Originally a military armory and powder magazine owned by The Sun King, Louis XIV, the orphanage was started by Napoleon III before yet again they decided that royalty was something they were better off without. Now, it’s one of the largest non-religious children’s homes in Paris, andas Jackson pulls up, he thinks about this ritual. He typically comes on Saturday mornings, but with the weekly competitions culminating with Saturday evening fashion shows, he have made other arrangements for the next few weeks because the care given here is close to his heart and he wouldn’t dream of skipping hai visits. He parks, smiling to himself as he sees that his five charges are already outside, warming up by kicking a soccer ball around. There is tall, blond and lanky Claude, who can jump like a mountain goat yet somehow stumbles over every pebble in his path. Or sometimes even when there’s nothing but air in his way. There’s Raphael, who’s dark, deep-voiced, and stocky. Though still a teen, he
“I have been appealing to the mayor and the city officials, trying to do what I can,” Jackson tells the boys as they stretch their calves. “Homelessness is a multi-faceted problem, and installing outdoor piss stations isn’t the solution.” “Might as well piss on the mayor, for all the good it’ll do you,” Theodore says. “Seriously, Jackson, what good is appealing to a bunch of selfish assholes who complain about the availability of caviar or whether the foie gras is authentic? They’re not going to care about us unless it benefits them.” “Someone’s got to care. I care,” Jackson points out. They lie down in the grass, doing flutter kicks for their stomachs. “I’m going to keep coming, checking on you, doing parkour. You keep working hard in your studies, developing yourselves. And when you get out there, I promise you I’ll help you find jobs, maybe even a girlfriend or two.” “Stop,” Jamaica says angrily. “Cut the shit, Jackson! Girlfriends? Come on, we are barely above street trash! You re
Already, ideas were whirling through Monica's mind. “Please select a card with your model’s name and measurements,” Tobias instructs, holding up five white cards with the House Corbin logo visible. Katarina runs toward him, her heels clicking on the floor. She snatches a card and dashes back in line with it pressed to her chest. The remaining four of them look at her and then each other and then attack Tobias for cards of their own. “Ladies, you don’t even know what you are fighting for. All of the models are suitable, I assure you.” Monica grabs one and holds it tightly as though Yori might steal it from her, but it was with a smile because they were all laughing at their own outrageousness. “Mine, mine, mine,” Monica drawls out, mimicking the seagulls in Finding Nemo. Only Molly seems to get it. “Shut up, you rats with wings,” Molly answers. They meet eyes, grinning like loons. Monica looks at her card. Jeanette. The accompanying photo shows a gorgeous woman with short, tight natur
Monica looks over to Molly, knowing that she can mostly only curse in the other languages she knows, but she seems to be doing fine. They were chatting it up like long-lost besties. “It’s okay,” Monica assures Jeanette. Fashion is a global, multi-linguistic industry, and she won’t let this first obstacle stop her. “We’ll figure it out.” Monica points it out to herself. “America. Massachusetts.”Jeanette thinks for a moment and then says, “France. Marseilles.” Monica flashed her a thumbs-up and then holds up his tablet. Pointing to her eye and then the fabric, she asked, “See clothes?” “Yes!” she answers confidently, knowing that word for sure. She shows her several of the sketches she have been playing with, eyeing the screen and then Jeanette’s body. She can visualize the completed outfits, flattering designs that will highlight a woman’s shape and be timeless and exciting. Monica opened a new page and sketch a caftan type dress with a low V-neck and mirrored low V-back. Monica adds
If Monica were in heels, she would have busted it on this tile floor. Hell, she might still fall in the flats as fast as Tobias was hustling. “Did you know ferrets can get the flu?” He keeps running, keeps talking, not letting her answer. But no, she did not know that ferret flu is a real thing. “It’s a big deal because it’s a working ferret, so he was got to get healthy.” “I’m sorry, did you say a ‘working ferret’?” Tobias laughs at Monica's confusion. “I didn’t know either. He’s trained to run cables through walls. They cut a hole for him to start and one where he needsto exit. Release him inside, and then use a little clicker at the exit, and he will go along until he gets there.” Monica blink, not sure if he was fucking with her. His expression is earnest, but seriously? “Well, I hope he’s okay.” It seems like the safest response. “So do you need me to run cables?” It’s all she can think of based on whatever he was talking about. Tobias blinks, looking at her like she was the o
Involuntarily, Jackson's breath catches at seeing her very nearly on her knees in front of him. Is she trying to drive him crazy? If so, it’s sure as fuck working. “Take these off,” she orders. Unfortunately, she was talking about his shoes, not his pants. She assists, pulling the loafers off, followed by his black dress socks. As a model, he was accustomed to dressers helping him put on pieces or take them off. Sometimes, they were fragile, or one of a kind, or they didn't want him bending around and getting things wrinkled. It’s never seemed as intimate as it doesnow. “Put these on.” Monica was holding out a striped sock, and though he was not sure of her vision, he lifts his bare foot and she slips the sock over his toes. He can’t help but Wiggles and she laughs. “Ticklish?” “A little,” Jackson confesses. She looks up, shooting him a small smile. “Your secret’s safe with me,” she vows with a playful wink. She grabs a pair of black leather lace-up shoes and ties him into them as w
“I’m not complaining,” Jackson assures her. “I have put in plenty of twelve- or fourteen- hour days, interning and learning in every department I could, finding a place where I can be useful to the company beyond my face. But I have to balance both, concentrating on my work mentally while watching my nutrition and fitness closely. Add to that, faking emotions with models I detest, playing lapdog to Jacqueline, and pulling the company, fighting and screaming, into relevance." Jackson realises a moment later that he have revealed too much. It’s just so easy to talk to Monica “Sorry.” “Nothing to apologize for,” she promises him. “Yes, there is. Friday, you were jealous and I didn’t handle it properly. I should have—”“I wasn’t jealous!” “When those meuf came into the lounge, you wanted to . . . snatch a bitch?” he think he was using her American slang properly, or at least he hopes so. Monica’s eyes spark fire, and his was not sure whether she was going to eviscerate him or storm off
“Oh! Sorry, I did check and figured you would be up to start your day. I’m wrapping up here, late night, you know, but wanted to hear how things are going.” Nora works all hours of the day and night, so Monica was not surprised that she was burning the midnight oil back home. And with them being able to work. whenever and wherever they had like to meet the fashion show deadline, she spent hours sketching last night with fabric samples spread out all over her bed. Her finger one of the riskier selections that she has fallen in love with, a pale pink polka-dot fabric. It could go a bit juvenile, but she have plans for it. “Things are amazing! We officially started yesterday morning . . .” Monica tells her all about this week’s theme, the supply room, Jeanette, and the dress she made yesterday seemingly all in one breath. It was exciting to relay everything to someone who understands how a room full of fabric can spark so manyideas that your brain can not even hold them all at once.“