When I don’t respond, Jordan explains to him that the brothers and I have hadbad bloodsince college because we went to rival schools, and while that’s true, it’s not the whole story.
I don’t bother correcting him and we go to the studio pretty after dropping Moon off. Jordan warns me not to have a pissy mood in the studio and I tell him to leave me alone, so he does.
The only thing that makes thispunishmenttolerable is the fact that Sage Loana Hale is gorgeous—stunning, actually.
When Coach told us we’d be working with a ton of models and essentially being their boy toys, I considered taking the chance of pissing off my coach even more and simply not participating. I don’t like being on camera; the only time I genuinely enjoy it is if a kid comes up to me and asks for pictures. Kids aren’t bad.
Naturally, I did some research and looked up the past photo shoots that these girls did for this contest, and some of them were pretty cool. They didn’t tell us which girl we were working with, so I had no clue what I was getting myself into, but Jordan was bugging me the minute the idea was brought up.
He kept saying how crazy it’d be if we were working with Sage Hale, of all people, and I’m convinced he jinxed us.
“Okay,” Sage breaks her pose before walking over to me. “Can I see how those few came out?”
I turn the camera to her, and she immediately shakes her head at the first one.
“Yes?”
“Do you not see how bad that is?” She gestures to the picture, and I clearly can’t see whatever she sees.
“You look flawless. What’s the issue?”
She turns to me but shakes her head at whatever is on her tongue before a smile touches her lips. “Flawless? Awe, that’s so sweet!” She seems shocked by my words, but she lights up like they just made her whole day.
I don’t say anything in response, and her smile only widens as if I complimented her again.
“I think under all this,” she waves around me, “is actually a really sweet guy.”
My eyes fall on her smile, and I simply can't look away from her. She is too damn pure for this cruel world.
“You keep thinking that, pretty girl.” I gesture back to the camera. She tells me I need to tell her when the girl beside her has a hair out of place, and I honestly wasn’t looking at her, but I keep that in mind as she goes back. After a few more pictures, someone calls her for help with something.
“Bro.”
I don’t look at Jordan, but I can see him in my peripheral vision, making his way closer to me.
“Whatare you doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing, Jordan? Let’s not ask dumb questions.” I gesture to the camera in my hand before turning to him.
“You’realsoflirting with Sage. Are you crazy?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I try to walk off, but he follows me, to no one's surprise.
“Oh fuck off. You know what you’re doing. What happened to staying away from her?”
“I can’t really take pictures of the woman if she’s across the room, can I?”
He gives me a knowing look, which I simply return with an eye roll.
“You can take pictures without the flirty commentary. Youknowshe’s a Hale, and youwere the one who said you’d stayaway. Considering her brothers justthreatenedyou, I figured you'd remember that.”
When that laugh fills the room, I turn and there she is, laughing at something one of the girls is showing her.
“Did you expect her to be like that?”
Jordan turns to watch her with me, and when she glances up at us, she waves so damn happily. Jordan waves back as he responds. “Nope. Considering her brothers are Asshole and Asshole Junior, I expected her to be a bit of a bitch, but she’s–”
“Perfect.” My eyes cast down her frame, and when I look back at Jordan, I see he's giving me a knowing look because Ican’tget involved.
