serenah-a:
“Well, at least they’re here,” Serena said with an absent nod. “It was lucky there was no rush on them,” she continued, turning her gaze to the other woman’s, giving her a smile.
She waited then as Haley pulled the photographs out. She stepped closer, nodding as the photographer spoke - examining the pictures closely. They were rather magnificent and would work for what she wanted.
“They’re good,” she complimented the woman. “Exactly as I wanted. Though I knew they would be. Your work is wonderful,” Serena continued as she made her way over to the sideboard.
She grinned as the brunette accepted a drink, amused a little as the woman seemed a little flustered. She poured them both generous amounts of her grandfather’s whiskey - handing it over with ease.
“So, tell me Ms. Canning, why did you decide to strike out on your own?” Serena asked curiously. She’d heard whispers but you could never believe gossip.
Haley simply nodded, feeling slightly awkward in the presence of the woman. She was well put together and held herself with such poise and well, Haley just felt out of place. She just didn’t have the confidence Serena ebbed.
When she told her she liked the photos, Haley let out a breath she wasn’t even aware she was holding, relief flooding through her. “Thank you, that means a lot.” She smiled, the compliment warming her.
Accepting the drink, she smiled at the blonde, taking a sip in attempt to relax a little. She thought for a moment, deliberating on the best way to answer the question. Depending who asked, she told different variations of the story, not wanting to expose every gnarly detail of her personal life. “Well, I’ve always wanted to be my own boss,” she started taking another sip of liquid confidence, “and I’ve had so many ideas. So I guess starting my own company was the best way to explore that and it appears to be going well so far.” It wasn’t exactly a lie, more like withholding some of the truth. Plus, she was sure someone like Serena didn’t want to be bored with the woeful facts of her life.
“No need to thank me. I don’t give out compliments that aren’t deserved,” Serena told the other woman with a light laugh. She sat herself down on the edge of the desk, sipping the whiskey as she took a closer look at the photographs.
As the other woman spoke, Serena listened, nodding along. After a moment she looked up at the brunette in amusement, a small smile settled on her face. “I’m glad it’s going well so far. Being your own boss can be a challenge at times,” Serena mused - though she imagined there were quite a few differences for them.
“I’m glad I went with you,” Serena said then, nodding softly. “A friend suggested your former business partner actually. But I wasn’t sure if he was quite the right fit. You know?” Serena told her with a shrug; he had come highly recommended but Serena had liked Haley’s work better.
