Page 50 of Touch in the Dark

When we arrive, I thank Max and head towards the door of the studio. It’s on a quiet street but the building itself is industrial, though modern, with lots of glass walls looking out onto the street. A receptionist is behind the desk when I go inside, even at this hour. There is a huge Christmas tree, brightly lit and tastefully decorated. I haven’t even thought about getting a tree this year. We should really do that, before it gets too late. I’ll email Janie later.

The receptionist has me sign in and then shows me through the glass doors behind her. I whistle under my breath. There is a corner kitchen area with a dining table big enough to seat about twenty people. Together with a fully stocked glass door fridge, drinks machines, salad bar and I can smell bacon. It makes my stomach growl.

“Please, help yourself to a drink and anything else you’d like,” the receptionist says, and I glance down at her.

The tone of her voice is enough to let me know she is offering more than food. I give her a quick thanks and head towards the coffee machine. She sighs, then the door opens and closes. It’s not that she isn’t attractive. I’m so used to women coming on to me, or offering themselves up to me, that it’s the norm. But I’m working, not looking for a conquest. Even Jordan wouldn’t be that unprofessional back when he was a man whore.

I can hear signs of life beyond more glass doors to the left. On the right, there looks to be interview rooms or meeting rooms with a few people inside. I grab a coffee and pick up a bagel, slathering it in cream cheese, then head over to the sofas and take a seat. About five minutes later the door beside me opens.

“Nick, shit, I’m sorry, have you been waiting long?”

I look up to Louis hurrying through the doors. “Nope, just got here, grabbing some food.”

“The coffee is to die for.”

She goes over and grabs herself one. She’s wearing yellow dungarees today with a black and white striped top beneath it, they look clean and fresh. Her hair and make-up are done too.

“Come on through,” she tells me. “We can sit inside and finish up while they get everything finalised. Three of your co-stars are already here but we’re waiting on Mel.”

“Co-stars?”

I follow her into a door that says ‘Studio A’ in block lettering above it. We head inside and my eyes widen. The space is amazing, high ceilings, high gloss floors, and there are three sets already made up around the room. Against the far wall are a series of smaller rooms which I presume is hair, make-up, and wardrobe. There are people setting up all around us and someone turns music on as the door bumps shut behind me.

“Yes, for your set. We’ve got you a harem.”

My nose wrinkles and Louis laughs. We’d talked a bit about how I liked to read them, but I’d never actually be able and or willing to do it in real life.

“Chill, you’ll be a narrator, the author if you will. Watching over your creations. Although we will want to get a few shots of you with the female model. Mel. If she ever gets here,” she looks at her watch again. “Okay, let me take you through here.”

We move beyond guys setting up cameras and lights and head into a dressing room complete with wardrobe, make-up, and hair station. The rack against the far wall has my name on it and there are a few items hanging from it. My brow lifts at the size of the garment bags and I almost laugh.

“Nick, this is Jackie, she’s going to do your hair and make-up but finish off your breakfast, I know it’s super early. We still have some things to finish off too. Jackie, how are you getting on with the other guys?”

“All done,” she says. They’re waiting for wardrobe.”

“Fantastic. I’ll leave you two to get ready.” She disappears from the doorway.

“Hey Jackie, I’m Nick,” I drop my gym bag, balance my coffee cup and bagel in one hand and shake hers. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” she gives me a smile.

She’s tiny, barely over five feet if I had to guess. She reminds me of an older version of Brittany Murphy, the actress from Clueless. Her hair is a mop of huge brown curls, and she has orange glasses and bright red lipstick. She’s wearing a smock to protect her clothes from all the make-up. I head to the make-up chair, but she sits on a seat beside me, and we chat while I finish eating. By the time I’m ready to go, I’ve learnt all about her two dogs, a German Shepherd called Idris and a Bichon Friese called Dot, she is originally from South Africa, but has lived in the States for twenty-three years. She has the time of her life doing the jobs she does.

She pins a couple of images up on the mirror behind her. It’s a concept drawing of how the shoot is going to look, and the brief she is working to. I sit back and let her cover my clothes and close my eyes as she starts working on my hair. My mind automatically flashes back to another time I sat in this kind of chair, with a different woman touching me. It was when I finally got Elsa to agree to go out with me, the night I’d told her she was more than just a random hook up. When I’d made promises to her that I sure as shit had not kept.

Fuck. I hate thinking about that. Luckily, Jackie is a talker and even though I keep my eyes closed, she doesn’t let up enough to allow me to continue thinking about Elsa.

The music gets louder, and more people are starting to arrive. When Jackie is done with me, she goes to call in a wardrobe assistant. Arizona pops his head in too and greets me warmly.

“We’ll get you into your outfit and bring you out to do some test shots but we’re still short a model.”

I frown. “The woman?”

“Yes, we’re struggling to get hold of her. Louis is on a call to her agency now.”

“It won’t be much of a reverse harem without a girl,” I chuckle.

“Definitely too much sausage, not enough hot pocket.”

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