“Dive back in from there, hon,” the photographer directed.
I sighed, knowing he wanted some of my ass showing from the back. Still, I did it quickly just to get it over. This time, I did it right, and he got what he needed.
“Okay, let’s get you a quick shower so we get all the chemicals out of that gorgeous hair before we get you done up for the next shots. I’ll take care of the guys while you do, so take your time,” he instructed as I wrapped a towel around me.
“Why are they here?” I asked, not always paying attention to the plans as I should.
The photographer knew that and gave me a wink. “Since the hobgoblins are partnering with Lady Jean, who is also partnering your friends’ company, Recast Wardrobes, the royal and noble dragons of North America are supporting them back. They’re the models for the fall clothes and doing a spread the lovely witches altered for them to show off their talents. We’re squeezing it all in today.”
“Gotcha. Glad we can.” I walked off towards where the ladies locker room and spa changing area was when I felt Hudson approaching. I was glad they were helping.
That didn’t mean I wanted to see him. It hurt to look at any of them, my heart not close to healed yet. Which was why I was blinking back tears in the shower. I sucked it up though, remembering a lot was riding on all of this and hurried through the motions.
I went back out to the group in one of those super plush hotel robes. I would have preferred getting ready away from the guys posing for pictures, but the people doing makeup were needed for last minute touchups for their photos too. It was fine.
I needed to be fine.
I wanted to be mature enough to sit there and watch, given I was part of it too, but I turned the chair they asked me to sit in away from it. If anyone caught the fib that I did it because of the sun coming close to us and my eyes, they were kind enough not to bust me.
“It’s started,” Mel informed me as she handed over her tablet. “The manager for this location took a few of the shots and posted them to social media, and the responses are coming in fast.”
I took it from her, seeing it was a few pictures from before I had arrived and then one of me on the beach running. The caption was simple: “The official gallery will be coming soon on our website, but here is a glimpse of the first few.” It was posted less than an hour ago, and it already had three hundred comments and a thousand shares on the supe version of Facebook.
And lots weren’t saying they were pretty pictures.
“Do we have to see her everywhere? What is she doing involved in this now?”
“She’s an attention whore. She does it all for attention, and people are stupid if they believe otherwise.”
“I wonder how much Photoshop they had to do so her horse face wasn’t so bad?”
The one that made me laugh was about halfway down.
“You idiots are all going to be banned from all Cherrywood Resorts after bashing the OWNER. She said very clearly she BOUGHT the company she got those elite vamps kicked out of. That’s Cherrywood Resorts. That’s why she’s so tight with the dragon royals, idiots. She’s the main owner, and they went in with her to take that huge corporation over and make bank.”
The comments went from bitchy and catty to blowing up with shock and outrage. What was there to be outraged about? Did I blow a fuse when people I didn’t like owned companies? What was being pissed about any of it going to do?
“Oh, we’ve got our first death threat,” I sang, tapping on the comment and handing it over.
“‘If someone just kills the bitch, we can get back to the way our community was and all this crazy will cool. Who inherits this and whatever else she has if she’s finally gone? Seriously, let’s just shoot her already,’” Mel read, steam about coming out of her ears. “Fuckhead. Yeah, all this crazy of pushing to respect women and fair folk. It’s disgusting that has to be pushed and wasn’t always the case.”
I grunted a response and pulled out one of the books I was reading for my high school classes. I was almost done with the ones I had enrolled in for the summer—British & World Literature, Microsoft Office 2, Earth Science, US History, Personal Finance—and I was getting a jump on the four I had left.
Not matter what anyone said about the allowances given to unknowns, I still thought one of the councils would make a move if they knew I didn’t have my high school diploma. Professor White seemed to agree with me as she was tutoring me in Latin II, and had even talked with the school on my behalf.
People weren’t meant to fly through the classes as I was, but after she assured them I was diligently studying under her guidance and other tutelage, they allowed me to take so many classes in the summer. I understood given I’d taken so many already that year, and even before that, but now I had the last four ready to start by the end of July.
Summer break my arse.
I got a couple of chapters done while my mane was dealt with, which shocked me given what was going on behind me. Then again, I was desperate for any distraction and chance for a break. Plus, I simply loved reading.
“Gentlemen, you were all lovely, and I thank you for your time,” the photographer said loudly,
