5. Photoshoot at the animal shelter
2120 Words
She has everything, the photographer, the firefighters, the backsplash and the cute puppies and kittens. Everything and everyone, but Alessio. Did he bail on her? He promised he’ll be here, so where is he? And she can’t afford to be too obvious about it. She can ask once and then she must move on with everything. Even her being here is quite unorthodox. She could send an assistant to coordinate things, but she insisted that this is her personal project and she wants to be here.
“Where is Alessio?” She asks Allegra. They are running out of time and she only has two firemen left to prepare. The photographer won't wait around, not even for her.
“He’ll be here, don’t worry. The Commissioner will skin his hide if he doesn’t show up.” Allegra answers and checks her phone for messages.
“He better be.” Grazia says and frowns.
A tall, dark haired figure runs up to them and she releases a sigh. He came at last. His excuse better be good, though. A smile lights up his face as he slides up to her and a part of her melts on the spot. That man is her weakness and he better not find out.
“Sorry I’m late. Home problems I would rather not discuss in public. Allegra, remind me to tell you later.” Alessio apologizes to them and she wonders what happened.
“Sure. Grab your gear, I chose the puppy for you, because you’re late.” Allegra nods to him.
“Oh, a cutie.” He laughs. “Too bad we can’t take him home.”
“I know. Maybe someday.” Allegra smirks and explains to Grazia. “Our mother doesn’t allow pets.”
“I never had time for a pet.” Grazia tells her and they continue ogling the firemen. She just loves this part of her job. Openly ogling good looking men. And this time it’s for a good cause, too.
“Yeah. Dreamy, ain’t they?” Allegra sighs at her side.
“Puppies or the men? And for once I get to look at real men.” Grazia snickers.
“I get it. I realized early on that the pretty faces on the scene are all gay. Finding a real man there is close to impossible.” Allegra laughs. “This is downright refreshing.”
“Mhm…” Grazia trails off.
“You do know that it’s obvious who you’re staring at all the time?” Allegra murmurs.
“s**t!” Grazia exclaims and looks away from Alessio. She glares at Allegra and the little minx is laughing her head off. “Not funny! Do you think he noticed?”
“No. He is used to being ogled. Even harassed on occasion.” Allegra tells her. “The fact that you can restrain yourself and you’re not climbing all over him, must be a novelty to him.”
“Harassed? Are you serious?” Grazia asks Allegra and glances at Alessio. He is a natural magnet for women it seems as she notices the shelter workers ogling him. They are quite bold in their catcalls as well, but Alessio is studiously ignoring them and he poses like a true professional. Working with Otto again seems to do the trick. She deliberately picked Vesna’s favourite photographer, mainly because he has a different perspective on things than most, but because she wanted to give Alessio a chance to work with someone he knows.
“Nice call to ask Otto. The pics will be unique.” Allegra comments.
“I see. You’ll have to explain the bone you threw me over a drink.” Grazia nods. “I chose Otto, because he does things differently. And because he doesn’t mind random people. He is one of the rare photographers out there who is willing to work with ordinary people.”
“And because it’s for a good cause. You do realize I’m close enough to hear what you’re saying?” Otto calls to them.
“Yes. And we love you, too.” Grazia laughs.
“I think we’re done here.” Otto says over his shoulder. “We can collect the props and go home.”
“Nice! Thank you, everyone!” Grazia calls out. “We can go home.”
“I’ll help pick things up. And we have to return the cute puppy.” Allegra smiles and starts to put the props in boxes.
“Too bad. Mom’s gonna throw a fit if we bring a puppy home.” Alessio tells Allegra and hands the puppy over to one of the shelter workers. He grabs his t-shirt and his jacket and ignores all the disappointed aahs when he dresses back up.
“A few of the puppies got new forever homes today. Your coworkers took some home with them.” Grazia says randomly. “And the Commissioner took home three kittens.”
“His granddaughter will love those. The kid is four and in desperate need of a distraction.” Alessio laughs. “I hope he knows what he’s gotten into.”
“I’m sure he knows.” Allegra laughs. “Let's get these boxes out to the car. Alessio, please help.”
Grazia watches the flexing of his muscles as he picks up a few boxes at once and carries them out to her car. She has to stop drooling over him. Maybe she should ask him out and get it over with. If he turns her down, she at least tried. The disappointment must be visible on her face when she comes out with the last box and only Allegra stands by her car with all of the boxes.
“Is he avoiding me? Is it something I said? I thought he enjoyed the coffee date we had?” Grazia asks Allegra. “Did you say something to him?
“I don’t know. I never said a word about anything.” Allegra tells her. “Keep me out of this personal thing, please.”
“He’s avoiding me. The first guy I like after so long and he’s avoiding me.” Grazia sighs. “Let’s go. Where should I drop you off?”
“At Vesna’s store, please. I’m late to my actual job.” Allegra rolls her eyes. “Luckily, Vesna knows what I’m up to with you. By the way, she wants a copy.”
“Of course she does.” Grazia laughs. “I know her well. Even with that hottie she nabbed for herself, she does appreciate beauty in everything.”
“You gotta hand it to her, she does have style.” Allegra chuckles.
“See you on Saturday at the Fire station.” Grazia waves Allegra off and drives to the agency. She has to return all the props to the storage and see what her assistants are up to. She trusts the girls, but control is better. She will just check her emails and the schedules while she’s here. Any distraction is good today, to keep her from thinking too much about a certain firefighter. She won’t even think of his name.
A text message pings on her phone and she automatically opens it to see.
- I’m sorry. I had to run. Alessio
Damn! He’s thinking about her and he is not afraid to say I’m sorry. What should she write? She can’t come off too court or too needy. Think, Grazia, think!
- Could we meet for coffee before Saturday? You can choose the place. Grazia
- Sure. Cafe Montalba. Tomorrow at seven? I’ll even buy dinner. Alessio
- Nice pick. I love their risoto. Grazia
- See you there :) Alessio
Oh, damn! He even inserted a smiley face. Does that mean he likes her? She is all confused like a teenager with a first crush. What does this guy do to her hormones and why? She has been around pretty faces all her life and nobody ever turned her on like this. Not even her ex, whom she loved and even thought they would marry, before she found out that he cheated on her with her best friend.
Why Alessio? Why now, when she finally got her life on track and everything is running smoothly? Is she not entitled to something good in her life? After everything that happened? She has the feeling that this relationship is doomed from the start. The sparks were there instantly and then he turned cold. He still talks to her and he even asked her out, but it’s more and more looking like the beginning of a friendship.
Grazia doesn’t mind a good friend in her life, but can she be friends with someone who she’s attracted to this much? No amount of cold water and yoga can help her get down from her arousal after spending some time with him. Would she come off as a slut, if she proposed to a ‘friend with benefits’ kind of deal to him? He does like her, he checked her out a few times and she caught that look in his eyes. But, does he like her enough to sleep with her?
Oh, god! She hopes he doesn’t have some weird rule of not dating his sister’s friends. She can’t exactly unfriend Allegra. She needs her to finish this project and the girl is her friend’s assistant. They see each other for work regularly. And come to think of it, Allegra is a ray of sunshine on a dark day. She has the ability to make people around her happy by a simple smile. No! She’s not giving up Allegra for him.
She decides to go home, she’s been staring at her computer screen for an hour and she got nothing done. The same email is still on there that she first opened and she has no idea what it’s about. Maybe she needs to delegate some work on her assistants and call it a day? She is useless around the office if she can’t concentrate on work.
What can she do at home is a different question? She took great measures over the last years to spend as little time there as possible. Maybe it’s time to rethink things? Can she part with the house? Maybe just a change of furniture and she could call it her house and not her parent’s house? If she gets rid of her mothers design and furniture setting, she will look at things a bit differently. Maybe put up art that she likes, because she never liked the surrealist artists her mother favoured.
That’s a good idea, she murmurs to herself and calls her interior designer. The guy did her office and agency and she likes his work.
“Alphonso, darling. When can you redo my house? It’s time to let go of the memories.” Grazia greets her old friend.
“Wow, girl. Now, if you want me to.” Alphonso laughs.
“Great! Meet me at the house.” She says and walks out of the agency, giving orders on the go.
Driving home, she makes plans about the color changes. She wants color in her life, the black and white monochromatic scheme of her mother’s design is boring and cold. The house looks like a salon for fine art on the walls and Grazia wants a home to live in. She wants warmth and inviting furniture. She wants something that’s going to make her happy when she comes home. And she wants new paintings on the walls. The art collections she has now can be exchanged or sold. It’s not like she cares for any of the paintings adoring her walls right now.
“Hello, darling!” She greets Alphonso when she comes home. “Were you in the neighborhood?”
“Two houses down the street.” He smiles at her. “The woman is driving me nuts, I just had to get away.”
“Good for me. Come on in, let me show you the gallery!” Grazia unlocks the door and shows him the living room.
“Oh, dear lord! You weren’t exaggerating, it really looks like a showroom.” Alphonso exclaims. “What do you need?”
“Colour! I need some colour in my life. And modern art.” She spins around, taking the room in. “Above all, I need furniture I can actually use.”
“Right. Are we doing the whole house?” He asks her.
“Yes. Sell the paintings, get me new ones. And some carpets. I want warmth.” Grazia smiles at him.
“Done and done.” Alphonso laughs with her. “Give me a week.”
- Writer
