CHAPTER 4
Stefan kicked back in his leather chair behind the large desk in his office at FACE on Monday morning. He had come into the office early, abiding his father’s request, only to have Roman gloat that he had already done Stefan’s work.
When Stefan demanded to know why he needed to be in early, Roman cockily told him that if he didn’t have anything to do he could play coffee-maid. Stefan bit his tongue and stalked to his office.
This really had to stop. Roman was not only goading him but was openly embarrassing him. Stefan knew it, but also had to admit that Roman had some valid points. Stefan was free-loading and ditching most of his work on Roman, and not because he couldn’t do it. He simply didn’t enjoy it.
He took his phone and wandered to the studio two floors above, where they were currently doing the photo shoot for their Spring Edition.
The model was wearing a white dress with bright red poppies and was stationed in front of a red backdrop. It looked striking but it needed something. Stefan moved through the lights, cables and staff and stepped in behind the photographer. He peered over his shoulder at the screen. It worked, but something was definitely missing.
“Do you mind?” The photographer glared at Stefan for entering his personal space. Stefan held up his hands and moved back a few steps.
Make-up was called to touch up the model. Knowing it would take at least a few minutes, Stefan pulled out his phone and walked to the snack bar in the corner. He picked up a green apple and flicked to his messages.
He stared at Sasha’s message with the apple halfway to his mouth. He had probably looked at that message a thousand times since Saturday and still it didn’t make sense to him. She had come back with such a quick witty reply and then a few minutes later had shot him down like a duck mid-flight. What happened between her first message and the next? He had thought of phoning her a number of times, but something held him back.
He wanted her too much to screw this up.
He wouldn’t admit it openly but knew his irritability with Roman was partly because he didn’t hear from Sasha. She had mentioned studying at NYU, maybe if he went to the campus…
He shook his head. What a stupid thought. What were the chances of coming across her by accident on campus, almost zero?
Just then he heard the photographer start instructing the model for her position. Slipping his phone in his pocket, he moved closer. He stopped a few feet behind the photographer and watched the screen. Something was definitely missing. He glanced at the apple in his hand he still hadn’t taken a bite of and the idea jumped to him.
“Wait!” Stefan shouted into the quiet room.
The photographer turned around with a murdering glare. “Excuse me?” He took two steps towards Stefan coming up right in his face. “What did you just say?”
Stefan shrugged and flashed his smile. “I told you to wait, I’ve got an idea.”
The photographer smirked. “Listen everybody; daddy’s boy just had an idea. Probably the first this century.”
Snickers and hushed gasps travelled through the studio, Stefan felt his temper that slumbered most of the time slowly awaken. “Look, I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just I have an idea that could make the picture exquisite instead of great.”
The photographer burst out laughing. “Really, daddy’s boy has an idea that would work better than mine. Well come on pretty boy let’s hear it.” He was openly mocking Stefan now.
Stefan pressed the snooze button on his temper and held up the apple. “If she holds this as if she’s about to take a bite, the green will pop on the red and white.”
For a moment Stefan thought the photographer considered his idea before his eyes widened and he bellowed. “This is preposterous! You might be daddy’s boy but you don’t tell me how to do my fucking job. Shut the fuck up or get out.”
Stefan stood his ground not making a move.
“Get the fuck out or I will!” He bellowed again.
Stefan heard a familiar throat clearing behind him. Shit! His dad!
“What’s going on here?” His father said with a forced smile. The snickers and quiet whispers quickly died down. Almost everyone in the room seemed to stand taller at the sight of Tommy Kelson.
Everyone at FACE had the utmost respect and a well-placed fear for Thomas Jonathan Kelson, better known as Tommy. FACE was one of the many companies Tommy owned and if he fired you the chances were slim of even getting an interview ever gain.
The photographer immediately rushed forward. “Your son is telling me how to do my job. I can’t work like this Tommy; it’s him or me. You decide.”
Stefan’s temper jolted awake. If this guy didn’t work for his father he would’ve been on his ass by now. “I wasn’t telling him how to do his goddamn job, I simply made a suggestion.” Stefan held up the apple. “The setting for the cover is great dad, but if she held this apple the color would pop more.”
Tommy looked over at the model and back to the apple. “Try it with the apple.” He barked at the photographer.
The photographer didn’t move. He kept glaring at Stefan with his fists clenched. Tommy cast a furious look Stefan’s way before turning back to the photographer. “If it’s not better with the apple, he’s out.”
Shit! His dad was serious. Stefan chewed his cheek and hoped to the heavens that he’d made the right call. It’s wasn’t as if he liked the job - or even did it for that matter - but his father had made it clear that if he didn’t work, he wouldn’t get his trust fund money every month. That would mean Stefan would actually have to find a job and work.
The photographer tossed the apple at the model, who shocked everyone by catching it with a firm grasp. “Little League.” She shrugged, trying to find a smile amidst the tension in the room.
She posed with the apple exactly as Stefan had suggested and the only sound in the room was the ‘click’ from the camera.
Stefan’s father stepped up to the screen and asked the photographer to bring both images up side by side.
Stefan didn’t chance joining him, as things were he was already half way out the door. After a few seconds, his father turned to the photographer.
“It’s better with the apple. Just because you’re the best doesn’t mean you’re always right.” Relief washed over Stefan. The photographer huffed and proceeded to take another dozen shots of the model with the apple.
Tommy walked past Stefan and cast him a furious look. “Outside, now!”
Stefan followed his father, ignoring the stares from the other staff, into the small foyer in front of the elevators. Before Stefan could thank his father for supporting him his father cut loose.
“Don’t ever put me in that goddamn position again. You’re damn lucky you were right or you would’ve been out on your ass. I know you don’t particularly feel you need to work for your salary but some people do, and if you can’t stop interfering with people I’m paying to do their jobs, yours is on the line.”
Stefan nodded. He knew there was no arguing with his dad now, and instead he changed the subject. “What are you doing here? You never come by the FACE offices.”
His father shrugged. “I promised Roman I’d make sure you were here today. When you weren’t in your office, that redhead from advertising told me I might find you here.”
So his dad was checking up on him. “Right.”
“Right. Stefan, I know you’ve had it easy and it’s probably my fault. I spoiled you. I gave you everything you wanted trying to make up for the many nights I spent at the office. In retrospect I made a mistake by doing that, but you’re a grown man now. One that needs to start taking responsibility.”
Stefan stood watching his father at a loss for words. His father had never been that honest with him. “I’m sorry dad, it won’t happen again. Thanks for taking a chance in there.”
A rare smile split his father’s face in two. “You’re my son, sometimes our wacked-out ideas work.”
His father slapped him on the back before pressing the button for the elevator. They stood waiting in silence, but for the first time in a very long time the silence was easy; not filled with tension and disappointment. Stefan couldn’t help but wonder: had he made his father proud by being right?