A Wish in the Wind: The Wishing Tree Series Book 17 by Kay Bratt

Author:Kay Bratt [Bratt, Kay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Thread Publishing Group
Published: 2024-10-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Nicole stood frozen in the doorway, her heart racing as she faced Hunter. The surprise of seeing him there mixed with the anger still simmering in her veins from their earlier encounter. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

His masculine presence seemed to fill the little space, making it even smaller than it already was.

Millie caught Nicole’s eye, sensing the tension in the room. “I’ll let you two have a moment,” she said softly, her tone reassuring. “I’ll keep Ava company while you chat.” With a gentle smile, she headed toward the kitchen, leaving Nicole and Hunter alone, staring at one another.

As the door clicked shut behind Millie, Nicole felt the air grow thick between her and Hunter. She folded her arms across her chest, trying to shield herself from the weight of his gaze.

“Uh, I—” Hunter began, his voice faltering as he searched for words.

“Just save it,” Nicole interjected, her voice sharper than she intended. “You had your chance to speak at the market.”

Hunter looked taken aback, his expression a mix of embarrassment and sincerity. “I know I messed up. I didn’t mean to offend you,” he said, his voice earnest. “I really do admire your work. That shot of the Wishing Tree? It’s incredible.”

Nicole felt a small flicker of surprise at his words, but she quickly suppressed it. “You seemed pretty sure it was fake earlier,” she replied, trying to keep the edge in her tone. “What changed?”

“I realized right away how foolish I was,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair, clearly flustered. “I’m a writer for a magazine and it’s just that I’m frustrated with the way things are changing. AI is becoming such a huge part of the industry, and I can’t stand how it’s suffocating genuine artistry. It’s got me suspicious of everything and I guess I projected my worries onto you. I swear, I’m usually not that much of an idiot. Can we start over?”

His honesty surprised her, and his charm. She felt her resolve begin to waver. “AI is definitely a problem,” she said slowly, her voice softening as she remembered her own frustrations. “It’s like everything is being automated, and it takes away the human touch.”

“Exactly!” Hunter exclaimed, leaning forward slightly, his enthusiasm rekindling the conversation. “I work for a magazine, and I still want to provide real, authentic content that connects with people, not just beat the soulless algorithms. Art is about the story behind it, the emotions, the experiences.”

Nicole nodded, feeling herself relaxing a bit. “I get it. My photograph of the Wishing Tree was all about capturing that moment—no AI involved. It was just me, my camera, and the beauty of the night. I look at it now and can go back there to that moment and feel the emotions I felt that night.”

“I could tell,” he said, his gaze sincere. “You captured something magical, something that resonates with the heart of this town, I’m sure.”

For a moment, they held each other’s gaze, and Nicole felt a warmth spreading through her, a mixture of respect and understanding.

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