Out Of Focus: An Adams Grove Novel Part 1

OUT OF FOCUS.

by Nancy Naigle.

Acknowledgements.

Special thanks to the team of folks that helped me on the journey to bring this story to the finish line.

From beta readers and cover art input to copy and line edits, these folks are the best of the best. Thank you to Jerry Hampton, Tracy Mastaler, Barry Ergang, and so many other special friends including all the facebook friends that gave feedback on the cover as we made final decisions.

To my dad and step-mother, thank you for believing in me and for spreading the word. Mom, thank you for your unwavering support through every up and down as I live this dream. I can't leave out Sam Phillips, a wonderful 'writer guy' who has been my inspiration for a long time.

And most important, to my hero, my dear husband, Mike Holland. You are my daily inspiration and the muse behind every happy ending I write. I love you always and all ways.

Dedication.

This book is for anyone whose life has taken an unexpected turn.

Always trust your heart and have faith.

Chapter One.

Kasey Phillips snapped off three more pictures of the country singer straddling seven hundred pounds of sleek American-made motorcycle. Cody Tuggle looked more rugged than the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains that swelled in the background.

At her command, Tuggle leaned forward across the wide chrome handlebars. Even with the bandanna tied around his head like a do-rag, a look she'd never found appealing, there was no denying this guy was sizzling hot and all man.

Kasey's eyes narrowed as she leaned to get a unique angle. The estate was the perfect setting for this magazine shoot. It belonged to Cody's agent, Arty Max. From the looks of the place, Tuggle's fame had paid off big for everyone.

Band members and roadies lined the perimeter, but she stayed focused on her subject. Curious onlookers were one of the biggest obstacles at an outdoor shoot, but it was easy to tune them out when the subject was someone with such star quality.

Working with the light and shadows, she repositioned to find the right interplay to intensify the image. The camera clicked at a fast clip, and then not at all, as she considered the next best opportunity.

Click. Click. Click-click-click.

"I thought this was supposed to be hard work," Cody said, pulling her out of her zone. "Those bikini models are always complaining about it on TV." Laughter laced his voice. "Y'know, that f.a.n.n.y duster job, dusting the sand off those cuties' hind ends. Now that looks like a right sweet gig. Got any connections?"

Kasey lowered her camera. "You mean, in case the singing thing doesn't work out for you?" She gave him a scolding look. As the mom of a three-year old, she'd pretty much perfected it. "If you keep talking I'll catch you with your mouth wide open, and you'll look dopey. Shhhsh."

"That must be why I always look drunk in those tabloids." Cody flashed a devilish smile. "Anybody ever tell you, you're kinda bossy?"

"I got both of those shots," she warned. "Those weekly gossip rags pay big bucks for celeb uglies. The uglier they are, the more they pay. They'd pay top dollar for those last two pictures."

"You wouldn't."

"You're right." She raised her hand in front of her like a traffic cop. "Stay still. Yeah. Right there." A perfect shot. The candy-apple red Harley was only feet away from the black fence that surrounded the estate. Light swept through a stand of birch trees in the distance, their thin white-barked trunks made the colors appear more vibrant and crisp. The forest displayed a myriad of green shades now. Those leaves would boast orange, yellow, reds and purples in the fall as the chlorophyll faded and autumn arrived-an awesome display to capture on film.

Cody spoke to someone just behind her.

She shot him the look.

"What? It's hard to sit still this long and not say a word." Cody rewarded her with a natural smile. She took advantage of it, snapping the image.

Kasey enjoyed the gentle sparring. "What's the problem? You got ants in your pants? You said this modeling stuff was so easy, but all I've heard for the past thirty minutes is a bunch of girly complaining."

"Hey now, be nice. Girly? Me? You're gonna hurt my feelin's."

The roadies and band members nudged one another.

"Somehow I doubt that." Kasey watched the star's smile fade into an exaggerated pout. He might be used to women falling at his feet, but she wasn't one of his groupies. "Did I bruise your frail ego?" What a ham. "Maybe it's that silly rag on your head makin' you all girly."

She couldn't help herself. The man in front of her was huge, at least six foot four, with shoulders so broad the wide-set handlebars on the motorcycle didn't look nearly as impressive. This guy could wear a pink tutu and look masculine.

The band members and roadies seemed to enjoy the banter, but she wasn't sure whom they were rooting for-Cody or her.

Cody sat up straight on the bike, his smile gone. He pulled the bandanna off and ran his fingers through his flattened ma.s.s of blonde hair.

She took in a quick breath. Maybe that last comment had crossed a line. She knew the do-rag was symbolic to the band, but then if her jab got him to quit mugging around, it would be worth it. She'd get the best shots of the day.

His hair bounced back into its usual tangle of waves, softening his chiseled look. He stuffed the slip of fabric into his back pocket with a half grin, maybe just short of a smirk.

Kasey clicked like mad. "Now we're talking."

Cody tugged open the snaps of his western shirt.

She switched cameras and gave him a nod of encouragement. Tuggle's PR guys had left last night. She called the shots now. Just the way she liked it. This was all Cody.

His tan accentuated his chest. Flawless. He didn't have a soft, white-collar body. This was the body of a guy who enjoyed getting physical.

"Looking right manly now, Mr. Tuggle." Her heart and soul belonged to Nick, but staring at Cody Tuggle for hours at a time was no punishment.

"Mr. Tuggle? Why is it the less I'm wearin' the more business you get?" He stepped off the motorcycle in one easy movement and took a step in her direction.

"Quit it, you big flirt." She took another picture. "I'm married." She wiggled her ring finger in his direction.

Kasey glanced at her watch. It was almost nine. "Let's take five." She walked to a table nearby, pulled her phone from her hip and dialed home. Every day on the road, at nine o'clock sharp each morning, there was nothing more important than checking in with Nick and Jake. She loved her work, but they were the light of each day, and three days in a row of not being with them was torture.

With her back to Cody and the others, she talked to Nick. He caught her up on their plan for the day. She checked her watch again, then forced herself to wrap up the call. "Love, love, love you boys."

"I love you ten and five, Mom." Jake's tiny voice made her heart bubble. Ten and five was the biggest number in the world to him.

"Love you, babe. See you at the other end of the day," Nick said and hung up.

A familiar surge of happiness consumed her. She couldn't wait to be home with them. She and Nick had wed just a few months after they'd met. It was a marriage made in heaven, and Jake was the icing on the wedding cake. That little angel was the best thing she'd ever done in her life.

She snapped her phone shut and headed back to the shoot. "Let's go, guys."

Tuggle turned his attention back to her. "Call home to check in with Mr. Phillips?"

"Not exactly. Phillips is my maiden name." She switched to her digital camera for the final run. "But yes. I was checking in at home."

"That dude's one lucky guy."

"Two, actually."

Cody leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Two? I bet number one doesn't think much of that."

"Funny." She wrinkled her nose. "Husband and son."

"You had me worried there for a minute."

She lowered the camera. "Nick and Jake. Jake's three, and the most adorable child. Not that I'm biased."

"Got his momma's good looks, did he?" Cody smiled a perfect smile, the kind he wasn't good at performing on demand. "You know I'm just playing around, right?"

Kasey captured one last shot, ignoring the remark. "You're done." She lifted the camera strap over her head and wiped her palms on her jeans. "I've got what I need."

"I was just getting into it." He struck an Egyptian pose. Everyone howled and cheered.

"You're too much." She tucked the cameras into her case. "Give me a couple of hours and I'll let you and Arty take a look."

"Great. We'll be down at my guesthouse."

Over the past two days, she'd walked every path that wound through the estate. There were eight guesthouses in all. Each one named after a different star Arty Max represented. Over the years, he'd done quite well spotting raw talent and nurturing it to the ultimate reward.

Kasey made short work of processing the morning shots. She'd driven her RV to this shoot. It was the best investment she'd ever made. Not only could she develop film the old-fashioned way when it was called for, but she had a computer system to edit and crop the digital shots on site, and high-quality print capabilities.

She gathered the proofs and went to meet with Cody and Arty. On her way, perfect orange and yellow rose blossoms caught her eye. Roses always made her think of her wedding day. One of her best memories ever, second only to the day she'd had Jake.

A light breeze pushed her hair across her shoulders. She lifted her chin to enjoy the warm sun on her face. The low eighties here in the mountains was a relief compared to the blazing heat at home on the Virginia coast in August.

Cody and Arty sat at a wrought iron table on the front porch of the guesthouse. Arty's wiry arms moved in wide, exaggerated movements. Cody sat back in his chair, twisting a cloth napkin between thick fingers, looking a little bored.

Kasey flipped the folder against her thigh as she walked within earshot. "Am I interrupting?"

Arty stopped mid-sentence.

Kasey's glance connected with Cody's just long enough to make her breathing stutter.

Cody jumped up and pulled a chair out for her. "Naw. Join us."

Kasey sat, hooking her feet around the legs of the chair, and placed the proofs on the table. "The extra morning shoot produced the best pictures."

Cody flipped through them. "d.a.m.n, you make me look pretty good."

"It was a really tough job." Kasey tried to look serious.

Arty made approving sounds as he looked through the pictures. When he finished, he tapped the folder on the table and leaned toward her. "These are incredible. No one has ever caught Cody on film like this."

"I'm glad you're pleased, Mr. Max. I enjoyed it." Kasey extended her hand and stood to her full height of five foot three. Standing, she was barely taller than Cody, and he was still sitting. "I'm heading home. I promised my boys I'd be there this afternoon."

"Wait." Arty bounced to his feet. "You have to shoot Cody's tour. I've been after him for two years to do a tour picture book."

Cody turned from Arty to face Kasey. "It's true. He's relentless."

"It would sell millions." Arty shook a proof under Cody's nose. "Pictures like these could bring your tour to life in a book. You have to agree."

Cody looked at the proof for a moment. "Yeah. You know, you might be on to something there, man." He looked to Kasey and lowered his voice. "Help me out here, girl. Get him off my case. If you can do that, I'll owe you big." He pretended to beg.

"You're too funny." Kasey waved and turned to leave. "Thanks again."

Cody's chair screeched. "No, seriously. Wait. We want you." He stepped off the veranda to the walkway. "Come out on the road with us. I never liked the idea of some stranger hanging out with us, but you fit right in."

She froze, then turned back to face them. "You're serious?" The two of them looked like bobble-head dolls the way they nodded in unison.

This could be big. Huge. It could also mean fewer jobs on the road next year so she could spend more time with Jake and Nick. And it would keep her name out there, which was getting harder now that she'd cut back on the number of shoots she accepted. It was a tricky trade-off.

Her heart skipped a beat, but she managed to keep it in perspective. "No. I can't. I'm married and have a young son at home. I'm very selective about what I do these days. I'd be happy to refer someone."

"Naw, that wouldn't work." Cody shook his head.

Arty slumped and ran his hand through his hair.

"Tell ya what." Cody took a card from his wallet. "Call me if you change your mind. The tour doesn't gear up for a few weeks. You wouldn't have to be gone long. We'll email you the schedule. You can even pick the city dates you want to shoot."

"Cody, there are a hundred photographers who could do this gig." She laughed. "And a million single women who'd kill for it."

"This isn't a come-on, if that's what you think. I'm not the horn-dog the gossip rags make me out to be."

She knew better than to believe everything in the tabloids, but it was hard not to believe some of it. Eyeing him cautiously, she said, "I don't like to be away from Nick and Jake for that long. This kind of commitment takes time."

"Bring them with you. I'll cover their expenses, too." He looked fl.u.s.tered. "I'm serious. I respect you. I'm comfortable with you, so are the guys, and you're h.e.l.l with a camera. I'll do that project with you, but no one else."

She took the card and rubbed her thumb across the raised letters. Four years ago she would've packed up and hit the road, but her life was different now.