Page 20 of The Model

Walking cautiously around my apartment, I saw nothing out of place. I searched the places someone could hide, and they were all clear. Thinking about Ben stressed me out. I went back downstairs to find Raine sitting at my computer, typing.

“What do you say we get out of here and have a late lunch? I’ve been craving Mexican, and we can talk shop and brainstorm while we eat.”

Raine’s eyes lit up. I knew I’d won her over when I said Mexican food. She loved a good burrito, and I knew just the place for us to gorge on chips and salsa while getting our margarita on. “Let’s go. I’ll grab your iPad to take notes.”

An hour later, we were sitting in our favorite Mexican restaurant, both of us with a margarita in hand. Raine had the iPad notes app open and ready. “Where do you think this shoot should be? Mathers wants it glamorous.”

“I’m thinking Vegas. I need to find the right hotel or hotels and see if they’ll be willing to work with us. We’ll probably be working in the middle of the night when it’s not as busy, so that means some long nights.”

“I think if they hear that it will be for Skön and all the publicity they’ll get—”

“They don’t need any more publicity.” I laughed and stuffed a chip in my mouth.

“It can’t hurt to mention it.” She was right, it couldn’t hurt, but I doubted it would help. “Did you see that they want to be there for the shoot?”

“I did; that’s why everything has to be perfect. They’re paying the big bucks and giving me creative control. If I mess this up…”

Raine placed her hand on my arm. “You’ve got this. I know we don’t have a long time to figure this out, but all your ideas so far have been perfect for Skön.” After taking a healthy swallow, she continued. “I may have looked up who we’re working with.” Raine’s eyes widened. “Have you seen him?”

“Mr. Jacobs?” I shook my head. “Is he ugly and fat?” I didn’t care what he looked like as long as they paid. With the money they were willing to fork out, I wouldn’t need to work for a few years.

“More like the exact opposite. He could be a model and…” She sucked her lips into her mouth.

“What?” I laughed at her. I had no idea what she wanted to say, but the look on her face, had me wanting to crack up.

“He’s married to an older woman. That’s his boss.” She whispered the last part as if she was afraid, they’d hear her. I wanted to laugh at her, but I had no idea where she was going with this line of thought.

“Why does that matter?”

“I thought it was interesting and since you and Ryder—”

“There is no me and Ryder,” I interrupted her. “Ever since we got back from Hawaii, you keep insinuating something, but I promise you there’s nothing there. He’s off becoming the next male supermodel, and I’m here where I want to be.”

Raine nibbled on a chip as she stared across the table at me. “Why do you keep talking to him if there’s nothing there?”

She had me there.

“I’m not saying I don’t like Ryder because I do, but we’re in two very different places in our lives. He’s young and gorgeous, and I don’t want to turn into some crazy jealous girlfriend because of all the beautiful women he’ll be surrounded by, while I only get to see him a couple of times a year. He’s a good guy, but eventually, he’ll cheat.”

“You don’t know that. Not all men are cheaters.”

All the ones who’d been in my life had been. “He has needs that should to be met.”

“Didn’t you say that he hadn’t had sex with anyone else since the last time you saw him?” She threw my words from a couple of weeks ago back at me. “If you could have seen the way he looked at you when we were in Hawaii when you weren’t looking.” She rested her chin on her clasped hands and sighed dreamily. “I want a man to look at me that way.”

“You will, but you have to put yourself out there to meet him.” Raine was such a cutie, I wasn’t sure how she didn’t have a boyfriend or a long line of them waiting for her.

“Don’t turn this on me. We’re talking about you.” She giggled into her drink.

“You wanted to talk about me. I was fine talking about the job and eating my weight in chips and salsa.”

“Okay, just let me say one thing, and then I’ll drop it.” I motioned for her to go ahead. It wasn’t like it would change my mind. “Don’t rule Ryder out because he’s young and traveling all the time because you might never find someone else that you have that kind of explosive chemistry with or that looks at you like you’re the only person in the world.”

Everything she said made sense, but I was going to take each day as it came. I wouldn’t say no to Ryder if he wanted to be in a relationship even though I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I wasn’t holding my breath either.

“Just eat your burrito and be quiet.”

She aimed the smile that made everyone adore her at me, and I was instantly less annoyed. “You know I’m right.”

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