Page 10 of The Parkers' Handsome Holiday
He nodded. “Some would call that fate.”
I sighed. “Some would call it idiocy.”
Joe gave me a crooked smile. “Idiocy would be ignoring all the beauty you have, Lina. For God’s sake, look at you. You’re making an incredible salary because you’re a professional. Because you’re easy to work with and well liked by everyone you meet in this industry. Why not take advantage of your looks now to rake in that money? Beauty fades. You can get into communications later.”
Again, everything he was saying made logical sense, but that didn’t mean it sat right with me.
I sighed. “Okay. I hear you, Joe.”
“Good girl. Here’s your headshots to leave with the clients you’re working with this week. Charm their pants off, baby. You’ve got this.”
I forced a smile. “Thanks.”
I arrived on set for my shoot an hour before I was supposed to be there. The photographer was nowhere in sight and would likely be the last person to show up, but the whole crew was there, and as soon as my heels hit the pavement outside the warehouse building, two young women rushed out to greet me. They had headsets on, and one of them spoke into hers while the other greeted me.
“Miss Nelson, it’s so nice to meet you. Come this way. We’ll get you into hair and makeup. Do you need anything? Water? Green tea? Kombucha?”
I straightened and adjusted the shoulder strap of my purse. “Hi. Water is fine.”
“Great,” she said. Then she spoke into her headset. “James? We need a bottle of water at Miss Nelson’s chair. Yes. Now please.”
I smiled as she motioned for me to follow her into the warehouse.
I was bombarded with smiling faces and waves. Everyone seemed to know who I was, which was a surreal, wonderful, and very strange feeling. It was what I’d been chasing for ages. Joe promised me that with hard work, I would get what I wanted. Apparently, my looks did most of the heavy lifting for me. My easygoing nature and good work ethic did the rest.
My name was written on a black cotton chair, front and back. The girl guiding me was talking into her headset again as she gestured for me to sit. As soon as my bottom hit the chair, a young guy with a mop of blond hair skidded to a stop in front of me and held out a bottle of water. He was out of breath and looked a little dazed. “Sorry it took me so long, Miss Nelson.”
“I just sat down.”
“I know,” he said breathlessly.
I unscrewed the cap and took a sip. “Don’t be sorry. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Do you need anything else?”
“No, I’m all right. Thank you, though.”
The kid, who the girl on the headset had called James, tipped his head to me. Then his eyes widened a little bit as he looked over my shoulder. “I have to go, Miss Nelson. Have a good shoot!”
He hurried off before I had the chance to say anything. Seconds later, a man stepped around my chair. He was dressed in a black zip-up sweatshirt, black jeans, and a black baseball cap. His eyes were beady and his stare sharp as he looked me up and down from the very tip of my peep toe red pumps to the top of my head. “Lina, it’s nice to meet you in the flesh. You’re even more beautiful in person than in photographs.”
I slapped on my best charming, fake smile and shook the hand he extended to me. “It’s nice to meet you too. Samuel, I assume?”
Samuel, the photographer for today’s shoot, nodded. “That it is. I’m looking forward to getting some shots of you today.”
“It’s a shame I look better in person.”
Samuel chuckled. I wasn’t trying to be funny. “You’re witty. I like that.”
I bet you do. “I try. It was nice meeting you, Samuel. I’m just about to go in for hair and makeup. Then I’ll see you out on the set.”
“Are you trying to get rid of me, Lina?”
I gave him my sweetest smile. “Of course not. I just assumed hair and makeup would bore you.”
Samuel pulled over a chair and sat down beside me. He was a decent-looking guy with a prominent jaw and a flirty smile. “I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time. I’m not going to be that easy to get rid of.”
I shrugged. “That’s all right.”
