Page 16 of Someone Like You

‘Oh, I thought…’ He looks down at his Christmas sweater. ‘So,you’regoing to dress me?’

‘Absolutely,’ Greta replies. ‘Our fashion editor – Luca – he’s very excited to get his hands on you. Oh, I didn’t meanphysically… We always behave respectfully here atNouveau?—’

I stifle a laugh – Greta is unintentionallyveryfunny.

‘Sorry, I meant that Luca usually stylesfashionshoots – mostly women and non-binary models – so when he got windyouwere coming in – aman– he insisted on styling you himself. Not that he’s— he’s not… What I meant to say is that ordinarily one of his fashion assistants would do it. Er…styleyou.’

This gal’s hilarious. It’s taking all my self-control not to laugh. Raff, however, looks like he’s about to hightail it out of here.

‘You okay?’ I ask him.

‘It’s just… Now I feel a bit silly showing up in this,’ he says, tugging at the sweater.

‘Oh, that’s probably my fault,’ Greta replies. ‘I obviously wasn’t clear when we spoke on the phone.’

I’m positive she’s being gracious. When I showed up at Raff’s apartment this morning and he opened the door wearing that (dumb) sweater, I grilled him, trying to figure out exactly what he’d been told. None of what he relayed included the words ‘dress in an ugly Christmas sweater’.

Greta checks the time on her phone. ‘Oh, we’d better be getting going.’

‘Do I really have to wear makeup for the photo?’ Raff asks me quietly as we trail behind Greta.

‘Yep,’ Greta says over her shoulder – the gal’s got great hearing, I’ll give her that. ‘And it’s notaphoto, Rafferty. We’ll be including a full photo series with the article.’

‘Oh dear god, what have I got myself in for?’ he mutters underhis breath. When I look up, the small amount of colour in his already pale face drains away.

‘It’ll be fine,’ I whisper.

‘Easy for you to say,’ he retorts, which is only fair.

‘It seems to be going well,’ says Greta.

Raff is on set having his photo taken and we’re watching from the back of the studio.

‘Yeah, for sure. Raff looks… I don’t know –different,’ I say, regarding him closely as he follows the photographer’s directions. ‘Like him but elevated, you know.’

‘I told you, Luca’s a virtuoso when it comes to styling.’

Luca was super enthusiastic about styling a guy, like Greta said he would be, but he also knows his stuff, making the most of Raff’s height, broad shoulders, and slim hips. He’s dressed Raff in a pair of fitted dark-wash jeans, a crimson dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up – a subtle nod to Christmas, Luca said – and a pair of black leather lace-ups.

This outfit is ahugestep up from the boxy suits Raff wears to work – god knows how many times Freya and I have nagged him about buying suits that fit – or the baggy jeans and oversized T-shirts and sweaters he favours on the weekends.

Though, I’m one to talk.

I’m the marketing manager for several high-end brands, but I’m hardly afashionista. Early on, I recognised I wouldn’t compete with fashion designers and models – and I didn’t want to – so I adopted a style that both suits me and fits in with my colleagues and clients. Mostly, I wear tailored suits I procure cheaply and have altered, zhuzhed-up with graphic T-shirts on non-client-facing days and silk blouses on the days I need to impress.

I look back at the set, noting that hair and makeup also nailed it. The hair stylist defined Raff’s curls with product, pushing them off his face in a style reminiscent of Henry Cavill – totally off-brand for Raff, who’s content to let his curls flop onto his forehead unfettered. That’s fine for an angsty teen, but Raff’s a thirty-two-year-old man.

And once the photographer – a Dutch guy named Jan – started directing Raff into poses, he visibly started to relax. I’m sure Jan is getting some great shots. If I were overseeing this shoot on behalf of a client, I’d be thrilled – they’ve gone all out.

And I’m so proud of Raff. This sort of thing iswayoutside his comfort zone, yet here he is being agreeable and in many ways, brave.

When I first brought up the interview, he said no so many times in a row, I lost count after five. But we talked it through and eventually, he sighed and said, ‘I’m about to make a major life change and if I can’t face the little fears, how will I face that one?’ Then he agreed to the interview.

And that right there is the definition of bravery – being afraid but forging ahead anyway.

‘So,’ Greta whispers, leaning in closer, ‘Poppy says you’re in the know.’

‘In the know?’

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