The Make-Up Artist: Part 2

Chapter Fifteen: Just Like Old Times

You're not sure what surprises you more, the fact that he's asking you for a favor or the fact that he'll be back in L.A. soon. You're also not sure which detail you should address first. Staring down at the text for a few moments, as if all the answers will suddenly appear, you decide that this is worthy of an actual phone call.

You: Can you call me?

You wait impatiently for him to text back, but your phone starts ringing almost immediately instead. Taron, of course. Sliding the bar over, you swing your legs over the side of the bed and stretch one arm over your head.

"Hi", you answer lazily.

"Good morning. Did I wake you?" He asks.

"No, not really. But I don't mind..."

"Ok good", he responds softly, and you remember why he had texted in the first place.

"So, you're coming to L.A.? Why?" You had assumed he would be doing more promoting for Rocketman in Europe and weren't aware of any premier scheduled here.

"Yeah. I'm going to be on the Jimmy Kimmel show. It was kind of a last minute gig", he explains, and your heart flutters at the thought of him sharing the same time zone as you once again. Of course it immediately drops at the thought of the last time he was here, when you sat together in that coffee shop.

"I see... So what's the favor?" You ask, trying to calm your slightly racing heart by lying back down and taking a deep breath.

"Well, I was going over the details for the show. All basic stuff; arrival time, what to wear and what not, but then I came across the bit about make-up for the show..." He trails off, not finishing his sentence as if you're supposed to guess the rest. When you obviously don't and just continue to stare up at the ceiling, you finally pipe up.

"And?" You ask impatiently.

"So they said I could either use their make-up artist on staff or...I could bring my own", he says, his voice dropping low as he speaks the last words. You're still not sure what he's implying but you're starting to get the picture.

"Ok... What does that mean?" You ask, wanting...no, needing him to clarify. He huffs into the phone, seemingly frustrated that you're not getting his point.

"I want you to do it", he states simply. You are equally shocked and not surprised in the least at the same time.

"Taron", you protest, but he interrupts you.

"Before you say no, just know that it would be completely professional. I'm not just asking so that I have an excuse to see you. Although that would definitely be a bonus. You would get paid and everything", he adds lightly. You're not sure whether to be flattered by his request, or insulted that there would be any question of whether you would get paid. He is an actor after all and you are a professional make-up artist that would be providing a service to him.

"Why don't you want the artist on staff to do it?" You ask, wondering if it would be uncomfortable to work on him considering your history. He sucks in a breath through his teeth before responding.

"Because I want you", he offers, and your heart nearly explodes from hearing those four simple words coming from him.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" You ask, trying to control the shaking of your voice. Imagining touching him, being so near to him physically after everything that's happened has you literally trembling.

"I don't care", he says abruptly. "I want to see you. I want you to work with me, just like we used to." Images of his face lingering below your fingertips as you worked so closely with him flood your memory, and you have to squeeze your eyes shut for a moment to block them out. His voice continues in your ear as you try and clear your mind. "You yourself said that we need to let go of the past and start over right? I think this might be the best way to do that, to go back to the way it was in the beginning." You think back to your conversation in New York that he's apparently referring to and know that's not exactly what you said, but maybe that's how he took it. You also know that things can never go back to they way they were and it would be absurd to think so.