“That’s refreshing.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re an ass?”
A smirk appeared on his face, and damn him, it was sexy. “A time or two.”
“Make it three.” With that I walked away and ran smack into my dad.
“Whoa, what’s got you in such a rush?”
“You don’t want to know. Your new boy is in the kitchen. Good luck.”
“English, what’s going on?”
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
That man was the biggest jerk I’d ever met. I had to change my initial thoughts of working with him. I’d figured it would be difficult because he was so handsome. That part would be easy. It was going to be impossible because he was a douche.
Chapter Five
Tristian
This job was much more important than some spoiled girl whose daddy doted on her. I’d grown up with that, so I knew the signs. My dad had done the same with my sister and now she wasn’t worth a damn.
During the interview, it had been easy to see how Mr. Bridges allowed her to basically run his business. I needed this job, his expertise, to teach me things I’d yet to learn. Beckley Bridges was the best in this business and landing this position could make or break me. His daughter couldn’t get in the way of my success. It was best to begin our work relationship with her thinking I was a rude asshole. That would chase away any ideas she might entertain of us being together. Her hatred was worth the price and right now, she thought the worst of me.
A small chuckle came out of me when I thought of our exchange. She was a spitfire and hadn’t taken my acting like a dick lying down.
I’d started out without a nickel to my name. Pawn shops had been my friends for photography equipment. Working two full-time jobs while attending school hadn’t been easy, but determination would get you places nothing else would.
Sure, my family had money, but when I’d refused to go into the family business, it had been a downhill race from there. At first my father had threatened me, and later he’d disowned me, leaving me on my own financially. Making my own way was fine. My backbone was steel, along with my ability to persevere. I’d never feared hard work, unlike some in my family. Let them take the business over. Shady business arrangements weren’t to my liking anyway.
After I’d earned my degree, I’d slowly made a name for myself. While I was in school, with the aid of some instructors, I’d done weddings and events. That had escalated into magazine shoots and eventually I’d opened a small studio. There had always been something missing. My heart wasn’t in that area of work. I’d yearned for something bigger and brighter. Moving to Manhattan had been a boon, as it had leveled up my career. Some of the bigger names in the industry had hired me, but still I hadn’t reached my full potential.
Beckley Bridges was my idol. I had magazines piled up from over the years of his shoots. He traveled the world and had taken the most spectacular pictures of creatures I only dreamed of seeing. That was what I wanted to do, where I eventually wanted to land with my career. Working with him could give me that push. I would do anything for him in order to get there.
When I heard he was searching, I’d packed things up and moved to Atlanta. It wasn’t my fantasy place to live, because it put me back in my family’s neck of the woods, but I didn’t give a damn. It had landed me the job of my wildest dreams—until I’d met his daughter. She was stunning. Long blonde hair that fell down her back in waves begged my fingers to run through it. And her eyes were a startling shade of blue-green that I could lose myself in if I allowed it. But neither of those came close to her luscious curves. Tall like her father, yet shapely with a chest on her that made me ache. What was I saying? I wanted to bury my cock in her, yet I didn’t have room in my life for an obstacle such as Daddy’s girl.
I was musing over this when the knock came. Looking up, I saw him. “Good morning, Mr. Bridges.”
“It’s Beck, and good morning. Come with me.”
We sat in his office. “I meant to tell you yesterday, the photos you have hanging everywhere in here are pure genius,” I said.
He leaned back and said, “I appreciate that. I understand you and English had a misunderstanding?”
Yeah, hadn’t been expecting him to jump right in with that. “A bit of one, yes, sir.”
“Care to tell me what happened?”
“I suppose I was a bit, um, demanding.”
“She’s like her mother. Don’t demand, ask instead.”
“Yes, sir.”
“One other thing, Tristian. English knows this business inside and out. She was practically raised in here. If I were you, I’d defer to her on anything relating to it.”
“Understood, sir.”
“And those pictures you admired?”
“What about them, sir?”
“English should get some of the credit. She did every bit of the editing on them.”
I swallowed. Maybe I’d been too hasty in my opinion of her.
He smiled smugly as though he knew he’d hit his mark. “Now we have that cleared up, let’s get to work, shall we? I like to have the new photographers work side-by-side with me for a week or so in order to get a feel for how each of us does things. If you have any questions, stop me. Today, we’re inside. Tomorrow, we’re on a shoot, but I think you have that scheduled.”
“I do, sir.”
“Good. Then let’s begin.”
After the morning, when I saw how he worked the dual monitors to his advantage, I hated to admit it, but English had been right. My laptop couldn’t accomplish anything close to what two monitors did. He demonstrated the benefits in so many ways it floored me.
During lunch, I said, “You’re so talented, my head’s spinning. Can I ask how English helps? I mean no disrespect, but what I’ve seen of your work speaks for itself.”
He steepled his fingers. “All my contracts state publications are not allowed to do any touch-ups, effects, anything. English handles all the editing here, before the photos leave. With her skill level, I know what I’m getting and I always love it. She has a feel for me too.”
“That makes sense.”
“Any photos you submit to me will also be edited by her. If you’re not okay with that, then we need to revisit your employment here.”
I held out my hands. “Oh, no, sir. I’m fine with it. I was only curious about the editing part.”
“Good. I’d like for the two of you to get along. It would make your work here much easier. We’ve never had anyone here who didn’t get along with others.”
“Yes, sir.” My plan for her was going to shit and in a hurry. I had to rethink things.
“Tomorrow, I’d like for the two of you to go to lunch. You know, patch things up.”
“Beck, I’m not sure there’s anything to patch up.”
“Come on. She thinks you’re an ass. There has to be something you can do to change her mind. English is a very forgiving individual.”
From the sound of things, he was the one who wanted us together. Maybe I was imagining things.
“I will be happy to take her to lunch and be on my best behavior.”