Page 84 of Touch in the Dark

“I’m good, for the most part,” she eyes me. “It was a lot of fun working on that shoot. It’ll be great when the commercial is put together. It’s hard to imagine right now, after watching all the different artists do their thing but I’m sure they’ll make it look fantastic.”

“What did they do with Bastian?” I ask, just out of interest because he is in a rock band too.

“Where they made your shoot look like a rock concert, his was more of a rock video, there was a bed and wind machines with billowing curtains.”

I laugh. Thank fuck they didn’t make me do that, although his band isn’t as heavy as ours, a little more mainstream rock. “He was okay with that?”

“He had the time of his life,” she smiles.

I can’t help the envy rising up in me. Did she talk to him? Did she do his makeup? Remi is watching me, and I flatten my expression, but he didn’t miss it. He’s clearly listening in, even though everyone around us is chatting, deciding what they want to eat.

“Did you get the stills from Louis, for the shoot?” I focus back on Elsa.

“Yes, I was blown away,” she brushes some hair back which lifts on a small gust of wind.

Some of it sticks to her lips and I reach up to help move it away. She half bites her lip as I pull my hand back to take my glass. Jenna kicks me under the table. Likely in excitement at that move but shit it hurt. I nudge her foot back like a five-year-old.

“I couldn’t believe how amazing they looked,” Elsa goes on. “I know they were touched up but what they did with them was pretty cool.”

“They were barely touched up,” I say. “They just added some filters to make them edgier.”

“She does look pretty spectacular in amongst all those hot guys,” Remi says, drawn back to our conversation while the others talk around us. “I’ve told her enough times she has the skills to work on the other side of the camera.”

“Oh hush,” she nudges Remi. “I love what I do. Modelling is actually really hard work. It was nice to come out of the dressing room this one time, but I couldn’t do it for a living.”

“Don’t be surprised if you start getting phone calls after the campaign goes live,” I tell her.

“Agreed,” Remi says, looking me up and down a little, like he’s judging me, and almost liking what he sees.

“Yeah well, it’s not my forte so I’ll leave it at one and done.”

I stare at her for a few seconds, she looks at me and her eyes widen slightly. I know she wasn’t referring to us, she meant the photoshoot, but it could be misconstrued.

“So, has everyone RSVP’d to mom for Christmas eve?” Jenna asks.

Everyone nods or agrees they’re in. Except Remi, who I’m presuming is only here for a short while, given he’s in the middle of shooting a movie.

“Great, it’s going to be so much fun. Although Jordan still refuses to tell me what they have planned. I swear to God, him and mom are thick as thieves these days.”

“I’d like to say as a mature, responsible woman she is having a positive influence on him,” Archer laughs. “But I’m pretty sure she’s worse than he is.”

“They went axe throwing together last week,” Jenna looks bemused.

“Axe throwing?” I laugh. “Where the hell did that come from?”

“They do something different every couple of weeks, something your average person wouldn’t normally do.”

“Well, neither of them is average,” Brooke points out. “But it is sweet how they’ve taken to one another. If Jordan wasn’t with Alessa,” she waggles her eyebrows at Jenna.

“Ew,” Jenna’s nose wrinkles. “It’s bad enough he keeps calling himself my brother, imagine him calling himself my stepfather.”

“Oh no, he’d want you to call him Daddy,” I disagree, and the others laugh.

“Where is he anyway, he’s been quiet,” Jenna asks.

“Red Alert are doing a few dates in Vegas, he’s gone with them,” Arch tells her. “That means Adam is all alone.”

Jenna rolls her eyes. Archer tells them all about our bet and everyone decides to get in on it while Jenna does her best to look outraged at the thought. Then begrudgingly says it will be today because he won’t want to be alone for another night. Our food comes and the conversation flows, everyone having a good time. Remi even loosens up with me a little, especially when he finds out I spent an early part of my life in Chicago, where he is originally from.

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