Page 7 of Second Chance Baby

Fighting a hell of a case of nerves, more like it. Though a headache would probably arrive soon enough. Stress headaches were part of my life now.

I’d grown tired of modeling. Tired of being a pretty rack for clothes and not much else. I didn’t want to spend my life having to count calories or making sure my hair was perfect.

I wanted to live. Desperately.

Actually, I wanted a second chance at the life I’d thrown away from fear. Pure and simple. Thinking it would be even worse if I messed up so badly that Travis grew to resent getting tied down with his childhood girlfriend.

“Oh, want some Advil?” Drake lowered his voice with a glance over his shoulder. “Or something stronger?”

“Nope, I’m good.” I didn’t have any clue what the stronger drug was he was offering me, as I’d never taken him up on it. Or takenanyoneup on that offer.

My fellow models were always taking uppers and God knew what else. Diet pills, or more accurately, the newest weight loss shots on the market.

Something else I didn’t want any part of.

My weight was yet another thing I couldn’t control lately. Truthfully, I hadn’t bothered. Mostly, I was enjoying my curvier body.

I’d expected my agent, Elaine, to get down on me about it, but she’d loved my new shape, much to my surprise. Said curves were in.

Good thing, since mine seemed to have a will of their own just recently.

“You’re all set, Miss Sheppard.” The makeup artist gave me sunny smile.

“Thanks.” I stood and followed Drake into the main space where we’d be doing the shoot. My gaze shot to the wide, impressively huge bed.

One I’d be sharing with Travis.

“Are you sure I can’t get you something? Water?” Drake stroked a hand down my arm, jerking me out of my thoughts. “Maybe a juice or some coffee? Or anything else you’d like,” he added, trailing off meaningfully.

“No, I’m fine, thanks.” My smile turned cool. Drake was a nice guy, but he’d made it clear he had no problem mixing business with pleasure, if I was interested.

Which I abjectly was not.

“You sure? I can get you whatever you’d like?—”

“I believe the lady said no.”

I shut my eyes. God, that voice. It lived in my dreams and now he sounded even raspier. Older and sexier somehow, though that didn’t seem possible. I’d last seen him in the spring, and he’d been devastating enough.

The guy already starred in every one of my fantasies though I hadn’t touched him in years. But I remembered everything far too well.

Forcing my eyes open, I locked on Travis’s impossibly blue eyes. “Thanks,” I said in an undertone, clearing my throat as I shifted my focus to the older, dark-haired man behind him, Travis’s older brother. “Hey, Penn. Been a while.”

He also cleared his throat before shoving his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. “Hey, Bridget. You look good.” At Travis’s low growl, he smiled faintly and changed tacks. “I mean, good to see you.”

I had to laugh. They’d always been competitive in the funniest ways. Probably part and parcel of having more brothers than pairs of shoes.

“Good to see you too. How’ve you been?”

“Same old, same old.” He glanced around the room. “Can’t say I’ve ever been at this kind of photoshoot. My headshots were done in a cave.”

I couldn’t help the laugh. “Gotta match the dark stuff you write, huh?”

Surprise spread across his face as his eyebrows shot up. “Yeah. Keeping tabs on me, Bridge?”

I shrugged. He didn’t need to know I’d made sure to preorder every volume of his very long series, gobbling down the latest book as each was released. But I had to play it cool. I didn’t want to seem like a stalker.

Even if I kind of was when it came to Travis and his family.