Page 65 of Meet You Half Way
“Whatever,” I huffed, knocking his arm off me. “You all don’t mind if I hit the sack? I have an early start tomorrow morning.”
“Yeah, course,” Nick replied. “I’ll show you where everything is.”
Nick led me towards one of the doors that led off the main living space and opened it to the relatively spacious bedroom with its queen size bed, a desk and Dane’s musical instruments.
“You can leave your suitcase here,” Nick continued. “The bathroom is out on the other side.” He showed me to the bathroom, a small but neat space with just a shower and a vanity and an adjacent toilet and gave me a spare towel from the cupboard.
“Thanks,” I said.
“You have everything you need?” Nick asked. I could see the concern in his eyes and I knew I needed to get away from him behind closed doors in case I did something stupid. Like cry.
“All good,” I managed.
“Let me know if you need anything,” he continued. “Will you need a lift to your photoshoot tomorrow? I can take you.”
“Nah I’ll just get an Uber,” I told him.
“Okay, if you’re sure.”
“I am. Night everyone,” I called, backing my way into Dane’s bedroom and closing the door.
I lay in bed afterwards, a heaviness to my heart as I listened to the muted tones of conversation and laughter from outside my bedroom door. I knew I could have been out there with them, having fun with my best friends and Ajay too but I just didn’t have it in me right then.
I lay there for ages, just thinking, listening as the conversation died down outside as the others went to bed. Listening to the quieter voices of Nick and Ajay through the thin wall that separated our bedrooms. Listening as the conversation turned into another set of unmistakeable sounds and feeling … well, not feeling a thing really as I listened to the sounds of the man I thought I loved more than anyone in the world making love to his boyfriend.
Today’s photoshoot was for a new, edgy clothing brand called DNR who were targeting the younger university crowd and they’d picked a ripper day for it. It was all being shot outside on location at a private house that backed onto the SydneyHarbour. I felt at home as I was ushered into one of the trailers and stripped down to nothing before being carefully dressed and sent for hair and makeup.
There were three models on this shoot, one of them, Ryan, a guy I had worked with several times before. He was gorgeous with an edgy look that suited the brand with his shaved head, dark skin and full set of piercings. The other guy, Adrian, I hadn’t met before but he looked more preppy like me and we shook hands as we waited for the director to start the shoot.
DNR had put a lot of money into this shoot and we had a full day scheduled ahead of us to cover their entire winter range meaning we’d be having multiple outfit changes. I’d already spotted Glen schmoozing in the background, waving to him as he scoffed a cream bun from the grazing table. The one the models never got to sample from whether by nutritional choice or because we didn’t have someone to bring food over for us. Like Jamie had done for me at my last shoot.
The shoot started and we were moved into position by the professional team who shifted the three of us around the site for the group shots. Some of the shots were a little provocative and I loved that about this brand, that they were prepared to push the boundaries.
I’d worked with Ryan on similar shoots in the past and I knew neither of us had a problem with these poses including the one we were shooting right now. The one with my hand on his chest and his splayed possessively on my ass as I leaned into his open legs while he perched up on a stone fence. I remembered Jamie asking about whether I got to shoot with other guys and me telling him how much I liked doing shoots like these.
I glanced up, eyes almost seeking out his bright blue gaze in the crowd even though I knew he wasn’t here. He could have been here though if I’d just agreed to him coming. Instead of pulling the detonator on our relationship.
I’d loved having Jamie on set at the last photoshoot, had relished those times I had glanced up only to see his heated gaze on me. It had made it a challenge keeping things professional with the girl straddling my lap.
“Nice, Mateo,” the director called. “Keep that broody expression going. I’m loving it.” Yeah, that was not a challenge. Thatbroodyexpression was my natural state. No wonder I was so good at modelling.
I wondered what Jamie would think of this shoot, whether he would like it or whether he liked the other one more because it was spicier. I wasn’t entirely sure but something in the back of my mind was telling me it wasn’t the nudity or the spice that Jamie had liked about being on set. It was being with me. Because that was the kind of guy he was. Yeah, he liked the way I looked but I also knew that wasn’t the only thing he liked about me. Unlike pretty much every other guy I had ever been with before.
“Oh shit. I’m in love with him,” I rasped, the knowledge hitting me square in the head at the same time it thumped into place in my heart.
“In love with who?” Ryan asked, hand shifting on my ass.
“Jamie. My … boyfriend.”
“That’s great, man. Happy for you,” he said.
“I would be happy for me too except for the fact he dumped me this week because I couldn’t tell him I love him,” I said, the thought making my airwaves constrict. Had I lost him forever? Could I get him back or was he done with me for good?
“Well, bro. Sounds like you might have solved both your problems then,” Ryan shrugged.
I laughed. “Sounds like I might have. Who said models are dumb?”
“Not me. I’m two years into completing my PhD in molecular biology.”
