Princess for a Summer: An Amanda Clarke Novel Read online

  Princess for a Summer

  Copyright © 2018 by DTM Japan LLC

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

  may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

  without the express written permission of the publisher

  except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Printed by Amazon.com, Inc.

  First Printing, 2018

  AMANDA CLARKE

  Chapter One

  Amelia

  Drumming my fingertips on my desk, I stared intently at the pair of sunglasses, and my headache only got worse as I tried to figure out which one to wear. Propping my elbows on the thick pane of glass holding up my computer and various office stuffs, my palms tingled as they pressed against either side of my head. My brain threatened to pop through my temples like Play Doh being squeezed out of a compressor, and my groan rang in my ears.

  “Amelia- we’re all set- checked, checked, and double checked. Everything is l-… are you okay?” Frenzied excitement turned to cautious concern, and I tore my eyes off my sunglasses to frown deeply. Helen wandered into my office with much quieter footfall- not that her heels didn’t click softly against the linoleum and hammer against my skull. “You look like you’re gunna throw up.”

  “I have the biggest stress headache ever right now, Helen- can you help me? Which pair would go best with my dress?” Carefully pushing myself up on low heels, I winced when the room spun sharply, and Helen hummed thoughtfully. I couldn’t even look at my dress- the deep, ocean blue color hurt my eyes and intensified my headache to the point of tears.

  “This one.” Plucking the left pair of sunglasses off the desk, Helen held out the delicately framed, solid black object out for me with confidence. The relief that surged through my veins was more extreme than I cared to admit, and I took them to fit them on my nose. “I really hope this goes away before the wedding starts, Ame. You can’t take pictures through two lenses-“

  “I know-“ Speaking up quickly, I sucked in a sharp breath and blinked hard into the darkness offered by my shades, and I smiled slightly at my partner. “I really hope so, too. I’ve been looking forward to this all year- it could really vault us into the spotlight. My first celebrity wedding shoot, and it’s freakin’ Jason Shepard and Kristen Luck’s wedding…”

  Dreaminess and excitement replaced the rasping pain in my voice, and my smile widened as Helen grinned brightly at me. My heart thudded hard in my chest, pumping anxiety and elation through my veins to thicken my blood.

  “I’ve got everything in the van for you- Tyler’s loaded up, too. Just try not to freak out too much- this is just like every other wedding we’ve been to, expect more expensive. Okay?” The words of encouragement helped a lot, and I nodded firmly as I smoothed my dress. “Great, now let’s go. We need to set up everything perfectly.”

  “Yeah.” Snatching my purse off the coat rack, I threw back my shoulders and put my metaphorical ‘big girl pants’ on. Inhaling deeply, my dress tightened around my chest, and I pulled down the form-fitting fabric as I followed Helen out of my office. “How’s Tyler doing, by the way?”

  Tyler was essentially my bag boy and wouldn’t do more than help set up, but he’d been visibly nervous all week. He’d had a celebrity crush on the bride since she first showed up on a reality show nearly six years ago that had jumpstarted her acting career. Nibbling my bottom lip furiously on the way through the studio, I rifled absently through my purse to make sure I had my vendor passes and anything else I might remotely need.

  “He’s doing okay. I stressed how important it was to be professional and not fangirl about this event. I’d be a lot more worried if he was actually attending.” Nodding with a small grunt, I emerged into the bright sunshine of the early Spring morning. Relief seared my chest when my eyes didn’t immediately explode, and I picked up my stride to walk side by side with Helen. “How’s your headache?”

  “Much better, thanks to you. I swear, you could stop a volcano from erupting, Helen.” Bumping her shoulder gently, I shot her a grateful smile even as she waved me off. “It’s just that the past five years of work have literally culminated into this one day. It’s a lot.”

  “You got this. I know you do. It’s one thing to be a videographer- all I do is stand behind the camcorder and make sure I get good light. I don’t have to lay down and make some crazy pose to get a good shot of the bride.” Blushing fiercely at that, I shook my head and resisted the urge to run my hand through my meticulously curled hair. I’d woken up at 4:30am to make sure I didn’t embarrass myself, but those four hours had gone by almost dizzyingly quickly.

  By the time this wedding was over, I knew it’d all go downhill, too. The thought didn’t bother me much, though, as we came up on the van parked on the curb. Tyler sat behind the wheel, and I reached to open the passenger door before gesturing for Helen to get in first.

  “So, Tyler- when we get there, I’ll go have the talk with the manager, and you can start unloading immediately. I’ve got your badge right here.” Wiggling my purse within his peripheral view, I licked my glossed lips lightly as I pulled the buckle strap across my waist. “Helen, I want you to go scope. I know we’ve been there before, but just in case. Here’s your badge.”

  Contrary to what we’d expected, this celebrity wedding was small and quaint- not cheap by any means, but very intimate and sentimental. From what I knew, the guest list didn’t exceed 250 people, and the ‘venue’ was a beautiful park that had seen many vows exchanged. People came from all over the country to get married in this park, and, apparently, Kristen Lock had a personal connection to it somehow.

  None of that really mattered to me, though- aside from the fact that it’d be less chaotic.

  Helen’s pass slipped easily from my fingers, and she hooked the lanyard around her neck before the van smoothly pulled from the curb. Settling my purse in my lap, I wrung my hands against the fake, dyed leather while I took in the scenery of the city pass by. My headache had dulled to a light throbbing, and my hope that it’d die down completely during the hour and a half drive was looking like it’d be a reality.

  Which was great, because it was bad manners to wear sunglasses to a wedding. I’d been in hundreds of ceremonies over the years, and I would’ve had a breakdown from stress if it wasn’t for my team. Staring out the window, I pursed my lips tightly as my mind flung back to cinematography school.

  I wanted to work on motion pictures in high school; I wanted to be that person that got that beautiful shot that made a scene that would enthrall millions. Midway through my first year at the second-best university for cinematography, though, my mom married her long-time boyfriend. It wasn’t a great story despite fundamentally changing my passions and longings, but it was the only story I had.

  My step-father had been around since I was 9 years old, and he’d always encouraged whatever I wanted to do. The full-ride scholarship I’d miraculously obtained for college gave him the idea to photograph his wedding to my mom, and the rest was history.

  Thankfully, the school had a top-notch photography course, too. And I got to keep the monetary difference, which was properly used to start my studio.

  Helen and I were roommates even before I’d switched, but that was what kicked off our relationship. We’d just ignored each other most of the time, and I could never understand how I got so lucky.

  Tyler started his first year as I was going out, and he didn’t mind being a grunt if it meant experience. Now, six years later, he’d graduated but decided to stay with me. Everything had fallen into place, and all of our hard work was paying off. I’d made a name for mys
elf for not editing pictures much unless explicitly specified, and somehow that rumor had made it all the way to Hollywood.

  And now, I’m making it to the big leagues. The dream I had suspended permanently to work in Hollywood had found me again last year. Excitement tightened my throat even after so long as I recalled that phone call from Kristen Luck. She wanted to come to my studio to see my work rather than go with a big-named photographer; not because it was cheaper, but because she wanted to keep the wedding as deflated as possible.

  I still had no idea how Kristen Luck, Entertainment News Weekly’s #1 Actress for the previous year, had found out about me, but I surely wasn’t going to waste this opportunity.

  “Do you want a mint, Amelia?” Breaking me from my thoughts, Helen held out a little tin filled with circular mints, and I automatically reached for one. “You know- just in case you forgot to brush this morning.”

  “I never forget to brush, Helen.” Scrunching up my face in disgust, I rubbed my tongue against the roof of my mouth; just the mere mention of it caused that taste to invade my buds. “Thanks.”

  “I’ll take one, Helen…” Speaking up without taking his eyes off the road, Tyler didn’t even have time to hold out his hand before Helen denied him with a tease in her voice.

  “What- no. You can’t have one. We don’t want you drooling all over your tux.” Laughing as Tyler grimaced with a dismissive wave of his hand, I popped my mint into my mouth with a sigh. Lightness spread through my chest, and I inhaled deeply to fill the newfound spaces between my lungs and ribs. Turning my attention back out the window, I propped my arm on the edge of the window to hold my chin in my hand.

  Today was special, and it was going to go great- I could feel it in my very bones.

  Chapter Two Amelia

  “Okay, this is it. For the next 9 hours, my attention isn’t leaving this camera, so don’t freak out, and everything will be smooth sailing.” Helen cast me a dumb look, and my cheeks flushed brightly as she smoothed her dress absently.

  “You legitimately freaked out for the past two days, Amelia.” Opening my mouth only to close it, I huffed softly even while Helen cracked a smile. “Was the planner-slash-organizer kind of nice to inspire such confidence?”

  “Yes, he was. Has Tyler finished unloading the van yet?” My gaze slipped past my partner and around the front of the van, and I pursed my lips tightly when the vehicle heaved. It hadn’t taken me long to sign in with the other vendors, introduce myself to the organizer, and get back to where Tyler had parked. Large dollies were lined up at the edge of the lot, but the vast expanse of asphalt was surprisingly vacant.

  Granted, we were a good hour and a half early from our appointed arrival time, and the only other people here were security and crew to set up.

  “Not yet, but he’s got it handled. I’m going to go scope the place- oh, did you ask the organizer if it was alright if we had more than three video angles? This is gunna be a beautiful ceremony- I don’t want to waste shots.” Nodding firmly, I inhaled the fresh, crisp air deeply as Helen grinned widely. “Awesome. I’ll be back for my stuff.”

  Whirling around on $200 heels, Helen sauntered off down the path that led to the gazebo that was in the final stages of being constructed. Staring openly at her, I silently wondered what her dad would say if he knew she was videoing two massive stars’ wedding ceremony. He’d never had high hopes for her; he’d always leaned towards the more pessimistic side of realism. Encouraging something that had almost no chance of ever happening wasn’t his style. The few times I’d met him, he’d always indulged her success, but never inflated it.

  Which was nice- especially considering that Helen had an ego that could get out of control.

  “Amelia, where am I supposed to put this crate of film?” Tearing my eyes off my friend, I exhaled the breath I forgot I had been holding, and Tyler held up a small box with both hands. “It’ll be damaged if it stays in the van with the heat.”

  Arching a brow, I leaned back on my own, expensive heels to cross my arms over my chest. My box boy frowned, grumbling and ducking his head before he disappeared behind the van, and I carefully shirked off his attempt to get into the wedding. Normally, I wouldn’t mind him hanging around, taking amateur shots, but this was the highest profile wedding I’ve ever done.

  Tyler’s degrees in cinematography and computer-generated imagery weren’t going to help me here.

  “Make sure to keep the AC on, then. I know it sucks, Tyler, but I can’t afford any mistakes today.” Coming up the side of the van, my sympathies only earned me a disgruntled sigh as Tyler hoisted a boxed tripod onto a dolly. “You know, you don’t have any obligation to stay with me. I know that being a box boy isn’t what you dreamed of doing. Just because I gave you a job doesn’t mean you owe me.”

  “I know that, Ame- it’s just frustrating at times like this…” Pausing what he was doing to pick at his shirt, Tyler grimaced as I propped myself against a brake light. “Believe me… I don’t like being a box boy. It’s shitty considering the fact that I really do like you and Helen, and I like working for you. But- to be honest… the reason I haven’t moved on yet is because I want you to break into Hollywood so it’ll be easier to get a new job with your reference.”

  Giggling a little at Tyler’s sheepish confession, I only shook my head slightly as affection wiggled into my chest. There were work husbands and wives, but he was like a little work brother. Sighing heavily, he reached to scratch the back of his neck, and I waited for his red cheeks to pale back to normal before opening my mouth.

  “That’s not a bad reason to stay, Tyler. You know I’ll support you however best I can. I don’t begrudge you for making that choice… I’d probably make that choice, too.” Tyler perked up considerably at my assurance, and I reached to tap his shoulder with a warm smile stretching my lips. “At least you have the utmost blinding faith in me that I’ll get there.”

  “Of course, you will, Ame.” His response was immediate, filled with conviction, and my smile widened. Slowly hopping back into the van, he picked through marked totes to haul a medium-sized box up with a harsh grunt. “Here. I packed your film camera on the bottom, and the digital camera is on the top.”

  “Thanks.” My gratitude was followed by the thump of the hard-plastic tote carefully colliding with asphalt, and I crouched down to pry open the top. The thousands of dollars of camera inside was wrapped in a dense cushion, and my fingertips tingled as I reached for the digital device. Lenses sat at the corners, eagerly waiting to be selected, and I glanced over them through narrowed eyes.

  “Let me know when you’re done, Tyler.” Throwing the demand over my shoulder, I headed down the same path Helen had taken only a few minutes ago.

  “Yeah- I pretty much am already…” Ignoring the dismay in Tyler’s voice, I trained my gaze on the gazebo as the construction team finished installing the final banister. The entire thing was painted baby blue, with dark red accents, and I put my camera to my eye above thinned lips. If the workmanship had been any less, the gazebo would’ve been incredibly tacky and unsightly, but it was honestly pretty- with just enough pop to stand out from the flowering of Spring.

  “You’re not going to use any of these shots in the album, are you?” The panicked voice yanked my attention away from the gazebo as the whirring of drills finally silenced, and I frowned deeply. Twisting to watch the wedding organizer- whose name I couldn’t remember- come rushing up to me, I held my camera tightly to my chest as anxiety gripped my heart. There was nothing more dangerous than a person that didn’t understand how fragile cameras were. Staring at my expectantly, the man propped his fists on his hips, and his standoffish approach took me off guard. He didn’t come off as so demeaning when I met with him 20 minutes ago.

  “No, but I want to have them anyway. Sometimes the couple likes to have a timeline- to see their efforts come together.” My explanation only earned me a scowl, and my frown soured as the organizer’s name suddenly came to mind. “Mr. Howel
- I know I’m not famous, but this is not my first park wedding- it’s not my first celebrity wedding, either.”

  “Unless Mr. Shepard and Ms. Luck specifically asked for a timeline beforehand, what you want doesn’t matter.” The sharp snap stiffened my shoulders and sent tingles down my spine, and I sucked in a hard breath as Howel glared at me openly. “Just do your job- no more, no less. Like you said- you’re not famous. You don’t have the right to make decisions like that.”

  A rebuttal sprung to the tip of my tongue, but I only clenched my jaw tightly and forced myself to nod. Howel stared me down for a heated second, only whirling around to storm off towards the parking lot as a set-up truck came pulling in. The superhuman effort with which I kept my mouth shut surprised even me, and I narrowed my eyes on his tense form.

  I’d worked with countless bridezillas and nightmare organizers and planners, and Howel was no different despite being paid an astronomical amount of money. Not only did I like having setup shots, but it helped me figure out angles and lighting; obviously, Howel didn’t realize that.

  “Do your job- don’t fall off your high horse yelling down at a drudge like me, huh.” Grumbling to myself as I turned back to the gazebo, I flexed my fingers around my camera, but the anxiety Howel had unleashed didn’t die down. Adjusting my lens as I assumed my position, I took deep breaths to help myself focus on the task at hand.

  “That guy’s an ass- don’t listen to him. He’s been choking on dick since we got here, like, six hours ago.” Without looking away from what I was doing, I hummed in acknowledgment of the deep, male voice that sounded close to my left. “Uh- I was just wondering if you wouldn’t mind taking a photo of my team and the gazebo. It’s for our portfolio.”

  “Sure.” Twisting to stare at the big, brawny, sweat man through the lens, I backed up a little before the sound of the shutter filled my ears. “You guys are small, too?”