Allie and Jack entered The Yolkery, the city's trendiest breakfast stop, to find the usual throngs of hip young couples waiting in long lines for their egg white omelets and fruit platters.
"Aww, honey, the line is so long again!" Allie whined to her fiancé putting a big pout on her luscious red lips.
"Well, we could go someplace else. I'm starving," Jack replied, more than a little annoyed.
"No, this place is the best. I just can't believe how many people there are."
"Well, maybe if you hadn't taken forty-five minutes getting ready this morning, we might have beat the rush," he snapped.
Allie, batted her long eyelashes, flashing her baby blues and cooed, "You like the way I look, though, don't you baby?"
Jack had to admit he did. Allie was way out of his league. He wasn't a schlub or anything, be she was model material. Her platinum blonde hair billowed almost all the way down to her tight heart-shaped ass, clad only in a pair of short nylon running shorts, which topped off a pair of carefully tanned legs that wouldn't quit. But her crowning glory were her gorgeous breasts, 36Cs covered only in a thin cotton bra and an even thinner tank top that left little to the imagination.
"Yeah, babe, you do manage a pretty hot breakfast look," he smirked.
"You're too sweet, Jackie. Can you go put us on the list and find out how long the wait is?"
As Jack made his way to the front of the line to inquire about the wait, it became apparent that he wasn't the only one who was pleased with his fiancée's sexy look. At a patio table adjacent to the line of waiting customers, Brad Strong sat drinking his morning coffee and sizing up the young woman. If Allie was model material, Brad was easily her male counterpart. Tall and lean with muscle, Brad was blessed with chiseled features, a strong furrowed brow and a movie star's square jaw. His hair was dark and perfectly coiffed, setting off his coal black eyes that stared through the souls of his many female conquests. Right now those eyes were staring at Allie, completely unaware yet so far of his presence while checking the messages on her cell phone.
Jack returned from the counter just as Allie was putting her phone away.
"It's going to be forty-five minutes to an hour, babe."
"Oh my God, that's crazy!" She stomped and pouted a little more.
"Do you want to try someplace else? I'm sure we can get into the diner down the street. They're pretty good," he offered.
"No way am I going to that grease trap again. We can wait. We can spend the time going over some of the wedding details," she smiled as Jack rolled his eyes. "The photographer just texted to make sure we could still meet with her this afternoon."
"Who?"
"Greta. She did Paul and Mary's wedding. Remember how beautiful those photos turned out?"
Jack winced, "Yeah, but she cost them and arm and a leg and we're already so deep into this thing."
Brad saw his opportunity. He dropped a few bills on the table and stood up to leave.
"Baaaaby, it's our wedding!" Allie cried.
"I know, honey. I'm just saying. We're not getting any help with this. My parents have already offered to spring for the honeymoon, and everything else is coming out of my savings. We're going to be starting our new life together in a big hole. Maybe if your parents could-"
"You now my parents don't have any money, Jack!" She snapped. "You knew that when you met me and it didn't matter to you then."
"And it doesn't matter now, it's just..." he faltered.
"It's just our wedding, right? I guess we don't even need pictures, huh?" She put forth sarcastically.
"Of course we need pictures. I wasn't saying that. Maybe we could just shop around a bit. Find someone with a more reasonable rate."
That was when Allie's gaze fell on Brad exiting the front of the restaurant. Like so many before she was drawn in from the instant she met his eyes and took in his perfect smile. He strode confidently up to the young couple and presented himself.
"Excuse me, my name is Brad Strong. I was just sitting at that table right there finishing my coffee and I couldn't help but overhear your predicament."
Jack sized up this intimidating male presence and immediately decided Brad was bad news. "Yeah, so what?"
Allie chimed in, "Oh baby, don't be rude!" She turned to Brad smiling her winningest smile. "I'm so sorry about my little Jackie, Brad. He gets so ornery when he's hungry and there's an awful long wait for breakfast the morning."
"Did my fiancée just call me little?" thought Jack.
"I totally understand. This place can get the best of anyone," his smile matching hers with ease.
"Anyway, Brad, this is Jack and I'm Allie."
Brad offered his hand to Jack who accepted it grudgingly and offered, "Yeah, sorry, we've just got a lot going on."
"Think nothing of it, Jack," said Brad as he turned his hand to Allie. She reached out her own hand to find it completely enclosed within Brad's almost freakishly large bear paw of a hand. Her heart fluttered.
"In fact," continued Brad, "I think I just might be able to help you. You see, I'm something of a photographer."
"A wedding photographer?" exclaimed Allie, all too excitedly for Jack's liking.
"Well, not exactly. I've done lots of different kinds of photography and managed to make something of a living at it, but I've just started to turn to event photography like weddings and graduations. I've only done a handful, but my customers have been quite pleased so far."
"So what kind of rate are we talking here?" Jack asked skeptically?
Nonplussed by Jack's sour demeanor, Brad replied, "Well, that's where I thought we could help each other out. See, I'm not really experienced enough to start charging outrageous rates. Really, I'm about building my portfolio. You two are such a handsome couple that I know shooting you could only boost my credibility. If you'd give me the chance, I'd be happy to do the whole day for the price of film and a meal. And a slice of cake of course." He winked at Allie and she laughed wholeheartedly at his quip, which wasn't lost on her fiancé.
Now Jack really didn't like this customer one bit, but he had to admit a deal like that was worth looking into. "Well, I have to admit, Brad, that that is an interesting offer. Why don't you give me your number and we'll call you to schedule an appointment to look at your work?"
"Oh, there's no need for that. My portfolio is in my car just a couple of blocks away. Why don't you come and take a look right now? Looks like you've got a little time to kill."
"Well, I really don't want to lose our spot here," said Allie. "Couldn't we meet with you this afternoon?"
"I'm sorry, but this afternoon is really backed up for me, and I'll be leaving town to shoot a friend's fortieth birthday down in San Diego tomorrow morning. I'll be gone for a week. Say Jack, why don't you come down and take a look at the pictures while Allie holds your spot. It should only take ten to fifteen minutes and then if you like what you see, we can hammer out the financials on the spot." Brad offered up knowing full well no bride would ever let the groom pick the photographer.
Allie chimed in, "That's a great idea, but there's no way I'm letting him pick our wedding photographer. I'll go with you."
"I don't know," said Jack. "Maybe we could just wait until you get back."
"Fine by me, let me give you my card." Brad reached for his wallet.
"Wait!" cried Allie. Turning to Jack, "Can I speak to you for a minute?"
"Yeah, you guys take a minute," interjected the unflappable Brad, and he stepped just out of earshot.
"I don't know if I trust this guy, babe." Now Jack was the one whining.
Allie chuckled, "Oh, come on. It's the middle of the day in a busy neighborhood. What's going to happen? Or do you think I'm just going to fuck some stranger in his car? For Christ's sake, we're getting married. My days of fucking strangers are over, buddy." She smiled.
"That's not funny."
"It's pretty funny, baby. Huh?" She nuzzled his neck pecking at him with little ticklish kisses until he caved in and began to giggle. "Now I'm going to go with the nice man to his car and look at pictures. Maybe he'll have candy.
"Ha ha. Okay, yeah. I don't know why I'm being this way. You go check it out. I trust you, babe."
"You better."
She turned and walked over to Brad. "Let's go, handsome stranger, before my beloved changes his mind!" And away they went.
"Did she just call him handsome?" thought Brad?
"I do a lot of yoga. Some cross fit, that sort of thing," said Allie as they approached Brad's car, parked just a couple of blocks away on a lonely side street.
"Well, that explains it. You're very well put together." Brad's car was actually a large black SUV with heavily tinted windows. As they approached it Allie couldn't help but notice that it resembled some sort of black ops CIA vehicle or something like that.
"You're in great shape too. What's your secret?" she asked.
"Oh, same kind of stuff. Cross fit. I also do a lot of one-on-one personal training. Doing different things with different people breaks up the monotony. I try to experience as many partners as I can." He winked again.
"Hmm." What did he mean by that?
When they reached the SUV, he opened the back door and motioned for her to enter. "Hop in, the portfolio's in back here."
She looked around and suddenly realized that the area they were in wasn't so busy after all. Her heart began to race again. "Can't we look out here?"