sounded better than being completely nude
“Yes, count me in,” I said, my voice alien to my ears.
“Good. Then it’s sorted.” Grayson’s grim expression barely shifted as he pointed to me, Thalia, and a girl with bright red hair the color of chili peppers. “You three will be posing and presenting. Don’t disappoint me. I’m counting on you.”
He expected us to do a great job, meet prospective clients, and earn him some new contracts. Given my retail background, I figured I could pull that off, even half-dressed.
***
“T hat was awesome!” Thalia shouted the moment we were back in the dressing room. She high-fived me and for the first time in what seemed like forever, I actually felt happy—as hard to believe as that was.
Before meeting Thalia, the thought of posing or modeling had never occurred to me. Now I couldn’t wait to do it again. Things had gone so well. Not only did I earn my first real working assignment, but Grayson was extremely confident that he’d be able to place the pictures with one of his clients—in fact so confident that he had agreed to pay each of us $1,000.
A thousand dollars, which would go a long way toward paying the rent for the month.
The prospect of making money and meeting potential new clients excited me, even though I didn’t have a clue as to what the job really entailed, except to be charming and help Grayson generate more business. Surely, compared to the nightmarish scenarios I had encountered in the past, Grayson’s offering seemed like the Holy Grail on the path to improvement. Thalia had already shown me the sexy outfits wrapped in plastic, stuffed inside a huge box: brand new clothes that we were allowed to keep after the event. While they weren’t exactly my style, the fabric was long enough to cover my private parts, and I was grateful for that.
“We should celebrate,” Thalia said, interlocking her arms with Gina’s and mine. “Tomorrow’s going to be so awesome.” Even she sounded like Sylvie—untroubled and free of the emotional baggage that came with a hot guy who turned out to be a cheater.
“I’m not sure we should get drunk before the big day,” Gina muttered, squeezing out of her pink polka-dot dress and changing into a shirt and black jeans that did nothing to hide her beauty. With her porcelain skin and her bright red hair that fit her scowl, she kind of reminded me of a heated version of Arielle, the little mermaid.
“You’re a sourpuss, Gina.” Thalia nudged her playfully, then turned to me. “She’s such a buzz-kill. Jenna, what do you think? Are you up for finding a bar and having a couple drinks?”
I laughed with unease. Now was the time to reveal my pregnancy, but I couldn’t tell them and risk Grayson finding out when I had barely started the job.
“Maybe another time,” I said. “I’m kind of tired.”
“You guys are all so boring.” Thalia scrunched up her face. “Another time, then. I’ll call you up on it and then I’ll have to insist we’ll hit not one, not two—” She lifted three fingers as she counted “—but three bars. And I get to choose where and how we celebrate. Deal? But today—” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper as the corners of her smile twitched. “Today, I will dare you for one drink at the La Rue Bar, just one.”
Gina and I exchanged glances.
“You’re so bad,” Gina said, laughing. “One drink, and that’s it.”
“Atta girl.” Thalia’s sharp gaze focused on me, and for a moment I could almost feel it penetrating the barriers of my mind, as though she could see right through me.
Just one drink.
I wouldn’t even have to take more than a sip, and no one would notice.
Gina shot me a “trust me” look.
I had never really been much of a drinker anyway, no more than a glass or two of wine, but the idea of spending the evening with new friends brightened my gloomy mood. Besides, my obstetrician had even recommended one glass of wine every now and then.
“Yes, count me in,” I said, my voice alien to my ears.
“Good. Then it’s sorted.” Grayson’s grim expression barely shifted as he pointed to me, Thalia, and a girl with bright red hair the color of chili peppers. “You three will be posing and presenting. Don’t disappoint me. I’m counting on you.”
He expected us to do a great job, meet prospective clients, and earn him some new contracts. Given my retail background, I figured I could pull that off, even half-dressed.
***
“T hat was awesome!” Thalia shouted the moment we were back in the dressing room. She high-fived me and for the first time in what seemed like forever, I actually felt happy—as hard to believe as that was.
Before meeting Thalia, the thought of posing or modeling had never occurred to me. Now I couldn’t wait to do it again. Things had gone so well. Not only did I earn my first real working assignment, but Grayson was extremely confident that he’d be able to place the pictures with one of his clients—in fact so confident that he had agreed to pay each of us $1,000.
A thousand dollars, which would go a long way toward paying the rent for the month.
The prospect of making money and meeting potential new clients excited me, even though I didn’t have a clue as to what the job really entailed, except to be charming and help Grayson generate more business. Surely, compared to the nightmarish scenarios I had encountered in the past, Grayson’s offering seemed like the Holy Grail on the path to improvement. Thalia had already shown me the sexy outfits wrapped in plastic, stuffed inside a huge box: brand new clothes that we were allowed to keep after the event. While they weren’t exactly my style, the fabric was long enough to cover my private parts, and I was grateful for that.
“We should celebrate,” Thalia said, interlocking her arms with Gina’s and mine. “Tomorrow’s going to be so awesome.” Even she sounded like Sylvie—untroubled and free of the emotional baggage that came with a hot guy who turned out to be a cheater.
“I’m not sure we should get drunk before the big day,” Gina muttered, squeezing out of her pink polka-dot dress and changing into a shirt and black jeans that did nothing to hide her beauty. With her porcelain skin and her bright red hair that fit her scowl, she kind of reminded me of a heated version of Arielle, the little mermaid.
“You’re a sourpuss, Gina.” Thalia nudged her playfully, then turned to me. “She’s such a buzz-kill. Jenna, what do you think? Are you up for finding a bar and having a couple drinks?”
I laughed with unease. Now was the time to reveal my pregnancy, but I couldn’t tell them and risk Grayson finding out when I had barely started the job.
“Maybe another time,” I said. “I’m kind of tired.”
“You guys are all so boring.” Thalia scrunched up her face. “Another time, then. I’ll call you up on it and then I’ll have to insist we’ll hit not one, not two—” She lifted three fingers as she counted “—but three bars. And I get to choose where and how we celebrate. Deal? But today—” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper as the corners of her smile twitched. “Today, I will dare you for one drink at the La Rue Bar, just one.”
Gina and I exchanged glances.
“You’re so bad,” Gina said, laughing. “One drink, and that’s it.”
“Atta girl.” Thalia’s sharp gaze focused on me, and for a moment I could almost feel it penetrating the barriers of my mind, as though she could see right through me.
Just one drink.
I wouldn’t even have to take more than a sip, and no one would notice.
Gina shot me a “trust me” look.
I had never really been much of a drinker anyway, no more than a glass or two of wine, but the idea of spending the evening with new friends brightened my gloomy mood. Besides, my obstetrician had even recommended one glass of wine every now and then.
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