Fake Friends - Saxon James Page 0,5

house I could fit. This is going to be my forever home. The place where I start a family with a thousand kids, and while I might be young, I’m ready for that to happen.

Mentally.

Emotionally, I’m still struggling.

And physically, the house is still an empty shell.

I watch the sunrise from my living room like I do every morning. The sky is already a pale orange and the cliff faces look on fire. It never fails to make me fall in love with the world again, even if the world has forgotten about me.

My post last night at least seems to have gained some traction. I’m lying on a black chaise with matching print shirt and shorts I was sent from one of my favorite eco-friendly designers. The color pops and I’ve got my angles right.

Even I’m happy with the way that one turned out.

Still, I could be doing more. My interactions could be higher. I take a photo of the sunrise and caption it “good morning” before adding it to my story, and I smile as all the good mornings and good nights start to come through.

I love my followers, and I love the brands I’m starting to build working relationships with.

But I need more.

More followers, more endorsements, more modeling contracts, and maybe, one day, some acting roles.

A movie.

That’s the end goal.

Because if I’m internationally known, I’ll never be lonely again.

Baby steps, I remind myself.

Time to get on with my plan.

Leon has the day off and is going to start the demo on the back end of his house, so I get dressed in worn jeans and a floral tank top before biking over to meet him.

Will I actually help with the house? Unlikely.

But Leon is my last hope for this stupid swimwear thing.

Royce would have been perfect if not for his complete hatred of attention, and Tanner has the right body shape I’m going for but has nothing to make him stand out. Laura and Rafe seem to have withdrawn lately, and I can only hope they’re working on their issues, and Dahlia said doing it wouldn’t be a great image for a schoolteacher.

I’d ask Jules, but she and Mitch are pretty conservative, and wearing something like a bathing suit would probably be too much for her.

Leon … is far from what I was imagining. I’ve been lurking a few influencers over the past few days, and they’re mostly traditionally hot. Sculpted, slim bodies, nice tan, minimal hair.

I love Leon to hell, but he’s the complete opposite of that. Thick, hairy, and rough are three words I’d use to describe him, and his arms and body are a variety of different skin tones from working in the sun so much.

Still, I have a day left to get back to Royals, so I need to get this done.

“Morning,” he grunts as he opens his front door.

“It’s okay, the cavalry has arrived.”

He pretends to glance behind me. “Please tell me you’re referring to a horde of invisible badasses because you can’t be talking about you.”

I nudge him and walk through to his kitchen. It’s half torn apart, but there’s still enough countertop for me to jump up and sit on. “I’ve come to lend my services.”

“Oh, you have? Why don’t you start by tearing down that awning over there?”

I glance at the offending overhang. “My conversational services. You know work always goes faster when you have a friend around.”

“Maybe when that friend’s not you.” His eyes crinkle at the corners as he crosses his arms. “I’m not doing it.”

“Sorry, what?”

“The photo thing. You know I don’t have time. I get one day a week off, and this place is at least a month behind schedule.”

“It would just be one day.”

“Sorry, Circus, not happening.”

I slump. “Who told you, anyway?”

“Tanner gave me the heads-up.”

“Of course he did.” I resist rolling my eyes and jump down from the counter. Even if he won’t help me—and I know him well enough to know pushing won’t work—I’m still planning to help out here.

We spend the better part of the day with Leon tearing shit off the back of his house and me carting the debris to a massive dumpster.

“I really am sorry I can’t help out,” he finally says when we stop for some water.

“I know you are.”

“It’s just this contract I have coming up, and then there’s still a ton of smaller jobs I’ve booked.”

I smirk at his overapologizing, because I know Leon means it. “It’s totally cool, I get it. Maybe I just need