The Heart That's Meant to Love You

Chapter 2: Kieran

Click. Beep. Flash. 

White light shot across the vast, open room like lightning. 

Kieran Colburn lowered the camera to check the picture. "Beautiful. Keep it up." He lifted the viewfinder to his eye again. 

Fog swirled ominously around the model's feet as she swayed and twirled, posing between movements. With red backlighting and a green dress swathing her thin frame, it would provide the perfect dark vibe that Kieran favored for this designer. 

The artificial fog lifted and curled around the model's neck like a rope. Kieran grinned.

Another flash. 

"Let's switch outfits." Kieran turned to retreat to his stationary camera. "Vienna, come move this to the next scene." 

One of the assistants rushed to gather the camera and stand. 

Kieran stopped by the computer that instantly imported every picture he took. The power of being the man behind the camera compared only to the power of being the most dangerous man in the room. Both presented an adrenaline rush that Kieran couldn't get anywhere else. 

When one got bored easily, he found many ways to entertain himself. 

As expected, the photograph with the fog swirling around the model's limbs had come out beautifully. Kieran pointed to it, then a second whimsical picture. "A cut, B cut. Take care of it for me." He slapped the computer assistant on the back of his shoulder. 

"Kieran." 

His focus broken, Kieran looked up, toward the giant warehouse door. Of course, his boss would choose now to interrupt. Jack had no concept of personal space or personal responsibility. Amazing that he had made the studio into what it had become with that attitude of his. 

Kieran sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I'm taking ten. Yell at me when she's back." 

"Yes, sir!" came the collective answer from the assistants. 

Kieran set the camera in his hands onto the computer table. The soft thunk echoed his throbbing head. The smell of hair products, makeup, and artificial smoke didn't bother him. Only Jack had the ability to draw this kind of headache from Kieran. 

Judging by the way Jack stood, he came to ask Kieran about work. Thank God. If Jack asked for any more personal help, Kieran might blow his top. 

Jack, though a nice enough guy, didn't really understand personal boundaries. Kieran had doubled as Jack's therapist for the last three failed relationships. Kieran could have told Jack that he didn't give good advice, but he doubted that Jack would have listened to him if he did. It wasn't that Kieran had tried to sabotage Jack's relationships, but he hadn't tried to not sabotage them either. 

Besides, what was he supposed to do? Let Jack continue to date the girls who would drop him like a hot potato the second they saw a prettier face?

Kieran couldn't help it that Jack kept him close. 

"What's up, Jack?" Kieran stopped a respectable distance from Jack's personal bubble, but that wasn't guaranteed to last. 

Jack wrung his hands. "It's like this. Janelle suddenly says she can't work next weekend. If you're okay with it... could you...?"

Of course she couldn't. Janelle had tendencies too similar to Jack's. Leaving work too early. Ditching appointments. Rescheduling more often than not. And now pawning off her overtime to someone else. 

But...

Kieran would admit, he needed the money. It would help out this month, at least. "Send me the time and place." 

"Really?" Jack perked up, like he just heard the best news. 

"Really. Give me all the overtime you want." 

Not like he could avoid it, anyway. Jack had few staff members he could rely on, so most of the overtime work went to Kieran or Janelle. This was how it usually ended up, with Kieran bearing the weight of the load. 

"Are you sure?" 

Kieran smirked. At least Jack had the decency to ask. "In return, give me time off at the end of next month." 

Kieran hadn't intended to attend the party at the end of the month, but it could be fun. High society snobs generally played the most interesting games. He might as well go and check it out, since he'd been given the invitation. Maybe he'd find an entertaining companion there. 

"Deal. It's a deal." Jack reached out and took one of Kieran's hands in both of his. "You are a lifesaver, K. Really. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." 

Kieran didn't bother to try to retract his hand from Jack's grip. Jack held too firmly. Good thing Kieran could take the pressure. If he had been a wimp, Jack's crushing handshake would have done him in a long time ago. 

"You've got to tell Janelle that she can't skip work like this," Kieran reprimanded his boss. "One day it's going to mess up everyone else's schedule." 

Jack nodded, but Kieran had a feeling he didn't really mean it. Jack had trouble saying no to women. Especially bossy, prissy Janelle. Jack didn't have the backbone to stand up to her. Kieran hoped he could change that. 

If not, Jack would be at a disadvantage his whole life. 

Jack finally released Kieran's hand, in favor of scrubbing at the back of his own neck. "Yeah. I know. She probably has a really good reason for dropping out, though." 

Good reason, his foot. Kieran sighed. "It's fine. Just be sure to give me the credit." 

"Yes. Absolutely. The credit for this one is all yours." 

Probably, Kieran should have asked what the shoot entailed, but it didn't matter. It was just a job. One small moment of his life that would pass by without import or incidence. Just another regular Saturday. Whatever he got credit for, it would be worth it for the sake of his resume, nothing else. 

"Boss! She's back!" Vienna called from across the warehouse. 

Kieran craned his neck to see, then turned back to Jack. "I've gotta go finish this." 

"Yes, absolutely. Sorry to interrupt." Jack pressed his hands together in thanks. "You're amazing. Keep it up. Let's talk about next weekend when you get back to the office." 

Kieran nodded, because words weren't necessary at this point. Jack had gotten his way and fixed his problem, anything else Kieran said would fall on deaf ears. 

Jack disappeared without any more nuisance, but Kieran still felt uneasy. 

He didn't have time to think about why. Kieran snatched his camera from the desk and pasted on his business smile. 

"Alright, one last session. You ready?"