A Family Under the Christmas Tree by Terri Reed Page A

to see what she saw through the lens of her camera.
    â€œOkay, we’ll start with the official portfolio, though.” Shebrought up a beautifully designed site, featuring photos broken into categories such as people and places, commercial, fashion, and animals. They clicked through the pictures, starting with people. There were celebrities, brides and grooms. Portraits of interesting faces. Landscapes that took his breath away.
    She’d gone to so many places he’d only read about—jungles, island paradises, and deserts. The commercial tab was full of advertising-type pictures, a few of which he recognized. He was impressed, not only by her talent but also by the breadth of her work.
    The fashion images showed runway models strutting down the catwalk and outdoor scenes, both urban and country, with beautiful women and men wearing designer clothing.
    But it was the images of animals that grabbed his attention. A python in India, coiled and ready to strike. A burro along the razor-thin edge of a cliff in South America. A humpback whale balancing on its tail in the ocean.
    â€œThose are fabulous.” He couldn’t keep the awe from his voice. “Your family must be so proud of you.” He was proud of her and he’d only just met her. To be so accomplished at such a young age. And the awards some of her photos had garnered were top-notch.
    She made a dismissive noise. “I doubt my family has taken the time to look at my work.”
    Surprise flashed through him. He knew how proud Louise was of her granddaughter. “What? How can that be?”
    â€œMy parents indulged my photography, but my mom wanted me to follow in her footsteps and go into show business. Dad, well, he always compliments my pictures but he gushes over my brothers. Grandma’s the only one who’s been supportive of me.”
    â€œLouise gave you your first camera, right?”
    â€œYes.It was her way of giving me something to do because my brothers wouldn’t let me tag along with them.” She gave a rueful shake of her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to rag on my family. They’re great in their way.”
    â€œBut you don’t feel like your parents and siblings take your work seriously.”
    Her eyes widened. “Exactly. Little Sophie and her camera.”
    He brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen over her cheek. “I like Sophie and her camera.”
    Had he really just said that? By the stunned look in her eyes, yes he had. And he did. He liked her. And owed her an apology. “Hey, I apologize for overreacting about you cleaning my house.”
    She dropped her gaze. “Why did you?”
    That was a loaded question and one he wasn’t ready to answer. “I didn’t want you to think that was why I agreed to you helping me out with Troy.” He shrugged. “Plus I was a bit embarrassed by how messy we are, er, were.”
    Her lips curved upward, drawing his gaze. “No need to be embarrassed.”
    He lifted his gaze and locked eyes with her. The yearning he saw there reached out to wrap around him. He forced himself to focus his attention back onto the laptop. Best to keep things between them on a friendly, platonic level. “How about showing me the pictures that didn’t make it onto your website now?”
    â€œOkay.” She clicked through to another file.
    For an hour they looked through photos of exotic, far-off landscapes, glamorous people, and heartbreaking conditions in Third World countries. Several shots were of her with a different child in a different part of the world. “Who took these?”
    â€œI set a timer.”
    Another image rose of Sophie sitting atop a very large elephant. “Whoa. Where was this taken?”
    â€œThailand,” she said with such wistfulness, he guessed she missed being there.
    How tame life here in the Pacific Northwest must seem to her. How boring he must seem. He could