Sirenz - By Charlotte Bennardo Page 0,35

more like dogmeat, and Hades the hungry puppy.

After we loaded up, thanks to Arkady’s beneficence, on satin headbands, lacey gloves, and evening bags, we went back to the apartment and got dressed. At 6:45 p.m., we were standing in front of the Metropolitan Museum.

“Let’s go,” Meg said, striding forward. I could see the determination in her step. Jeremy was in the atrium directing models, makeup artists, and dressers to the staging area. I saw him look at Meg, do a double take, seem to forget what he was doing, and look again.

This was not how it was supposed to go down!

“Please tell me it was worth my suffering,” I quipped, sliding up to him in front of Meg. The inevitable glasses were back on.

“Your suffering?” said Meg, pulling even with me. “Who had their eyebrows waxed, their face poked and squeezed, their—”

Jeremy started laughing. “I’m glad I’m a guy. Getting my hair cut and putting on eyeliner once in a while doesn’t involve pain.” He sobered and gazed at Meg. “But you look incredible.”

“We thank you,” I said, brushing past. I needed to find a crowd of admirers for her. “Where do we go?”

Jeremy nodded, still not taking his eyes off Meg. “Down to the Egyptian Temple. There’s a work area set up behind the runway. I’ll be down in a few, but Reynaldo’s there and he’ll get you working.” He winked, and with reluctance went back to his clipboard.

And work we did. We lifted boxes, soothed cranky super models, fetched chilled water and snack bars for the technicians, and generally ran our butts off. I kept my head down, avoiding all eye contact with guys. I noted that Meg was keeping her mouth shut, despite the looks she kept getting from all quarters. If she had a slip-up, I didn’t see any evidence of it.

When Jeremy finally came down, he hustled over to Meg and whispered something in her ear that made her giggle. I approached them only to hear him say, “Meg, would you get the duffle with the extra accessories, please? It’s somewhere in the mess in the hall.”

She hopped to do his bidding—the perfect time for me to catch him alone. He was talking on his cell, giving last-minute instructions to the lighting crew. I snagged a bottle of cold water and a sandwich for him from a food table and waited patiently for him to finish his conversation. He stuffed the phone in his shirt pocket and turned to me.

“Here.” I held out my humble offerings.

“Thanks, just the water.” He twisted the bottle open and slugged down a good half. I returned the plastic-wrapped sandwich to the platter and gave him a bright smile.

“So is, um, everything going okay?” I didn’t know what else to say. Hades was right; Meg was the glib one. She could hold a riveting conversation with a telephone pole. Me? I had trouble unlocking my tongue fast enough to keep up with my brain. If I’d been more erudite, Meg and I would have had our girl talk long before the ill-fated sample sale and I might have talked her into letting me have the red shoes. And my life would not include the very real possibility of chasing dog-slimed rubber balls and filing down talons.

Jeremy swiped his mouth on his black linen shirt sleeve and looked at me quizzically.

“Yeah, good so far, but the show hasn’t begun and there’s always at least one catastrophe. I think med students get more sleep than I do.”

His elfin grin was too cute.

“I’ll help you,” I offered shyly, stepping toward him.

His look became guarded. “You and Meg are a big help.” His head swiveled around as he moved away. “What’s taking her so long?”

Not too subtle, Jeremy.

“I’ll go help her,” I said stiffly.

“Uh, thanks.”

I flipped a careless wave that said I don’t care. I would not tear up. It was hard to swallow; my throat felt tight. Rejected! Why?

I found Meg, and two minutes later, with minimal conversation, we located the duffel. She ran it to Jeremy. I stayed back, eyeing them coolly. I watched his eyes flicker over her. He touched her hand before he hastened away. I tried to put the image out of my mind. Meg went right back to work, apparently unaware that she’d just won the grand prize.

When the runway show was about to begin, Meg and I sat on a trunk, sipping water. There were to be no noises from backstage until the music started. Now more