Color Blind
Copyright© 2026 by Evie Olivia Niven
Chapter 7: Camera
Xandri adjusted the flash on her camera, or tried. Her gloved fingers were clumsy, but it was too cold to go without, at least for her. Quinn didn’t seem to have nearly as much trouble because he was wearing only a jacket and a scarf loosely draped around his neck. When he’d agreed to go to the park with her, she’d been secretly thrilled. Xandri had told him she wanted his advice on the pictures she was taking, which was only partly true. She’d wanted his company, as much as it irked her to admit it even to herself.
Apparently, Alastair and Sada were in Florida now, defending their title. Aislinn and Gabriel had gone, so Quinn and Alanna were staying at the Wolfe house. Both of them were preparing for another show, albeit a small one. Xandri had learned that there was a chance of the Wolfe family being invited to Paris to do a show, so Quinn and Alanna especially were working to stir up the art world. And she knew he’d be using the works he’d done of her, so she’d used that as leverage to convince him to join her.
“This park is kinda boring...” Quinn commented, glancing at her. “The scenery is bland...”
“There are a lot of people, though,” Xandri said, swinging her camera around to a park bench where an old woman sat, scattering seeds to a few straggling pigeons. “That’s what the assignment is.”
“Term ended more than a week ago,” Quinn pointed out, the faint hint of a grin quirking his lips.
Xandri scowled. “Hush, you!”
Quinn’s soft laughter made her shiver. She glanced at him, feeling the urge to smile at the light in his pale blue eyes. A moment later, that light faded, and he frowned. Xandri followed his gaze and saw a tall, blue-eyed blonde coming their way. Quinn stood close enough to her that she could actually feel his body tense. He knows her, she thought, glancing up at him. And of course, she’s really pretty, just like every other female he knows.
“Hello, Quinn,” the blonde said, putting on a smile that did not seem sincere.
“Melissa, go away,” Quinn muttered.
“Awww,” Melissa pouted. “Is that any way to speak to an old friend?”
Quinn smiled dangerously. “If by friend you mean a zit on the ass of humanity.”
Xandri could help herself; she smothered a laugh beneath her hand. Melissa turned to her, blue eyes narrowing. There was something distinctly unpleasant about this girl. Now that she thought about it, she’d caught a glimpse of this blonde at the Wolfe family art show. Before Andre ... Xandri thought, feeling her cheeks heat just slightly. She felt Quinn put a hand against her hip and glanced up at him.
“Let’s go,” Quinn said quietly, refusing to look at Melissa. “The fountain will be good for a picture ... it looks amazing when it’s frozen.”
Xandri felt Melissa’s eyes on her back as they walked away, and she doubted her gaze was friendly. Did they date or something? she wondered, frowning. They seemed to really, really dislike each other. In fact, dislike might have been too mild a word. Quinn seemed to want to get away from her badly, because he hustled Xandri over to the fountain. It was one of those dedications to Civil War soldiers that she found to be for the most part boring and samey.
“Was she an ex?” Xandri asked, as she lifted her camera to focus on the fountain.
“Alastair’s,” Quinn answered shortly. “Not mine. I’d rather date someone like Janice than a shallow, narrow-minded bitch like Melissa.”
Xandri’s eyebrows lifted. “Sorry I asked.”
She kept quiet as they circled the fountain again. Finally, Quinn excused himself to use the bathroom. There was a shed with bathrooms not too far away, so Xandri sat down on the edge of the fountain, sitting her camera down next to her. It got heavy, wearing it around her neck, but that was where she kept it usually. This isn’t nearly as fun as I thought it would be, she thought, resting her head in her hands. I really would like to know him better, but I hardly get the chance. It was true that Xandri had gotten to spend time talking with him again, though; that night they’d been snowed in.
Her attention was focused elsewhere, so she didn’t see Melissa until the girl had snatched up Xandri’s camera. Startled, Xandri looked up into those malicious blue eyes. She stood up, making a grab for her camera, but Melissa swung it out of the way. Furious, she could do little more than glare as her camera was dangled carelessly from her carefully manicured fingertips.
“Give that back,” Xandri growled, glowering at her.
“Tell me something first,” Melissa said, swinging the camera. “Are you Quinn’s girlfriend now? He’s been doing a lot of paintings of you.”
Xandri frowned. “That isn’t any of your business. Now, give that back!”
“Not if you don’t answer the question,” Melissa taunted. “Although I doubt Quinn would ever go for an ugly duckling like you. Even he has better taste than that.”
Xandri had had enough. She thought of herself as being fast on her feet, but now she was nervous. She made another lunge for her camera, but Melissa jerked it away again. A malicious smile curved her lips, then she opened her fingers, releasing the camera strap. Xandri stared, horrified, as her precious camera shattered on the ground.
“Oops,” Melissa said, smiling sweetly.
No ... Xandri thought, bending down to pick up her camera. Melissa walked away, laughing. If she hadn’t been so absorbed in her camera, Xandri might have gone after her. As it was, she was already mourning her beloved Nikon. I can’t possibly afford another one, she thought, biting back tears. I should have just answered her! In fact, I should have never put my camera down! It wasn’t like her to be so careless. Now she was paying the price for it.
“Is something wrong?”
Xandri jumped. Quinn was back from the bathroom. He was looking down at her, his eyebrows raised. She scooped up her camera, which rattled brokenly, and put it in the case with trembling fingers. Quinn reached out for her, but she backed up quickly. I can’t stay here any longer, Xandri thought, biting down hard on the inside of her lip. I’m going to cry.
“I have to go,” she told Quinn.
“Your camera,” Quinn said quietly. “What happened to it?”
“I uh ... dropped it,” Xandri answered, shrugging and trying to seem nonchalant. “It’s no big deal ... I’ll um ... buy a new one. In fact, I should go now. I mean, home, but ... uh ... see you later!”
She turned, hugging the broken camera to her chest, and walked rapidly away. Quinn didn’t follow her or even try to stop her. He must know something is up, she thought, as tears began to run down her cheeks. But it’s my problem, not his. Xandri certainly didn’t have the money for a new camera, and she couldn’t ask the sisters for any. They’d already done so much for her. She’d have to find some way to handle it on her own.
Quinn had watched Xandri rush out of the park with her broken camera, feeling a little confused. He’d come out of the bathroom just in time to see Melissa drop the camera, and he would have gone after her, but Xandri had commanded his attention. She’d looked about to cry. Yet instead of complaining or blaming him (Melissa was trying to get to him, after all), she’d simply left. That has to be an expensive camera, Quinn thought. If it was no big deal, she wouldn’t have left. Or at least he’d like to hope she wouldn’t have.
He’d been hoping to spend some actual time with her, and now he found himself driving home. It’s not that I feel about her like I do about Sada, he thought. It’s just ... well, I don’t know what it is. Alanna’s car was in the driveway, which meant she was home. Quinn parked behind her and headed into the house, taking only a moment to toss his coat and scarf on the couch before going upstairs. Alanna’s room was at the end of the hall. He knocked quietly.
“Come in,” Alanna called.
She was in the back corner of her room working at her easel. Quinn dropped down on the gigantic cushion in the opposite corner and waited until she took her attention away from the painting. Alanna sat back, wiping paint from her brush and smiling teasingly.
“I thought you were going to the park with Xandri,” she said, grinning. “Did you do something to upset her?”
Quinn rolled his eyes. “She had to go home. Um ... do you know what kind of camera she uses?”
“Why?” Alanna asked, frowning.
“Curiosity,” Quinn muttered.
“Well, I’m pretty sure it’s a Nikon,” Alanna said. “Ask Bea. They have the same one, so she’d know.”
Quinn leaned back on the cushion. “Are those expensive?”
Alanna stood up and dropped her paintbrush into the cup she used. She wasn’t as organized as he was; Quinn used a case for all his supplies. She did have a roll for her paintbrushes, but she only used it when they traveled somewhere. We’re quite the family, he thought, watching her speculatively. Even Alastair is an artist, of a sort. Alanna shook back her hair, which was messy and had some paint in it.
“From what Bea told me, about three hundred and fifty,” she told him. “And that’s not including a lens filter or a flash, either. She says they’re well worth the money, if you have it. Why?”
“Just curious,” Quinn repeated, pushing himself up off the cushion. “Don’t forget to eat something.”
“By which you mean don’t forget to cook something, right?” Alanna teased, grinning. “I’ll make dinner at the same time Mom always does, so make sure you don’t miss it.”