by Olivia Jake
But she was also mature enough to know that he flat out didn’t like the idea of Alex with anyone. He was jealous. He didn’t like someone else being on the receiving end of Alex’s emotion. He was worried that there was only so much love someone could give, and if she shared it with Marco, there would be less for him. He knew all too well, coming from a big, loveless family that there wasn’t that much good to spread around.
“Ok, guys, we need to stop this now.” Alex said as calmly as she could. “Marco, can you please stop the car?” Marco looked at her, clearly not liking being told what to do. “Please, Marco.” With a sharp inhale, and then exhale, he pulled over, slamming on the brakes for emphasis. Though truly, in this tiny town on this tiny island, they couldn’t have been doing more than 25 mph, so the screeching halt that he may have been hoping for was lost.
“Boys, can we all get out of the car, please.” Alex said, in her mind, emphasis on boys. Both men got out of the car. Alex could feel the testosterone and tension between the two of them. She was sure they both straightened up and grew an inch taller on the side of the road. Internally, she rolled her eyes. Seriously, I’m going to have to be the babysitter as well as the photographer? She thought.
“All right. Aqui estamos. Juntos. And we’re going to be juntos for the next three days. So either you both duke it out right here, which I really can’t advise because I’d have a bloody and bruised subject and assistant, or we shake hands and agree to get along. Which is it going to be?” Both boys just stared at each other. Alex squarely between them. Clearly, neither was going to break first.
“Ok, let’s try a different tact. Jesús, you know I love you,” hearing those words immediately softened him, and interestingly, stiffened Marco. “And you know I think of you as family, and I am grateful you’re in my life and am so protective of me.” Jesús suddenly saw where this was headed, “but Marco here, is our client, and he’s a flirt, aren’t you, Marco?”
Marco laughed and shook his head, then shrugged as if to admit that he was. “So let’s all agree on this, Marco, you’re a flirt and you’re going to flirt with me, right?” Marco shrugged again. “Ok, and Jesús, it’s just flirting, I’m a big girl, I can handle myself with a pretty boy like Marco, ok?” Jesús smiled and nodded, liking hearing Alex call Marco a pretty boy. “But guys, as much as I’m flattered by the machismo, we’ve got a job to do here, entientenden? And all of us are going to be together for the next three days and three nights, so we need to figure out how to get along.” Jesús was smirking feeling like he had won this battle. Marco clearly didn’t like Alex berating him, but she did have a job to do and Jesús was her assistant.
Marco was the bigger man as he reached his hand out to shake and said, “Jesús, I understand she’s family to you. I mean no disrespect.” Jesús nodded and shook his hand. Alex heaved a huge exhale and then, just to make sure everyone was ok, she first kissed Jesús on the cheek to make sure he knew he was first in her heart, because he was, he was family, and then she kissed Marco on the cheek, and he winked at her. She just shook her head and smiled.
“Bueno. All right, gentlemen, anything else either of you want to get off your chest before we continue?” Alex was so proud of herself for handling the situation… until Jesus said,
“Your little sister, Teresa, she’s hot.” Jesús said, arching his eyebrows and shrugging his shoulders and arms in what could only be described as a ‘come on, let’s fight’ kind of way. Alex could feel the steam coming off of Marco, the thought of his baby sister with Jesús filling him with anger.
Marco stared daggers at Jesús, Alex was still standing between them, but Marco shook his head, shook Jesús off and walked calmly back to the car, getting in. He took the high road. There was no comeback or response. He understood what Jesús was saying, ‘how would you like it if I were interested in someone you loved, someone in your family?’
Alex looked at Jesús and shook her head. She was disappointed in him. She expected him to act more professionally. As much as she appreciated his devotion and protection, he went too far. And Marco was a client. She had taught him many, many times before, no matter how bad the client acts, we can’t react. But he had done just that. He let his emotions get in the way. Alex understood that, it wasn’t just his protectiveness over her, it was also genuine interest in Teresa. But it didn’t matter. Work was work, and he knew he screwed up. He hated that he had to eat crow because he was lower on the totem pole, but that was life. And he’d learned to suck it up before. Alex gave him one last look before walking back to the car. All the good will she thought she had won she worried now evaporated.
When she got back in, she looked at Marco who was clearly still upset, “I’m sorry, Marco.” Was all she could say.
He shook his head and offered a lopsided smile, “He’s not wrong, you know. He’s like a brother to you, si?” she nodded. “And he doesn’t like seeing some guy flirting with his sister.” He chuckled, “I get it. You want the best for family.” Alex was surprised at his maturity and understanding. Granted, he was seven years older than Jesús, but Alex wasn’t sure she would ever get such a rational, understanding response from him. Then again, looking at the difference in their families could explain a lot too.
Finally, Jesús got into the back. Once his door closed, Marco started the engine again and they proceeded to their first stop. Alex wanted to talk with Jesús, wanted to reprimand him, and in any other situation she could just speak to him in Spanish so that it could be a private conversation. Obviously, that wasn’t going to work in this case. But the way he acted was unacceptable, and he needed to know that. She would have to wait until they were alone though. The last thing she wanted to do was in any way emasculate him in front of Marco.
Their first stop was at a small beach known for being a favorite of sea lions. Sure enough, when they arrived, the huge bulbous creatures were lying lazily on the shore sunbathing. There were dozens and dozens, many lying on top of each other. As they walked up the beach a couple of the larger ones raised their heads and started barking.
“Those big ones, the ones making all the noise, those are the males, and they can be very territorial, especially during breeding season.” Marco said against the backdrop of sea lion barking.
“So, what you’re saying, Marco, is that human males aren’t much different than sea lions. Always trying to mark their territory?” Alex offered with a smile. He couldn’t help but chuckle.
“We haven’t evolved that much, have we?” Marco asked rhetorically with a shrug and a grin. Meanwhile, Jesús was hanging by the car pulling the equipment out.
“Marco, I’ll be right back, give us a minute, ok?” Alex asked and Marco nodded once, then turned and started walking farther down the shore to give Alex and Jesús some privacy.
“Jesús,” was all Alex had to say. Her tone was clearly one of disappointment. It took him a moment to even look up and make eye contact. He shoved his hands in his pockets and had his shoulders hunched. Seeing him like this killed Alex. Whenever he reverted to the insecure kid who would lash out, either for attention or because he was never taught how to control his emotions, Alex was reminded how far he had come, but also all of the baggage that he brought with him.
“I don’t like the way he talks to you, the way he touches you. It’s disrespectful. And he does it like I’m not even there.” Jesús spat out. At least Alex could count on his blunt honesty. No nuances to wade through. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which was obviously a blessing and a curse.
Alex grabbed his arm to pull his hand out of his pocket so that she could hold his hand while they talked. She knew how little physical affection he received at home, and she knew how important just a small touch made. In and of itself, it helped heal, comfort. Especially for someone like Jesús. It reminded him that she loved him, without her having to say anything. And, Alex wanted to make sure he knew that she could both love him and be disappointed in him. Her love wasn’t going to go away because he screwed up. W
hen he was younger, whenever he would make a mistake or break something, his immediate reaction was one of an abused puppy, waiting to be kicked or abandoned. It took Alex a long time to reassure him that mistakes didn’t equal abandonment or loss of love. But this was new territory, and she knew she had to both tread lightly on his emotions while also reminding him how wrong his reactions were to a client and to talent.
“Jesús, I understand you don’t like it. But,” he looked down at his shoes, “Look at me Jesús,” he looked up and she could see the remorse in his eyes. As much as she wanted to pull him into a hug, she couldn’t be soft on him. He needed to learn a lesson. “But it doesn’t matter that you don’t like it. You don’t get a say in this, entiendes? This is my life and my shoot and he’s my client. You need to show him respect, whether you like it or not. And you have to trust me that if I was bothered by the way he acted, he’d know it.”
“But Alex, it’s unprofessional. You’re the one who’s always telling me about being professional with talent and clients, and you let him touch you and say things to you.” Jesús said petulantly, like he was a child.
“This is the last time I’m going to say this: you have to trust me, Jesús. And you have to listen to me. I am your boss. You say anything else like the crack about his little sister and I promise you I will put you on the next plane home. Period. We’re lucky he didn’t call the shoot off. So suck it up and remember that he’s the client.” Alex hated being this harsh with him, but she had to be. And she still had his hand in hers even though he tried to pull it away. She had to reinforce that times like these weren’t black or white, there were many shades of grey.
Jesús nodded. Alex was pretty sure she got her point across. “Ok, why don’t you grab the Canon and a reflector…” they were back to work.
Alex started shooting Marco from a distance. He had walked off, down the shoreline, and, with his back to them, he had no idea Alex had started. It was a nice candid shot capturing the scenery and what looked like a pensive, reflective moment. The sun was hot and Alex could feel it on her shoulders. She was glad she had remembered her sunscreen. Marco was wearing a loose fitting linen shirt and cotton cargo pants. He stopped to roll up the bottom of his pants and take his shirt off. Alex was quickly reminded of how devastatingly gorgeous his body was, not that she needed any reminders…
As if he could feel her eyes lusting after him, he turned around flashing a huge grin as he started walking back towards them. Alex kept shooting, and he kept walking towards her. She was glad she had the camera in front of her face to hide her grin and her flush. When he got a couple inches in front of her, she finally lowered her camera.
“Are they friendly?” Alex asked of the sea lions, trying to direct her attention away from him. Some of the males were still barking but they had quieted down.
“Mostly, but they will protect their women and their family if they feel threatened.” Even though Alex knew he was talking about the sea lions, he could have easily been talking about the dynamic between the three of them.
“I’d like to get you lying in front of them. With your coloring and your off-white pants, you’ll blend right in.”
Marco laughed, “Are you telling me I look like a sea lion? Blubbery with a couple whiskers?”
Alex laughed, “Marco, not even a blind woman would ever compare you to a sea lion.” She shook her head, “but if you lie in the foreground, I can make it look like you’re lounging with them. This whole shoot is about showing you where you’re most at home. If we use a short depth of field, it’ll be a visual metaphor that you’re part of the ecosystem here with everything including the wildlife.” He shook his head, understanding what she was after. He liked how focused she could be on her work, and how much thought she clearly put into it, even with the other drama that was playing out. In addition to everything else, Marco clearly found her confidence and vision very sexy.
Alex showed him where she wanted him and how to position himself. He was foreground, his pants almost blending into the white sand, and his gorgeous caramel skin that was already looking more olive in the sunlight, making him look like he was part of the sea lion family. At one point, he sat up, clapping his hands with his elbows together and sticking his neck up as if barking like the males. With the sun glistening off the water behind him, the shot was both beautiful and playful, just like Marco.
After a little while, they heard a few local teenage girls giggling off in the distance. It was hard not to stop and stare at Marco, and the fact that they were there in public doing a photoshoot, well, that just drew that much more attention. Marco looked over at the girls and smiled, making their giggles shoot up an octave. Then he waved them over. Their initial trepidation, followed by overwhelming excitement brought them running towards Marco. When they finally got within a couple of yards, they slowed down, trying to compose themselves, still giggling and whispering to each other.
“Hi girls.” He said with a huge grin, which just brought more giggles. These poor things looked like they might faint. Finally, one of them spoke,
“You’re Marco Flores.”
He nodded, cocked his head and said, “I guess I am. And what are your names?” which just brought more giggling and then they introduced themselves. Alex could practically feel their excitement vibrating off of them. She kept shooting this, not that it was likely it would get used, but you never knew when a candid shot like this could completely capture a moment. “Would you like to take a picture with me?” he asked, still smiling, completely relaxed and probably fully aware of the effect he was having on these poor teenagers. Their squeals actually stirred some of the sea lions, prompting a couple of the males to start their barking again, which made Marco laugh. The girls could barely contain themselves watching his every move, mesmerized that they were inches away from the Marco Flores.
None of them really answered but they just nodded and kept grinning as they situated themselves around him. Like a very good sport, he put his arms around them and Alex took a few shots, then they asked if each of them could get a shot on their camera phones, to which Alex obliged. Finally, after each girl got a few shots on her phone, Marco thanked them for coming over and saying hi, and they just continued giggling as they practically floated away.
Alex shook her head, and laughed as Marco came walking over. “I think you just made those girls’ year.” Marco smiled and shrugged.
“It’s nice seeing teens be innocent and silly. You don’t see a lot of that in LA.”
Alex nodded in agreement.
“Were you that silly when you were their age, Corazon?” he asked. Alex was caught off guard. It was so rare that talent showed any interest in anyone other than themselves, Alex wasn’t really used to talking about herself. Plus, that was a tough age for her.
“That was right around the time when my folks died, so it was a bit of a blur.” Alex didn’t want to bring the mood down too much, but there were certain realities in her life.
“Oh, Alexandra, I’m so sorry. You told me that you were 16, I didn’t even put it together, I’m sorry.” He brought his hand up and stroked her hair tenderly, looking into her eyes with what seemed like genuine concern. “Come on, now’s your chance to be silly. Come take a picture with me and the sea lions.” Alex paused, hesitating. But Marco pulled and cajoled, and after very little convincing, she followed him over, giving Jesús the camera.
“Ok, go like this, come on Alexandra” Marco said enthusiastically as he sunk down to his knees in the sand, imitating the sea lions again, clapping his arms. Alex rolled her eyes but she soon found herself barking like a sea lion and laughing. She wasn’t sure what it was about this man, but he was so easy and fun and she found herself being silly and carefree with him, like his attitude was rubbing off on her. Or, it was just very hard to resist his charms.
As Alex was about to stand, Marco turned to her and said, “This is now a tradition, Corazon.” Alex furrowed her eyebrows, unclear as to what he was talking about. “Ev
ery shot, we end with a picture of you and me. We started it in the tub at home, and I want to continue it here. It’ll be a nice reminder of our time here together.” Alex grinned and said a brief “ok” as she got up and brushed the sand off her knees. She wasn’t sure if he practiced these lines, but damn if he didn’t say exactly what women wanted to hear.
They spent much of the day outdoors, with Marco taking them to various scenic spots, each one being just as gorgeous as the last. But by late afternoon, it was clear that Alex’s complexion was no match for the tropical sun. She had put sunscreen on in the morning, but never thought to reapply. And now, her trademark tank top was truly becoming a trademark, the shape of it a bright pink outline on her. She didn’t realize how bad it was until she saw Marco’s expression. It was amusement mixed with concern as he reached his index finger to her upper chest. Alex stepped back, about to ask what the heck he’s doing when Marco said, “Corazon, you’re getting so pink.” Which immediately made Alex flush. Again. The way he said it, and just that simple touch shouldn’t give her the kind of feeling that it did, but as much as her mind protested, her body continued to react. After a second, Alex realized he was talking about her skin.
“I think we should call it a day. La gringa needs to get out of the sun.” he winked at her and then continued, “My mother is expecting us for dinner tonight, but first, let’s grab a drink. It’s a local hangout, you both will like it.” It was hard to argue with Marco. And, even though it was her shoot, and she should be the one deciding when they were finished, there was no point in pushing for more. They got so many great shots throughout the day, and she was turning into a lobster. Getting out of the sun sounded like a great idea. She was once again surprised that he wanted to share his family time with her and Jesús, but she was flattered and had enjoyed it so much she was looking forward to seeing them again. She also guessed that Jesús was pleased that he’d be able to see Teresa again.