Breaking Free (Tom Holland) Book Two

BFB2 Chapter 17

As Tom got busier with filming so too did I with modeling. Uncle Travis was a master at keeping up with Tom's ever shifting schedule. He always made sure that I was busy when Tom was. If Tom wasn't busy I could always count on Uncle Travis to plop me on Tom's lap and run away like a mad man. There was truly no one like him. So even though he was currently glaring at me for covering his ears in fluffy earmuffs I ignored him.

The temperature had begun to drop in recent weeks. A sudden rainstorm and a plummeting wind chill hadn't helped things either. The outdoor shoot that had been planned for Kyle and I was now being converted into an indoor one. As the staff unloaded the staging materials off of the truck I could feel the wind rushing inside and whipping against my cheeks. Uncle Travis must have seen me grimacing against the wind because he took my scarf and pulled it up so that it covered my cheeks and ears.

"Have you talked to your brother recently?" he wondered.

I shook my head. "Not vocally. We text every now and again but he's so busy with his own wedding preparations that it's hard to get a hold of him."

"Did you tell Tom you're a part of both bridal parties?"

"Yes. He's really excited for it. He can't wait to see me in my bridesmaid dresses."

Uncle Travis rolled his eyes playfully. "I'm sure he can't."

"Who could blame him? You make anything you wear look amazing," Kyle commented from close by.

I giggled softly. "Why thank you good sir," I said while giving him a small wink. Kyle and I had blown our first photoshoot out of the water. As such, we had quickly become popular as a pair. It took me a while to get used to his unusual antics but once I had they didn't seem so weird.

The photographer clapped his hands loudly and announced we would be beginning momentarily. Susan adjusted my makeup one last time. Once she was done I made my way over to where Kyle stood waiting for me.

The photoshoot was long. The more it dragged on the more tired I felt. I had to slap my cheeks more than once just to stay awake. I saw Kyle glance at me with an eyebrow raised every time I did it. All I could do was give him a small smile before immersing myself back into the shoot. After the twelfth slap Kyle seemed to not be able to take it anymore.

"Are you okay?" he asked me as we prepared for our next pose.

I nodded. "Yeah I'm fine."

"So it's normal for you to be constantly slapping your face? Interesting."

"No it's not normal! Fine, I'm not fine. I'm just a little tired."

"If that's what you do when you're a little tired I'd hate to see what you do when you're exhausted."

I glared at him. "Working this much after being on vacation for so long is starting to wear on me a little bit."

"Why don't you take a break then? After your current contracts run through of course."

"Because then I'd just be sitting around the house alone all day. Tom has gotten super busy filming his movie."

Kyle scoffed. "His girlfriend is being burnt out because he's too busy. Sounds like a crappy boyfriend."

"Don't talk about my boyfriend like that," I growled. My voice was ice cold and my stare was colder.

Kyle put his hands up defensively. "Okay, sorry. I promise I won't badmouth your boyfriend anymore. Have you tried talking to him about how you're feeling?"

"No. I don't want him to worry. He's got enough on his plate."

"Are we ready?" the photographer called.

Kyle and I both yelled in affirmation before falling into work-mode again ; the camera flashes the only thing keeping me from closing my eyes and diving into a deep sleep.

"You look awful," Uncle Travis commented as we made our way out to the car.

"Thanks Uncle Travis. You know just what to say to make a girl feel special," I replied.

Uncle Travis pinched my cheeks playfully. "You know what I mean."

I tried my best to hold the smile on my face but it wavered slightly. "I'm just feeling a little tired. It's nothing too serious."

"That's understandable. You've been working pretty much nonstop since you started modeling. This is your first real long break since you were 13. Do I need to slow down? Just say the word and I will."

"I want to say yes but I also don't want to just sit around the house alone all day. I don't really know anyone around here."

"You know Kyle."

My mind sputtered to a halt. I hadn't even considered trying to hang out with Kyle. We had grown close enough that I could consider him a friend. But my mind had always stopped at coworker. "I guess you're right," I said. "I could hang out with Kyle."

The car pulled up in front of my house. I leaned over and gave Uncle Travis a kiss on the cheek. "Don't forget to tell Tom how you've been feeling. He'd be really upset if you didn't."

"But I don't-"

"It doesn't matter. He would rather you tell him more than anything else."

I sighed. "Okay. I'll be sure to tell him."

Tessa greeted me excitedly as I entered the house. I put her leash on before heading out of the house. As we walked the neighborhood I decided to try my luck by giving Tom a call. I wasn't surprised when he didn't answer. The stars twinkled brightly in the sky. I tried to count them but I lost count quickly each time. As I restarted for the fifth time I was suddenly startled by my phone. A familiar smiling face looked back at me.

"Hey! Sorry I missed your call. Are you home?" Tom said breathlessly. He was drenched in sweat as if he had been running. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of scene he was shooting.

"Yes, I just got home. I'm walking Tessa right now."

I stopped and knelt near Tessa so she could see Tom. "Look at my two girls. What a beautiful sight."

I felt myself blush slightly. "Are you going to be making it home tonight?"

Tom's smile faded a bit. "No. I think I'll be stuck here for a few more days. The production company has already gotten us hotel rooms for three days."

"Oh. Well, that's okay. It's a good thing I have a packed schedule to keep me busy."

Someone shouted behind Tom. He turned towards the noise before turning back to me. "It looks like I have to go. Have a good night okay?"

"You too Tom. Be safe and I'll talk to you soon."

My heart felt empty as Tom disappeared. Tessa pulled on her leash telling me to move forward. But all I wanted to do was move backward. Back to a time when we spent the day lazing around and our only worry was what we were going to eat that night. But as each tug from Tessa reminded me, all I could do was keep pushing through hoping for a better future.