Page 78 of Taming I Do
I changed, then spent the next two hours pursing my lips, thrusting out my hips, and letting Stella and Franco move my arms and legs into a variety of poses.
While Franco reviewed the shots, I took the opportunity to grab a bottle of water and check in on Jasper. “How are you holding up?”
“I had no idea getting a picture for an ad could take this long. Isn’t it just one shot?”
“You should see what happens when we’re doing press for a pageant.” I slid a straw into my bottle of water so I could take a sip without messing up my makeup. “If there’s something else you need to do, you don’t have to stick around.”
Jasper stood from where he’d been leaning up against the table. “I told Lacey I wouldn’t let you out of my sight. I guess you’re stuck with me.”
I could think of a million things that would be much worse but couldn’t come up with a single thing that would be better than having Jasper by my side.
“If you think it’s been rough up to this point, just wait. He’s barely getting going. We’ve had some sessions that have lasted fourteen, fifteen hours.” I dabbed at my cheeks and forehead with one of the blotting paper samples Stella had brought.
Jasper took a swallow from his own bottle of water. “Do you like it?”
“What?”
“I don’t know. Getting your picture taken? Wearing a couple of inches of makeup on your face?”
I set my bottle back on the table. No one had ever asked me how I felt about modeling or being photographed before. It was just one of those things that was expected. If you were into the pageant scene, you knew you’d have to sit for photos and subject yourself to all the prep work that went along with it.
“Ready for you again, D.” Franco snapped his fingers.
I immediately startled. “I’ve got to get back. We’ll probably be at this for a few more hours. Are you sure you want to stick around?”
“Where you go, I go.” He flipped a chair around, then straddled it, leaning an elbow on the back and resting his chin in his hands.
“You don’t have to look so excited about it. I’d hate for you to be bored all evening. Want me to see if Franco wants to get a few shots of you?” I flashed him a teasing smile.
“Hell no.” He took a playful swat at my backside as I moved away.
Franco had me pose, pout, and posture until my cheeks ached from smiling. Then he had me do some serious shots as well. It was after ten when he finally decided he had enough. Jasper helped break down the equipment and pack it into the back of Franco’s SUV. Not even Stella had the energy left in her to argue about anything.
When we were done, Jasper carried my bag out to the truck. Stella said she was too tired to be sad, so I appeared to have the night off from trying to make my mother feel better about herself.
I climbed into the front seat of Jasper’s truck and tried to keep my eyes open for the relatively short drive back to Taylor Grove.
“When do we get to see the pictures?” Jasper asked.
“I probably won’t see them until they’re edited and Stella has the marketing company place them somewhere.” I’d outgrown the excitement of seeing my picture on a page a long time ago.
“Why do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“You can’t tell me you enjoyed that.”
I pressed my back against the door. “It’s complicated.”
“What’s complicated?”
“It’s just not as simple as whether I enjoy it or not. Sometimes you have to do things because they’re part of your job description. I bet you don’t always enjoy the work you have to do around the orchard.” I studied him in the dim light from the dash.
His jaw set in a firm line. “No, but I enjoy knowing that the work I do is for a greater good.”
“So is this. We’re going to be able to donate a portion of the proceeds to the nonprofit group Monique started. I might not like having my picture taken for ten hours straight, but if the end goal is to raise money to help other girls so they don’t have to go through the same things I did when I was their age, then it’s worth it to me.”
“How much of the proceeds are going to the cause?” Jasper glanced over at me.
