“None taken.” I chuckle.
“The lighting is great in here.”
“Yeah, the windows are a godsend for lighting, but come summer, it’s stifling in here. They open like a centimetre, and that’s it.”
He laughs, dropping down the last of the bags. He stands to his full height, and I take him in.
He has on dark jeans with a long baggy vest, his lean but defined frame on display. His hair is a dark mess of perfection, although I can imagine it’s annoying as hell keeping it out of his eyes. He seems to be constantly pushing it back.
“I haven’t seen you and the girls at The Pearl for a while.”
“Ah no, we haven’t been out as much. We tend to go hard after payday and then struggle for the last two weekends.”
“I get that.” He nods as he grins wide.
“So, my boyfriend was going to pop in later. You’ve met him—Mason.” I cringe.
“The guy from the café?” he questions, clearly surprised.
“I was hoping the two of you would just get on with it for the sake of the photos.”
I see his nostrils flare, and my stomach drops. This was a bad idea.
“Of course. I’m here for work, Nina.” He says as if he’s reminding himself, bending down as he starts to unpack his bags.
I thought it would be different angles and poses, but Joey had me dance instead. He said it was the best way to catch me naturally, and I have to admit, it’s been kind of fun.
Some of the shots Joey showed me are unreal. He has an obvious talent for photography, and I’m surprisingly excited to see the finished prints.
I’m sitting drinking my water when he comes to sit next to me, his gaze focused on his camera.
“How long have you been studying photography?” I ask.
“Two years. I’m in my final year now.”
“How old are you?” I frown.
“Twenty-eight, I didn’t start straight away.”
“How come?”
“I used to look after my mum,” he says, completely emotionless, his thumbs flicking through the photos on the camera.
“You used to?”
“Yeah. So can we just do one more song? Maybe in front of the mirrors, even with me in the shot. It will add to the image we are creating.”
What is it with me lately, always opening my big mouth and making everyone uncomfortable? Although Joey doesn’t seem uncomfortable—more preoccupied. But still, it’s none of my business.
“Of course, I really am loving this.” I beam at him, trying to lighten the mood.
“I can tell. Look at that smile,” he tells me, chuckling, and I drop my head embarrassed.
Cool it, Nina.
“So, when you’re dancing, I want your profile in the reflection.”
I nod, moving to stand in position with my head dipped, still feeling silly at my over-the-top enthusiasm.
