Chapter 4: Rising Tides

A week passed since Aries' first photoshoot, and life at the bakery had returned to its familiar rhythm. As Aries worked behind the counter, her mind drifted back to the studio. The flashes of the camera, the kind encouragement from Keith, and the strange sense of belonging she had felt in front of the lens all seemed worlds away from the scent of fresh bread and pastries.

"Earth to Aries!" Amy’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, sorry," Aries replied, shaking her head. "What did you say?"

"I was asking if you’ve heard anything back from Keith yet," Amy said, leaning against the counter. "It’s been a week, right?"

Aries shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. "I guess they’ll call if they need me again. It was probably just a one-off thing."

But as if on cue, her phone buzzed in her apron pocket. Aries quickly pulled it out, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Keith’s name flash across the screen.

"Speak of the devil," she muttered, showing Amy the caller ID before answering. "Hey, Keith."

"Hey, Aries," Keith’s voice came through, calm and reassuring. "I’ve got some good news. The photos from the shoot came out great—everyone’s really happy with them. The jewellery looks fantastic, and we’ve already had a lot of positive feedback."

Aries’ stomach flipped with excitement, but she kept her tone measured. "That’s good to hear."

"Actually," Keith continued, "we’re planning a bigger campaign launch next month, and I was wondering if you’d like to be involved. It’ll be a lot more work, but the exposure will be huge."

Aries’ breath caught in her throat. This was it—the chance she had been hoping for, but also the one that terrified her. It would mean diving deeper into a world she barely understood, one that felt far removed from her day-to-day life.

She glanced at Amy, who was practically vibrating with excitement. Her family needed the money, and this could be the opportunity to help them climb out of the financial hole they’d been stuck in for so long.

"Yeah," Aries said, her voice firmer than she felt. "I’d love to."

"Great," Keith replied, his smile almost audible. "We’ll send you all the details by email. And don’t worry—we’ll take things one step at a time. You’re going to do great."

As she hung up, Amy was already bouncing up and down in excitement. "You’re going to be famous! I knew it!"

"Calm down," Aries laughed, though she couldn’t hide her own excitement. "It’s just another job, not a big deal."

"Are you kidding me?" Amy exclaimed, grabbing Aries’ hands. "This is a huge deal! Do you even realize what this could mean for us? For you?"

For a moment, Aries let herself imagine it—being able to pay off their debts, expand the bakery, and send Amy to university without worrying about tuition. And yet, despite the excitement bubbling up inside her, there was a nagging feeling she couldn’t shake. It wasn’t about the work or the modelling; it was about Keith. She found herself thinking about him more and more—the way he carried himself, his thoughtful demeanour, his smile.

It was confusing. He was kind and encouraging, but he was also her boss, at least in this capacity. The boundaries were blurry, and the last thing she wanted was to ruin a professional relationship because of her own foolish thoughts. Keith seemed so out of her league in every sense—his experience, his success, even his looks. What would someone like him ever see in someone like her?

"Hey," Amy said, breaking into her thoughts again. "You okay? You’re staring into space like you’re daydreaming about Keith or something."

"I’m not—" Aries started, then stopped, realizing how transparent she was being. "It’s nothing. I’ve just got a lot on my mind."

Amy gave her a knowing look but didn’t press further, for which Aries was grateful.

As the weeks went on, Aries found herself increasingly drawn into the world of modelling. The campaign shoot was more intense than her first session, but the more she worked, the more confident she became. The team treated her with respect, and even though she was still green compared to the other models, Aries began to believe that maybe, just maybe, she could belong in this world.

Keith was always there, overseeing the shoots and offering feedback. He was professional, yet approachable, always making sure she felt comfortable. But it was during the quiet moments, between takes or after the shoot wrapped, when Aries felt the pull between them the most. Their conversations became more personal, and she found herself laughing more freely around him.

One afternoon, after a particularly long shoot, Keith offered to walk her to her car. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the parking lot.

"You did great today," Keith said, as they strolled side by side. "Really, you’re improving with every shoot."

"Thanks," Aries replied, her cheeks warming under his praise. "I’m still learning, but it’s been... fun, actually. More than I expected."

Keith smiled, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. "I’m glad to hear that. You’ve got a natural talent for this, Aries. I think you’re going to go far."

Aries glanced at him, feeling a knot form in her stomach. She wanted to say something more, to ask him about his life, to understand him beyond the surface-level conversations they had. But before she could gather the courage, Keith beat her to it.

"Have you ever thought about where you want this to go?" he asked, his voice quiet but curious. "I mean, modeling—it’s a pretty big leap from working at a bakery. Do you see yourself doing this long-term?"

Aries paused, considering his question. "Honestly, I’m not sure. I didn’t even think I’d be doing this at all. It just... happened. But I guess I could see myself doing it for a while if it helps my family."

Keith nodded thoughtfully. "I get that. Family’s important."

There was something in his voice, something almost wistful, that made Aries look at him more closely. He had always been professional, composed, but in that moment, he seemed a little... vulnerable.

"Do you have any family?" Aries asked softly, realizing it was something she’d never thought to ask before.

Keith hesitated, his usual easy smile fading slightly. "I grew up in foster care," he said after a moment. "So, no. No family."

The weight of his words hung in the air between them, and Aries felt a pang of guilt for asking. "I’m sorry," she whispered.

Keith shook his head, giving her a small smile. "It’s okay. It was a long time ago. But it’s probably why I’m so focused on work. Building something, I guess."

Aries didn’t know what to say. She’d always seen Keith as someone who had it all together, someone who had the answers. But now, she realized there was so much more to him than she had ever known.

They reached her car, and Aries turned to face him. "Thank you for today," she said, her voice soft. "And for everything. I don’t think I’ve said that enough."

Keith met her gaze, something unspoken passing between them. "You don’t have to thank me, Aries. You’ve earned everything that’s come your way."

For a moment, they stood there, the world around them quiet. Aries felt the pull again, stronger this time, but she pushed it down. This was business. This was her career. Whatever she felt for Keith, it couldn’t be anything more than that.

"Well," she said, breaking the silence, "I’ll see you at the next shoot."

Keith nodded, but as she drove away, Aries couldn’t help but wonder if they had just crossed some invisible line, one that could change everything.

That night, as Aries lay in bed, she thought about Keith and the way his voice had softened when he spoke about his past. For the first time, she realized that maybe, just maybe, Keith wasn’t as out of reach as she had always thought.

But that only made things more complicated.

End of Chapter 4.

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