Lola & the Millionaires: Part One (Sweet Omegaverse #2)(53)

“You talked me out of an hour and a half of getting ready time, Leo, go. Save it for tonight.”

He laughed and released me, moving to the door. “Okay, but just prepare yourself because I’ll take you up on that.”

I was giddy by the time he left, and I flicked my lights off on the way to get ready for my shower.





“All of these are good,” Cyrus said, tapping the images in my fashion week layout, while the rest of the team and I sat around the conference table. “Most of these are amazing. But…”

He glanced at me and I shook my head, folding my arms over my chest. “Don’t be nice for my sake. Not if it means Wendy’s gonna dole it out later.”

Betty grinned at me and Cyrus’ smile flickered on. I wondered what he’d done all weekend while I was in his house. I hadn’t even seen him or Wes once. Not that my run-ins with Caleb and Matthieu hadn’t been awkward enough.

“Okay. These two. The photos are gorgeous, the makeup is impeccable, but it’s definitely something we’ve seen before. Even if it’s a trend that’s coming back…”

“Designate isn’t here to recycle old trends,” I said, and Cyrus nodded in approval at me. “Got it. There were two others. I think the looks are kind of hideous to be honest, but they’re brave.”

“Show me.”

It was Zane that pulled my images out, laying four of the more controversial looks. One was especially bland, a sort of dull dewy look. Another was striking, but presented entirely on pale models. Cyrus pushed those both away and stared at the remaining two. One was the gold makeup I’d done for Rake’s show in Odette’s studio.

“You didn’t like this one?” Cyrus asked me.

“It’s a beautiful image, but using gold leaf in a makeup look? The whole thing is really inaccessible. But it’s definitely a statement.”

“Though, it’s more common now for people to try really outrageous makeup. Even if it becomes a social media challenge for laughs—” Corey started.

Cyrus pointed to her. “That! Yes. How do we do that?”

“We can promote it on the site, on all our own social media. I’ll make a video of my own,” Anna said with a shrug. “I’ve got over ten thousand followers.”

Damn. Not bad. I’d been nearing those numbers before I stopped making videos. But Anna loved a dramatic look and social media loved the dramatic.

“Good. Do it. We’ll pitch it with the layout,” Cyrus said, standing up to stare down at the added photos and nodding. “Lola, you can replicate this for a shoot?”

“Of course.”

“Good. Put that together as quick as you can and we’ll add it all to our next pitch pack. Now. I have a challenge for you all. Highlighters are back in,” Cyrus said. Betty let out a massive groan and he nodded. “I know. And of course, we are Designate, so we can’t rehash the same drivel about opening up your features and shaping. We need to look at this from a new angle.”

“Get shimmer literally fucking everywhere,” Zane muttered.

“That’s not a suggestion, and if it is, it was a terrible one,” Cyrus answered. He pulled a box up from under his chair, opening it and tossing onto the table a collection of thin iridescent pens. “Here’s their new twist. They’re really thin. You draw on the area and then take your brush of choice to blend them out. I’m looking at you, Betty.”

Betty, queen of blending, floundered for a moment. “So we do a cross-comparison of different highlighting strengths?”

“Betty, we’ll come back to you when you’re ready,” Cyrus droned, and the table chuckled.

“We go…celestial instead of the mermaid thing? Celestial is in,” Anna said.

I wrinkled my nose, and Zane grinned at me. “Lola disagrees. Share with the table, killer.”

“I… Celestial is just an inspiration to add to the highlighter, it doesn’t change its function,” I said, reaching for one of the pens. I shrugged at Anna in apology, and she waved her hand in answer, no offense taken. I uncapped the pen, its color a delicate shimmering blue, and studied the fine wet brush end.

“Come on, killer. You’re like two for two so far, aren’t you?” Betty asked. Sometimes my nickname was a compliment, and sometimes it was just a way for Betty to goad me.

“There are five of you sitting at this table, Betty,” Cyrus warned gently. “Corey, got anything?”

I drew a faint spiral on the back of my hand, looking at the pretty trace of color. I smudged the swirl into a soft glow and frowned as I rolled my hand in front of me. Just highlighter.

“Umm, we can try layering it over mattes?”

“We did that the second time the companies pushed it,” Betty said immediately.

My eye caught on a thin scar on the back of my thumb, a long line running from one knuckle over the next all the way to my nail bed, when I’d stuck my hand into a hole in the school wall on a dare, and caught my skin on an old nail.

“What if it’s not about how it’s used but where it’s used,” I said.

The table had moved on, and I was pretty sure as I looked up that I’d just interrupted Zane, based on the flat annoyance of his expression.

“Like…what if we highlight scars?” I asked.