s not because I’m still pining for your mother.”

“But you are.”

“No! No ... it’s not that.” I let out a deep breath. “It’s that it’s Wendy. You know it won’t be just a photoshoot with her.”

“And why is that a problem?”

“Because ... because I just want it to be a photoshoot, you know? Something beautiful and sexy. Maybe even avant-garde, but ... not where I’m wondering if I’m going to have to buy her breakfast the next morning!”

Katie actually laughed at that. A dark chuckle, but a laugh nonetheless. When she recovered, she asked, “Do you want to sleep with her?”

“Pretty blunt question.”

“But do you?”

“Yes. But not next. Not as a rebounder.”

“Ah.”

“And I don’t want to do the next photoshoot with her either. Because when she does pose, that’s where it’ll go.”

“Like it did with Mom.”

I froze.

The rain continued, and Katie actually waited until my brain re-engaged.

“You know about that?”

“I’ve seen the photos, Dad. All of them.”

I swallowed hard. Then I took another slug of whiskey.

“You two loved each other,” she said more softly. “That was clear. And I’d like to see you have that again.”

I nodded acknowledgement, but that was the best I could do.

I thought more about Wendy when I went to bed. She really did have the body of a woman twenty years younger, and more than once I’d fantasized about her joining Caroline and me in bed. Especially after Wendy’s divorce. It’d never happened, though. To be fair, Caroline and I had never discussed it. Sex with her had been so good, I hadn’t particularly wanted Wendy or any other woman in any serious way.

But Caroline ... bent over the chaise...

The more the memories drifted through my mind, the harder I got.

So I closed my eyes and took care of things.

The rain ended before morning, though the forecast said another storm would roll through that evening. Not that I was in shape to really enjoy the fresh scents of the yard as the flowers and plants blossomed during the pause. Fortunately, my hangover didn’t last long.

Katie was much cheerier. She made a grocery run and also stopped by the liquor store. Besides some wine and beer, she got me a new bottle of whiskey, an Uncle Nearest 1856. She said the store owner had recommended it as a good celebration whiskey.

“So what are we celebrating?” I asked.

“Nothing yet.”

“Uh-huh. So, what are you planning?”

“It’s for your next photoshoot.”

I grimaced.

“C’mon. Just call her.”

I shook my head. “Someone else first.”

“Okay. I’ll pose for you.”

“You will?” I blinked in surprise.

“Mmm hmm. Tonight, after dinner.”

“The barn’s too wet.”

“So we’ll use the studio.” She gave me a pointed look. “Or you could call Wendy.”

I sighed. “Okay. After dinner.”

I spent the afternoon puttering around my studio. I’d told Katie I was cleaning and straightening, but I was really just dithering.

Katie was right. I needed to call Wendy and invite her to model. We were old friends, and there had always been some low level chemistry. There’d been more between Wendy and Caroline, but Caroline was straight, so nothing more than a great friendship had ever come of it. I’d sometimes wondered about Wendy, but if she was bi, she’d never dropped any serious hints.

Two women together—that was something I could do, I mused. It’d been a long time since I’d shot two models together. I could probably get some spectacular shots, particularly in the barn with the kerosene lamps. Especially if the models were interactive and not just posing next to each other.

That thought beguiled me. For both artistic and erotic reasons.

Which had the expected physical reaction below the waist.

I sighed when I realized that. I definitely needed to get laid. While I didn’t want Wendy to be a rebounder, I didn’t see any other options at the moment. That just added to the frustration.

I wondered for a moment what Caroline would want me to do. I was pretty sure she’d want me to be happy. It had been three years. Maybe ... maybe it was time.

Yet every time I looked around the studio, I saw ghosts of Caroline from sessions past. Dimmer than they’d been, true. It helped that my memories now included Alyssa and Shannon. Those had been good shoots.