I tried not to smile but failed.
Lucas’s exasperated reply was drowned out by the fury of the marketing manager.
“That’s it!” Heidi’s voice rang through the warehouse. She threw her hands in the air, phone still clutched in one of them. “I amdonewith New York models. Done! Finished! They’re all unreliable, over-priced, and incapable of showing up when they say they will!”
The entire warehouse went silent.
Heidi spun in a slow circle, her eyes scanning the space like a predator looking for prey. And then they landed on me.
Oh no.
“Coffee queen,” she said, pointing directly at me.
I looked behind me. There was no one there.
“Me?” I asked, hating how high-pitched my voice sounded.
“You’re about five-seven, right? Same height as the model we were supposed to have.” She started walking toward me and I looked for an exit. “And you’re already here, which is more than Ican say for ourprofessional modelwho apparently decided that sleep was more important than a six-figure campaign.”
“I’m just here to help with coffee,” I said, holding up the now-empty carrier like it might protect me.
“Great. You’ve helped with coffee. Now you’re going to help with the commercial.” She plucked the carrier from my hands and thrust it at a passing crew member.
I shook my head in confusion. “I don’t understand. Do you want me to go get the model?”
“No, my dear, I want you tostand infor the model.”
I laughed. Because she had to be joking.
Heidi did not laugh with me.
“Stop, dear, you’ll get laugh lines,” she said. The lack of a smile made it clear that she was, in fact, deadly serious. “You’re the right height, you’re on set, and unless you have some kind of moral objection to being a model, I need you on that set in the next five minutes.”
“But I’m not—I don’t know how to model.” I looked around desperately for someone to save me. Lucas was grinning. The director was nodding thoughtfully, looking me up and down like she was already imagining how I’d look on camera.
“It’s just a rehearsal,” Lucas said, appearing at my side with that easy smile that probably convinced people to do insane things on a regular basis. “No pressure. We just need to block out the scene, make sure everyone knows where they’re supposed to be. You’ll be great.”
“I’m wearing jeans,” I said weakly.
He was already guiding me toward the set, one hand on my elbow like he was afraid I might bolt. Which was fair, because I absolutely wanted to run.
I had run track in seventh grade but I was always dead last. So outrunning someone like Lucas was not in the cards.
I found myself standing on the set under lights so bright I could feel them warming my skin. Dane sat in a red velvet throne, which was another idea from Lucas.
Lucas convinced him to lose the suit jacket. Now his white shirt was unbuttoned just enough to show a hint of collarbone. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing forearms that I definitely wasn’t staring at.
Nope, not even a little.
“Alright,” the director said, clapping her hands together. “Ina, right? You’re going to be his girlfriend for this scene. Very simple. Dane says his lines, you enter from stage right, take his hand, and position yourself next to him. Then you’re going to put your arms around his neck and kiss his cheek. Can you do that?”
Could I kiss my boss’s cheek on camera while pretending to be his girlfriend?
“Sure,” I heard myself say. “No problem.”
The director smiled. “Great. Let’s walk through it once. Dane, whenever you’re ready.”
I moved off to the side, trying to calm my racing heart. No big deal. Just me and my extremely attractive boss who barely spoke to me pretending to be in love for a commercial about a dating app.
