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“You’re absolutely right about that.”
What I saw in his eyes momentarily took my breath away. Hunger. Wanting. Need. But then it was gone, extinguished as quickly as a small fire.
“Gayle,” Oden called, speaking in that low but commanding voice again.
She shuffled down the line to us.
“Yes?”
Eyes still on me, Oden said, “I think the prototype Kerenza is modelling should be the centerpiece for the ‘Maybae’ campaign. And she should headline.”
My eyes widened, but I kept it cool. I’d never headlined a campaign, meaning, I’d never been the model at the center of the theme.
Gayle nodded in agreement and began to list off small alterations she’d like to see made to the prototype before it was finalized for distribution.
The shock of being chosen to headline a campaign was just starting to settle when Isobel abruptly stalked off. No one said anything, but we could all tell she was pissed. For the duration of my time at ULC, Isobel had been the main attraction of every single campaign, so this probably felt like a slap in the face to her. I wasn’t going to go running after her, though. This was work, and if our boss told me I was headlining, then I was fucking headlining.
A few minutes later, the showcase concluded, and we made our way back to the makeshift changing room.
My head was spinning, both from the news of headlining my very first campaign and from the way Oden had looked at me. Without a doubt, I knew the attraction between us was mutual.
As soon as the door closed behind us, the tension in the room was thick as smog. Isobel didn’t make eye contact with any of us as she changed back into her clothes.
Maya and Addy didn’t let the negative vibe stop them from congratulating me.
“Yassss, honey! Your first headline!” Maya gushed.
Addy chimed in, “Way to go, Kerenza!”
Blushing, I accepted hugs from each of them.
“Thanks, guys. I definitely didn’t see that coming!”
Our shared bubble of giddiness abruptly popped when Isobel walked over. For a second, she and I stared at each other, me with apprehension and her with an unreadable expression. Then her pretty face broke into a smile, and she gave me an awkward hug.
“Congratulations, Kerenza. I hope you’re prepared for all the responsibility that comes with headlining a lingerie campaign.”
I hugged her back stiffly, holding my breath until she released me and left the room.
Maya and Addy both gave me a look that plainly said, “that girl is nuts.”
I couldn’t agree more, but I wasn’t about to let her ruin my day. I could now add headlining model to my résumé. And the man I was lusting over wanted me back.
Best. Day. Ever.
Later that night, I was still riding a wave of excitement. I decided to call my cousin to share my good news. With her being a model too, I knew she could relate to why this was such a big deal for me.
A quick glance at the clock showed that it was eight o’clock, which meant it was five o’clock in San Jose, California, where Kelendria lived.
The phone didn’t even ring twice before she picked up.
“Hey, cuz!”
Excitement bubbled up inside me and I couldn’t even bring myself to greet her properly.
“Guess what, guess what!” I blurted.
Kelly laughed and asked, “What?”
