Page 9 of One Last Time
He smiles as he rubs his hands together, I swear the man gets excited at the prospect of money. “It’s happening in Hawaii. We’ll leave here on Thursday afternoon, by the time we arrive in Hawaii, it’ll be Friday. We’ll spend the weekend there, and then you’ll return home to Portland on Monday.”
“Who is it?” I wonder, usually, it’s smaller fashion houses that have been hiring me. But the glee in Jerald’s eyes tells me that it’s something more than that. “Jerald?”
“Pay, it’s Bennato fashion.” My breath hitches at his words. He can’t be serious?
Everyone in the fashion industry knows that Isabella Bennato learned everything about fashion from her mom, Angelina Serafini. The ultimate fashion icon. Serafini fashion house is the most prestigious fashion house in the entire world.
“She wants you for your first solo shoot. She’s renting out a beachfront house for you to stay in while you’re in Hawaii, all expenses paid for. Plus your fee; she’s practically tripled it.” The smile he’s wearing is contagious, “You do this, Pay, and you impress her. This could open some doors for you.”
A plan starts forming in my head, “I’ll do it. Is there any chance that I could rent out the property we’ll be staying in for an extra week afterward?”
Jerald smiles, he’s come to know me really well in the past four months. “Of course, I’ll call Isabella’s people and see what I can set up. But Pay, if not that one, I’ll find one for you and have your family flown out to spend the week with you.” He turns on his heel, his cell phone already at his ear as he waits for Isabella Bennato’s people to answer.
I reach for a slice of pizza just as Harriet knocks shoulders with me. “You’re a sweetheart, Payton. Your parents would be so proud of you.”
I feel my cheeks heating. “Thank you,” I whisper.
Harriet and I eat and talk about what’s going to happen when I’m finished with my schooling. I’m thinking about taking college courses, all online. I’m not sure yet what I’d major in, but I think Dahlia was right when she told me modeling wouldn’t last forever. I want to have something that I love that I can fall back into when the time comes.
“Well,” Jerald says, walking back into the room. “Isabella herself spoke to me, she’s excited to meet you and has offered you the beach house for the full week after the photoshoot for free. Her treat for booking you on such short notice. She’s also sending us her private jet to pick us up when we finish this shoot.”
I stare at him, stunned. I can’t believe this. “Pinch me.” I gasp. “Ow,” I say, rubbing my arm and glare at a smiling Harriet, who just shrugs.
I don’t think I’ve seen Jerald as happy as he is right now. “You’re going to make me rich, Pay.”
I roll my eyes, damn, the man’s dramatic as hell.
“It may have been one of the shittiest days of your life, but it could also have been the best.” Jerald muses as he takes a seat on the sofa while reaching for a slice of pizza. “It’s good to see you looking better. You’re a good girl, and he’s an ass for doing what he did. You’ll find someone who’ll love you like you deserve. But not yet. Maybe when you’re thirty.”
I throw my head back and laugh, Jerald has taken on the fatherly role in my life. He’s extremely protective of me and ensures that I’m in secure locations whenever I’m away from home. “Whatever you say, Jer,”
He grins like a loon. “That’s right. Don’t forget it.”
I glance at Harriet who’s trying her best not to laugh, and I relax even more. I’m actually okay, I don’t need to have Silas in my life to survive or succeed. All I need is people who love and care about me, and I’m happy.
CHAPTER 5
Silas
Ithrow open the door and slide out of the car. I need a fucking drink, today couldn’t have gone any worse. Nothing has been resolved, and I’m angrier than I have ever been. Yet, I know that what’s happened has torn us apart, and there’s nothing I can do to fix that.
I storm into the house and stalk toward the kitchen, my gaze directed at the bottle of whiskey that’s on the countertop. It’s as though someone knew that I needed it.
“Silas…” Caston says, and I glance at him, the anger in my body still simmering. “What the fuck happened?”
“A fucking shit show.” It’s the only way that I can think of what happened. “She wasn’t even there.” I pour myself a drink and down it in one, loving the burn as it slides down my throat.
He frowns, “What the hell? Isn’t it a fucking school day?” I would laugh at the protectiveness in his voice. He’s never met Payton before, but he knows everything about her.
“Yeah.” That’s why I went, I was fucking positive that she’d be there. She wasn’t. “I ended up speaking to her aunt.” I pour another glass, and that’s when Caston moves, he takes the bottle from my hand. “Fuck,” I growl as I down the glass of whiskey.
“What?” I hear the worry in his voice.
“She did come here that day.” His eyes widen. “She walked in while that bitch Julia was trying to come on to me. I pushed her away, but from what Payton’s aunt says, what Pay saw was bad, and she believes that I was cheating on her.”
“Fucking hell,” he whispers, and I nod. “What are you going to do?”
I sigh, “I’ve no idea. She’s changed her cell number, she’s hardly home according to Tyler.” Right now, I’m fucking pissed, my girl believes I’ve cheated on her, and there’s no way that I can change her mind about that as I have no way of contacting her.