Edge of the Ravine

38

Chapter Twenty-Eight

     "It's not as if you can blame him, Oliver. You must see what an opportunity this is for you? Not even an agent and a photographer is hounding after your return to the spotlight. Can't you see how that would excite us? We've all worked very long and very hard to be where we are now. In fact, I am actually a bit jealous of you right now."

      I couldn't look up from my coffee until I was sure Tess had redirected her attention to her food. We were sitting in the same little cafe where I had first met them as it had quite easily become our place. Yet, it felt cold without Jace's smirks.

     "I don't want you to be jealous of me. This isn't even what I want. I'm not made for something like this," I mumbled. "I'm screwing everything up."

     "Oh shut up!" She snapped. "You have no idea what you want. And clearly you have no idea what you're made for. If someone whose entire profession is to find beauty wherever it exists wishes to study you for inspiration, then damn well let her! The only way you can possibly screw this up, Oliver, is by dashing her dreams. All you have to do is pose. It's not that hard, despite what other models would have you believe."

Her blue eyes were narrowed dangerously and her hair billowed out around her like a lion's mane. It made her seem incredibly fierce and regal all at the same time. In an instant, I could feel myself withering beneath that gaze and my head bowed in submission.

"I've thought about all of that," I eventually stated.

"You have?"

My tongue ran over my lips nervously and I continued without meeting her eyes, "yes. That's why I called her. She's meeting me here in... about five more minutes."

Until then, I'd had no idea it was possible to take Tess by surprise. Without even a word, she frantically began to tear through her purse, muttering about my indecency and complaining about my silence. I wasn't even remotely interested in what she was doing until she threw more than enough pounds on the table and stood up in an instant.

"Come with me," she ordered in a nonsense tone.

Before I had time to do more than giver her a questioning look, she had grasped hold my upper arm and tore me straight out of my seat. Dragging me to the bathroom, my friend placed me in front of the full-length mirror resting on the wall. It sort of entertained me when she spouted off a string of French that I suspected was a great complaint on the lighting in the room.

"Do you always carry an entire cosmetic kit with you?" I grumbled as I felt a brush apply shadow to my lids. I'm a guy, why do I have to use this?

"I'm a model with no room for error. Yes, I do. And be glad of it, too. You should never enter into agreements with photographers without first looking your most naturally beautiful."

A smirk quirks at my lips and I couldn't help remarking, "then shouldn't I keep my face natural, as I'd intended?"

"Naturally beautiful and natural are two separate distinctions. I would amplify on your assets and hide those circles you are wont to sport so easily. You might try to sleep once in a while," she admonished.

A few more hasty seconds passed before she finally sighed. "There. That is all I can accomplish now. At least I hid those bags under your eyes. You exit first. If she is there already, I don't want her to realize this was a quick fix. Go now. And call me later!"