I'll Never Stop, page 5
“Not a damn thing.”
“I got it.” He snapped his fingers. “It’s the chase.”
“What?”
“She doesn’t want you, so you want her.”
“Nah,” I said, but I wasn’t wholly convinced he wasn’t right. I did want her. More specifically, my body did. But she was off-limits, and it was out of the question. “Besides, I don’t mix business with pleasure unless the job calls for it.”
“Just remember what your job is. And don’t let Eliza become a distraction.”
“I won’t,” I promised. “Doesn’t matter anyway. I hate her, and she hates me.”
“Come on, Finn, don’t make me say it.”
“What? That there’s a thin line between love and hate?”
“Exactly. Just don’t cross it, yeah?”
“Don’t fall for Eliza.” I pretended to write it down in an imaginary notebook. “Got it. Got any other sage words of advice, boss?” I asked.
“Yeah, get out of here, and don’t let the door slam you on the way out.” He threw a Post-it at me.
“Nice talk. So glad we’re friends,” I teased.
“Yeah, yeah, just watch out and be careful,” he said. He always said it—as a boss and as a friend.
“Thanks, talk soon.” I walked out. “Don’t fall for Eliza,” I repeated with a shake of my head. “No chance of that.”
Eliza
“DO YOU MIND?” I looked over at Finn as his arm brushed against mine.
“Sorry, princess.” He rolled his eyes. “Not my fault this table is so small.”
“Sure, blame it on the table and not the hulk sitting at it,” I said with my own eye roll.
“You do realize you just admitted you have checked me out, right?”
“You wish, asshole. I haven’t checked out your body. I’ve seen it. Big difference.”
“Yeah, one admits you’ve stared at it; the other hides the fact.”
“Ugh,” I said. “Your ego knows no bounds.”
“Nah, you’re just unintentionally good at stroking it. Speaking of stroking, though…” He let the rest of the sentence trail off, but the innuendo was louder without words.
“What are you doing here anyway?” I asked.
“I’m your bodyguard. I go where you go.”
“Dorian will be here any minute, and he can handle things. Why don’t you go take a break, grab some food, work out, drink raw eggs, scream at puppies, or whatever it is you do in your free time.”
“Ouch, princess. A little much even for you, no?”
“Whatever,” I said. “You get the point.”
“I am hungry.” He shrugged. “Might as well eat here.”
I needed to talk some logistics with Dorian about the upcoming charity event. Not only was I the face of the charity but I was also providing financial and physical assistance. Call it the vulnerable teen in me, the underdog…whatever it was, seeing kids light up when they got something as simple as a new coat made me feel like I was beating guys like Finn and his high school crew. I’d been involved with a number of charities over the years, and yeah, they were mostly all related to underprivileged kids.
The only time Dorian and I were free to meet today was at lunch, so naturally, we made it a lunch meeting. Why not, right?
Finn had been there for every meeting I’d had, and yes, we’d eaten together too, but not like this. Not an actual sit-down and definitely not right next to each other. The times we’d eaten had been quick, for sustenance, or even in the car.
Before Finn, Dorian had been my unofficial bodyguard whenever he was around, so I honestly didn’t see why Finn had to be so close. Okay, fine, I admit it. His physical proximity bothered me. He’d been even closer during the photo shoot, but I had justified that as literally for work, that he had to be all up in my business. But right now? No, he didn’t have to. He could easily “watch over me” from another table. He could also just disappear for a bit and let Dorian take over. But Finn was right; his job wasn’t to hand over his duties to Dorian. But as I said, why did he have to be right next to me?
I’d understand if Dorian was a hot chick, then maybe Finn would want to be nearby. Or if we were at least talking about something on his radar. But we were going to talk about how much I could reasonably donate, the best way to do it—monetary vs. physical items, along with my scheduling and such.
“There are other places to get food, you know. Places more comfortable.” I purposely jabbed my elbow into his too-close arm.
“Damn, princess, you’re vicious. Lucky for me, I have arms of steel.” He smirked.
“Why bother? This place looks good. It’ll be on you. And besides, this way I get to spend even more time with your lovely disposition.” He winked.
“You’re so annoying,” I said.
“Don’t think I’ve ever been called that before,” he answered right as Dorian came by.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said as I got up and hugged him. He stuck out his hand to shake Finn’s. They’d met once in passing already. “Good to see you again, Finn,” he said.
“Likewise,” Finn responded,
“You’ve been taking good care of our girl here?” Dorian asked.
“She’s been a handful, but nothing I couldn’t handle.”
Dorian barked out a laugh. “Sounds about right. But she’s also the nicest one of the bunch,” Dorian told him. “Heart of gold.”
I blushed at his compliment just as Finn turned to look at me, an eyebrow raised as if he didn’t believe me.
“What?” I asked innocently. “I told you it was only you.”
He just shook his head.
“Did you order yet?” Dorian asked.
“Not yet. We were waiting for you.”
“Ah, sorry,” he said as he called for the waiter.
Dorian ordered a salmon dish, Finn wanted a heart-attack-waiting-to-happen burger, and I got a chicken pasta dish. When I ordered, I could feel Finn’s eyes on me, so I turned to him after. “You’re staring,” I said.
“Aren’t you model types supposed to only eat lettuce and whatnot?” he asked. I heard Dorian chuckle.
“You’ve seen me eat already,” I pointed out. “Have I been eating lettuce?”
“No, but everything you’ve had has been healthy. Bowls, sandwiches, things like that.”
“And they’ve all had plenty of carbs,” I said. “But honestly, they’ve just been easy and quick meals. I like food, Finn. Do I try to make sure I eat healthy in general? Yeah. But that’s because it’s good for you. I don’t want to deprive myself of the things I like. I just make sure to work out and eat in moderation. Plus, I got super lucky with my metabolism. Knock on wood,” I said as I knocked on the table.
“Did you just knock on wood and say it?” he asked.
“Better safe than sorry,” I replied with a shrug.
He laughed. “Damn, princess, life with you is definitely not boring.”
“Princess?” Dorian asked, interrupting us with a wide smile on his face.
“Don’t ask,” I said, holding up my hand.
He chuckled in response. “Alright, Eliza, let’s get down to business now that you two are done with the foreplay.”
“Shut it,” I said. Dorian just smiled wider. Finn laughed beside me.
But a moment later, we started talking about the logistics of the charity.
And freaking Finn wouldn’t shut up. He had a question about everything. Wanted to know all the details and whatnot. And he got into the conversation too. He would lean in when he waited for an answer, and I saw his eyes sparkle many times. If I liked the asshole, I’d find his interest endearing. I might even give him credit for caring about underprivileged kids. But this was Finn, so he didn’t get any credit. Just my full annoyance with his never-ending questions.
Boy was more curious than a toddler.
I guessed boys truly never did grow up.
And I was stuck with this boy.
Finn
IT HAD BEEN almost two weeks with Eliza, and I could tell you it was one wild ride. The girl had more ups and downs than a roller coaster. One minute, she would be bitching me out, and the next, she’d turn into a stone as she worked.
And she worked hard, I’d give her that.
I honestly didn’t know what went into being a model. Like most, I was sure, I believed she lived a charmed and glamorous life—taking a few pictures, going to parties, drinking, dancing, having fun. And plenty of people probably did that. And maybe there would come a day I’d witness Eliza let loose too but so far, nothing. The girl was a workhorse. Shit, she almost put me to shame.
She ran from the meeting to shoot the charity event to the interview, then the cycle continued. And she always found time to greet her fans.
Some days were shorter, some were longer, but I could tell she was exhausted after each day.
We’d end each day in a similar manner, with me dropping her off at home and reminding her to let me know if she needed to head out. Naturally, I’d come back to take her wherever she needed to go, but she hadn’t called so far.
I didn’t believe it. I had a feeling she was jetting off to wherever and just not telling me. So, a couple of days ago, I questioned her.
“What are your evenings like?” I asked, being subtle of course.
“Why do you want to know?” she asked, her tone a bit defensive. My suspicions immediately rose.
“Because I find it hard to believe you stay in every night,” I admitted. I figured honesty was the best policy. Plus, I had a feeling it would throw her off.
“You’ve seen my days. They’re hectic and draining. I don’t have the energy to go or do anything. Most of the time, I even have my groceries delivered.” It made sense, but I still wasn’t buying it.
“You expect me to believe you don’t go out? You, one of the biggest models out there…don’t get invites to exclusive parties or whatever it is your types do?”
“My type?” she asked, her voice rising, the anger apparent. Fuck if I didn’t like it when she got a little heated. “And what exactly does that mean?”
“It means a Hollywood princess, princess.”
“Fuck you, Finn. I work my ass off to be where I am. I’m not a spoiled diva, and I resent that you think that of me.”
“You forget that you took one look at me and deemed me unworthy of being in your presence,” I reminded her.
“If only it were that simple,” she said.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I asked, getting angry. Shit, I was pretty good at keeping my emotions in check or, rather, not having feelings. I was trained for that. But something about Eliza made everything I knew go right out the window.
“For your information, asshole, I get invited to plenty of events, and yes, I have many opportunities to go out and party,” she said, ignoring my question. “And once in a while, I do. I’m human too. I need friends sometimes and to let loose. So sue me if that’s a crime. But yeah, on the regular, I just don’t have the energy for that. And…if you don’t believe me? I truly don’t give a shit.”
“Yeah, well, I do. My job is to ensure you’re accompanied whenever you go out. I could get in a lot of trouble if I’m not.”
“I know,” she said, her anger a little less palpable as though she understood where I was coming from. Truth be told, I didn’t give a damn about her going out with regard to my guarding her. I used that as an excuse. “I’d call you if I needed to go somewhere.” I raised my eyebrow in disbelief. “You know what, whatever. I don’t care if you believe me or not. Put a damn tracker on me if you need to, but I’m telling the truth. Now, this conversation is over.”
I didn’t put a tracker on her because I didn’t need to, but she gave me a good idea. I used her phone’s GPS to see her whereabouts for the past week. A girl like her didn’t go anywhere without her phone. And sure enough, she’d been right. She was home. After that, I might have felt a bit like an asshole, but could you blame me? What were the odds I was watching the one model who didn’t take advantage of her status?
Now I was waiting in line to grab us a quick bite to eat between shoots. It was the first time since I started that Eliza had back-to-back shoots. I was actually surprised she was going to eat before being on camera. I might have even made a comment under my breath about it.
“Should I starve, then?” she answered before sighing. “Right or wrong, these photos are always photoshopped, so even if I have a full stomach, it won’t show up in the final pictures anyway. I work out every night to make sure I can eat what I want,” she added.
I knew that. She had a home gym, and I knew she worked out at night because she’d mentioned it once before. I’d asked her about a personal trainer, and she said she used to have one, but her schedule was always so up and down that she constantly felt bad about having to reschedule or cancel. “I pay for an online service, and I just log in when I can, follow along, and switch it up when I feel like I’m not breaking a sweat anymore,” she told me. The more I learned about her, the more it truly seemed that she was only a grade A bitch to me.
Eliza had gotten stuck on a call when we made it to the restaurant, so she told me what to get her, and I walked in. Bad timing, though, because the line for the to-go orders was long. I felt her walk in before I saw her. I didn’t know how she managed to make it through the restaurant without attracting attention. Forget the fact she was a famous face, but she looked like every guys’ dream and every girls’ envy as she strutted in. Lunch rush…people had their heads in their plates.
She walked past me as if I didn’t exist. I was annoyed, of course, and a little ticked off. She walked up to one guy who was near a register but didn’t seem to be taking orders or getting payments.
“Sir,” she said sweetly. He turned, took one look at her, and I could see him fall in love at first sight, or at least in lust.
“How can I help you?” he asked, ignoring everyone else in line.
“I couldn’t help but notice a group of what appear to be soldiers sitting and eating lunch in the dining area.” I’d seen some guys in their uniforms. It was not unheard of to see them around but not commonplace either.
The guy looked over her shoulder, scanning the room until he found them, and nodded when he did. “What about them?” he asked.
“I want to pay for their lunch. Send them some desserts too. Add the tip on here as well,” she said, handing him a card. “And whatever you do, don’t tell them who did it.”
“Uh, what?” he asked, stuttering.
“The least I can do to show them my thanks for protecting our country is to pay for their meal.”
“Don’t you want them to know that Eliza Smith paid for them?” So the guy knew who she was. I wasn’t sure if he just found her hot like most of us did, but kudos to him for playing it somewhat cool. Keyword being “somewhat.”
“Isn’t it good PR or something for you?” he asked.
She looked at him like he was an alien. “You think I want to pay for their lunch because it makes me look good?” she asked incredulously. “I’m paying because they deserve so much from us, from the people they put themselves in danger for on a daily basis. I just want to say thanks, and I don’t want it to become a circus. So, yeah, that’s a big giant no on telling them who paid. And if I hear about this on social media, I’ll know it was you, and I’ll be very disappointed in you,” she said, turning her voice sugary sweet.
I almost felt bad for the guy who suddenly had stars in his eyes. Almost.
After the transaction was over, she thanked him, even hugged him, and walked toward me.
“What?” she asked as I looked at her.
I shook my head. “Every day, you find a way to amaze me. Usually, it’s in a…how do I put this? A not so good way, but today…today, you were something else.”
“Just doing my civic duty,” she said with a shrug.
“Not everyone would do that.”
She opened her mouth to protest again, but we were called to the front of the line, so the conversation was over. But my thoughts on what she did weren’t. In fact, my thoughts were on the fact that Eliza challenged my initial impression of her on a daily basis. She showed me two different people. And I wasn’t sure which one was the real Eliza.
Eliza
WORKING WITH FINN hadn’t been so bad…if you forgot about the fact he was my sworn enemy. There were actually plenty of times it was easy to forget. Mostly because of my busy schedule. It was hard to find time to hate someone if you barely had time for yourself, let alone the energy to spend on someone else.
Why was my schedule so busy? You’d be surprised at how much work it takes to be a model. But even so, most others had plenty of downtime. So why didn’t I? Well, when I was first starting out, I was so enamored with it all that I made myself readily available.
Someone asked for charity pictures. Sure. Someone wanted me to make an appearance at an event. Why not? They needed me to come back and reshoot something. Of course. Come to a meeting with execs that my manager could easily do on my behalf. I’ll be there. You get the point. And somehow, it just stuck. I actually liked it. It was exhausting, sure, but it made the days go by.
I didn’t really have friends in this industry. I had people I hung out with and people I could call if I needed help, but for the most part, they were either busy themselves with work or partying, and I wasn’t much of one. I had Anna and Sam, but they didn’t live nearby. Working extra also helped the time pass by so I wouldn’t feel so lonely.
But there were plenty of moments while rushing around when Finn would say something to trigger a verbal sparring contest between us. And of course, it was always Finn’s initiation. It was never mine. Okay, fine, it was sometimes mine. Okay, jeez, fifty-fifty. There. Happy?
Or he’d make a gesture that reminded me of him as a teen, taking me back to high school when I was being laughed at by the asshole and his crew.
In other words, I still wasn’t happy to be working with Finn.
If you thought I—or Anna and Sam, for that matter—forgot about figuring out how to get Finn to quit on his own, you’d be wrong. The problem was that we were clearly shitty at this game. It had been weeks…no, wait, it was almost a month…holy shit, have I really had Finn as my bodyguard for almost a month? My goodness, it was. I deserved a medal for surviving an entire month and not killing him, that was for damn sure.
