"Sky? Sky!" Jason grabs my shoulder and shakes my body so abruptly that I almost fall. "You are hyperventilating. Calm down. Shit like this happens all the time during photoshoots. It's nothing. Don't pay attention to the photographer. They are all overly dramatic."
I am barely catching my breath. My head is spinning. Calling what I feel embarrassment will be a total understatement. How could I smack a famous fashion model with a spotlight stand... in the head... Oh, my God!
"Can we go?" I hiss in Jason's year. "I think I am going to faint."
"No," he firmly says. "You'll be fine. Don't panic. Take a deep breath and put a smile on that cute face. Look at Mauricio. He's not even angry. I am pretty sure he actually finds this amusing. Let's go to him. You only have to apologize, and all will be forgotten."
"Jase..." I clutch his sleeve and hide behind his back, gazing in fear at the photographer who is striding towards us with a stormy expression. "This one looks as mad as a hornet. I am not staying here a minute longer...."
"Smetteresti di urlare, amico. Cos'hai che non va? Il ragazzo sta bene. Perché tutto questo dramma? Calmati. (Would you stop screaming, man. What's wrong with you? The boy is fine. Why all this drama? Take it easy.)" It's a familiar voice that would have made me frown at any other circumstances. This time, however, I feel like hugging our dear agent, Senior Mauro, who cheerfully runs from the opposite side of the room, blocking the enraged guy's way.
The latter, after an unsuccessful attempt to go around him, points a finder at me over the agent's shoulder. "I want these two out at this instant. Who invited them? Everyone does whatever they want. No one acknowledges the complexity of the creative process. But then you expect perfect results. I do it all for the client and need peace of mind and concentration to work. I am an artist. This here is turning into a public circus."
"Let's not overreact." Mauro finally steps aside and lets the man approach. "Speaking of clients, let me introduce Senior Marchetti, the marketing manager of De Angelis Corporation, and his deputy, Senior Jones. They are in charge of the new cosmetic line campaign, the one that we will be working on next. Gentlemen, this is our camera wizard, Raphael. His name alone speaks of his abilities. I swear, this magician can turn a frog into a prince with the right make-up and proper lightning."
His words make an instant change in the so-called wizard's attitude. His complexion turns crimson first, then goes to a ghostly white before settling on a light pink. He starts stroking his long stubble with a colorfully tattooed hand. It kind of reminds me of Luca. "Oh... Ugh... Nice to meet you... Uhm... Sorry for the little outburst... You must forgive me. Creators are a bit impulsive, you know... I am not an exception..."
"You are certainly not," a friendly voice interrupts him. Mauricio joins the party with a big grin on his face, still pressing the package of ice to his forehead. I am blinded. The boy looks as if he has just stepped out of a luxurious magazine's cover. What surprises me even more is his amiable personality. I thought I would be mortified if I had to talk to him. His presence has exactly the opposite effect. I feel more relaxed. You can tell from the first sight he is a nice guy. He holds out his hand. "Hello, Jason. It's great to meet you, Sky. So, you are the one I should thank for saving me from those despicable clothes. I looked like a peacock, wasn't I? It made me cackle every time I glimpsed at a mirror."
"You looked fantastic," I mumble. "They just didn't fit campaign style. Umm... I am so sorry about your forehead...."
"No, no! Don't worry. I'm perfectly fine," he interrupts me and grabs my wrist, pulling me closer. The next sentence is whispered in my ear. "I should thank you for that, too. You can't imagine how awful it is to stay under the spotlights for a full hour with limited ability to move. It's searing hot and terribly boring. God knows I needed the break."
"Really?" I am utterly relieved. "Well, I am happy to help then."
"What are you two whispering about?" Jason is gazing suspiciously at my new friend. "Sky, we can grab a coffee and have a discussion with Raphael about the new concept. I am sure Mauricio needs some rest before continuing with the shoot."
"No way! I assure you I feel great," the model declines the offer without easing the grip on my hand. "You guys go talk about the technical part. in the meantime, Skylar will come with me. A short walk by the sea is what I desperately need."
"But..." Jason tries to protect with no success.
Before I know it, I am at a food stall on the very pier by the water, and Mauricio is ordering ice cold smoothies.
"This is better than coffee," he states, shoving a glass with something colored in bright orange in it. "Mango, papaya, and passion fruit. My favorite. You're going to love it. Now, tell me everything about you. Are you single?"
"Huh?" I stare at him in a loss of words. This whole situation is unbelievable. I am talking to a stunning fashion model. He just bought me a drink. It seems he wants to make friends, and as crazy as it may sound, I think he likes me. What is going on?
"Sorry!" He smiles. "Am I being too direct? It's a habit I got into, because of my profession. This is how we live, at high speed. We literally have no time to mosey along. Take this day. I must be back in the studio in fifteen minutes, and will board this ship in an hour. There is no time to waist."
"I understand" I suck a big gulp though the straw. "Fuck!"
"Don't suck too hard." He starts laughing. "It will freeze your brain. So?"
"Yeah," I manage to hum. "Not into a relationship at this point."
"Good," he nods in satisfaction. "I mean, good for me. Gay?"
I choke on my drink. After a minute or so of coughing, I barely rasp, "How did you know?"
"Honey!" Mauricio puts a hand on my shoulder and grins wider. "That's like asking a dog how it knew there was a sausage in the shopping bag."
***
A/N
Hello, at the end of Chapter 27.
Thank you so much for reading and supporting ❤️❤️❤️
Was Mauricio a surprise?
Did you expect him to be so direct?
Do you think he genuinely liked Sky? 😀
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Love: Anny
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BAD →WORSE→ THE BEST (mxm)
RomanceSkylar Jones was adopted into an old Italian aristocratic family when he was ten. His life goes under the strict control of his stepfather, Count Massimiliano De Angelis. Sky is a good boy and obeys the rules. One thing only he keeps to himself, his...
