Model Attraction by Sharon C. Cooper Read Free Book Online Page B

the award. She’d always known he would be successful at whatever he set his mind to.
    â€œHe might not be famous, but if you’re serious about changing your image, you kissed the right person Saturday night.”
    Apparently, Macy had filled Iris in on some of the details of what happened.
    â€œI didn’t kiss him with some ulterior motive, except... I guess I sorta did. I was trying to dissuade this other guy’s advances and I went too far. But there is no way I would use Austin.”
    â€œI’m not saying you’re trying to use him. I guess what I should have said is that Austin is Atlanta’s golden child.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œIt started when Austin was attending Morehouse. He stopped a mugger from getting away with a city councilwoman’s handbag. She dubbed him a hero and shared the story with anyone who would listen. During his college years, he had also spearheaded some major community projects, raising most of the money on his own.” Iris filled her in on one instance after another, including how, a year ago, he had donated a four-story building to an organization that worked with the homeless.
    â€œOkay, okay, you’re right. He’s a saint. And now thanks to me, he’s in the paper in a less-than-favorable manner. God, I feel awful.” Janna rubbed her temples. He’d already hated her. There probably wasn’t a word that could describe what he thought of her now. “So how do you know so much about him?” she asked Iris.
    â€œHis company has done a lot of work for Nash over the years, and now he’s good friends with Austin and his family.”
    â€œI can’t believe what I did to him.”
    â€œJanna, I think you’re being too hard on yourself. There’s not a guy alive who wouldn’t have killed to be in Austin’s shoes Saturday night. If anything, you’ve made him the most envied man in town.”
    â€œYeah, but Austin doesn’t like attention, especially not that type. I had hoped that while I was in Atlanta I could make things right between us. I’m sure his feelings for me aren’t what they used to be back in New Jersey, but I wanted to, to...oh, hell, I don’t know what I was hoping for.”
    â€œYou were hoping he still had feelings for you the way you clearly still care for him,” Iris said without missing a beat.
    Janna more than cared for Austin. There hadn’t been a day that went by that she didn’t think about him. She had written him a letter prior to leaving the country but never heard from him. Of course he would have been disappointed that she was putting a modeling opportunity before their relationship, but she had hoped that he would have at least acknowledged the letter. Now she would never get the chance to find out why he’d never responded.
    * * *
    â€œI heard you let some young punks beat you on the basketball court last week,” Austin said to Nash Dupree and took a long gulp of his sweet tea. They were lounging in Nash’s office discussing the budget for his latest project. As the owner of several nightclubs in Atlanta, Nash had contracted Austin’s company to build an addition onto one of his buildings.
    â€œI’m not going to even ask where you heard that, or maybe I should say who you heard it from. I’m sure it was Big Mouth Nigel who’s spreading those vicious rumors.”
    Austin laughed. “I can’t reveal my sources, but just so you know, it’s more than just rumor. There’s a video.”
    Nash groaned. “Damn. I need to find the person who is responsible for having cameras on these damn cell phones. Is nothing private these days?”
    Austin’s grin slowly slipped from his lips. He’d wondered the same thing, thinking about the photo of him and Janna. Days after the searing kiss, it was as if he could still feel her lips against his.
    â€œYou know I have to ask,