Trying to Score
Page 149

“I can’t make out with her.”
“And why is that?” Fallon asked. Her nails bit into her palms as she tried to control her breathing.
“Because she isn’t you.”
For the love of God.
“Lucas, not right now.”
Lucas shook his head. “I’m not doing it. I promised I would never kiss anyone but you and I am standing by it.”
Elli let out a little “awww” while Tasha just glared. Fallon was having a hard time breathing because, even though it was the sweetest thing ever and she couldn’t love him more for it, she wished that he would just make out with Tasha! “Lucas, I appreciate you staying true to your word but I really don’t need you to right now. I need you to make out with her. I give you a pass — hell, I’ll kiss you senseless afterwards.”
Lucas shook his head again. “No way. I can’t”
“Sure you can,” Fallon insisted. “It’s quite easy. We do these things all time.”
Tasha crossed her arms in annoyance as Fallon pleaded to Lucas with her eyes. He glanced over at Tasha before looking back at Fallon. “That’s the thing Fallon. I do these things with you. Only you inspire these things from me. I won’t feel right doing them with anyone but you.”
Fallon closed her eyes as she drew in deep breaths. Bless his heart for being the most amazing man in the world but damn it, couldn’t he channel the old Lucas and make out with this chick?
“What’s going on?”
Fallon’s eyes flew open to see her father standing beside Lucas with a nasty look on his face. Fallon ran her hands up her neck, cupping it tightly as she drew in another deep breath. Lucas looked over at William before turning to Fallon. He pulled her hands from her neck and pulled her off to the side.
“I can’t do this, Fal,” he whispered, “What was the other campaign? Did I make out with anyone?”
Fallon shook her head, tears gathering in her eyes. “No, but you were to be pictured drinking.” When her eyes met his, his shoulders fell as his eyes filled with love. “I couldn’t have you pictured doing something that isn’t you anymore. So I rewrote it,” she said in a sad small voice. When her father got wind of this all, her ass would be grass.
Lucas closed his eyes cupping her face. “You don’t know how much that means to me Fallon, and I wish I could do this, but it still wouldn’t be me. There is one woman and only one that my kisses belong to, and that’s you.”
Fallon’s heart filled with love since that was the one thing she had always wanted but not now. Not when she had over a hundred people there working, or her father, or hell, Elli! She looked incompetent and she didn’t want her father to have the satisfaction of watching her fail, but what was she supposed to do? She couldn’t make Lucas do it and she never would because she would never ask him to not be true to her or to himself. If he felt that strongly against kissing Tasha, than she wouldn’t ask him to do it.
“Hey guys, everything okay?”
Fallon looked over to see Elli with a small smile on her face and her hands holding her little belly. Fallon nodded, pushing back the tears as she tried to figure out what she was going to do. Maybe she could call the other models back in, or maybe rewrite the campaign real quick. Something had to be done because the campaign had to be done today. There was too much that was happening that needed the finish product.
Fallon was officially screwed.
“I can’t do it Mrs. Adler,” Lucas said. Fallon glanced up to see Elli smiling at Lucas.
“Well what do we need to do so that you will do it?” she asked, cupping the back of his bicep with her hand, “This has to be done today. There are a lot of things in motion and every single one of them needs this campaign.”
Fallon’s chest seized up and she was sure she was having a panic attack. Even Elli knew the severity of having this campaign done today.
Lucas shook his head before looking down at Elli. “Unless you can make that girl Fallon, then I have no clue.”
Elli glanced over at Fallon and smiled. “Done. Fallon will be your other half, no big deal.”
Whoa, what?
A grin came across Lucas’ face as he looked down at Fallon. “Sounds great to me.”
Fallon’s head whipped to the side. “Um, not to me! And this is a big deal, a huge one! I’m not campaign worthy and we already have a model!”
Elli shrugged her shoulders. “Well not now, but you can be,” Elli turned to where the makeup and wardrobe crew stood. “Hair, makeup! Get Ms. Parker ready, she will be the new model. Ms. McNeal, thank you so much for coming out and you will be reimbursed for your time but we will not be needing you. Mr. Manuel, if you can give us another hour and then we can get started.”
Fallon watched as Elli went into Eleanor Adler mode. Elli was spectacular when she channeled her inner Shea Adler; it was a sight to see. When Manuel threw his hands up in frustration, Fallon actually prayed for his safety. Elli pinned him with a glare before walking towards him, “Problem Mr. Manuel?”
“Yes! I have things to do; I am only supposed to be here for five hours. I’ve been here three and we haven’t even started!”
Elli shrugged her shoulders again. “Ok fine, you will be paid for your time, have a nice day,” she said dismissing him with her hand. “Janet! Call Harper, tell her to bring me out my camera and equipment.”
As everyone stood in complete shock as Elli turned to look back at Fallon. “You gonna get ready? We’re burning sunlight, sugar.”