The Lover’s Secret (No Exceptions #1)(27)
Author: J.C. Reed

Thalia nodded again, and a glimmer of enthusiasm flickered in her eyes. “It’s really great. The photographer picks the costumes. You get to wear them, and all you have to do is pose and have fun. In a way, you become art. With your looks, you could easily pull it off.”

Unconsciously, I smoothed the hem of my dress. It didn’t sound bad at all, but her compliments made me a bit self-conscious. “Why would you think that?”

“You’re sexy and young, without being obtrusive. You have curves in all the right places. My boss goes for that feminine shape, sometimes even big.”

Big?

Had she just called me fat? I stared at her, both impressed and intimidated by her honesty.

“The official casting was last Monday, but maybe Grayson will consider giving you a test shoot if I talk to him and explain your situation. If he hires you, he’ll pay between two and five hundred dollars an hour. And if you’re really good and in high demand, you can make up to two grand per shoot, maybe even more.”

My eyes popped wide open.

Holy shit.

I had always thought models weren’t paid well. Two thousand dollars an hour was insane.

“That much?” It was more a statement than a question.

“I know! It’s awesome, right?” Thalia’s face lit up with enthusiasm.

I had no clue if her euphoria was because she loved her job that much or if the idea of helping me appealed to her. That just brought up the question as to why she wanted to help me and if the job was really as simple as she made it out to be. Regarding her for a moment, I took in her flawless, light brown skin, perfect makeup, young facial features with brown, almond-shaped eyes, and the way she had professionally styled her hair. She wasn’t just a beautiful woman with a curvy body and dimples whenever she smiled; she was also someone who cared a great deal about her appearance. I wondered if I could be like her, not just to feel better about my pregnancy, but also to solve my financial problems in the process.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” I began, smoothing my hair back slowly, “why are you still working here if modeling pays so well?”

For a moment, she looked away, as though she was considering whether to tell me the truth. “Quitting here isn’t an option. My youngest brother has leukemia. We need every extra dollar for his bone marrow transplant. Besides, there’s also the health insurance I get here.”

“I’m sorry about your brother. I had no idea,” I said, feeling awful for prying into her personal business.

Thalia shrugged. “I don’t mind working two jobs. I like it here. I get to meet interesting people, like you.” She smiled gently. “Two years ago, I never thought I’d be a pin-up girl, but I was miles in debt and had a hard time finding a job that would allow me to take care of my family. Then I met Grayson, and he asked if he could photograph me. It was either that or…” She trailed off, leaving the rest to my imagination. “I had no choice but to take it. The offers come irregularly, but when they do, the pay is better than anything else I could be doing, because Grayson is well known in the industry, and his photos are always in high demand. Is modeling something you can envision yourself doing?”

I blinked at the sudden question addressed at me.

“To be honest, I’m not sure,” I said, my thoughts running wild. “I’ve never considered it.”

Not least because I most certainly didn’t have model measurements. In fact, I was far from it. Besides, I didn’t really know what pin-up girls did, and I had never posed for art.

“You don’t really need to have a talent for it, but you do need to be natural. Like I said, you’re basically paid to stand around looking sexy. Makeup and clothes will take care of the rest,” Thalia said. “I’m heading over to meet with Grayson after my shift. Why don’t you join me? I suggest you have a look around, see what I do, if you like it. Then you can make up your mind.”

I had to admit: a modeling job that could pay so much without me having to take my clothes off was tempting. It wasn’t a bad idea at all, especially if I just had to stand around while being paid for it. I figured whatever I made could go toward my loan repayments. In my position—what with me working long hours for Jett’s company while being pregnant—I didn’t have a lot of choices. Besides, the sooner I got out of debt, the faster I could reach my independence. Feel and be free.

But was I really model material?

Even as I asked myself the question, my heart lurched with fright. I hated being on display, and even more being the center of attention. The job was probably not even half as good as Thalia made it out to be. And even if this Grayson guy offered me the job, how would Jett react? Then again, what if it was the solution to all my problems?

My mind was spinning with options, and my heart thumped harder at the prospect of leaving all my financial troubles behind me, of breaking free from the chains of debt. Thalia’s enthusiasm was definitely contagious, and as she said, I had time to decide. I could accompany her and see where it took me. But Jett could be back any minute, and if I wasn’t there, he’d start asking questions. The modeling gig had to wait, at least for the time being.

“Do you mind if I give it some thought?” I asked. “Today’s just not a good day.”

“Sure. Take your time.” Thalia retrieved a pen from her pocket, and wrote down some numbers on the note along with her name, then passed it to me.

“Call me whenever you’re ready.” She got up and reached out her hand. “I’m Thalia, by the way. What’s your name?”

After everything that had happened in my life, I didn’t like questions. They felt personal as if answers demanded to give up pieces of oneself; as if revealing the hidden parts of oneself, handing over the key to one’s world, giving people permission to take what wasn’t theirs. They were an invasion of personal space, and as such had to be avoided at all costs.

“Jenna,” I lied, choosing my sister’s name. The moment the word left my lips, I wished I could take it back. Only, it was too late to admit that I had chosen to pretend I was someone else.

She shook my hand. “Jenna, I know we don’t know each other, but I know this. If you decide to work with Grayson, you won’t regret it. I can promise you that.”

I wasn’t so sure about that as I watched her depart with the same steady steps, ready to serve the next customer.

Jenna kept echoing in my head. From all the forenames I could have chosen, why the hell did I go with my dearly departed sister’s name? As I gathered the remaining letters and stuffed them into my bag, I realized giving Jenna’s name had seemed like a good idea in order to protect my own identity. But not so when her face still haunted my dreams. My sister was the one thing that had kept me going all these past years, when the journey had become rough. Her memory had also been the one thing that had kept me caged and frightened, wary and alone…until I met Jett. But it was that one simple wish—a thought, a need—to bring her killer to justice that would eventually release my soul from the pain of losing her, and set me free.