"Over here. Max! Over here," Fox called out, trying to get the attention of a ten-month-old German shepherd. "Lyla, could you come over here and help me?"

"Sure!" Seven-year-old Lyla said, bouncing over to him, her glittery blue stars wobbling on her headband. "What do you need?"

"Max is your dog. Could you show me how you make him listen so I can get his picture?"

"Yeah, I can do that, buuuut… he doesn't always listen to me."

"That's okay. Let's just try." He smiled at her and she nodded, looking at Max as he began to chase his tail. "Well… we'll try our very best." Lyla laughed and Max ran over to her, barking and bouncing at her feet.

Fox began shooting pictures, catching moments that had not been planned, but knew they would be good. He got Lyla on her own, mid-spin, her arms above her head, turquoise dress fanned out around her. Max lying on his back with his tongue lolling out, a happy smile on his face. Lyla sitting down cross legged stroking Max's ears, his head in her lap, eyes closed. And his favorite, the two of them staring at each other, nose-to-nose, Lyla grinning at him.

They were in the lobby, looking at the photos and talking about pricing, when Dana returned, her arms full of bags. Max barked excitedly at the new arrival and tugged on his harness, straining to get to her.

"Oh! I was hoping I wouldn't miss you. Hello, Max," she said, setting the bags down, taking off her coat, and hurrying over to him. "Hello, sweet boy. Aren't you just the cutest?"

She knelt down and allowed him to jump around her, telling him to sit quietly and he whined as he did, before flopping onto the floor and rolling over. She laughed as she rubbed his belly and Lyla sat beside her, telling her about him and rubbing his chin as his tail wagged at top speed.

Fox watched her speaking with Lyla and smiling at her. She seemed better now, but he still wanted to hear how she was truly feeling. She caught his eye and looked away, sighing as her smile disappeared.

Fuck.

"Thanks for today, Fox. We really appreciate it," Roger Tyler said, Lyla's father, shaking Fox's hand. "You got some great pictures."

"Thank you. See you soon."

They said their goodbyes and walked out the door, leaving Fox and Dana alone in the silent lobby. He took a breath and glanced at her as she sighed as she wrapped her cardigan around herself.

"Is your-"

"I got the-"

They stared at each other and she looked down, shaking her head.

"Sorry. Go ahead," she said quietly and he briefly closed his eyes.

"I was just wondering if your finger was feeling okay."

"Oh," she said, laughing softly. "Yeah, it is. A little tender, but okay." She bent it to show him and he nodded.

"That's good."

"Yeah." She sighed again and he waited, wanting to know more about the breakup and if she was okay, but he also did not want to ask and cause any pain. "I ordered the frames you wanted and they will be here on Friday. I got the letters mailed, candy for the jars and some new coffee. It's from this new store that opened. I had a few samples so if you need anything done, I'm pretty sure I can do it fairly quickly, I feel like I can hear my blood pumping in my veins."

He laughed and then caught himself as she raised her head and looked at him. It had felt like old times for a second and then…

"I'll put the things away," she said quietly, turning around and walking to the bags she had brought in with her.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out and she stopped, turning back to look at him. "I'm sorry for how things have been recently too. I… I wasn't always kind to you."

"You tried to tell me. To warn me…"

"It wasn't my place," he said, the words feeling heavy. "As your employer-"

"As my friend," she corrected him. "I don't think of you that way. Yes, this is my job, you pay me… but you're my friend first. That's how I've always seen it. I've never stayed for drinks with a boss before. Never wanted to hang out with them. You're my friend, who happens to also be my employer. And I didn't listen to my friend." She shook her head, her eyes sad. "I should have listened."

"Did he hurt you?" he asked, anger rising as he clenched his fists, imagining the way it would feel to punch Tom in the face.

"No. Not… not how you're thinking."

"How am I thinking? Clarify it, please."

She smiled faintly and licked her lips, looking down and then at him, her chest rising as she took in a breath.

"He… he was so sweet at first. Telling me I was beautiful and giving me things. My sister said to be cautious, but I just thought she was jealous. Her boyfriend didn't do the things Tom did, he wasn't as wealthy. He charmed me, always happy and attentive."

"Love bombed you. Made you feel special," he said, nodding as he thought of Tiffany.

She had been so interested in his photography, gushing about how great he was, always pushing him to try to be more successful. Then when he had, when work was pouring in, she had pouted that he was not spending time with her. He gave her gifts to placate her, gave her access to his finances like a fucking fool, and she took what she wanted, leaving him and never looking back.

He had fought it, had gotten a small portion of the money back, but his trust in people had been shattered.

Until he had met Dana.

He knew the feeling she was describing well, which made it hurt even more.

"He made you feel that everyone around you was the problem and he alone understood and loved you most," he stated and she nodded.

"I didn't see it that way," she whispered.

"No. When you're in it, you can't. Not until you're out or you've really paid attention to something they've said, do you see it."

"It was an ex-girlfriend of his," she said and he looked at her in confusion. "We were at his family's country club and this woman walked in- this beautiful, tall, blonde woman. He started telling me that they used to date, that she… she had been really good in bed-"

"Fucking bastard," he muttered, shaking his head at the audacity to say something like that to her, to any woman he was currently dating.

"Yeah," she said looking down. "Then he talked about a mole she had on her cheek and how it always disgusted him. She was so beautiful and all he could think was why hadn't she gotten it removed? And I…" She touched her thumb to the mole above her lip that she had started covering and he had wondered why.

Now he knew and it enraged him.

"He's an idiot," he said angrily, knowing how self conscious Tom had to have made her feel in that moment. "He knows nothing of beauty and uniqueness in a person." She nodded, but kept her hand at her mouth.

"He cut her down and all I could think was: I wonder what he says about me. Do I… does he actually think I'm pretty? Am I… am I good enough in his eyes?" She sniffled and let out a breath. "I started changing, listening to him and what he thought, and I think I lost myself because I don't feel like me anymore."

She whimpered and shook her head, walking quickly into the bathroom and closing the door. He heard her crying and felt powerless to do anything. He wanted to go to her and console her, but also wanted to give her the space she needed.

He looked at his computer, at the blinking green light of the flash drive he had been adding pictures to, when work had pulled him away. It held proof within its files, physical and visual proof, that any disparaging words Tom had spoken to her regarding her beauty, was an outright lie.

He began to walk to his desk, to add more pictures, when the door opened and a group of women walked in, chattering and happy, garment bags laying over their arms and one of them pulling a suitcase behind her. They smiled at him and after a glance toward the bathroom, he smiled and escorted them into the studio, showing them the changing room.

He left them alone to get ready, coming back into the lobby. Dana was standing with her back to him, putting away the items she had purchased.

"The bachelorette party arrived?" she asked with a soft sniffle.

"Yeah, they're changing now."

"Good. I was thinking that the spot across the street, by the big tree, would be pretty in this light, if they wanted an outdoor shot."

"That would be good. I'll suggest it. Or you could." He watched her pause and then turn to face him. "It was your idea." He shrugged and smiled slightly.

"You're the photographer…"

"And you had a good idea. Let's see what they think about it."

"Fox… you don't have to do that…" she said with a sigh.

"I know I don't have to, I want to," he said as she stared. "Can't hurt to ask them."

"Okay…" she whispered with a nod, licking her lips and biting the bottom one.

A loud laugh came from the studio and she straightened with a deep breath. Walking across the room, she touched his arm briefly, and then knocked on the door, telling them her name and being bid to enter.

The tree and the surrounding area with the park benches opposite one another, turned out to be a great place to take pictures, one he had never considered. The afternoon light was perfect, capturing the women beautifully.

The bride wore a white dress, her friends in matching dress style in the colors of the rainbow. There was much laughter and teasing between the women, inside jokes being told, as Fox stepped back and allowed Dana to arrange their places. She was quiet and serious, glancing at him to be sure she was making the right decisions. He smiled and nodded, shooting the pictures as she stepped back, bowing her head with a small smile.

Back in the studio, as the winter sun began to go down, the women gathered their things after looking at a few of the pictures, thanking them both as they left, saying they would see them on Saturday for the wedding.

Alone again, he continued to look through the pictures of the women, smiling at the happiness in them.

"It was a really good idea to go outside," he said, glancing at Dana. "I was just going to do it in here, but look at these." He pointed to the screen and moved aside to let her see them better.

She stepped beside him and he started over, clicking through them as he watched her looking at them. She nodded as she drew closer, examining them and smiling.

"You took great pictures," she said. "They're all so pretty. I love the dresses they chose. Really makes the bride stand out even more." She sighed as he paused on a picture of all the women laughing, their arms around one another. "So pretty…"

"They are," he agreed, smiling at the picture as he heard her sigh again.

"That was the last of the appointments for today. Do you mind if I leave a little early? I'm going to my sister's for dinner tonight."

"Sure. I got it from here." He nodded and she gave him a somewhat forced smile.

"Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow," she said, backing up and collecting her things.

"Yeah. Tomorrow."

"Don't stay too late," she said, glancing over at him and he smiled with a shake of his head.

"Nah, I won't. See you tomorrow."

"Okay."

She started to walk toward the door when she stopped and let out a deep sigh.

"Thank you," she said, without turning around, her voice faint. "Thank you for understanding and accepting my apology. I really am sorry."

"Dana…" he started to say, but she pushed the door open and he held back the words he wanted to say.

"Goodnight, Fox."

She stepped through the door without looking back, leaving him alone, the silence around him nearly deafening.