Free Halfway Perfect by Julie Cross Page A

requires.”
    â€œBitter much?” I say and she smiles at me, her nose wrinkling, and I can’t help but notice the freckles running across the bridge of her nose and spreading outward.
    â€œI was bitter. I’m over it, mostly. I get a flash of it every once in a while, and I have to hold myself back from standing up and giving a big speech.”
    I kind of want to ask her more about what happened and why she bailed when everything had been going so well for her, but part of me doesn’t want to know. I like her like this. Eve, the college girl. The photographer’s assistant.
    â€œHow are you holding up so far?”
    She sits up straighter and smiles again. “You know, it’s actually been pretty awesome. I screwed up a couple of things right off the bat and Janessa doesn’t like people who have their heads up their asses, but she’s also not above listening to my thoughts.”
    â€œOr maybe she listens to you because you’re actually good,” I say. “You have a huge advantage in this setting. You’ve been on both sides—the one taking the direction and now the one giving it.”
    She beams at me and then it fades to a more skeptical look. “I don’t know if I can believe you or not. You could just be sucking up to me because I know all your secrets now.”
    I roll my eyes. “Fine, don’t believe me. But don’t act like you know me or something just because I’m in the tabloids this week.” What I don’t say, though I’m sure she hears it, is you of all people should know better than to make non-fact-based assumptions about people.
    The skin under her freckles turns pink. “Okay, I don’t know you, and I was going to say that I know your type, but that’s totally…”
    â€œHypocritical?” I suggest, then stand up before she can answer. “I should get back to work.”
    Truth is, she probably does know my type, but maybe I don’t want to be my type anymore.

Chapter 9: Eve
    God. I’m such a bitch sometimes. He was probably trying to be nice. It’s just so hard knowing who’s putting all those words in Alex’s mouth and getting him jobs like this one, and to not lump him together with lying agents like Wes and arrogant models like…well, almost all of the ones I’ve met.
    Not that Alex isn’t arrogant. He totally is, and it’s the first thing I noticed about him at the last shoot, but today he seems subdued, like he’s not in his own skin.
    And holy shit. I never expected him to admit to the fake relationship thing. I wasn’t even 100 percent sure until I saw his face. He needs to do a little better if he plans to keep up the story for more than a few days.
    â€œEve?” Janessa calls.
    I scramble to my feet and head over to where Alex and Elana will be shot together for the first time today. Elana looks stunning getting out of the safari jeep parked smack dab in the middle of Columbus Circle in her slim cheetah-print minidress and a green linen safari jacket. Elana was made for these clothes. There’s no denying that a part of me was happy being in the spotlight. It’s intoxicating.
    â€œI’m having trouble getting the positions I want and still have all the clothes showing,” Janessa says to me once I’m beside her. “I’m not used to that being an important factor.”
    I scan the set, looking Alex and Elana over, head to toe. “Do we need shoes in the shot?”
    â€œApparently it’s a must.” Janessa nods toward Jacqueline, the stylist.
    I almost laugh at Janessa’s reaction. I’m sure she thinks that the concept and the angles should be most important. But this is fashion. Shoes are essential.
    â€œI have an idea?” I say like a question because I don’t want to overstep my boundaries.
    She holds her hand out as if to tell me to go ahead. I walk closer to the costars and take