Page 41 of Full Strength

“Good, now Grant look over your shoulder.” I turned my neck and was met with Erik’s butt. Perfect. This was exactly where I didn’t want to be. “Look at the ground.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” I mumbled.

“Incoming.” Erik whispered just loud enough for me and Olli to hear.

“If you do that, Erik. I will check you so hard you’ll wake up next month.”

His body shook and I knew I’d made him laugh. But I was serious. I was in the danger zone with no way to run without getting yelled at.

“At the ground, Grant. Olli look away from them.”

It was times like these I wished I could see things from the len’s perspective. How could this possibly look good? Or natural?

I was always wrong though. The photographer would move and position us and make us do weird things with our faces and magically it would come out looking great.

If they were good at their job.

Threads magazine had a good reputation, enough for my agent to agree to let me do it without too much information. Hopefully we wouldn’t end up looking like fools. Not that any of us would care. It was Addi I was concerned about. This shoot was really important to her and the salon. If this generated enough business the Salon would grow and she’d have more opportunities. If she wanted it.

I knew this wasn’t what she was passionate about. It was a job and I could tell she put her heart and soul into it, but at the end of the day it was just a means to pay the bills. What was her passion?

I’d never asked. I’d always assumed if she could, she’d want to stay home with Eli, but what if that wasn’t all. What if she was like Chloe or Madi and loved her job and wanted to work full time. Kendall was working on her masters and we all knew she would eventually get a job as a psychologist, even if she and Hartman get married. None of the women in the Pride need to work, but a lot of them do. Would Addi?

I shook my head knowing my frown was now real. I couldn’t let myself think that far ahead. I couldn’t think about her in my life. Permanently. No matter how hard I wanted it to be real. Lately, it felt like she was sand, I could pick her all up at once before she disappeared between my fingers. I wanted to hold on to her and keep her for myself, but that didn’t mean she felt the same.

I glanced over at her and she smiled. Sure, we’d had a good couple of days and things were moving along, but it only took a second for that to change.

The photographer finally told us we were done after another ten minutes of frowning and looking at invisible objects. I stood and stretched as Noah walked over to us shirtless with a cocky grin on his face. Olli and Erik and looked up at him at the same time.

“Dude, what are you doing?” Olli asked with a laugh.

“This is the direction they want go.” He said looked much too please.

I rolled my eyes. “Sure, they do buddy. Why don’t you go put a shirt on before you offend someone?”

He pointed to the vision board with the wide grin. “No seriously, this is what they want.”

I turn to Erik and Olli, they looked equally skeptical.

“Why would they want you shirtless?” Erik asked.

Noah flexed a little bit. “This is why.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.” Olli scoffed. “This is for a salon. Not a club.”

“Don’t hate me. I’m just the model.”

I rolled my eyes and watched as the assistants and crew set up a different corner of the salon for Noah. As they were finishing, one of the assistants handed him a freshly pressed white button up shirt.

The three of us instantly burst out laughing and Noah glared at us. He slid into the shirt and hurriedly buttoned it.

“Evidently they weren’t impressed enough.” Addi said with a teasing smile. That got us laughing even harder which Noah did not appreciate judging by the sneer he shot over his shoulder while being pulled away toward the camera.

“Perfect! Keep that face,” the photographer said and I had to bite my cheek from laughing while Noah continue to glare at us.

It was interesting being in Addi’s world. She’s been to practices and the games and met the guys at the arena, but this is the first time I got to see her in her natural habitat. I loved watching how her stylists respected her and gravitated toward her for advice. If only she could see what a great leader she was. She belonged in a position where she could influence and lead people. Maybe I could help her see that for herself and guide her to find her own passion.

While Noah was having his picture taken, Nikolay and I went back to the chairs to get styled for the second time. Somehow Peter made my hair look like something other than a mop. It wasn’t a style I’d normally wear with the sides tucked behind my ears but it looked pretty cool for what they were trying to convey.