Coffee and Love

I quickly changed back into my regular clothes but stayed in the dressing room for a while longer. I frowned at myself in the mirror. What the hell was that, Mirela?

“You still alive?” Luther asked, coming in.

“Yeah,” I said, standing up quickly. “Just letting my feet rest after those heels.”

“Thanks for doing this for me,” he said. “I know it was awkward.”

He passed me the check and I could tell he was trying not to smirk.

“Go ahead,” I sighed. “Get it out of your system.”

He chuckled. “Looked like you were enjoying it,” he said.

I shook my head. “No. It was more…. It was weird, Luther,” I said. “He’s been a dick this whole time and suddenly….”

“I didn’t know he could kiss like that,” he snorted.

“He couldn’t,” I laughed, picking up my purse. “I thought you heard the little lesson I had to give him.”

“Well, looks like you did a favor for him, too.”

“What do you mean?”

“That boy looks like he’s been hit by a truck,” he laughed. “He’s still staring in the mirror.”

I put the strap of my purse on my shoulder. “Well, that’s the only time that’ll happen.” I nodded at the dress. “Thanks for giving me something more modest.”

“You’re welcome,” he said with a gentle smile. “Sorry we had so much trouble getting it over your curves.”

I smiled. “Imagine going clothes shopping with this body.”

He laughed, walking out into the main studio with me. Caleb was frowning intensely at the camera screen, pressing a button I assumed was to go through the pictures. Luther winked at me.

“I’ll be back at 8,” I said but Caleb just nodded, still looking at the pictures until he got to one.

He narrowed his eyes and held it up to his face closer. I shrugged and walked out, getting my phone out to let my mom know.

“Sounds like fun,” she said. “Is he going to let you help with the editing?”

“Yeah,” I said. “I’ll be coming back at 8.”

“What did they give you two wear?”

“Just a simple cocktail dress. I’ll sneak a picture for you. It was actually really bearable. I like working with Luther.”

“Will you do future shoots with him?”

“I don’t know yet,” I said and went into the normal Starbucks. “I guess I’ll just play it by ear. I don’t know when I’ll be back tonight so don’t wait up for me. There’s some lasagna in the freezer.”

She laughed. “I’m a big girl; I can feed myself.”

“Just no more fires in the kitchen, please.”

We both laughed.

“One time and you won’t let me forget it,” she said in a pouty voice.

“See you later, Ma.”

“Good bye, dear. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

After I got my coffee, I sat down and looked out the window, thinking about my father. What would he say if he knew I was doing this right now? Would he be disappointed? I mean, I’m not quitting my day job. It was just a weekend shoot. Now, that first photoshoot, he definitely would not have liked that.

“Do what makes you happy, cel mic. Being a business woman would make you so successful. I see now, though, that you-”

“Don’t talk like that, Pa.”

“I’m dying, cel mic. Let your dear tată {father} finish speaking.”

“Of course, Pa.”

“I know you love photography and music. Do what makes you happy. Promise me.”

“I promise, tată.”

“Thank you, cel mic.”

I sighed and looked down at my coffee. It was mostly gone by now. I spun the straw in it, unaware I was crying until a napkin was thrust in my face. I jumped and looked up. Caleb was standing in front of me with a latte in his hand.

“Thanks,” I mumbled.

“Didn’t think you’d be here,” he said, getting in the other chair.

I shrugged. “Didn’t make sense to go home since I’m coming back up in two hours,” I said.

“Why are you crying?”

“It’s not important. Do you want to go back now?”

“Sure.”

I finished my coffee and tossed the cup into the trash can followed by the napkin after I wiped my tears away. We walked down the street in silence. He had his camera again but he didn’t take any pictures. His hands were in his pockets. I narrowed my eyes. He was acting weird.

A girl winked at him and wiggled her fingers at him but he just did that weird sexy chin lift. I frowned. No quip about that short skirt she was wearing? No flirtatious nudge like he usually did?

“Are you okay?” I asked when we got in the elevator.

“I’m fine,” he said quickly and unlocked the door.

He set his coffee down on a table then we went into the computer room. He had brought a stool in for me to sit on which confused me even more. Did our phone call this morning bother him that much? He plugged a memory card into the computer.

“Is this the new one?”

“Yeah,” he said. “I like it a lot more than the dinosaur.” He whistled through his teeth while we waited for the pictures to load. “Jesus, how many did he take?”

“Sounded like a lot,” I said.

“Okay,” he said when they finally finished loading. “First he wants us to pick our favorites so we have to go through each one.”

“Is there a minimum or maximum?”

“Nope.”

“What will he be doing with these pictures?” I asked while we went through them. “I like that one.”

“He’s going to put it on his website and print out the ones he likes the most from what we’re doing tonight. He’ll put them up here in the studio to hook people in.”

“Like the family photos?” I asked, poking my head up.

“Exactly,” he nodded, clicking on one of the pictures of us kissing.

I blushed and cleared my throat. “That one is good,” I said.

“I agree,” he said seriously. “He’s not usually very skilled at angles; that’s more my thing.”

“What’s his?”

“Poses and lighting.”

When we had selected the ones we liked, he pulled out a piece of paper and put it between us.

“He wants the background to be at two of these places. I was looking it over earlier and I liked the idea of the hotel room. Our outfits seemed like they belonged in a more intimate setting.” He cleared his throat. “I thought I’d leave the second choice to you.”

I browsed the list. He was right about the intimate setting and I tapped my chin.

“How about… the living room with the fireplace?”

He nodded. “That was the one I was going to suggest.”

“Great minds think alike,” I said but he just smiled and pulled up a second screen.

“I love working with green screen,” he said. “You can do so much more with it.”

I was about to say something when we heard a crashing noise in the women’s dressing room.