by Ali Parker
I laughed. “Not that I know of. I’ve only been the face of this campaign so I couldn’t say for sure.”
“How long have you worked with him?” she asked, climbing on the old-fashioned looking bike that was acting as a prop against the green screen. I had hoped to do an outdoor shoot for the latest line of exercise wear from the company, but Carl hated the outdoor shoots. He said he couldn’t control Mother Nature.
“Years. He does a lot of the active wear company photos,” I told her.
She nodded her head. “I’ve seen you in a lot of those sports ads and in Sports Illustrated. I can’t believe I’m actually working with you. I’ve looked up to you since I was a kid.”
I grimaced. “You’re making me feel old. How old are you?” I asked, afraid to hear the answer.
“I just turned eighteen, which is why my mom isn’t here. Usually, she runs interference with some of the more overzealous photographers.”
I nodded my head. “You’re lucky to have had her. You know, she can come with you to these shoots if you’re more comfortable with that.”
She shook her head. “No, I want to do this on my own. How old were you when you started?”
“Fifteen—too young to be doing it on my own.”
“And you’re twenty-eight now?”
“Yep. I’m about aged out of the modeling world.”
“Are you two ladies done chatting?” Carl sniped, his hand on his hips.
“Why don’t we take five. I’d like to get a drink,” I announced, knowing he really couldn’t deny my request.
When Carl looked as if he would protest, I shot him a look. I wasn’t a diva, but I would not tolerate much more.
“Take three, I want to get this done!”
I grabbed Brittany’s hand and pulled her toward the refreshment table. “It gets better,” I promised.
She nodded her head. “I’m trying. Are you getting ready to quit? Is that why I got this job?”
“You’re doing fine. It takes a lot of practice to get truly comfortable. I will tell you, the photographer plays a huge role in how comfortable you are. Carl is difficult. He’s an excellent photographer, and he does great work, but he is a jerk. And I don’t think I’m going to quit, it’s just the way things are. I don’t mind. I’m ready to move on to something else.”
She smiled. “I was so excited to get this job. When I found out I would be working with Hailey Hollis, I couldn’t believe it.”
“Thank you. That is very flattering. Trust me, everyone is nervous starting out. There will be jobs like this from time to time. If you are ever not comfortable with the way you are being asked to pose, say something. Your agent will take care of the details. Try and relax and have fun,” I told her with a warm smile.
She took a drink of the flavored water and nodded. “Thank you for being so nice.”
“You’re welcome. When we’re done, I’ll leave you my number. If you’re ever having any problems or you just want to talk, you call me.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course. Us girls have to stick together. You ready to finish this? I don’t know about you, but I could use a big fat cheeseburger!”
Her eyes bulged out of her head. “A cheeseburger! You’re going to eat a cheeseburger?”
I laughed. “Yes, I am. I’ll put in extra time on the treadmill.”
“Now, Hailey!” I heard Carl shout.
“Duty calls,” I said groaning.
Together, we walked onto the set and got back to work. It went much better. Carl was much kinder and more patient, which made for a far more productive shoot. Once we were finished, I changed into my comfortable jeans and a T-shirt before taking off the fake eyelashes and the first layer of makeup. I wasn’t a fan of the makeup, but it was a necessary evil for the camera. It was all very tasteful and designed to look like I wasn’t wearing any makeup at all. I did my best to run a brush through my normally curly hair before heading over to the orphanage to see my best friend, Mandy Kane.
“Hey, you,” she greeted when I walked into the rec room where she was surrounded by a small group of kids at a large, circular table.
“Hailey!” several of them shouted, running to wrap their arms around me.
“Hi, guys!” I greeted each and every one of them with a hug.
“What brings you by?” Mandy asked.
I shrugged a shoulder, looked at the kids and then her. She gave me a subtle nod, understanding it wasn’t a child-appropriate conversation.
“I wanted to come by and see some of my most favorite people in the world,” I said with a smile.
Mandy grinned. “Thank you. You know how much they appreciate your visits. Guys, I think Hailey wants to make one of our beaded necklaces.”
The group erupted into cheers, which always made me feel good. I loved being able to brighten their days a bit.
The kids in this particular group ranged in age from five to ten. Some were recently orphaned while a few had been orphaned shortly after birth. They had never known what it was like to have a loving mother and father. Mandy had been working as the activities coordinator at the orphanage for almost five years, and sadly, some of the kids had been there longer, waiting to age out of the system.
“You can sit with me, Hailey,” one of the little girls said in a shy voice.
“I would love to sit with you, Melissa.”
She took my hand and led me to her seat at the big round table. I sat in the small plastic chair next to her and helped her make a necklace. The kids told me all about what they had been doing in school and who did what around the orphanage.
“All right guys, it’s time to get cleaned up for dinner,” Mandy announced after a good hour of necklace making.
The kids each said their goodbyes. I promised to see them again soon before they filed out of the room, giving Mandy and I a chance to talk. I looked around the activity room, noticing all the subtle signs of Mandy’s creative touch.
“Johnny wasn’t here,” I pointed out.
Mandy smiled. “Nope, he got adopted by a lovely family last week.”
My mouth dropped open. “You’re kidding. That’s amazing!”
She nodded her head. “It was a perfect fit. Not many kids get adopted at ten years old, but they fell in love with him, and he was over the moon. He cried, I cried, everyone cried when he left, but it was tears of joy.”
“I’m so happy for him. I’ll miss him, but I am glad he found his own family.”
“Me too. So, what brings you by?” she asked, getting right to the point.
She knew me well. “Rough day at the shoot.”
She groaned. “Another jerk photographer?”
“Carl.”
She rolled her eyes. Carl had been the subject of my complaining for years. Things had gotten better, but he was still a jerk.
“What’d he do this time?”
I shook my head. “Nothing to me. He was putting one of the new girls through her paces. I hate seeing him treat the new ones that way. They’re so young and impressionable.”
Mandy smiled. “You hate seeing anyone mistreated, no matter who they are. It’s what makes you so special. You have the biggest, kindest heart of anyone I know. I seriously think you were born an angel.”
I always felt weird receiving compliments. I was a model, a successful one at that, but inside, I was still the little girl who loved all creatures and was insecure, no matter how often people told me I was beautiful.
“Thank you,” I mumbled.
“Are you still thinking about getting out of the business?”
“I am.”
“Acting?”
I nodded again. “I want to tell stories—good stories.”
“What if you don’t get the roles you want?”
I shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t mind doing small roles, and I don’t have to make twenty million for each movie. I just want the chance to inspire others through storytelling.”
Mandy laughed. “Twenty million
would be nice, but I understand what you’re saying.”
“For now, I’m still under contract with this ad agency. I’m hoping I’m not going to get fired for standing up to Carl today. When I finished the shoot, there was a voicemail requesting my appearance at the office on Monday for a meeting with some of the executives. If Carl gets me fired, I will seriously be mad.”
“Maybe they like your work. You’ve been working a lot on that campaign, and we’ve all seen the ads. They’re a roaring success.”
I nodded my head. “I hope so. I always get nervous about these things.”
“Don’t borrow trouble. There’s plenty enough to worry about without making things up,” she lectured.
“Anyway, how is Melissa doing? She seemed to be happier today and getting involved.”
Mandy sighed. “She is doing better. It will be a slow recovery for her. She lost her entire family in the blink of an eye.”
I shook my head. When Melissa had shown up at the orphanage a month ago, I happened to be there visiting Mandy. The look of fear and sadness on the girl’s face broke my heart. There was nothing anyone could do to make her pain go away. Mandy assured me she would get plenty of counseling and support.
“Good. That makes me happy to hear as well. I should probably get going. I know your next group will be in soon.”
“Don’t stress about the meeting. You know you’re doing a great job.”
I smiled. “Thanks.”
I left, heading home for a wild Saturday night of Netflix and maybe some wine. I made money on my looks. I had to make sure I got plenty of sleep and ate right especially considering the meeting I had coming up. I was nervous as hell about the whole thing.
Chapter 3
Terran
It was the typical Monday morning with my secretary going over my calendar for the week. As usual, it was packed full of meetings with potential clients and the ad execs in charge of the various clients. It was a lot of balls in the air, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I liked being busy. Busy meant job security for myself and the hundred people I employed.
“You have the meeting with the model for the sportswear company later today. Do you need her file?” Lena asked.
I shook my head. “No.”
The phone rang, and she answered it from my own desk, which felt a little strange, but she would have slapped my hand if I tried to answer my own phone.
“Just a moment please,” she said, pushing a button and returning the phone to its cradle.
“Who is it?” I asked, watching her gather her things.
“Your father’s attorney. He says it’s important.”
I groaned. That couldn’t be good. “Thank you, Lena.”
She stopped at the door and smiled. “Let me know if you need anything,” she said before walking out, closing the door behind her.
“Good afternoon, Bob,” I said, picking up the phone.
“Terran, we need to talk.”
I let out a long sigh. I already knew what he wanted to talk about. It was more pressure about getting married.
“I know about the clause, Bob. I’m still trying to figure out how I want to proceed. You know how I feel about this.”
He cleared his throat. “I was reviewing the will, which as you know, was extremely detailed. Your father had some very specific instructions.”
I chuckled thinking about my dad and his strict adherence to rules. “I know he did, and I understand them.”
“Actually, you don’t. I didn’t know until recently.”
“Know what?” I asked, almost afraid to hear what he would say.
Bob wasn’t the kind of guy to beat around the bush. The fact he was hedging put me on edge. I leaned forward, putting my elbows on my mahogany desk with the phone pressed to my ear.
“This is something I’d like to discuss in person,” he replied. Then I knew for sure it was serious.
“When?” I asked, expecting him to ask me to stop by sometime during the week.
“How about now?”
My stomach did a strange roll and hop as I realized he was extremely serious. “I’ll clear my schedule and be there soon.”
“Thank you,” he said and hung up the phone.
I took a second to collect my thoughts before buzzing Lena. “I need you to clear my schedule for the day please.”
“Excuse me?”
“Clear my schedule.”
“Will you be back at all?”
“No. Reschedule what you can for later in the week. I’ll be here tomorrow.”
“Okay,” she said, sounding hesitant.
I grabbed what I needed and headed out of the office. I had no idea what was happening, but the sense of doom I felt couldn’t be ignored. I could feel change on the horizon. I had no idea if that was a good or bad thing.
I took a cab to Bob’s office, strode through the building that housed Bob’s offices, using every inch of my six-foot, three-inch frame to get me to his secretary faster.
I was asked to wait a moment before being escorted in. Bob was sitting at his desk, his bald head reflecting the light from above as he read a piece of paper. He looked up when I came in, pushed his wire-rimmed glasses up his nose and stood to shake my hand. The much shorter man still had a powerful grip.
“What’s going on?” I asked, sitting across from him without being asked.
He was my father’s oldest friend, and I had known him since I was young. I didn’t feel the need to keep things overly formal.
“Terran, I was rereading your father’s will, making sure everything had been carried out as he asked when I saw a note about an additional clause. Now, I want you to know this is his doing not mine, but I am legally and morally obligated to uphold his demands when it comes to his estate,” the man started.
Then I knew for sure he was about to tell me something that was going to be hard to digest.
“Spill it, Bob.”
“As you know, your father has stipulated you must be married or engaged by your birthday to inherit the estate he left to you.”
I nodded my head. “Old news.”
Bob cleared his throat. “It isn’t just the inheritance you stand to lose. He owned a majority share in your company. If you don’t meet his requirements, he has demanded the company be dissolved with stockholders getting their investments back.
My mouth fell open. “It’s my company!”
Bob shook his head. “Your father was a silent partner. He put up the capital and still owned a majority of the company. I mistakenly believed his shares reverted to you on his death. They have not. You will lose the company and your inheritance if you do not marry within the next six months or be close to marrying by then.”
“Bullshit. I built that company. His investment wasn’t even a fraction of what the company is worth now,” I argued.
“Which will make some shareholders very happy when they get a fat check. Their investment will have proven to be a worthy one.”
I shook my head. “He can’t do this. It’s my company.”
Bob slid a piece of paper across his desk. “I’m sorry. Legally he can, and he has.”
I took the paper and read the fine print that had been added to the will. The man was insisting I get married. How could he want me to be miserable the rest of my life? My dad wasn’t the vindictive type, but I felt as if he was laughing at me from beyond the grave. He was exacting some kind of revenge for something I wasn’t aware had happened.
I dropped the document on the desk. “Bob, I didn’t want this to get ugly, but I have lawyers as well. I can challenge this. I accepted the fact I wouldn’t inherit, but this is crossing a line.”
“You can, and you will lose. You’ll also be losing money it doesn’t look like you can afford to do without, not if you want to keep up your lifestyle,” he snapped.
My playboy ways had always been a point of contention with my father and Bob. They were old-school. My father was convinced I was spoiled and reckless.
“My lifestyle is my business. I’m not doing anything illegal or all that immoral. I’m enjoying the fruits of my labor. I’m not exactly throwing money off a building. I’ve made plenty of investments,” I argued.
Bob raised his eyebrows. “Your investments? If you’re referring to the cars and yacht, those are luxuries that began to lose value the second you signed your name on the paper. It was those investments that led your father to this decision. He wanted to see you spending more time making memories with a family than cavorting with women.”
“I’m not cavorting,” I said, feeling like a little boy being scolded.
He shrugged one shoulder. “You have the choice here. Lose it all to keep up your playboy ways or gain a great deal and gain the love of a good woman by giving up the partying.”
I felt as if I had been hit by a ton of bricks. None of it made sense. I had been trying to decide if I could live without my dad’s inheritance while supporting myself with the small fortune I had made with my company. I had wasted a lot of time and energy thinking about that decision, assuming I had the choice. I didn’t. If he took my company, I was screwed. Everything I had would be gone. I was willing to sacrifice a little, but everything I had ever known—that wasn’t something I could see happening.
“I’m not sure this is legal,” I said again, trying to wrap my head around it all.
Bob shrugged a shoulder. “It is. You can trust me or waste money on a team of lawyers. That’s your choice, but if you fail to meet the terms, I will move to enforce the will. The company will be dissolved. You’ll be paid out for your shares, but that’s it.”
“It’s my company!” I protested.
Bob looked sad as he shook his head. “I’m sorry to have been dragged in the middle of this, but legally, the company was your father’s. He let you run it and be the man at the top, but underneath all the paperwork, it was his. You had to know that.”
Deep down I did know that. It had been mine for so long I guess I assumed it was mine in every way. I felt like a fool. I had let myself fall into this false sense of reality when in truth, I was living in a bubble. That bubble was about to be popped.
“Anything else, Bob?” I asked with an edge to my voice, wanting to get out of the office before he told me any more bad news.
