Page 11 of Skye's Fall
“You do?”
“I do. And that’s good because Uncle Sal moved up the date. Crew starts arriving tomorrow.”
“Oh shit,” I mutter. I thought I was ready, but now I’m not so sure.
“In fact, there is a photo shoot the day after tomorrow,” Sal breaks in. We all turn to see him smirking.
“Photo shoot?”
“Oh yeah, promos for the show. Trailers are being brought over later today. See you guys in the morning.”
“My uncle can be so weird sometimes,” Ever giggles.
“You got that right,” Shane agrees. “I have dinner ready if you guys want to stay.”
“Free meal.” Memphis takes off as everyone laughs at him. He acts like a big kid sometimes.
“My dad is right, Skye, get out of your head. Time to show the world who you really are.”
“Any other advice?”
“Be the one to stick up for others. There will be at least one girl who will be a bully, there’s always one. Be better than her. When she puts a girl down, build the victim up. I know you are strong, so be strong for others. Even if you don’t win, you will show the world that you are more than a pretty face.”
“You think I’m pretty?”
“Shut up,” Ever grins and pats my shoulder. I take in what she said. I need to prove this to myself, that I’m the person she thinks I am.
Chapter Eight
Lincoln
“Turn to the side and lose the shirt,” the photographer tells me. I hate this, but it’s what I signed up for. I’m not TV bachelor material— I’m a hometown boy who is poor. Okay, poor might be the wrong thing to call myself. I still have money, but not enough to keep a ranch up and running. Not that it matters right now since everything and everyone I loved is gone, including Skye.
“Great, thanks,” the photographer dismisses me as the next guy steps up.
Glad that’s over.
I head to the couch by the tree, the one from last season and sit down, feeling eyes on me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see all the girls who are going to be on the show eye-fucking me. All but one. I know where she is, she’s over sitting on the porch with Ever. Why I care, I don’t know. I want her eyes on me for some reason.
“That Skye girl was hot,” I hear a guy talking behind me.
“Dude, she whipped off her shirt and that body is smoking,” another guy comments. I don’t know what comes over me, but I want to scream at them. Stop looking at her is what I want to say. Is this jealousy? I can’t be jealous.
I hated Memphis for years for taking her from me, though I don’t think he even knew how involved we were. I think he thought we were just talking at the time and that I was going to try and steal her away.
I tried— I really tried. But at the time, money and fame won out over love. That hurt. Though not as bad as fists to my face if Memphis found out what happened at the church on his wedding day. I plan to take that to my grave. I’m sure she will too. I’m already going to hell for what I did because it was in a church.
Time to get my head in the game. I need this because I need money so I can take my own mother to court for what is rightfully mine. My ranch is a loss— some developer already started plowing the land. I heard the house and barn is next. But in taking her to court, I hope to get back my money and some other tokens my mother took. Sometimes it feels like the ones you’re closest to, hurt you the worst.
Chapter Nine
Skye
You wouldn’t know it by looking at him, but Linc has an impressive body. I’m sure I’m drooling as I watch him pull his shirt over his head for a bare-chested shot.
Ever chuckles beside me and I shoot her a glare.
