Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
ELENA
W e spent every night this week at Hudson's house. It was a nice reprieve because the photo shoot was this weekend, and I didn't feel prepared for it. The first part of it was supposed to be on the beach, but the wind was kicking up, and the sun was playing peekaboo behind the clouds.
I wanted to interview each brother individually, but there were hair and makeup people, wardrobe, and staff milling about. It was pure craziness, and I was supposed to be in charge of it.
Thankfully, the photographer, Margot, managed the shoot itself. Valerie was here too, but that made everything more stressful. It seemed like she was following my every move.
Shep wandered out of the makeup tent shirtless with blue board shorts that hung low on his hips. His skin was tan, and there was a smattering of golden hair on his chest. Margot approached him, and he flashed her one of his famous smiles.
Kinsley stood next to me and let out a disgusted sigh.
Before I could say anything to her about her reaction to Shep, Valerie came over to me with a smile on her face. "These guys are going to look great on camera."
"I hope so." The nerves fluttered in my stomach.
Valerie glanced over at me. "You're not nervous, are you?"
"A little bit." I'd never been involved in a photo shoot for a magazine before.
Valerie gestured at Shep, who ran a hand through his hair, flexing his biceps in the process. "You have so much to work with. I think it will go great."
I bit my lip. "These guys are just regular people. Not models."
Margot approached us with a knowing smile. "That makes it better. It's more natural looking. You don't want practiced poses for something like this."
I raised a brow. "You're the expert."
Valerie sighed. "Relax. This is going to be amazing."
"If Shep doesn't hook up with one of the women first," Kinsley mumbled under her breath.
I followed Kinsley's gaze to where one of the makeup artists was brushing sand off Shep's chest.
"I might volunteer as tribute to keep their bodies free from sand," Valerie said.
"I'm going to prep the guys so you can interview them," Kinsley said.
"What did you have planned?" Valerie turned slightly to face me.
"I want to interview them. Then we can do a caption under their individual picture with insights unique to each brother."
"That's a great idea. We should do some kind of online poll too. Something like—which Kingston brother would you want to hook up with?" Valerie waved a hand.
"Maybe it should be slightly tamer, like which Kingston brother is your favorite?" I asked, worried about how Valerie's suggestion would appear to Jonathan. I promised this would be tasteful. I was fairly positive I said there wouldn't be any objectifying the guys.
Valerie scoffed. "What's the fun in that?"
At the end of the day, it was her magazine. I just hoped I could keep it as family friendly as possible. I didn't want this to bring the Kingston family negative publicity.
"When you're done with the draft article, send it over. I can't wait to see it. This is going to be great to increase readership. I want to bring in younger readers, and this is just the way to do it."
I bit my lip so I wouldn't say anything. This wasn't a permanent position. This was a test of sorts, and I needed to pass it if I wanted to keep my job and a means to stay on the island.
I also wanted to be proud of my work while preserving the Kingston name. I didn't think Jonathan would want his sons to be part of a media frenzy over which one was the most dateable.
Kinsley approached us with a clipboard held tight to her chest. "Dalton is ready to talk to you. But he wants to keep his private life out of the story."
"Is he the one who got a girl pregnant?" Valerie asked.
I let out a breath slowly. "I think that's something they're trying to figure out."
"Everyone wants to know the story behind it. See what you can find out," Valerie said to me, and I grabbed Kinsley's elbow, steering her toward the tent.
"What are you going to do? Valerie seems like she wants a much more salacious article than you were planning." Kinsley's face was lined with concern.
"I don't know. I want to keep it as classy as I can."
We maneuvered around various staff members to get to Dalton, who sat in a chair, getting his face brushed with foundation. He wore a short-sleeve white button–down, open so that his chest was visible, and black board shorts.
"Is this really necessary?" Dalton asked, trying to scowl.
"You want to look pretty, don't you?" the woman asked him, her voice dancing with amusement.
He grumbled but let her do her thing.
A few seconds later, she stepped back. "Gorgeous. Now don't move, or I'll have to fix it again." Then to me, she said, "He's all yours."
"I wanted to ask you a few questions for the article. Do you mind if I do it now?" It was easy since the brothers were all in one place and weren't distracted with anything else.
Dalton sighed heavily. "I already told Kins I didn't want to talk about my baby-mama drama."
I held my clipboard to my chest. "I won't ask you about that. It's personal. But I'd like the readers to learn what separates you from your brothers."
He nodded, relaxing slightly. "We can be separated into three sets. Brady and I are the youngest; Marshall and Hudson are the oldest and most responsible. Then there's the middle ones, Cooper and Shepard, who spent their lives vying for any attention they could get."
I set my notebook on a makeup cart. "What made you and Brady different then?"
"We were quieter, taking it all in. There was always so much chaos in the house that we tended to get looked over." His brow furrowed. "I didn't mean it like that. I don't want to make it seem like my parents weren't great, because they are. We were never neglected. It was just that by the time it came to us, parenting wasn't as strict, but at the same time, we were learning from our older brothers. They were tasked with keeping an eye on us, or not. And we became very independent, getting our own snacks and looking out for each other."
"Your brothers were supposed to watch out for you?" I asked, curious about their dynamic.
"Hudson and Marshall were good at that, but they were older by then, busy with sports, and they were already shadowing Dad at work. So it was Shep and Coop who were supposed to look after us, and they weren't great at it. They were too busy pulling pranks and getting into trouble."
"You and Brady are close," I observed.
"He's the one I go to if I need something."
"You'd turn to him over help with your girlfriend, not Hudson." I was asking more for my own edification then the magazine's.
"I'm not saying I wouldn't talk to Hudson, but Brady is the one that I spend the most time with. It's more natural to go to him."
I tucked that tidbit away for later. "Any hobbies or volunteer work that is different from your brothers?"
"I do woodworking on the side when I have time. Although I think that's going to fall to the wayside now that I'm going to be a dad."
I wasn’t supposed to ask about his personal life but he’d brought it up. "That's a huge responsibility, a big change. Are you worried it will affect your work with Kingston Construction?"
" My family will do everything they can to help me. I don't have any doubt about that."
"I bet your parents will be thrilled to have their first grandchild,” I said with a smile.
For the first time since we'd started talking, Dalton grinned. "I didn't plan for this to happen this way, but I can't say I'm not happy about it. And I'm positive my parents will be too."
"Should I tell our readers that you're no longer single?" I asked lightly.
" I'm not single but it's a complicated situation."
" Would you mind if I took a look at your woodworking shop? Do you have an online store you'd like to link to?"
"I don't know if I'll have time to handle the increase in sales that would garner. Maybe it's a better idea to mention it as a hobby."
"Whatever you want." I wasn't sure Valerie would want a link to a store in the magazine anyway. "Is there anything else about you that you'd think readers would be interested in?"
"I enjoy reading. But that's not that interesting."
"I think that's interesting. Most guys say they like video games or working out," Kinsley said.
"That's Brady. He loves video games."
Kinsley's phone buzzed. "Looks like they're ready for you now, Dalton."
Dalton lumbered off the chair and said, "Let's get this over with."
Brady sat in the chair next and tipped his face up so the makeup artist could do some touch ups.
"I'm talking to everyone to get a bit of insight into your personality to add to the article," I began.
Brady scowled. "Not much to know about me."
"Dalton said you like video games," I prompted gently.
"Yeah, but we all know that's a waste of time."
"Is there something else you do in your free time?" I asked him, wondering why he'd said it that way. Were his parents against him playing? Was it more than a hobby?
"Yeah, I go swimming for exercise and game online with friends." His gaze was slightly uneasy as he looked from me to Kinsley, who'd just reappeared.
"I think we all want to know if anything has ever happened between you and Hazel?" Kinsley asked, and I shot her a warning look. This was supposed to be my interview. She shrugged. "What? Everyone has been wondering for years about those two."
Brady shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and I didn't think it had anything to do with the application of makeup. "We're friends."
"Friends who haven't kissed?" Kinsley prompted.
"I'm sorry about her. You don't have to answer that." But I was curious. I hadn't realized that Hazel and Brady were still as close as they had been as kids. I thought they'd grown apart at some point.
"Dalton used to drag me to the library all the time, and Hazel was there," Brady began.
"Is that how you two became friends?"
His cheeks turned pink. "I guess so. We were in the same classes at school. Lived close to each other. Close enough to ride a bike back and forth. Meet up on the beach. You know, kid stuff."
"Are you two still close friends? I just got back into town, and we haven't talked about it," I said to put him at ease.
"We are."
"But you've never thought of her as more than a friend?" Kinsley prompted.
He shook his head. "I wouldn't want to lose our friendship. It’s not worth it.”
Kinsley's phone buzzed in her hand. "Your turn, Brady. I'll walk you over."
I wanted to get more information about his relationship with Hazel, but I could always talk to her about it.
I waved Cooper over next.
Shepard jumped into the chair before Cooper could sit down. "I'm done with my shoot, and Kinsley said you were talking to everyone. But you must have missed me."
"I did. But why don't you let Cooper get his makeup touched up, and I can talk to both of you at the same time."
"That's what everyone always does," Cooper said.
"Because you're twins? Fraternal, right?" I asked, looking them over. You could tell they were brothers, but they had slightly different builds and heights.
"That's right. I wouldn't want to look exactly like anyone else," Shep said, which was probably the most honest thing I'd ever heard him say.
"You like being different?" I asked as he moved out of the chair, and Cooper sat down.
"Yeah, you know. It's probably a twin thing. We're always lumped together. If I play football, then Coop must like it too. There are a lot of assumptions made, and I like to stand out."
Kinsley appeared next to me. "I think that much is obvious."
Shep winked at her. "You know you like it."
She rested a hand on her hip and popped her other hip out. "Like what? How you constantly talk yourself up?"
He stepped closer to her. "Most women like it."
Kinsley arched one delicate brow. "I'm not most women."
"Don't I know it?" His hand moved to a strand of her hair, and I swear Kinsley's breath hitched.
When her phone buzzed, she jumped. Without looking at it, she said, "Your turn, Cooper."
"I still need to talk to you," I reminded him as he got out of the chair.
"Yeah, yeah," Cooper said as he walked away with Kinsley.
"Why do you give Kinsley such a hard time?" I asked Shep.
"Honestly?" He shook his head. "She's so responsive. I've never met anyone like her. She rises to the bait every time."
"I would think you'd steer clear of each other at this point."
"Now, what's the fun in that?"
Without responding, I checked my notes. "What would women be surprised to know about you?"
"I'm a generous lover," he said softly, just as Kinsley reappeared and mumbled, "Jesus."
He flashed her a naughty smile. "I'm happy to take you for a ride."
"You know you're just giving me cheesy lines. It's not a good come-on," Kinsley shot back.
"Kins. I really need to talk to these guys. Can you see if Hudson is almost ready?" I pleaded with her.
"Fine."
I let out a breath. "Now, where were we?"
He grinned wider. "I offered to take your friend for a ride."
"Don't take this the wrong way, but you come across as self-centered. Is that the real you? Or are you hiding a heart of gold underneath all that bluster?" I teased him, confident he'd give me another one-liner.
He leaned close. "I'm going to let you in on a little secret."
"Yeah?" What could he possibly have to reveal? Everyone said he was exactly as he seemed.
He pressed a hand against his chest. "This is the guy people want to talk to."
My heart thudded in my head because he was being honest finally. "The player? The easygoing guy who jokes around."
He leaned back in the chair. "You got it."
Who was the real Shepard then?
Hudson appeared with Kinsley at his side. "You wanted to talk to me?"
"I bet you've already covered everything in the bedroom and out," Shep teased as he sauntered away.
"He's such an—" Kinsley began.
I held up my palm. "Don't even finish that sentence."
She shook her head and said, "I'm going to grab Cooper for you."
"Thanks, Kins."
Hudson sat in the chair, letting his legs fall open, and grabbed my hand, pulling me to step between them. "How's your morning going?"
"Are you trying to distract me from asking questions?" I asked lightly, enjoying the ease of being with him like this.
He cocked a brow. "What do you want to know?"
"What's something that people would be surprised to know about you?" I asked.
"That I'm one hundred percent in love with an island girl," his voice was soft, and his hand tugged on a strand of my hair.
I sucked in a breath.
"Are you almost finished?" Valerie asked from behind me, startling me.
She looked curiously from me to Hudson.
I stepped back, my face flush. "I still need to talk to Cooper, and Hudson needs to get his picture taken next."
She held her hand out to Hudson. "I'm Valerie, the editor of Island Times. "
"Nice to meet you."
Valerie clapped her hands together. "Let's get you set up so Margot can get out of here on time. Photo shoots aren't cheap."
I wasn't sure if that comment was directed to me or not. I sat in the chair that Hudson had vacated, wondering if he'd really just declared his love for me. He'd held a strand of my hair and was talking directly to me.
I hadn't thought of myself as an island girl in a long time. Did I want to be one again? Did I want to live the ultimate fantasy life here on the island? Could I support myself somehow? That was the perennial question, and this article was the test.
Cooper appeared in front of me, a chambray shirt open to reveal tan skin. "Kinsley said you wanted to talk to me now."
I couldn't help but compare these guys to the ones in the city. Daniel's skin was white from never being in the sun, and the Kingston brothers were golden brown.
"I'm adding a few tidbits about each of your brothers, things that are unique to you. What do you like to do? Is there anything people would be surprised to know about you?"
He chuckled and shook his head. "Not really. I work in construction. I love my family. What did everyone else say?"
I looked down at my notes. "Brady plays video games in his spare time, Dalton enjoys woodworking, and Shepard?—"
"Shep wants everyone to believe he's a lady's man, but has no idea who he is otherwise," Kinsley said bitterly as she walked by.
I gave Cooper a sheepish look. "Yeah, I didn't get much from Shepard."
He sighed, tucking his hands into the pockets of his board shorts. "I keep Shep out of trouble. That's been my number one job for as long as I can remember. If it wasn't for me, who knows what would have happened to him."
"You have any hobbies?" I asked, wanting to bring the conversation around to lighter topics. It seemed to be a deep one for him.
"I do some landscaping and stonework on the side.”
My pen flew over the page. "Hudson mentioned that.”
He shrugged. "It's just something I do for fun. It's not part of the business."
"Would you want it to be?" I asked him.
"I saw what happened to Luna when she wanted to add her interior-design business. It was shot down. But don't write that."
"I think readers would love to know that you have a hobby. Shep said he wanted to be different from everyone. As a twin, do you feel the same?"
"I always thought it was cool to be a twin. But Shep wanted to be his own person. Sometimes he'd say Dalton was my real twin."
I winced. "Ouch. That must not have felt good."
"That's Shep."
I smiled brightly. "I think that's all I need."
"Cool. I'm out of here then."
Dalton and Brady were the youngest, quieter and more reflective. Cooper and Shepard were a little lost. They didn't know who they were. Not that I'd put any of that in the article. And Hudson and Marshall were the ones tasked with more responsibility.
That was more for my benefit as I wrote each one for the article. But it was nice to have their hobbies and interests included. Between that and their volunteer work, I had enough on them individually. I wanted to give a little insight into their personalities but keep it a little mysterious.