Chapter Six
“Mr Bradley, hello”, Tina repeated, as if she was unsure he had heard her the first time. “It's an honour to have you visit the studio today. If you like, I can give you a quick tour.”
Tina seemed to recognise this man standing in the doorway. She was obviously excited to see him, because she had stopped applying makeup and moved awkwardly towards the doorway with her hand outstretched.
Ellen wondered who he could be. But more importantly, why he was staring at her and not even acknowledging that Tina was talking to him. He was dressed in a business suit and had a newspaper folded in his left hand. His shortish brown hair was neatly combed into place and Ellen noticed that his eyes were warm and friendly. Ellen thought him very handsome and interesting-looking. However, clearly he looked hesitant to come in and say hello.
Suddenly the man came to life. He shook Tina's hand awkwardly, straightened his rose-coloured silk tie, and walked confidently into the room. Trying to sound like he was in control of the situation, he explained, “Sorry to interrupt, ladies. Every now and then, I like to visit one of the departments to meet the staff. Just to observe everyone and see what is going on. I hope you don't mind.”
Tina looked a little surprised, but responded eagerly, “Oh, of course not. Come in.”
“Thank you.”
“I don't think we've met before, Mr Bradley.” Tina sounded a little nervous around the man. “My name's Tina Brown and I have been working in this department for over two years now.” Tina then noticed that Tom's eyes were fixed firmly on Ellen. He did not seem to be listening to her at all.
Ellen had also noticed that the man had been staring at her the entire time he was in the room. His absorbed expression made her feel comfortable, so she tried to hold his gaze. After a moment had passed, she decided to try speaking to their visitor. “And my name is Ellen Jackson. Jake Scott asked me to come in today and have some test shots taken, even though I've never modelled before.”
Mr Bradley's smile changed quickly into a frown. “Oh, Jake organised this, did he?” He did not seem so pleased with that news.
“Ellen, this is Mr Tom Bradley,” Tina said to Ellen. “He is the chief executive officer and owner of Satinol.”
Ellen nodded. “Hi”.
“Sorry, Ellen,” Tom responded, reaching his hand out to her. “I should have introduced myself to you properly.” Tom seemed embarrassed as they shook hands gently. “I might stick around to watch things here, if that's okay with you?”
Tina’s face quickly changed into a surprised expression. Tom didn’t seem to notice.
Ellen guessed that this request was a little unusual. She nodded and looked towards Tina. “It’s fine with me.”
Tina quickly agreed. “Oh course, Mr Bradley. Would you like a chair?” Tina asked, indicating towards a seat in the corner of the room.
“Thank you, yes.”
Tina later explained that Tom was known throughout the business to be an extremely busy and private man. He was rarely seen outside the offices on the top floor and was considered relatively unapproachable by many people. He was always flanked by either board members or bodyguards in public. She thought it was quite strange that he would want to watch Ellen's session.
However, Tom was true to his word and spent the next two hours in their company. He watched the rest of Ellen's makeup and hair session, adding comments of his own to their conversation now and again as he saw appropriate. At one point, someone brought in a rack of dresses, and Tom personally helped to select three of them for Ellen to try on.
Ellen started to think of him as a wonderfully funny and generous man, and felt very comfortable around him, despite their age gap. They talked between sessions while she changed behind a screen with the help of Tina. He had watched each of her three sessions in front of the camera, and seemed happy that the photographer was pleased with her work.
After two hours, Ellen was hot under the lights and tiring of the attention of a small group of people who had come in to watch. Tom continued to study her carefully, smiling often and watching the action closely.
“Okay, sweetie, that's all for today. You're done.” The photographer smiled and started to exit the room.
Ellen breathed a sigh of relief.
“I'll get these into print straight away, Mr. Bradley.”
“Thank you, Nick,” Tom responded. “I will be eagerly waiting to see the results of your work.” He looked towards Ellen who had stood up from the table and was starting to stretch a little. “I think Ellen might have a promising future with…” Tom did not finish his sentence because Jake Scott had walked into the room.
“Hello there, Ellen,” Jake said, breezing into the room. Suddenly his eyes caught sight of Tom in the corner, and he seemed surprised because he stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes not moving further from Tom. “Tom, I had no idea you took an interest in this area. He seemed nervous, but continued on, “I think Ellen here has some great qualities that may be suitable...”
“Jake”, Tom said, interrupting him with a dismissive hand motion. “Let’s talk in the hall for a moment.”
Jake then seemed to notice that the session had finished. “Ellen, I'm sorry that I didn't meet you myself earlier on. Something came up, but I trust you found your way around okay.”
“Yep, just fine,” she called to Jake as he left the room with Tom.
Tina touched Ellen's shoulder, “You can change now.” She motioned towards the change rooms. “And take all that gluck off of your face now.”
“I kind of like it actually. Might take this face home and see if my flatmate Chloe recognises me.”
Tina laughed at this idea. As the two of them walked past Tom and Jake in the hallway, Ellen noticed that they seemed to be talking about a matter of some seriousness because Jake's eyes were on the ground and Tom appeared to be doing most of the talking.
“I wonder what's going on there,” Tina said to Ellen slyly.
“I'm not sure.”
“Well, I'll tell you one thing. I have never seen Tom take any interest in a shoot before, and we do tens of these shoots every week. He probably hasn't even visited this floor for years.”
“I wonder why he was here today,” Ellen said, puzzled. Of course, it wasn’t because of me, Ellen thought to herself. However, a part of her did secretly hope that she was a part of the reason that he stayed so long.
“Oh well, I guess when you own the place, you can do whatever you like on a daily basis.”
“Hmmm, I hope Jake is not getting into trouble because he asked me to come in today.”
“Na, don't worry about that. Your shots will look great. I think you are a natural.”
It was twelve o'clock by the time Ellen found herself changed, finished and ready to leave. “Bye, Tina. Thanks for everything,” she called out.
“No worries. Oh, by the way, here is your envelope”. Tina pulled a thick green envelope out from one of the drawers and rushed it over to Ellen. “Don't leave without this.”
“What is it?” Ellen asked, genuinely forgetting about the money Jake had agreed to give her for coming in.
“It's your cash for today, of course.”
“Oh yeah. Thanks. I can't believe I am getting paid for doing something which was actually kind of fun.”
Tina nodded, cleaning and putting away all the items from her bench.
“When do you think I will hear something back?” Ellen asked enthusiastically.
“Shouldn't be too long.”
“All right, bye. Thanks again”.
Ellen walked out of the changing room and found Tom standing against one of the hallway walls. He looked as though he had been pacing, and Ellen wondered if he was waiting for her. The thought was scary but also exciting.
“Ellen”. Tom moved away from the wall to face her. “I wanted to thank you for coming in today.” He paused, but continued to stare into her eyes, almost longingly, she thought.
Ellen wasn't sure what he was g
oing to say next. The moment was awkward and Ellen felt her heart pounding in her chest.
“I was wondering,” he started and then stopped.
Ellen could feel her face starting to go hot and red.
“I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me tonight?”
The suggestion confused her momentarily. “Dinner?” she echoed and then felt silly for not saying anything else.
He smiled reassuringly. “Sure, you know. I pick you up, fancy restaurant, you tell me all about yourself, some red wine, more questions from me etc etc. You know, that sort of thing.”
Ellen felt uneasy with the suggestion of a fancy restaurant. She would most likely use the wrong cutlery or wear the wrong outfit. Tom looked like a man who would normally take out sophisticated and stylish women. She didn't know what to say, and so just looked at him in silence.
Tom suddenly looked uncomfortable. “You don't have to, of course. Your work here is not dependent on your having dinner with me, or anything like that. And of course, I'm far too old for you as well,” Tom said unconvincingly.
Ellen smiled at that statement. Of course, she wanted to have dinner with him.
Tom obviously noticed. “Can I take that as a yes then?”
“Sorry. Yes, I'd love to. Thanks. You still look young enough to be dating.”
“Well, thanks.”
They grinned at each other for a moment in silence.
“Well, what sort of food do you like?” Tom asked enthusiastically.
Ellen hesitated for a moment, and then said, “I like pizza, I guess,” and then felt silly again. Why couldn't she have said something more sophisticated?
He didn't seem to think it was silly. “Yeah, me too,” Tom smiled. “You know I can make a pretty mean pepperoni pizza, if you want to risk my cooking for you.”
That idea sounded more relaxed than a fancy restaurant. “Well, if it doesn't kill you, it's supposed to make you stronger.” Ellen found herself grinning at Tom again. Conversation with Tom was really very easy. He seemed like a really nice guy, a very good-looking guy too.
“Should I pick you up at around seven then?” Tom asked.
Ellen nodded. “Thank you, okay.”
“What's your address?” Tom pulled out a pen and business card from a pocket deep within his jacket. He wrote her address down carefully, and then asked slowly, “So do you live alone, Ellen?”
“Alone? No.”
“Ah, so is there any chance that your parents will answer the door tonight? That is the sort of thing I need to know in advance.”
“Oh I see.”
“It will take me a while to prepare an explanation of why an old man like me is dating their young daughter.”
Ellen smiled. “No, I don't live with my parents. But, I'd go crazy by myself. I live with my best friend Chloe.”
“Phew. That's a relief.”
“She might give you the third degree though. Better prepare for that.”
“Thanks for the warning. And yes, I think I know what you mean about the going crazy stuff.” Tom's mobile started to ring. Tom checked his phone. “I'm sorry. I have to take this. But I will definitely see you tonight.”
“Okay”.
“Bye, Elle,” Tom called out confidently while walking back down the hallway. Before he reached the elevator, he turned and gave a cheeky smile back to Ellen.
Ellen watched him walk away from her, surprised at the turn of events. She had never felt more happy and alive. The risk she had taken in coming here today had paid off, and now there was a date to look forward to for the rest of the day.
“Wow, what a day”, she whispered to herself and hurriedly left the building to work out what she was going to wear that night.