Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
Indigo punched the bag in front of her, imagining it was Wilt Thurston’s face instead of a leather bag filled with sand and other textiles.
It had been two days since she first laid eyes on him, and thinking about him still riled her up.
The hotel’s gym had seemed like the right place to deal with her annoyance.
His emails to her about the trip had been curt and to the point. She conceded he had that sexy nerd vibe going on, so maybe his people skills weren’t anything to write home about. They certainly hadn’t been stellar during their brief conversation the other day.
“Okay, enough. I’m not the one being punched, but I’m going to be covered in bruises holding this bag for you.” Zara’s head popped around the side of it, a huge grin on her face. “Do you feel better now?”
Indigo laid one more punch, before dropping her arms, her breath coming out in loud, harsh gasps. “I do, thank you.”
“Want to tell me what’s going on? Why you’re so angry? You’ve been off kilter since we left Power Security’s office days ago. Have you started getting messages again?” Zara came up to stand beside her, concern lighting her green eyes.
A shudder coursed through Indigo at the mention of a scary time in her career.
For a few months the previous year, she’d received numerous taunting DMs on her social media, along with weird packages being sent to Zara’s office.
Things had taken a turn for the worse when harmful threats were made against her and Zara.
The police had gotten involved and had found the person responsible.
He’d gotten obsessed with Indigo after seeing her walk in a fashion show, and had decided they were soulmates and destined to be together forever.
As she’d never met or even spoken to the guy, the feelings had been one-sided.
Fortunately, he was now getting the treatment he needed, and she’d received no messages or parcels since he’d been caught and charged.
Indigo stepped back, shaking her arms to release the tension in them. She swiped her arm across her forehead. “No, I’ve not received any messages or anything. It’s just…”
Why was she letting Wilt get to her?
They had to spend a grand total of four weeks together. After that he’d go back to doing whatever he did, and so would she. Zara probably already had another job lined up. Or at least was putting feelers out to get her another gig.
“Just what? You know you can tell me anything.”
“I know.” She looked at her friend, the one whose dream it was to also be a model, but things hadn’t turned out that way for her, and it had been Indigo who’d had the success Zara had wanted.
But she’d found her calling as an agent, and along with Indigo, had amassed a number of people to represent and had built a successful agency.
Did Indigo get special treatment because she was Zara’s friend and first client?
On occasion, but it wasn’t as though Zara ignored the other people she represented. She just didn’t spend time outside of working hours with them like she did with Indigo.
“Have I ever told you how much I appreciate all you do, and how much I love you?” There were times, like now, when guilt walked alongside Indigo.
“And how many times have I told you not to feel guilty?”
Of course, Zara picked up on what she was feeling. That was how close they were. “A lot, but still, I meant what I said.”
Zara grabbed her hands and squeezed them.
“I know you do, and I love you back. You know I’m happy doing what I’m doing.
If I’m truthful, I’m glad things didn’t work out the way I wanted them to.
I still get to go to fabulous places and do amazing things, but I don’t have to watch what I eat or drink.
Nor do I have to worry how I’m perceived in mainstream media. ”
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Indigo laughed. She didn’t go out much and preferred the tranquility of her apartment in Sydney, so she didn’t have to worry too much about getting in the crosshairs of the media.
“You may have tried to put me off, but you know you never succeed. Tell me, what’s going on? Why you were hitting that bag as if it had insulted you continually?”
Her friend was too smart not to know, or see a topic diversion, no matter how subtle Indigo tried to be. “I had words with my security detail before we left the office the other day.”
“The hottie with the searing blue eyes?”
Indigo had tried to forget how beautiful Wilt’s eyes were. Not to mention how handsome he was when he wore his glasses. And when he didn’t have them on. It was criminal that he could look so good both ways.
She shook her head to try and dislodge the image of him from her mind. “That’s the one,” she said instead, and held her hands out so Zara could untie her boxing gloves.
“He didn’t say much during the meeting, but most of those guys don’t. They take their job of melting into the background seriously. I wouldn’t worry about it.” Zara pulled the gloves off and dropped them to the ground.
“I know, and it’s not like I need to get along with my security detail, but this job feels different. Which is silly to say.”
“Not really, it is different. We’re talking expensive pieces of jewelry.
The hype around this collection is insane.
Jeffrey’s first one in years. I don’t know how anyone can afford his pieces, but obviously there’s a market for it.
” Zara pulled out her phone and tapped away at the screen before holding it out.
“Did you see some of these designs? They’re breathtaking. ”
The image was of a necklace with a large yellow diamond set in platinum.
What was so beautiful about it was that it wasn’t suspended from a simple gold chain, instead, diamond flowers trailed up and disappeared behind the model’s neck.
The piece should’ve looked gaudy with all the stones in it, but it looked elegant and tasteful.
And she was going to wear stunning pieces like that.
She was going to be the face of Jeffrey Courteux’s comeback collection, a huge addition to her already impressive resumé.
If he did any more collections, she would love to be considered as the one to model them for him.
She and Zara had discussed the idea, and her agent would approach Jeffrey and Greta while they were working.
It was one of the reasons that Zara was with her on this trip.
The other was her friend needed a break, she’d worked non-stop for so long.
Zara also had to let her staff know she could trust them to handle things if they went a little haywire while she wasn’t there to oversee it all.
Indigo understood letting go of control wasn’t easy for Zara, but this was a start.
“He really is talented, and he also designs jewelry that the everyday consumer can buy. I heard he sells them exclusively for the tourist shops in Broome.” Indigo couldn’t wait until they got there.
Broome was located up the north coast of Western Australia and he was excited to take a tour of a pearl farm.
Not to mention, spend time at the luxurious resorts the region was known for.
She would also love to be an ambassador for that brand too.
She may have access to designer clothes and accessories, but she also remembered her humble beginnings when money was tight and she had to go to thrift shops to get outfits for school dances.
Broome was their last stop, and after the photoshoot was over, she was taking another week to relax at the resort and do nothing but sleep and walk along the beach.
An image of someone with bright blue eyes, holding her hand as they walked together across the soft sand flashed in her mind, and she slammed the door on it.
That was never happening.
It would be lucky if Wilt even smiled at her the whole time they were together, let alone hold her hand and walk along a beach with her.
“I had heard that,” Zara said. “Also, did you know that he met his wife up there, and she had no idea who he was?”
“I didn’t know that. But that must have been nice for him to meet someone who didn’t want anything from him. Or only wanted to get to know him because of who he was and what he could do for them.” It was hard to keep the bitterness out of her voice.
Being in the limelight as much as she was and having such a recognizable face, made having relationships difficult. There were men who were threatened by her success, and others who only wanted her for what she could give them.
One day, though, she would find someone who would love her for her true self, and not the model they saw plastered everywhere.
The sun was just peeking over the horizon when Indigo stepped out of the car at the ferry terminal.
There were people milling about, chatting excitedly about their trip. There was a slight breeze, and she closed her eyes and lifted her face toward it. There was nothing like feeling fresh air on her skin.
Today was the first day of her tour around Western Australia.
They were heading over to Rottnest Island, and she hoped she could get a selfie with a quokka, like she’d seen so many famous people do.
The little creatures always looked so carefree and happy in the photos.
It seemed impossible that they actually smiled, but the pictures would suggest otherwise.
Her phone rang, and she pulled it out seeing Zara’s name on the screen.
She wasn’t joining them on this portion of the trip after all, and she was very disappointed she couldn’t get a selfie either.
Unfortunately, one of her clients wasn’t as good as Indigo in keeping themself out of trouble, and she had to fly back to Sydney to try and sort it out.
One of her staff had tried to deal with it, but the starlet was being difficult and only wanted Zara to fix it.
Perhaps Zara was right when she’d said that taking a break would be impossible for her.
“Where are you?” Zara clipped out before Indigo could even say hello.
“I’m at the ferry terminal.” Indigo looked around, surprised she couldn’t see any of the crew and especially her security detail.
Wilt had called to tell her he would meet her in the morning at her hotel to take her to where they were catching the boat to the island. But that was the last thing she wanted.
Wilt hadn’t been happy when she told him she could make her own way.
He’d argued, and she’d argued right back, until eventually she’d gotten her way.
Somehow Indigo didn’t think there would be many more times he’d give in like he had.
She could tell he wasn’t happy, but this alone time was important to her.
“Which one?” Zara’s sharp request pulled her from her thoughts.
“The one where all the Rottnest ferries leave from in Fremantle.”
Zara’s heavy sigh sounded down the line. “You told Wilt you’d make your own way there, didn’t you?”
“It’s not like this is a surprise, you know I like some quiet time to myself before I begin a shoot this big. It helps me get focused on the task at hand before all the chaos starts.”
“I know that, and ordinarily it’s not a problem because we’ve already been to the fashion house where the shoots are taking place.
Or it’s on a beach on an island and there aren’t many places to go.
But this is different. You’re not taking the general ferry.
Jeffrey has a boat which is transporting you to the island.
Didn’t you review the itinerary Wilt sent you? ”
“I did.” She may have not given it a good study, but she had looked at it. “I told the hotel’s driver that I needed to catch the Rottnest ferry and he brought me here.”
“Fine, stay where you are. I’ve got your location and I’ll send it to Wilt so he can come and get you. And Indigo?”
Indigo could picture Zara pinching the bridge of her nose when she was stressed. Considering the fires she had to put out, she shouldn’t be causing her friend even more worry. “Yes?”
“I know you’ve got an issue with Wilt, but please do as he says. Power Security are a reputable agency. Jeffrey Courteux wouldn’t otherwise have insisted they be the ones to take on this job. He trusts them, and so can you.”
Indigo inhaled deeply and released it. “I know. I’m sorry. I promise I won’t give you any reason to worry about me. I’ll do what Wilt says.” She almost choked on the words, because she had a feeling after this debacle, he was going to be anything but happy with her.
“I know, and it’s fine. I should’ve checked in with you before you left.”
“No, you don’t need to micromanage me, I should know better.
I’ve been doing this for long enough, and I need to let whatever I’m feeling about Wilt not interfere with this job.
It’s a huge opportunity, not just this campaign, but future ones.
” Shame filled Indigo that she’d allowed her personal emotions toward Wilt to color her judgment and professionalism.
“I should be the one client you don’t have to worry about, Za. ”
“You are. I’ve got to go. Call me later on and let me know how today went.”
“I will. And don’t worry, I’ll deal with the fallout from this with Jeffrey and the others.”
They said their goodbyes, and she popped her phone back in her bag. Making the client and everyone else wait on the first day of a photoshoot wasn’t a good impression.
She would do everything in her power to ensure that no one regretted contracting her for this job.