“Happy Birthday dear Wynter. Happy Birthday to you.”
“How does it feel to be 26,darling?” Erin shouted drunkenly.
“Same as it felt to be 25,” I slurred, being quite inebriated myself. The phone started ringing behind me and I stumbled through my living room to get it.
“Hello?”
“Is Wynter Harmony there?”
“This is she.”
“This is Carl Vincent with British GQ magazine and I have a huge favor to ask.”
“Shoot.”
“Our photographer for a shoot scheduled for tomorrow afternoon pulled out at the last minute and I need a replacement.”
“For tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“I’m free tomorrow.” I gave him the address to my studio, which also happened to be my apartment. He said he’d arrive early to fill me in on the details. I jotted some note down about the time, which I wouldn’t be able to read the next morning, and went back to the party.
“God, this place is gorgeous, Wyn,” Erin slurred.
“I know.” The party was for my birthday, but it was also a house warming party. I had moved into the loft a week earlier. It was a big, open space with one small room at one end. I had already turned the room into a dark room and made the space in front of it my studio. After I went freelance, I discovered that sometimes I would need a place to work, and this was cheaper than renting a studio and an apartment.
The rest of the night was a blur, and when I woke up the next morning I could hardly open my eyes for the pain. I vaguely remembered someone calling about a job the night before. I slowly drug myself out of bed and into the bathroom. I took four Advil and got into the shower. I stood under the steaming water, hoping to wash away my headache. I finally got out of the shower, dried off, brushed my teeth, and put my hair up. I walked to my wardrobe and pulled on an orange tank top and a pair of loose-fitting, black cotton pants. I slipped on my black sandals and went to find the note I left the night before.
I had to throw away six wine bottles, two-dozen beer cans, and about 100 paper plates and napkins to find the note. Not that it mattered, it was completely unintelligible. It could have said anything, it was just scribbles. I threw the not out and went to open the shades, so I could see to clean up. I opened the first shade and was nearly blinded by the afternoon light. I put on my sunglasses, opened the rest of the blinds, and cleaned up my loft. It was about two o’clock when I finished and the doorbell rang. I walked over and pressed the buzzer.
“Hello?”
“Miss Harmony, it’s Carl Vincent with GQ.”
“Oh hi, here I’ll let you up.” I pushed the door buzzer and unlocked the door to my loft. Just as I slid the door to the side a man and two girls stepped out of the elevator, one of the girls was pulling a rack of clothes.
“Miss Harmony, nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about your work.” He took my hand and shook it. I severely doubted the part about my work, he had a distinct look of desperation.
“Mr. Vincent, nice to meet you.” I stood aside and let them all in. I pulled the door closed and turned to talk to Carl Vincent.
“So let me explain what’s going on. We had a shoot scheduled for today because this is only day he has free for a while.” Had Carl told me who he was last night? I couldn’t remember. “We really need these pictures, it being the tenth anniversary and al. So I’m sorry we had to spring this on you at the last moment, but our other photographer had an emergency. The girls know what to do, they’ll get him all ready so you only have to take the pictures. I’m going to go back down and wait for him, but once he’s here I have to leave.” He turned and walked out. Why the fuck wouldn’t Carl say his name? Who was I photographing?
I walked over to if I could get a straight answer out of one of the girl’s. The first girl was setting up a make up kit by the window.
“You have amazing natural light in here. It’ll be perfect for the make up. I’m Missy, by the way.
“Wynter.”
“This place is beautiful. Do you live here?”
“Yeah. Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“Why won’t he tell me who I’m shooting?”
"You haven’t heard.”
“No.”
“There never was another photographer.”
“What do you mean?”
“They couldn’t find another photographer. They called every other photographer in the city, but as soon as they told them who it was they say no. Carl heard about you from a friend at Playboy. He would have had a heart attack if you had said no.”
“Why did everyone else say no?”
“Well, he’s notorious for being the most difficult shoot anyone has ever done.”
“Who is it?” The door opened the moment she said his name, and I turned to watch him enter.
“Ewan McGregor.” My stomach did a flip just looking at him, and I was pretty sure it wasn’t from all the alcohol.
“Wynter, come over here,” Carl called to me. I was seriously afraid that I would trip, but I walked over anyway.
“Wynter, this is Ewan McGregor. Ewan, this is Wynter Harmony.” He took my hand and shook it gently, a jolt of electricity shot straight through my arm.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Harmony.” He flashed me the most dazzling smile I had ever seen, and I went weak in the knees.
Call me Wynter, please.”
“Well then Wynter, you can call me Ewan.” He held my hand for way longer than was necessary. Suddenly I understood, next year would mark the 10th anniversary of the release of Star Wars: Episode I the Phantom Menace. Carl Vincent managed to sneak out without me noticing. Ewan finally let go and walked further into the room.
“Why are you wearing sunglasses?”
“Oh,” I had forgotten about them. “Big party last night. Bit of a hangover this morning.”
He laughed and I felt another shock went through me. Missy came bouncing over and took Ewan over to the window to do his make up. I needed to go setup and I needed to get away from him.
While I was loading my cameras, I watched Missy expertly apply his make up. I remembered reading something about him recently. What was it? I thought hard, trying to remember exactly what is was. Oh god, it was about his wife and kids. He had two little girls, who were killed in a car accident about a year ago. His marriage hadn’t survived the tragedy, the divorce was final a few months ago. He seemed so calm and together for a man who had been through all that.
I finished with the cameras and started on the lights. Missy finished Ewan’s make up and sent him to the wardrobe girl. She picked out a pair of gray leather pans and a deep blue silk shirt.
“Where can he change?” the wardrobe girl called to me.
“In here,” I said, pushing open the bathroom door, but Ewan was already pulling his shirt off.
“Oh, I’m fine,” he said, starting to unbutton his pants. I nearly fainted then and there. I had seen enough of his movies to know what he looked like naked, but that in no way prepared me for seeing him strip to his jockeys in person. I turned around and started playing with one of the lights, just so I wouldn’t stare at him. I finished setting up and he finished dressing. The blue shirt made his eyes sparkle an even deeper blue.
“Where do you want me?”
“Over here in front of the white backdrop.” He moved to where I wanted and I pushed my sunglasses up into my hair. He smiled directly into the camera and my insides turned over. It was quite lucky that I hadn’t eaten anything yet. I snapped pictures of him, while the two girls talked in the background. I didn’t understand what Missy meant about him being difficult, he was being quite cooperative for me.
When I stopped to reload my camera, he looked down at his shirt with this devilish grin on his face. As soon as I started taking pictures again, he began unbuttoning his shirt. Not knowing what else to do, I continued to take pictures. He unbuttoned the last button and began wandering around my apartment. I followed him, snapping photos the whole time.
“Is this where you live?” he asked, leaning on the windowsill.
“Yeah.”
“Hmm,” he sat down in one of my chairs, slouching and laying his head back. I kicked off my sandals and climbed on top of the coffee table. For a second, with his head back and his gaze far away, I though I saw some of the pain I was sure he was carrying. He jumped up again and headed towards my kitchen. I followed.
“Do you have a beer or something?”
“Check the fridge, there might be some left over from last night.” He opened the refrigerator and the blast of cold air made his nipples hard. Mine were hard too, but it had nothing to do with cold air.
“Appy rthda. What does that mean?”
“Oh, Happy Birthday. It’s the left over cake from last night.” He closed the door and opened the beer.
“Whose birthday?” He took a drink, while looking me up and down.
“Mine.”
“Oh yeah, how old?”
“26.” He just smiled at me and walked back towards my bed. I watched as he threw himself on my bed and put his arms up under his head.
“Wynter, we’re going to get some lunch. We’ll be back in like thirty minutes or so.”
“Okay.” Missy and the other girl left and I walked over to the bed.
“Can I ask you a question?” Ewan asked, rolling over and propping himself up on a pillow. Does it involve you, me, no clothes, and a condom?
“Sure.”
“Why do you have pictures of naked girls up over there?” I had put up a couple of my favorites by the dark room. They weren’t pictures from Playboy. I had got Carla to pose for some more classical nudes a while back.
“I used to work for Playboy. The girl is a model I met while working there. Now, lay back like you were before.” He laid back and I started taking pictures. I climbed up on the bed and stood over him. He looked so innocent, but if anything that Missy said was true, then it was all an act. Suddenly, he ran his hands up the back of my legs to my knees, and pulled me down on top of him. I kept taking pictures as he ran his hands up my thighs.
“Are you going to stop hiding behind that camera?” My whole body felt like it was on fire. The buzzer went off, making me jump about 50 feet. I dropped the camera on the bed and climbed off of Ewan. I ran over to the door and pushed the buzzer.
“Hello?” I could hardly breathe.
“Wynter, it’s Missy.”
“Come on up.” I turned around and Ewan was already off the bed and back in front of the backdrop. The girls came in and I ran over to grab the camera.
“They want him in one other outfit and that’s it.” Ewan changed again and I shot the rest of the pictures. Missy and the other girl cleaned up and left. Ewan was in my bathroom, washing off the make up. He came out as I was putting up the last of my equipment.
“Cameras all away?”
“Yes.” He walked over to me.
“Nothing left for you to hide behind then?”
“I wasn’t hi…”
“Have dinner with me?”
“Uh,” I sighed. “Okay.”
We ordered food but hardly ate anything at all. We just drank wine and talked. He was so charming and intelligent. I found myself telling him about Nick, John, Ivy, Ally, and even my parents. I had only known him less than a day and I was telling him things I was reluctant to tell anyone. He told me about his wife and his two daughters. He was so beautiful and I was beginning to believe in love at first sight.
“Okay, can I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Why did Missy tell me that you were difficult to work with?”
“Did she tell you that?”
“In so many words.”
“A while back my ex-wife and I were doing nothing but fighting. After a particularly brutal battle I was going to a photo shoot. The photographer was a dick and he was giving me shit. I was sick of it, so I stopped cooperating. Now everyone thinks I’m like that all the time. I’m not.”
The waiter brought our check and we left. He walked me back to my apartment and we lingered at the door awkwardly.
“Um, do you want to come up for coffee or something?”
“Or something?” he raised an eyebrow at me.
“Yeah, or something.”
“Okay.” I let us in and we got into the elevator. Being in an enclosed space with him, combined with the wine from earlier was making me dizzy. Ewan took a sudden step towards me. His hand rose slowly to my hair. I felt like the whole world was moving in slow motion. He moved a piece of hair behind my ear and slowly traced his fingers down my jaw. Our mouths were mere inches apart, his breath was flowing gently over my lips.
The elevator stopped and we couldn’t get into my apartment fast enough. We left a trail of clothes from the door to my bed. I had never felt love like that before. It was transcendent. It was amazing. It was beautiful. It was the scariest thing I had ever felt.