A delicate cough from Aanya drew their attention and the store employee suddenly shifted her eyes to something outside the window.
“Anyway, I think we should just focus on the jewelry out here. You don’t need to see the junk in the workshop,” he said.
“What exactly are you afraid of, Rosso?”
“Maybe you’re a spy?”
She raised an eyebrow. “A spy who works at a coffee shop? How long does it take to learn all this stuff? Can I really pick it up in an afternoon?”
“No, it takes years.”
Mia lifted her hands. “Then what are you worried about?”
He stood in silence before releasing a breath in defeat. “Alright, come on.”
The front of the shop represented the glittering, perfect by-products of Ross’s work. But the workshop encompassed a sense of the authentic, dedicated craftsmanship that went into producing the sparkling jewelry. It was utilitarian and grimy. The tools and well-worn machines appeared as if they had been around for generations. It was the dirty guts of the store, the old but reliable engine that made it all possible. Mia was fascinated. She was in a new, unfamiliar world with Ross as her guide, and she loved everything about it.
He stood there as she took it all in, his fingers fumbling along the lines of the magnifier headgear in his hands.
“What do you call yourself? Do you have a more specific name other than jeweler?” Mia asked.
“Jeweler usually refers to the person at the front of the store, the salesperson. The person doing the work in the back is a bench jeweler.” His weight shifted from one foot to the other. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing.”
“What would you be doing if I wasn’t here?”
“Working.”
“Okay, then do that. I’ll try and stay out of your way and not bug you too much.”
“I’m just not used to someone else being back here with me. I’m usually alone.”
“I’m not planning on moving in, Ross. I’m just hanging out for the afternoon. Just be yourself. Wait a minute.” Mia reached up and swept her fingers through his hair, fixing the one section which had become mussed when he removed his headgear earlier. Since she was here anyway, she might as well straighten the neck strap of his apron, her fingers brushing along the heated skin of his neck. “Okay, now you can be yourself.”
“Are you done?”
“I don’t have to be.” There went Mia’s mouth again, but this time she didn’t care. Why not have a little fun? To be honest, she didn’t want to be done and her mind raced for additional excuses. At this close proximity, she could capture the full scent of his leather apron and spicy body wash. Her fingers itched to trace along the lines of his arm, from the top of his bicep to his strong fingers. His sleeves were pushed up again, tempting her.
“I’m sure it’s good enough if you’re looking to get a bench jeweler in his natural habitat. It’s not like I’m a model.” The top of his cheeks took on a rosy shade though, his gaze dropping.
“Obviously.” Mia threw him a cheeky grin, enjoying the game of teasing him. Maybe Ross wasn’t a model in the traditional sense, but he was in every sense she liked.
He narrowed his eyes. “Okay, I’m just going to work at my bench.”
“Great!” She turned her attention to her camera, adjusting the settings, and took a couple of test photos before fine-tuning again. When she aimed the camera on Ross, he was seated on a stool at his work table with a small brown block between his hands. Mia focused her lens on this, his steady fingers working the block with the finesse and care of a surgeon, the veins on his exposed forearms flicking with subtle movements. She didn’t know what he was doing, but it was hypnotizing nonetheless.
Mia clicked a few frames with the camera. “What are you making?”
“A ring.”
“You carve a ring by hand?”
“I do. There are bench jewelers who use fancy computer programs like CAD, which allows you to design jewelry in 3D. It works with a special printer to create the ring model out of the carving wax. But I can’t afford one of those yet, so I still create the model by hand.” Ross’s voice was as low and as soothing as the repetitive motion his work instilled.
“Why do you make it out of wax?” she asked.
“It’s used to create the cast.”
“How does that work?” She scrolled through her images before continuing to take more photos.
