Page 56 of The Model

Lexie’s posture relaxed a fraction. “Please don’t tell me she’s being a bitch. I’ve only heard good things about her.”

“But you haven’t worked with her.” It was a statement. Not a question.

“Never, but I thought you complemented each other, and her eyes are gorgeous.”

They really were.

Sadie stepped forward. “Is she giving you any problems?”

“Nothing like that. She seems kind of quiet but nice. Maybe a little nervous.”

“She should be nervous because if she doesn’t deliver…” Sadie’s cheeks heated up.

Lexie placed her hand on Sadie’s arm. “She will. I guarantee it. Why don’t I prove it? We should probably head down to the lobby and get started. I’m hoping to do the pool shots tomorrow, and I can’t do that if everyone’s working on no sleep.”

Sadie clapped her hands loudly, getting everyone’s attention. “Let’s head down to the lobby, and get to work.”

Lexie smiled at her with stars in her eyes. I think she had a girl crush on Sadie. “Oh, you’re perfect. I can’t wait for you to put everyone in line this week.”

“I’m happy to be of assistance.”

Tyson came over and stood next to Sadie. “Is there anything you need me to grab?”

Lexie cocked her head as she took him in and I can’t lie, I was jealous of the way she looked at him. “Have you ever modeled, Ty?”

“Can’t say that I have. Why?” His cheeks and ears turned pink.

I stifled a chuckle as he blushed.

Lexie scoffed. “Don’t tell me no one has ever said you could be a model.”

“Only my wife.” He draped his arm over Sadie’s shoulders, and she looked up to him with only love in her eyes.

“Because it’s true.” She turned back to us. “He pretends he doesn’t know how good looking he is and that he never looks in a mirror.”

Lexie bobbed her head like that was normal. “Would you be opposed to maybe being in a few shots? I’m still trying to work it out in my head, but I think you’d add something to the campaign.”

Tyson took a step back, away from all of us, his eyes wide in alarm. “Oh, I don’t know. That wouldn’t be very professional if I posed for a campaign we’ve been hired to do.”

Lexie shrugged. “It happens. Let’s head down to the lobby and I’ll tell you about what happened this one time in Rio.”

‘Interesting,’ Ty mouthed.

“I’d definitely like to hear that story,” Sadie chimed in.

Silently, I trailed behind them as Lexie told them what happened with Rob, and how she ended up being in one of the shots they used for the campaign. She even pulled a few of the pictures up on her phone to show them. Sadie hung on her every word while Tyson looked a little green. He probably thought he’d end up in the campaign, but I knew Lexie wouldn’t try to use him if he was against it. Going by his looks, he would make a good model, but I understood why he wouldn’t want to do it. It would be difficult to go back to work after everyone saw him in that light. I wondered how the dynamic at work was with them working together and Sadie being his boss.

We filed into an area off the lobby where a few people had come down to set up with lights and to help redirect traffic from the area. The good thing about only shooting with a camera was it didn’t matter how noisy it was around when the shot was taken. If we’d been filming, it would have been a whole other matter altogether. Still, it was hard for me to concentrate sometimes when there was too much going on, and Lexie, in all likelihood, had the same problem.

“Places everyone,” Lexie clapped and then started pointing to where she wanted each of us. Alyssa clung to my side as we waited for Lexie to measure the lighting and be happy with it. I didn’t understand the process, but over the months, I’d looked up her photos, and she knew what she was doing, so I’d wait until she was content to get her shots.

With a nod, she stepped back and lifted her camera to her eye. “Let’s make some magic.”

* * *

“We should break to eat,”Sadie announced. She looked at her watch and shook her head. “I’m not sure what meal you’re eating since we’re working abnormal hours but go eat. I can’t have anyone fainting, and we’ve still got plenty to do before we stop for the day.”

We’d been going since around midnight, and it felt like it had been hours since we started. I felt bad for Lexie as she let out a large yawn. Earlier, she had explained she couldn’t drink coffee while pregnant, and how much she didn’t like giving it up. I didn’t want to consume any caffeine out of solidarity, but I couldn’t function without it after the long day I’d had.

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