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“I think it’s safe to say that I’ll make it back with only four of you,” Eden said dryly. “Joe could go place the order, since he and Skylar both were taking lead. That still gives you a tight perimeter around me. I doubt any of you want to starve because Skylar and I are dress shopping.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Edge said hopefully. His stomach rumbled, obviously voicing its agreement.
Joe looked chagrined that he’d somehow drawn the short straw on being the pack mule for the food.
“Hell, I don’t even speak the language,” Joe muttered.
“It’s not that hard to point at what you want and hold up the number of fingers to indicate quantity,” Eden said in amusement. “Besides, the citizens of non-English-speaking European countries speak better English than we do. I’ve never had a problem here.”
“Okay, fine, I’ll go,” Joe grumbled. “But no bitching if you don’t like what I pick out.”
“Just none of that froufrou shit,” Nathan said. “Try to make it edible, at least. At this point, I think I’d eat just about anything anyway.”
“Is there a place you can just get a burger and fries?” Edge asked hopefully. “Or a good steak?”
“Save it for di
Joe issued a short wave and all but ran from the clothing boutique as if the hounds of hell were on his heels. Eden and Skylar both giggled, which instantly gained them suspicious looks from the three remaining men.
Swa
“So you’ve worked with this asshole in the past and willingly agreed to work with the dick again? I don’t get it. Are you some kind of masochist? He’s lucky I didn’t beat his ass for talking to you the way he did yesterday.”
Eden’s features softened and she beckoned Swa
“It’s not always a cliché to say that directors are a moody, demanding and cranky breed of people. Most all of the ones I’ve worked with are perfectionists. Anal doesn’t even begin to cover it. But it’s what makes them so good at what they do. They have a talent for bringing out the best in their subjects. Of catching just the right look, setting the right tone, capturing the essence of what the advertiser wants. Lo
“So you’re saying I’m overreacting and don’t have an understanding of the business you’re in,” Swa
Eden smiled at him. “What I think is that it’s very sweet of you to want to protect me from physical or emotional hurts. And in the begi
“He acknowledged all the things you and I have just said about him. He was very direct about it. He told me he was a dick to work for and at times could seem unreasonable but only because he knew that his models, the few he exclusively dealt with, had the talent and the guts to make it in this business. But if I was going to let him make me cry every time he grew impatient or demanded more than what I was giving him, I needed to consider pursuing another career.
“But at the same time, he said he hoped I’d stick it out because he swore he’d never been wrong about a subject and he claimed to have known from the first time he looked over my portfolio and we worked that first gig together that I was going to be a star and he’d hate for me to allow my feelings to take that opportunity away.”
“He doesn’t sound like a complete asshole,” Swa
Eden swallowed back her laughter. Swa
“So I take it his talk with you worked, then?” Swa
“Yes, it did actually,” Eden said quietly, remembering those hard first few months when her confidence faltered and she felt as though she’d gotten in way over her head. “It was more his profession of faith in me, and my knowing he wasn’t a touchy-feely kind of guy, and I was grateful for it. Because I was very close to walking away from it all. I was miserable and struggled with all the demands being placed on me. But once Lo
“I’m glad,” Swa
Eden flushed just as Skylar came out of the door of the dressing room. The doors were thick and heavy but still, she hoped Skylar hadn’t heard at least the tail end of their conversation.
Skylar did a little twirl as Edge and Nathan stuck their head into the small waiting area outside the dressing rooms.
“Suh-weet, Sky!” Nathan exclaimed. “Definitely your color.”
Swa
“Since I got married and have gone through a myriad of questions from Shea about which color shirt looks best on her,” Nathan said dryly.
“You look damn good,” Edge said gruffly. “I think it’s perfect.”
“I feel like Cinderella,” Skylar said, executing another twirl. “All shimmery and sparkly. This is to die for. All it lacks is a kick-ass pair of heels!”
Magically, or perhaps since the saleslady had all but glued herself to their asses the minute they walked into the door, she hurried in carrying a delicate pair of strappy sandals with an iridescent shimmer that were beaded and blingy at the toes and around the heel of the foot.
It gave the dress that much more pizzazz. Eden smiled as Skylar eagerly do
“What do you think, Eden? I swear I don’t even want to try on the others now. I think this is the dress.”
“I agree,” Eden replied, thrilled with Skylar’s response over one of the dresses Eden had picked out herself.