Chapter Twenty-Eight

     "It's not as if you can blame him, Oliver. You must see what an opportunity this is for you? Not even an agent and a photographer is hounding after your return to the spotlight. Can't you see how that would excite us? We've all worked very long and very hard to be where we are now. In fact, I am actually a bit jealous of you right now."

      I couldn't look up from my coffee until I was sure Tess had redirected her attention to her food. We were sitting in the same little cafe where I had first met them as it had quite easily become our place. Yet, it felt cold without Jace's smirks.

     "I don't want you to be jealous of me. This isn't even what I want. I'm not made for something like this," I mumbled. "I'm screwing everything up."

     "Oh shut up!" She snapped. "You have no idea what you want. And clearly you have no idea what you're made for. If someone whose entire profession is to find beauty wherever it exists wishes to study you for inspiration, then damn well let her! The only way you can possibly screw this up, Oliver, is by dashing her dreams. All you have to do is pose. It's not that hard, despite what other models would have you believe."

Her blue eyes were narrowed dangerously and her hair billowed out around her like a lion's mane. It made her seem incredibly fierce and regal all at the same time. In an instant, I could feel myself withering beneath that gaze and my head bowed in submission.

"I've thought about all of that," I eventually stated.

"You have?"

My tongue ran over my lips nervously and I continued without meeting her eyes, "yes. That's why I called her. She's meeting me here in... about five more minutes."

Until then, I'd had no idea it was possible to take Tess by surprise. Without even a word, she frantically began to tear through her purse, muttering about my indecency and complaining about my silence. I wasn't even remotely interested in what she was doing until she threw more than enough pounds on the table and stood up in an instant.

"Come with me," she ordered in a nonsense tone.

Before I had time to do more than giver her a questioning look, she had grasped hold my upper arm and tore me straight out of my seat. Dragging me to the bathroom, my friend placed me in front of the full-length mirror resting on the wall. It sort of entertained me when she spouted off a string of French that I suspected was a great complaint on the lighting in the room.

"Do you always carry an entire cosmetic kit with you?" I grumbled as I felt a brush apply shadow to my lids. I'm a guy, why do I have to use this?

"I'm a model with no room for error. Yes, I do. And be glad of it, too. You should never enter into agreements with photographers without first looking your most naturally beautiful."

A smirk quirks at my lips and I couldn't help remarking, "then shouldn't I keep my face natural, as I'd intended?"

"Naturally beautiful and natural are two separate distinctions. I would amplify on your assets and hide those circles you are wont to sport so easily. You might try to sleep once in a while," she admonished.

A few more hasty seconds passed before she finally sighed. "There. That is all I can accomplish now. At least I hid those bags under your eyes. You exit first. If she is there already, I don't want her to realize this was a quick fix. Go now. And call me later!"

In favor of not being pushed, I quickly left the bathroom and my anxious friend behind. Slowly, feeling more than a bit nervous myself, I threaded my way through the cafe in favor of finding an empty table. The table I'd shared with Tess was hardly conducive to meeting with a complete stranger.

Not a moment after I'd sat at a table by the window, the front door opened and admitted the woman I'd remembered. Her hair was still half covered but with a different hat than before. Instead of the tattered plaid shirt, she wore a sharp black blazer over a white-v neck. Of course, I had to admire how the ensemble worked well with her worn blue jeans and sneakers.

Layla spotted me with equal ease. A brilliant smile spread across her face and she strode toward me with a spring in her step that reminded me of my own anxiousness. Stopping beside my table, she looked at me with eyes glowing with some form of admiration. Truth be known, I was more flattered than uncomfortable.

Getting slowly to my feet, I held a hand out to her. "Layla Nathis, I'm—"

"Hummingbird," she answered with a grin. Somehow, that caused me to smile.

"Yes," I answered before gesturing towards the other chair. I was glad when I was able to reclaim my seat. In that mere moment of standing, my legs had begun to quake ferociously and my nerves were absolutely battering away at my stomach lining.

For a moment, it seemed, we both were working to calm ourselves. Then, at once, I began with, "I'm sorry, Miss. Nathis. But I am not what you think I am."

In that same moment, she began in a noticeably American accent, "I'm grateful that you decided to meet with me. After our last encounter, I was sure I'd never hear from you again."

Since we began at together, it made sense that we both shut our mouths within a breath of each other. Sheepish smiles adorned both of our faces and a heated blush began to work its way through my cheeks. Taking a deep breath, I stared at my hands before saying, "why don't you begin?"

"Thank you," Layla sighed. Clearing her throat, she began more slowly, "thank you for meeting with me, Hummingbird. I know that you're making a type of sacrifice in agreeing to this, considering our last confrontation. And I humbly apologize for what I put you through."

I waved my hand a little to stop her there. "Perhaps I should have begun Miss Nathis, I am not a model. I take full responsibility for what I put myself through. You believed me to be something I'm not because I looked the part. That was my fault. Therefore your assumption that I was there to work was valid. I'm just sorry that it was false."

Layla had begun by seeming confused and even a little chilled when I'd first began speaking. Towards the end, however, a slight smile had begun to pull at her lips and her eyes became animated. It was like she couldn't wait for me to finish speaking, proven when the last word left my lips and she reaches a hand out hastily to cover my own.

"But it wasn't false. Hummingbird, those pictures I took of you that day were some of the best I've ever taken in my life. And I've been doing this for a good eleven years now. You may not be signed to an agency or even think of this as your career, but to say you're not a model just because of that is a lie. Have you seen the photos?" Her voice and demeanor grew more fervent and eager with each word. It made it difficult to meet her eyes.

"Yes. I have seen them."

"And do they appear at all unprofessional to you?"

Sighing, I was forced to shake my head. "They were incredible. Despite the circumstances."

"Exactly," she breathed joyously. "Those came out so wonderfully. And it was all an accident. Imagine, for a moment, how they would have turned out had they been intentional."

I couldn't imagine it. I'd seen professional pictures before, obviously. My friends each had folders of portfolio pictures to recommend them to others. Each picture was more breathtaking than the last. But that was because both they and the photographer knew what they were doing.

"Intentional would have been hard to come by. I have no idea how to model and if it were truly as it easy as it looks, I imagine more girls and boys would be successful in their ventures. As it stands, though one evening I looked great, I am no Prince Charming. Happily ever after exists only in fairytales, Miss. Nathis. And I have no desire to waste your time on someone so new to the game. You're a terrific photographer. Of that there can be no doubt. The fault lies with myself and I accept that."

"The fault lies only with you if you don't seize an opportunity presented. I wish for you to model for me again, Hummingbird. Just once. If you think I cannot produce the same quality of pictures each time I shoot you, you are free to walk away. But if you enjoy yourself, the experience, and the outcome, I'd be more than happy to help you enter into this business. The money's not bad either."

I shook my head as she said this last. Obviously Jace had informed her of my circumstances. Probably even told her how I came to be in London and how long is overstayed what is typically permitted. He might even have told her why I was called Hummingbird.

Not wishing to answer right away, I let my eyes trail off to stare out the window. It was much to think about, certainly. On the one hand, to enter into this agreement with her was to once more pretend to be something other than what I really was. But not to accept the opportunity was to never know if I could be gifted with a disposition fit for modeling, I had seen enough to know that I could become just as good looking as my friends in this arena. Given the right circumstances, perhaps even I could excel in this very formidable world. Of course, it helped that I was more often than not on the broke side of things. And if I earned more for having my picture taken rather than taking pictures, it seemed like a no-brained in the end.

"Just one sitting?" I asked eventually.

The instant brightening of her features was unmistakable. "Just one sitting. If you don't like it, I'll never ask you again."

"Alright. When and where?"

A sly smirk pulled at her lips and Layla slyly remarked, "follow me."

If she wasn't so endearingly emphatic, I might not have done it. As it was, when she stood up and held out her hand, I found myself grinning in surprised elation. I took her hand.

Layla took me to a studio loft not far from where Tess, Jace and Viviane lived. As soon as I walked in, I was instantly reminded of the other photo shoot. There was a makeup table set off to the side, with Amara grinning widely at me. Lee stood at her side and was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. What truly surprised me, however, was to find Jace standing with the wardrobe people, a variety of ties at his fingertips.

"What are they all doing here?" I muttered. My voice was filled with awe as I clutched at Layla's arm.

Her smile was kind as she remarked, "I thought you'd be more comfortable with people you knew. And he insisted."

I thought my heart could not swell further without bursting right through my chest. Good thing I no longer had time to worry about it. Within a matter of moments, I was pampered and dressed and placed before the ebony backdrop.

Nerves shot through me in waves and I will never understand how I did not vomit right there. Having a camera trained on me and a number of people watching every move that I made was more than a little disconcerting. Immediately I began to wonder why I had agreed to this.

Then Jace appeared over Layla's shoulder. He smiled at me and whispered, "Seize your moment, Hummingbird."

So I did.