by Evie Monroe
“Excuse me.” I picked up my phone and cleared my throat before answering. I took a deep breath and prepared myself to be enthused. “Wendall, old boy, how are you and to what do I owe the honor of your call?” I swept my hand dramatically as if Wendall could see it, my voice booming out in its own unusual and staged cadence.
Her eyes widened, and she sat back in her chair with her mouth open. I knew it came across as odd, but it was what was expected when someone called the eccentric designer and owner of Mad Mode, Johnny Hatter.
Wendall Hamilton, the pompous ass of a fashion gossip rag was always on the hunt for a story. “Are you ready for the next show?”
“Why yes, of course, we’re ready for the next run. This one was just fabulous. I can’t tell you how many compliments we got on the line and I’m sure this next show will deliver you a few more surprises.”
“That’s not what I’m hearing. I’ve heard your line was a load of regurgitated garbage and your numbers were down. I don’t know if we’re talking to two different crowds, but everyone I know is saying this is the start of your fall from glory.”
The insinuation had me boiling, but I couldn’t let him get under my skin. I kept the smile in my voice, but Liss’s face lit with horror as she caught the venom in my stare. “We must be, friend. We’re going strong, better than ever and as I said, I think you’ll really be pleased with this next show. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.”
“Well, I sure hope so, Johnny. I’m afraid to say the only tricks we’ve seen lately are coming from a one-trick pony.” He was hoping to get a rise from me, but it wasn’t going to work.
“You’ll see, Wendall. I should get back to my dinner now before it gets cold. I’m sure you’ll be in touch.” I hung up the phone and let out a long breath.
Liss put her hands together for a quiet clap. “That was a great performance. Why do you do that?”
“Persona. The only way I get to keep myself private is to have a persona as a shield.” I popped the gold cap off of my tooth and laid it next to my fork.
“That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”
I took the wine which was left open on the table by Jack along with a loaf of bread with my favorite honey-butter. “I’ve heard sadder. There are worse things than being a billionaire who has to pretend to be enthusiastic and eccentric. Half of it is me. The rest is me amplifying it. Besides, he knows I’m full of shit, but he’s come to expect my strange behavior, so I give it to him. As long as he can see I’m still putting out the effort, he’ll think things are okay. The day I get real with them, will be the day something major changes. Until then, I’m happy to live the dual life.”
“I couldn’t help but notice that you promised something spectacular at the next show. Is this the part where you look at me and tell me no pressure?”
“We have to come up with something, Liss. The last show was a flop, and I’m being called out for being in a design rut. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I knew those designs were weak, and still, I put them out. If the brand fails, it’s my fault. I know I’m capable of more and better. I think I just need to be inspired.”
“If it helps, this is the part where I tell you that I’m going to do everything I can to help you. And we’re going to knock their socks off.” Her chin lifted, set defiantly at an angle as her lips drew back into a tight line.
Chapter 8
Liss
As I helped Weed gather up our props and the wardrobe to drive them down to the big shoot for the brand, I couldn’t help but think about the past week. I’d spent each day driving in with Johnny listening to his personality change back and forth so much that I was beginning to get confused by who the real Johnny was. And if he hadn’t been so open and honest to me, I might’ve continued thinking he was all an act.
We’d sat through dinners chatting about our lives and all the things we’d done and learned over the years; the rookie mistakes and little tricks we’d come across. He was a wealth of info and aside from that, great company.
“Grab those last boxes if you can,” said Weed, as we hurried to find the last of our items. His phone rang pulling him away as I loaded the things into the car and got in to wait. I’d ride down with him and make sure that we had everything we needed to make the shoot a success.
As I sat there, listening to Weed’s muffled voice as he paced behind the car, I thought about Johnny and wondered how long it would be before he’d join us. I’d thought about him a lot lately, and though I knew it was silly to dream that we’d be more to each other than employee and boss, but I’d caught myself doing it a lot.
The night before he’d come into my room in nothing but his shorts and asked if I needed the thermostat turned down or if I was comfortable. I’d gotten a glance at his hot body, and the sight made me tingle with desire as I longed to touch him.
I hadn’t behaved myself either, not after he was gone and by the time I was done with my fantasy, I’d considered going into his room and letting him take care of things for me. It’d been a toe-curling experience and one I couldn’t admit to anyone. The crush I had on him was growing.
“Let’s get going,” Weed said climbing into the car and putting his keys in the ignition. With a crank of the hand, we were idling, and after easing himself out of the tight lot, we headed out onto the main road and to our venue.
Weed’s mood was grim. “Cross your fingers, biscuit. We’re going to have to hope I can find a replacement.”
“For what? Did we lose something already?”
“No, it’s Alecia. She’s our blonde for the shoot. She’s not feeling well. I have to get on the phone and find someone or Johnny is going to go through the roof.”
“He would be angry?”
Weed cut his thick-shadowed eyes in my direction. “You have no idea, and you don’t want to, trust me.”
I’d seen a taste of his temper at the table that first night when that Wendall man had called. His looks turned my blood cold, and I knew then and there that I didn’t ever want to be on the receiving end of that anger.
We got to the building and started unpacking along with a few others on staff who had come out to help. Weed stepped away now and then as I unloaded the car, I could see him pacing and gesturing with his free hand.
One of our tubs came open and the items inside spilled out, so I hurried to help the poor girl carrying the thing and managed to get it all put back together by the time Weed came across to help. “Are you okay?” He asked the girl, who looked a bit frazzled. “Take five, honey. Go get yourself a donut from the front table, and you’ll feel better.” He cut his eyes at me. “She’s got a sugar issue; did you get all of the stuff? There’s nothing left to blow in the wind?” He glanced around and then gestured for me to go on ahead of him and carry the thing inside.
“You’re holding your own, I see.” The voice came for over my shoulder, and I smiled when I met Johnny’s eyes.
“I’m trying to. I think nerves are getting the best of some, but to me, this is the fun part.” I’d always wanted to see the other side of things, and I wanted to hug Johnny for giving me the opportunity.
“You’re doing great.” He patted me on the back and turned to see Weed coming up with red-ringed eyes.
Johnny let out a long breath. “Don’t tell me you’re smoking today.”
Weed wiped his eyes. The red was from tears pooling in his eyes. “No, but I wish I could. It’d sure beat telling you that Alicia’s not coming and I can’t find anyone else to fill in.”
“Go with a brunette.” Johnny shrugged. “The shoot will be fine without a blonde.”
But Weed shook his head and carefully wiped his eye with a long-nailed finger. “They’re all busy. Even the alternates. We have no one.”
“I’m so sorry.” I patted Weed on the shoulder and wished I could do something to make it all better. About that time, Johnny and Weed looked at each other and then to me. They did the back and forth again before they went about talking.
/>
“It could work.” Johnny put a finger to his chin and stepped back to eye me up and down.
Weed’s eyes filled with hope. “She’s got the body; the face.”
“But could you pull it off?” It took me a split second to realize that Johnny was asking me.
“Me? Pull what off?” I searched their eyes and panic hit me when I realized they were serious. “Oh no. I’m a designer, not a model.”
Johnny stepped in and put his hand on my arms. “You have the body and the shape we need. Not to mention the hair. You’ve got to try. We have hours to show you how it’s done.”
“Johnny, I’m not the one for this.”
Weed put a hand on my back and gave me a begging look. “Please, Liss. I wouldn’t suggest it if it wasn’t something I thought we couldn’t pull off. I’ll help you. I’ll get you to the makeup department and we’ll make sure the dress fits perfectly. You’re the right size, and you’re gorgeous, honey.” He looked me right in the eyes. “Trust me, honey.”
Johnny was becoming frustrated. “You’ll get paid, and I’ll owe you. You can’t beat that deal.” Johnny gave me a stare that dared me to refuse, but I knew I had to say yes.
“Fine. I’ll trust you. But please don’t make me look silly. If the photos are terrible, will we be able to retouch them or something?” I just knew I was going to look like I had to throw up in all of them. Part of me wanted to.
Weed pulled me into a tight hug. “You’re a lifesaver, Liss. We’ll do anything you want.” He pulled away and gestured to one of the models who had arrived early and was sitting on the side with her hair in curlers and nothing but a loose, silk robe that showed everything she had beneath it. “You, Gretta. Come over here.”
Gretta looked bored as she lifted her head and pointed to herself. And once Weed waved her over, giving her the death glare, she got up and hurried over.
“A little help here. Alicia is sick and Liss, here, is taking her place. I need you to show her how to walk and stand and be a model.”
The girl looked at me like I was out of my mind and had the audacity to assume I could become everything she was on a whim. Finally, she shrugged. “Whatever. Let’s do this. But I want to be on the right of the other girls. It’s my best side for group shots.” She gave me a half-hearted smile, and Weed rolled his eyes.
“Whatever. Let’s just get this ball rolling. I want her to be ready for wardrobe when the time comes. Take about twenty with her, and I’ll get you both into hair and makeup as soon as you’re done.”
I walked with Gretta and tried to pay attention as she showed me how to turn and the best angles to keep my head for my features. I was confident that I could do the expressions and she seemed rather impressed with me by the time Weed called us into makeup.
I took a seat in the chair where Weed told me to sit and then he chatted with the artists on what to do with my hair and makeup.
In the mirror behind me, I could see Johnny pacing, looking on as if he wasn’t sure I could pull it off. I wanted to prove to him that I could do this. Just like I was going to help him save his line from his creative slump.
The stylist brushed out my hair and separated it into pieces to braid, and after a half hour of the most relaxing head massage I could ever imagine, my hair was braided into an intricate waterfall that spilled into curls around my shoulders. My hair was full and had a body that I’d never been able to achieve on my own. The smell of the hairspray was like blackberries and heaven rolled into one.
My makeup had been done before my hair, and it wasn’t anything I hadn’t experimented with at home: heavy smoky eyes and tons of mascara. They even added a small lash extension and topped me off with some pale, glossy lips.
Weed stepped up and helped me out of the chair and over to where we were going to put on the first outfit.
“Okay, let’s help you out of those clothes, and you can step into this.” He reached for my hemline, and his hands were about to lift up my shirt for all the world to see.
“Isn’t there a place we can go to make this more private.” It wasn’t that I minded so much that Weed would see me, but the room was full of people, some just standing around filming and taking pictures.
“You’re kidding me, right? Honey, there’s no time for modesty when you’re a model.”
“I’m not a model. I only agreed to do this to save your ass, so I suggest you come up with some way to take me somewhere else because I’m not dropping my clothes in front of thirty people.”
Johnny heard us arguing and since he’d been keeping an eye on me, he walked over and stepped in. “What’s going on here? The photographer is almost ready.”
I clenched my hand tight at my collar. “I’m not undressing in front of all of these people to change. You’re out of your minds if you think I am.”
“No one has time for your modesty. We’re doing a shoot where you’ll be changing clothes several times, Liss. No one is going to stare and so what if they do? You’re a knockout.” His eyes were hard, and I looked around the room and realized that all of those eyes would be on me not only when I was changing, but during the shoot too.
I had a moment of panic, and then I gained my composure. “Fine, but you could you at least hold something up around me?”
Johnny grabbed a blanket that was draped over one of the props for moving and shrugged it up on Weed’s shoulders. The man put me in a corner next to some of the other props and raised his arms around me. It wasn’t totally private, but I knew that not everyone could see me. Weed kept his head turned to the side, and Johnny stayed back a distance until I was dressed.
Weed dropped the blanket as soon as I was decent and helped me button my blouse and made sure my hair was unfazed.
Johnny stepped up and took my arm. “They’re ready for you. I didn’t tell the team you’re new. I figured it would be better for you that way, but you better listen and do your best to give them what they want.” As I stepped forward with Johnny and he led me to the setting where the other two girls were seated, they smiled at me. It wasn’t a friendly smile, but more like one that had been laced with poison.
Gretta put her arm around me and laid her weight into me. For a skinny model, she had some dead weight to her, and I struggled to hold my position as she leaned into me. The other model, whose name I hadn’t learned, rested her hand on my thigh, per direction, and mumbled under her breath. “Special treatment.”
Gretta giggled, making it part of her pose. “Well, she is sleeping at the boss’s house.”
“Bedwarmer of the month,” the other said.
I realized the curtain was a mistake and decided to put my big girl panties on and change without it. So, after the shoot when Weed pulled me to the side, I waved my hand and shook my head.
“No, I’ll do without it. Those bitches are being catty. They’d make wonderful ventriloquists.” I hurried up to peel off my clothes, not caring that I was about to take my top off for everyone, including Johnny, to see. I caught him looking, and he looked away as our eyes met.
“They see you as a threat, is all. You’re new, and you look better than them.”
“But I’m not even trying to be a model.” He slipped the dress over my head and turned me around to zip it up.
“Oh, honey. That’s what makes it worse. They’ve put all of their passion into this, and you’re making it look easy. You’re getting their attention, and you don’t even crave it as they do. Fuck them. You’re doing great, and that’s all that matters.”
I took a deep breath and Weed zipped me up. I went back out with the other girls who were taking their sweet time and trying their best to out-diva the other, probably because of my special attention.
When Gretta came back, she elbowed me hard in the side when she sat down beside me, and I let out a yelp.
“Oops, sorry.” Somewhere in the course of her being nice and showing me how to pose, she’d ganged up with the other model to take me out.
I looked up and saw Weed who s
tepped over to Johnny whose eyes widened with anger. I didn’t want to cause problems; I’d only wanted to do what was best for the brand to help him succeed.
Once the next costume change came, Johnny grabbed Gretta’s arm and pulled her to the side. His eyes were hard, and I had a feeling she was getting a lecture on her behavior.
Weed helped me into my last outfit and gave me a pat on the back. “Don’t worry. Johnny is going to take care of them.” He glanced down to the bruise her elbow had made. “Dammit. Makeup!” The girl came over, and he had her add a little concealer.
I looked over, and Gretta stormed over to change, and Johnny came over to apologize.
“I’m really sorry about that, and it won’t happen again.”
“I’m not sure you made her hate me any less. They’re already accusing me of being your monthly conquest.”
His mouth pulled into a tight line and his jaw muscle feathered. “Don’t listen to them. And thanks again.” He took a deep breath and Weed had me suck in a little to get my zipper up before pushing me back out into the lion’s den.
“Sorry,” Gretta whispered under her breath.
Once the cameras were finished flashing, I hurried off one last time and changed for all the room to see. It was a humbling experience, but one I wouldn’t forget for the rest of my life.
When it was over, I let out a sigh of relief. I knew my trip was going to be an adventure, but I’d had no idea I’d have this kind of opportunity.
Chapter 9
Johnny
The smell of coffee filled my nose as I walked downstairs to my kitchen. I wasn’t a coffee drinker, and Jack never kept it in the house as far as I knew, so it could only be one person. I opened the door to find Liss behind the counter, standing in front of the Keurig as the dark liquid poured into her travel cup.
“Want some coffee?” she asked over her shoulder when she heard me come in. She was dressed for work earlier than me for a change, and this time her shoes weren’t a major sin against the rest of her attire.