Chapter 2
The alarm clock buzzed way too early, but I rolled out of bed, hopped into the shower, and got dressed. By the time my hair was combed back and teeth brushed it was almost seven.
Mom was making eggs and bacon and toast. I frowned. Who had time for all that? I slid into my sneakers and tugged a hoodie over my T-shirt, then dug through the cupboard for Pop-Tarts. “Tory, you need more protein than that,” Mom said.
“No time,” I said and headed out to Aunt Patty’s car as she pulled up into the drive. I jumped into the passenger seat, snapping the belt into place and we were on our way. Excitement filling my stomach. The first part of the morning would be dull, cleaning, prepping, all that sort of annoyingly necessary stuff, but maybe I’d get to snap a few pictures with her camera. That was enough to keep me moving.
I stocked the dressing rooms with cold water bottles, and helped Missy, the model assistant and clothing coordinator, organize the racks of clothing for the days’ shoot. Anna and Rachel from makeup and hair arrived in a flurry of boxes, chairs, and necessary lighting, booting me from the dressing rooms so they could spread out their arsenal of tools.
Aunt Patty had me adjusting the lights as she peered through the camera for angles when a guy in a suit walked in followed by Lucas Hart. I stood there a minute or two, taking in the fact that Lucas looked as good as he did, seeming to have rolled right out of bed. His hair was a bit of a mess, slightly damp, and he wore normal jeans and a T-shirt. I was used to seeing him in the school uniform, but casual didn’t take anything away from the way the light seemed to play on his face. He glanced up, eyes flicking around the room, meeting mine briefly, then drifting away as though he barely saw me. He had earbuds in each ear, the wireless kind. He took one out to listen to Aunt Patty’s directions, then headed to the dressing room set aside for him.
Missy flagged me down for help in wardrobe. Twenty minutes of unfolding, pressing, and hanging later, I returned to the studio area to find the man Lucas had come in with, pacing and talking angrily on the phone. A sharply dressed older woman stood near Aunt Patty, shaking her head and wringing her hands. Lucas was nowhere to be seen, so likely still in hair and makeup. I couldn’t imagine they had to do much to get him ready, he was sort of pretty and photogenic to start with, but sometimes lights did strange things to people’s complexions.
The man stuffed his phone away in a huff and stomped over to Aunt Patty and the other woman, his face contorted in anger and frustration. I kept my distance, knowing how moody the adults got if something didn’t go their way.
“The other agency double-booked your female model,” he said.
“Are they sending another?” the woman asked.
“They don’t have one in her age and size to send.”
“This goes to print in less than two weeks. We’ve already been delayed a dozen times due to scheduling. And it’s an international release. Millions on the line. We don’t have more time to delay. We waited this long just to get Lucas.” She paced and wrung her hands in frustration.
“Why don’t we start with Lucas and see if we can call a few other agencies?” My aunt offered a reasonable solution.
“Already did,” the man said. “It’s not like we are rife with modeling agencies here in Madison. Even if we have someone drive over from the Twin Cities, they wouldn’t be here until this afternoon. Lucas has another shoot this evening.” The man dry-washed his face.
Patty glanced at me; her expression tight. She was used to dealing with the drama, but I had no solutions for her. She looked away and then back, something flickering over her face, an expression I couldn’t read. Then she turned and stalked my way. “Give me a half an hour,” she told them.
Her purposeful strides made my stomach clench. What did I do?
She latched onto my arm and tugged me toward the dressing rooms. “I need your help, Tory.”
I blinked at her. “Huh?”
“You’re pretty enough. Slender, young, tall. Like a model normally is.”
“But I’m not a girl.”
“With the right hair and makeup, I think you could pass for one.”
My heart skipped a beat. “But Anna or Rachel could do it.”
“They are twice Lucas’ age and would look very awkward in the new Sweethearts line for Moreland’s.” She opened the door to the second dressing room. Rachel and Anna stood there waiting beside Missy, the clothing director.
I blinked again and said, “But I’m not a girl.”
Missy’s eyes got really wide as she looked from me to the rack of clothing. “Oh, he does have the perfect figure for these clothes.”
“But—”
“Just this once, Tory. I promise to make sure you get the same pay as the missing model. Imagine how many camera supplies, lighting prompts, and background mattes you can buy? Maybe a new filter pack?” Patty smiled.
“I don’t know what to do.” I’d never been in front of the camera before. Never liked the attention.
“You’ll be amazing, just follow my instructions. You already know how to do that.” She turned her attention to the other women in the room. “Twenty-five minutes, ladies.” With that she raced out of the room to deliver the good news to her clients.
“I’ve longed to get my hands on that unruly mane of yours for ages, Tory,” Rachel said dragging me toward the chair in front of the big mirror.
