When The Day Met The Night

7

"Brendon this is...Rion" Zack says and my heart stops. Ryan? I turn my attention to them and see that it's not Ryan Ross my ex bandmate who I was in love with for a long time. No this is a woman, a beautiful woman with long blonde, curly hair and piercing blue eyes. She's gorgeous. Butterflies appear in my stomach and I feel like I've lost my breath.
"Sorry what's your name?" I ask, trying to regain my composure.
"Rion" she says like she's confused.
"It's nice to meet you Rion" I smirk and she nods.
"Nice to meet you too Brendon, I also have Dylan, he's my backup. He's getting stuff from the car- oh shoot. I better go help him" she says and then leaves. I wait for her to be out of the room and the turn to Zack.
"Dude, she is so gorgeous." I tell him. "Like I have butterflies or some shit in my stomach. This is crazy"
"Oh, you like her?" He asks and I shake my head.
"I don't know, maybe" I shrug. I sit on the stool and bite my lip.
"Do you think you're ready to move on...it hasn't been that long" Zack says.
"I honestly don't know Zack. Maybe. But there isn't any guarantee that she likes me back."
"Still. You want to date another Rion?" He laughs and I shake my head.
"Alright" She says interrupting us. "Where do you want us to set up?"
"We've made an empty space in the living room. We'd also like to do some in the backyard around the pool" I tell her and she nods, leaving the room.
"We better get started soon. I hate being here. Especially when she still lives here" I roll my eyes. Sarah let us borrow the house for one last photo shoot before I'm officially out. She agreed not to be here, thank god. Zack nods and goes into the living room just as Rion comes in.
"So Brendon, I've never heard your music before? What genre is it?" She asks.
"That I couldn't really say. It's a bunch of different genres. You've never heard any of it?" I ask and she shakes her head. "Not even I write sins not tragedies?" She shakes her head again.
"I'll have to play some for you later." I say and she agrees.
"So is this it? Just you and uh...Zack?" She questions.
"Yup. We wanted it to be a small one. We don't need a bunch of people here to take pictures." He shrugs.
"You have a nice house Brendon. You know" she laughs a little. "I expected you to be some trashy dude with a messy house but this is the complete opposite."
"What?" I chuckle. "I'm not a trashy guy."  I shrug. "Keep it very clean and sophisticated." I smirk.
"Yeah well I'm sure your wife would keep it clean if you didn't" she says and I shrink down a little.
"I umm, I'm not married-anymore at least" I clear my throat.
"Oh. Oh...my friend just said- I'm so sorry. You got a divorce?"
"Yeah, yeah. It's not a big deal" I shake it off and she nods.
"Okay we're ready when you guys are" Dylan comes in.
"I should probably go check that" she says and then leaves the room. God she's so gorgeous. Oh man. I have to get her number. I walk in the living room and see the small set up they have and it's nice.
"Okay Brendon...could you stand-" Rion comes over to me and grabs my shoulders gently, pulling me over to stand in front of the small background. "Right here...hold on" she goes behind her camera and looks at it.
"Okay, do whatever is most natural" she tells me and I do it. She smiles and then so do I because her smile is beautiful.
-------
After the photo shoot I ask Rion and Dylan if they want to eat and they agree. So we pile in our cars and meet at a small restaurant in town.
The hostess seats us, Zack and I on one side, me being by the wall and then Rion and Dylan on the other, Rion being across from me.
"We usually don't hang out with clients like this...but since it's just the two of you-" Rion says with a shrug.
"You're paying for this right?" Dylan asks and I nod with a small smile.
"Dylan" Rion hits him a little on the arm. "It's okay guys, I'll pay for it."
"No, it's fine. I don't mind." I smirk at her.
"Seriously, you don't hav- ow!" She looks at Dylan.
"So Dylan. Are you like her assistant?" Zack asks.
"No" he laughs. "I'm her backup. Usually when they send a person they send a second person, this is Rions first job where's she's the boss" Dylan says a little condescendingly, looking to her.
"That was your first?" I ask and she nods biting her lip. "I think it went really well." She smiles at my words.
"Beginners luck" Dylan laughs. Zack begins a conversation with Dylan and I look to Rion.
"So, Rion. How'd you get a name like that?" I ask her. It's awful how I'm falling for another Ryan but at the same time so amazing.
"I umm." She looks down. "My mom named me Rihanna and I hated it so I told everyone my name was Rion, thought it was less embarrassing and it kind of just stuck." She shrugs.
"You thought a boy name was less embarrassing? Rhianna is a cute name." I smile at her.
"Well I've been called Rion since I was like 8 so, that's my name" she shrugs.
"Okay but I like Rhianna better. Rhianna." I joke.
"Please don't" she laughs.
"Rhianna, you should give me your number" I tell her and her face drops. I know that came out super forward but it's not meant like that.
"Why?" She asks.
"So we can hang out and I can show you some of my music that you claim never to listen to and also, I'm going to need those pictures" I explain.
"Oh yeah, of course." She shakes her head as she digs in her purse. She hands me a business card. "That's my work number. Call me in a week and they should be ready."
"I can't get your personal number?" I ask with a laugh trying to play it as a joke. She takes the card from me and writes it on the back. I take the card and look at it, I crack up a little at what it says.
We'll see.