Things were finally getting busy, and quite interesting, for Tom. Aware of some other interest in his work skills, his boss had begun loosening her grip and sending more work his way. She was an insecure manager and indeed intimidated, but she had to admit his work was the best.
It was obvious that people were treating at him differently lately. He'd always been popular with his female coworkers, but since his new duties had come into play there was something else going on. People smiled coyly at him when he walked by; he could see little tete-a-tetes occurring around the office with both people eyeing him; women would stand in the aisles in such a way that he could only pass them by making full body contact. One had gone so far as to decide she just HAD to file something in the bottom drawer just as he approached, bending so far over that her skirt rode up high enough to expose her quite shapely ass.
Yes, he was enjoying his new status.
*****
He was putting the finishing touches on one of his largest projects when the phone rang insistently.
"Hello, this is Tom."
"Tom, it's Joanna. Got a minute?"
He smiled at her name and the sound of her voice. In a sea of beautiful women, she stood out even though her looks were not quite up to the high standard set by the others. That was mostly due to the fact that she didn't fit the mold of a beautiful high-powered woman fighting her way to the top, like so many of the others. Joanna was her own person and flaunted that fact, making her even more appealing. She was also one of the few women not paying any attention to him, not at all. She had a reputation as being cold and aloof, and the other employees called her "The Ice Queen."
"Sure. Wassup?"
"You're a photographer, right?"
"Amateur, yeah. It's a hobby."
"If you're an amateur, you're a gifted one. I've seen some of your stuff and you're pretty good. Anyway, could you take some pictures of me with Charlie, my horse? I'll pay you for your time."
"You sure you want me to do it?"
"Yes, I am. Are you available Saturday? There's this field near the stable that I thought would be a great location."
"Yeah, Saturday is good. We should do it at sunrise or at sunset for the best light."
"Let's do it early. I have to go see my mother that night."
"OK, give me the address. I'll meet you there at six a.m. so we can catch that seven o'clock sunrise." He wrote the address on his blotter.
Photography was more than a hobby for him. It was the only form of visual art he was any good at, and through study and practice his work really was exceptional for someone who didn't do it for a living. He worked mostly outdoors, shooting landscapes and atmospheric scenes, so he had hesitated about having a person in the shots. But this was an opportunity to enhance his skills and spend some time with Joanna away from the office.
*****
He was an early riser anyway, so meeting her that early was no big deal. Early October mornings were a bit chilly in the Maryland countryside near Annapolis, so he showered and dressed in jeans, boots, a long-sleeved shirt, and a light jacket. In the morning twilight he parked next to the stable and grabbed his camera bag and tripod just as she walked out of the building leading Charlie by his bridle.
She was petite, about five-three and maybe 120 pounds, with a year-round tan and a round face framed by light brown hair that flowed to mid back. He estimated that she was a couple of years younger than him, maybe thirty five or so. She played tennis, she ran, she skied, she biked, she rode her horse - she was a tight, muscular little bundle of strength and energy. Not classically beautiful, she was nonetheless attractive enough to turn heads. A quite marked distinction was a streak of grey hair about an inch wide that ran down the left side of her head. She didn't try to dye it or cover it, choosing instead to wear it like a badge of honor. She was her own person, in every way. She was dressed like him for the chilly weather.
"Morning," he called out to her.
"Good morning to you. I hope you didn't mind getting up this early."
"Not at all. Photographers call the times around sunrise and sunset the 'golden hours' because the yellow light is fantastic and makes everything we do look better. This is one of my favorite times to shoot."
They stood and discussed what kind of shots she wanted, and he suggested a few others. They walked to the edge of the field for a better perspective and noticed the high grass was very wet with dew.
"Oh, wow. You're going to get soaked walking around in this," she opined.
"No big deal, that's what washers and dryers are for. You ready to start?" The eastern horizon was already bright orange.
"Yep. Help me up. I'm not using a saddle today." He looped his hands so she could step high enough to mount the beautiful animal, then picked up his equipment and followed her into the field. Dropping his bag and tripod midfield, he immediately began framing and shooting. He could tell by these initial pictures that this was going to be a good session. He considered digital photography to have been one of the most wonderful developments ever because he could see his work immediately and shoot as much as he wanted without worrying about cost.
