Page 35 of Edge of Heaven

“Are you crying?” he asks, worry etched into the features of his handsome face.

“No. Just an argument with Callum. He’s mad that I’m gone.”

“You’re working,” he says needlessly.

“He doesn’t care about that.”

I can see his jaw working, like he really wants to lay into Callum.

How can I blame him? I want to rip Callum a new one too.

Daily.

“Okay, you two, let’s do this.” Linda comes back into the room, the stylist trailing behind her.

“Look what I found!” she calls out happily. “They’re a seven-and-a-half, but they’re open toe, so you might be able to get into these.” She proffers a pair of black, peep-toe pumps with a much more reasonable heel.

“Thanks,” I say, sliding my feet into them. They’re a little snug, but I can manage. It’s not like I’m doing much walking. We’re just going to stand and pose.

I stand up and take off the robe, revealing the skimpy red leather dress that laces up both sides and barely covers my bottom. It’s a rock and roll themed clothing line, so everything is a little over the top but Callum’s text left me feeling vulnerable, and I’m suddenly anxious for the shoot to be over.

I’m tired, stressed, worried about Toby, and lonelier than I’ve ever been in my life.

“Smile, beautiful,” Mick murmurs in my ear. “Just a few more hours and then you can be as emotional as you need to be.”

“Thanks.” I give him an appreciative smile and then dig deep, putting on my most professional face. I turn toward the camera, angle my head, and toss my hair.

“Oh, that’s pretty,” Linda calls out. “Mick, put a hand on her hip. I want you to gaze down at her like she’s the woman of your dreams.”

“Okay.” He does as she asks, and Linda takes a bunch of pictures.

She positions him against a wall, where he bends one knee and plants that foot against the wall. He’s wearing black jeans with faux paint splatters on them, no shirt, and a black denim jacket with studs on the shoulders. He looks dark and edgy—the opposite of who he really is—but it’s sexy as hell.

“Taryn, put your hand on your hip and look away…”

The shoot goes on for an hour or so, but working with Mick is seamless. Easy. Like we’ve been doing this forever.

I forget about Callum and the blonde, my worries about Toby’s health, and everything else as we fall into an easy pattern, both of us taking direction from Linda effortlessly.

“You guys are so hot together,” Hettie murmurs when we finally break.

I go into the dressing room to change into a denim miniskirt that has lightning bolts all over it. It’s paired with a corset-style top and fishnets. This is the last outfit of the day, and I’m ready to go. I’m hungry and still a little cold, and I’m looking forward to curling up in my hotel room and ordering room service.

“Taryn.” Hettie comes into the dressing room. “I have a proposal for you.”

“Sure.” I glance up curiously.

“How would you feel about becoming the face of Rock Vibe?”

I cock my head. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know,” she admits. “My advertising agency has been bugging me to do actual ads—not just the quarterly catalogs—but ads that we can use not just in the store, but on billboards and magazines all over the country. Social media. All of it. I’ve been reluctant to take that leap because it’s expensive, but it might be time to level up. And now that I’ve been reminded how beautiful you are, as well as your work ethic, I think I want to do this.”

“I…” I’m a little speechless.

This is amazing news, but it’s also stressful because Callum won’t like it if I have to be away more often.

“There’s a catch, though,” she continues. “I can’t pay you what you might make doing the same thing for other clothing lines. I’m not Michael Kors or someone like that. My clothes are geared toward a very specific clientele that isn’t mainstream. We’re doing well but we’re in a growth phase.”

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