Page 7 of Camera Shy

“What?” Mrs. Mattley asks as I pat the floor, instructing her to lie down. I prop her elbow up on one of the red pillows and fluff her white hair that has been fixed into soft, full waves. “You’re celibate? I thought that was a tradition that’s dying with my generation.”

Rolling my eyes, I grumble. “I’m not celibate. I’m abstinent. Here, slide your elbow forward just a bit.”

She adjusts and I’m satisfied.

“Good. Where do you feel the tension?”

“My back.”

I grab the other pillow from Lennox and tuck it behind her back. “How’s that feel?”

She sighs with a smile. “So comfortable, I could take a nap.”

“Good. You look great.” In this position, Mrs. Mattley looks relaxed, meaning her face won’t be pinched in torture as I take pictures. “Now pop that back knee up for me and let’s get back to it.”

“Wait, wait,” Mrs. Mattley protests, “why are you abstinent? That won’t do. You’re ruining my whole plan, Finny. I was trying to set you up with my daughter when she comes to visit next month. Do you like kids?”

I screw up my face as I adjust my camera settings. Distracted, I ask, “Isn’t your daughter married?”

“Separated. Soon to be divorced.”

“Ah, I’m sorry to hear that.”

Mrs. Mattley snorts. “I’m not. Her husband, like mine, is a grumpy asshole, except he has no soft spot. He treats my Rosie like garbage. If he didn’t treat my grandbaby so well, I’d fly out there and beat him with a crowbar myself.”

“So you’d finally brave a flight to beat a man up?”

She curls up her lips in a snarl. “Desperate times, desperate measures.”

I laugh at her feistiness. “Well, I sincerely hope the best for Rose and your granddaughter…what’s her name?”

“Arielle.”

“Pretty name,” I say. “And I do like children, but I’m taking a break from dating at the moment.”

“Why’s that?”

I pull my eyes from my camera settings to blink at Mrs. Mattley. “Well, isn’t someone a nosey little bird, today?”

She shrugs. “I’m seventy-four, Finny. I’m allowed to be nosey.”

Much to my annoyance, Lennox jumps in on my behalf to explain. “Finn had a psycho ex—super controlling, jealous, and”—she glances at my irritated expression—“I’m just going to say it—rageful. Anyway, they had an extremely toxic, volatile relationship for a long time and when he finally broke it off about eight months ago, he went a little buck wild.”

“Buck wild?” Mrs. Mattley asks as I flush in embarrassment.

Lennox, ignoring my red cheeks, continues, “One morning he was late for a shoot and when I checked on him, I found not one, but two naked women in his bed.”

“Oh my.” Mrs. Mattley covers her mouth.

Lennox’s smile grows wider if it’s even possible. “Oh, but he wasn’t in bed, Mrs. Mattley. He was in the shower…with the third woman who spent the night.”

“Lennox!” I snap in irritation. I hold up one palm in a what-the-fuck motion. “For the love of God.”

“What?” She shrugs innocently. “She asked.”

Lennox is my assistant, but she’s also my cousin and best friend since childhood, so basically, she lives to give me shit.

“What she’s trying to say,” I explain, still glaring at Lennox, “is that I felt a little lost after my breakup and admittedly had a little too much fun, so I’m taking a break. Like a palate cleanser if you will.”

---