You & I
Seventy-Nine (Continued)
Panic Mode.
I focused long enough to give Lana a nod, as she wrapped up our one-sided conversation, now distracted by the arrival of a movie star. As was everyone else. I turned my back on the scene and tried to hide in an indent in the wall. I yanked my cell from the pocket of my jeans and called for help.
"Tara!"
"Grace? Have you been kidnapped?"
"What? No."
"Then why do you sound scared, and you're whispering?"
"Chris is here, at the shoot."
"Chris is at the photo shoot, or Chris is the photo shoot?" Tara did not sound like a concerned friend should and I needed someone to understand my panic.
"What am I going to do?" I hissed.
"Well, you can start by thanking him for getting Fudge back." She dropped that bomb and hung up.
"Tara? Tara?!" I'm going to kill you.
"Grace?" Claire had reappeared next to me. "They're ready for us."
I'm frankly amazed that I pulled it off, but somehow I managed to avoid Chris. His hair had grown and he had it combed to the side. Somehow it made him look even better. He was just a man who could pull anything off and I did not appreciate that one bit.
I took charge of the two female models and handed Chris over to Claire. I felt a little bad, being that Claire didn't know my true intentions. My guilt growing as she continued to thank me profusely for giving her the chance to work with somebody famous. I loved her enthusiasm considering she wasn't doing much more than combing a dab of gel through Chris' hair.
I stepped well back when the shoot started. There was very little to touch up on the models. It was a cushy first assignment. I tried to focus on the little things. The intricate patterns on the mock snakeskin boots, the rustic buttons on the models burgundy coat, and the way Lana would tuck a stay stand of hair behind her ear, and gently bite her bottom lip whenever she looked at Chris…
Chris. He kept catching my eye, even when I tried so desperately to look anywhere else. He had spotted me the minute I stepped out from my hiding place over an hour ago, but thanks to my uncommonly well timed maneuvering, our paths hadn't crossed yet.
After the delayed start, the shoot went smoothly. The models were incredible and Chris knew exactly what he was doing. Even providing laughs between prop changes. When the photographer and everyone down to the assistants of the assistants were satisfied, the shoot wrapped.
I was going to try a little acting of my own. I took Claire aside as everyone started to disperse into small chatty groups. "I need a huge favour." I looked at her with my best, probably awful, attempt at puppy dog eyes. "Something's come up at home and I need to leave. Is there any chance-"
"Pack up? Yeah, sure." Claire tilted her head, "Is everything ok? You've been kinda weird today."
Am I not weird every day? Must be losing my touch.
"You are a lifesaver," I let out a sigh of relief. "I swear I’ll make it up to you." I almost hugged her. Almost.
I grabbed my handbag and practically ran out of the building. It wasn't until I stepped into the late afternoon sun that I realized Claire had driven us here and I wasn't completely sure where I was. I pulled my phone out. You don't have to be a huge fan of technology to appreciate the genius that is google maps.
"Grace!"
Ignore him.
"Grace, wait."
You need to walk faster. Google will have to catch up.
"Grace, will you just fucking stop!"
I turned. I couldn't help myself. Even though I knew who's voice it was and my head was telling me to just start walking in any other direction. I was not ready to talk to him.
"Hi Chris, how are you?" I just blurted it out, because I'm a mature adult and know how to start a conversation properly and not sound at all like a crazy person.
Chris stopped in front of me, he seemed surprised. "It's good to see you."
"And you." I forced a smile so big that it hurt my face. How did people in retail do this everyday?
"Do you want to get a coffee?" Chris asked hesitantly.
Please don't make me do this. I can't lie to him. "Oh, I have to be somewhere..."
I swear, he looked disappointed but not completely perturbed. "Tomorrow night then?"
I wanted to say no. It would be the easiest thing in the world. He would know he tried and could push me out of his mind because I was the one being a douche. But I owed him this. For Fudge at least.
"Ok."
I focused long enough to give Lana a nod, as she wrapped up our one-sided conversation, now distracted by the arrival of a movie star. As was everyone else. I turned my back on the scene and tried to hide in an indent in the wall. I yanked my cell from the pocket of my jeans and called for help.
"Tara!"
"Grace? Have you been kidnapped?"
"What? No."
"Then why do you sound scared, and you're whispering?"
"Chris is here, at the shoot."
"Chris is at the photo shoot, or Chris is the photo shoot?" Tara did not sound like a concerned friend should and I needed someone to understand my panic.
"What am I going to do?" I hissed.
"Well, you can start by thanking him for getting Fudge back." She dropped that bomb and hung up.
"Tara? Tara?!" I'm going to kill you.
"Grace?" Claire had reappeared next to me. "They're ready for us."
I'm frankly amazed that I pulled it off, but somehow I managed to avoid Chris. His hair had grown and he had it combed to the side. Somehow it made him look even better. He was just a man who could pull anything off and I did not appreciate that one bit.
I took charge of the two female models and handed Chris over to Claire. I felt a little bad, being that Claire didn't know my true intentions. My guilt growing as she continued to thank me profusely for giving her the chance to work with somebody famous. I loved her enthusiasm considering she wasn't doing much more than combing a dab of gel through Chris' hair.
I stepped well back when the shoot started. There was very little to touch up on the models. It was a cushy first assignment. I tried to focus on the little things. The intricate patterns on the mock snakeskin boots, the rustic buttons on the models burgundy coat, and the way Lana would tuck a stay stand of hair behind her ear, and gently bite her bottom lip whenever she looked at Chris…
Chris. He kept catching my eye, even when I tried so desperately to look anywhere else. He had spotted me the minute I stepped out from my hiding place over an hour ago, but thanks to my uncommonly well timed maneuvering, our paths hadn't crossed yet.
After the delayed start, the shoot went smoothly. The models were incredible and Chris knew exactly what he was doing. Even providing laughs between prop changes. When the photographer and everyone down to the assistants of the assistants were satisfied, the shoot wrapped.
I was going to try a little acting of my own. I took Claire aside as everyone started to disperse into small chatty groups. "I need a huge favour." I looked at her with my best, probably awful, attempt at puppy dog eyes. "Something's come up at home and I need to leave. Is there any chance-"
"Pack up? Yeah, sure." Claire tilted her head, "Is everything ok? You've been kinda weird today."
Am I not weird every day? Must be losing my touch.
"You are a lifesaver," I let out a sigh of relief. "I swear I’ll make it up to you." I almost hugged her. Almost.
I grabbed my handbag and practically ran out of the building. It wasn't until I stepped into the late afternoon sun that I realized Claire had driven us here and I wasn't completely sure where I was. I pulled my phone out. You don't have to be a huge fan of technology to appreciate the genius that is google maps.
"Grace!"
Ignore him.
"Grace, wait."
You need to walk faster. Google will have to catch up.
"Grace, will you just fucking stop!"
I turned. I couldn't help myself. Even though I knew who's voice it was and my head was telling me to just start walking in any other direction. I was not ready to talk to him.
"Hi Chris, how are you?" I just blurted it out, because I'm a mature adult and know how to start a conversation properly and not sound at all like a crazy person.
Chris stopped in front of me, he seemed surprised. "It's good to see you."
"And you." I forced a smile so big that it hurt my face. How did people in retail do this everyday?
"Do you want to get a coffee?" Chris asked hesitantly.
Please don't make me do this. I can't lie to him. "Oh, I have to be somewhere..."
I swear, he looked disappointed but not completely perturbed. "Tomorrow night then?"
I wanted to say no. It would be the easiest thing in the world. He would know he tried and could push me out of his mind because I was the one being a douche. But I owed him this. For Fudge at least.
"Ok."
♠ ♠ ♠
