“I can’t believe everything that happened,” I breathed out as I leaned against Nora’s work bench. Finally, I had a couple of days to myself with no events.
Some guys might have been worried about the drop in the number of jobs our agents told us about, but I wasn’t. Yet.
Next week, I’d be worried. For now, three days off sounded like the best thing in the world to me.
Even if that meant I wasn’t in the office or around at studios, which meant I didn’t have a chance of bumping into Gideon. Especially not here on the Island, which I’d so nearly let slip was my neighborhood on the plane.
Shit, this was really where lies came back to bite me. It was kind of poetic, I supposed. I deserved it for lying on my resume in the first place. If I hadn’t done that… would they ever have hired me? It was kind of moot, since I’d never know.
But going even three days without seeing Gideon in the audience or backstage keeping an eye on me, in the corner of the photographers’ rooms watching alongside Raymond or Paul or Hughie…
It was weird.
I kind of felt an ache in my chest, if I were being totally honest, but that sounded really stupid. I wasn’t that attached to Gideon, surely -- I couldn’t afford to be.
“You did launch awfully fast,” Nora said. “When are you off again?”
“There’s supposed to be a party in a week,” I answered. “Until then, whatever Raymond calls me up and tells me to do. Probably some more comp cards, and I’m transferring to Hughie’s department. He’d be my agent, as one of their top talent.”
I couldn’t resist leaning in over the workbench, my hands pressed to its surface, and kicking up a leg as I said it.
Nora laughed. “If I ever met someone better-suited than you, I don’t remember it.”
“Thanks very much.” I winked. “But yeah, it’s kind of… my life. Hot guys dressing well. What’s not to love?”
“The bickering and in-fighting.”
I blinked.
“And the betrayal. Oh, was that rhetorical?” Nora pressed her lips together.
It occurred to me that I didn’t really know why or how she knew so much about the business, and why she’d been so quick to rent to me. Hell, she’d half-encouraged me to lie on the resume.
I licked my lips. “Right. You were in the business?”
“A long time ago.” Nora clicked her tongue. “Just don’t do business with a man who won’t treat you right, that’s all. Or date.”
“Right…”
It was easy to tell she didn’t want to talk more about the subject. Instead, she pointed up at the stairs. “If you’re not working, you can cook dinner for me. I think you owe me one, making me save your houseplants.”
I laughed. “Fuck. I almost forgot about them. I’ve been--”
“On the road, I know. I’ve rescued them and put them in a good sanctuary.”
“Your room?”
“My room.” She offered a smile. “I have a recipe on the counter already.”
“No problem.” Fuck, it had been so many months since I’d last cooked that I almost forgot I could. But I could follow directions pretty well.
And now I could eat -- until I booked my next high-fashion runway job. At least in photos, they could touch me up if they wanted. Still, I’d picked up the habit of checking the calories on every package before I cooked, and cooking from fresh ingredients without those guidelines made me nervous.
YOU ARE READING
Not Just A Pretty Face
Romance[COMPLETED] Leonel James desperately needed a job. After his boyfriend stole his money and took off, he needed to figure out how to pay his rent. Gideon Hall, CEO of one of the most famous modeling agencies Prestige, is looking for an executive assi...
