Chapter 11: Hungry Eyes

"Craig, can I see it now," Ashley asked Craig who didn't budge. "Yoo-Hoo earth to Craig." She waved her hands in front of Craig's face.

"Oh." Craig woke up from his trance. "Yeah."

"I was wondering if I could see that." Ashley pointed to what he was holding in his hand.

He stared at her confusingly until he realized what she was pointing to."Oh this." Craig exclaimed as he held up the desired object.

"Yeah." Ashley smirked. "That"

Craig passed it to her. Ashley skimmed through the pages. "So what do you think."

"We'll I love the cover although it's the example of your work I've seen so far." Ashley flipped through the latest edition of RR she searched hungrily as if the page she was looking for would magically appear. " I never realized how many ad's where in this mag, I can't find the table of contents you know what-" Ashley closed the magazine, "-you can just tell me what page your pictures are on."

"No, I won't tell you, I love how you're getting all worked up trying to find the pages." Craig fiendishly grinned. "I could get use to calm, cool and collected Ashley Kerwin losing her mind over finding a magazine page."

"Fine," Ashely playfully pinched Craig. "I'll find it myself." She flipped through the pages until she found exactly what she was looking for. "Oh Craig."

"What is it," Craig nervously asked.

"These pictures are amazing how much re-brushing did they do?"

"Not too much only a few touch ups here and there, what page are you on?"

"Page thirty six, why?"

"No reason, just asking." Craig knew in a second Ashley would turn the page and her expression of pride would turn into a questioning one. Ash seemed forever fixated on that page looking at the details and just as she was going to turn the page and Craig had taken a very long diaphragmatic inhalation and exhalation with an "I can explain." already forming on his lips the hotel concierge Pierre interrupted them.

"Ms. Kerwin and Mr. Manning would you like to view the ballroom again?"

"I would but I think Mr. Manning has had enough of the wedding preparations today." Ashley handed the magazine to him. "Is that okay with you?"

Craig held onto the magazine tightly as if whatever secret he was hiding was going to fall out and reveal itself at any moment. But he didn't answer Ashley question in fact he didn't even hear it, it was if she was speaking a different language he was was in another world but somehow he managed to nod his head in agreement as if he heard every word.

"We'll," Ashley said rather loudly as if she sensed Craig was falling back into the day dreaming abyss he was in before. "I'm going to check out the ballroom again and why don't you sit down I'm surprised I didn't notice this before but this day has really taken it's toll on you. Why don't you go upstairs and lie down."

Craig nodded while Ashley walked away with the hotel concierge but he was that deep in the daydreaming abyss that he couldn't hear bits and pieces of Ashely and Frances conversation in the background before they disappeared over a corner.

"He's not going to go with you?" Frances curiously asked.

"No," Ashley answered. "I think he's still a little shock that his first real photo shoot with RR made the cover."

"He'll be even more shocked when he finds out the cover price for holding a reception in our grand ballroom." Pierre giggled.

"What," Ashely exclaimed. "How much is it?"

"Oh, it was a joke but no price is too steep that a couple like you couldn't afford and even if it was, it's worth it, you should be treated like a princes.." Pierre said before the two disappeared out of earshot.

Craig made sure Ashley was nowhere in sight before he sighed a breath of relief. He stared at the magazine in front of him the four girls in the group Ginger posed in various positions from good girl to bad girl to tomboy to nonchalant in their MS clothing. He turned the page to thirty-six paused to admire his work and then slowly turned the page to forty. All the girls in the group smiled lightly while standing tall over someone who was sitting down. "I'm glad Ash didn't see this." Craig whispered to himself.

Craig stared at the photo. It wasn't the picture of the all girl group that would have affected her but the person they were smiling with, Manny sat in a fur covered chair, Craig used it as a prop when he took the unexpected picture the girls only wanted as a souvenir. He was surprised when his boss had loved it and wanted to include it in the magazine even though Manny wasn't a member of the band they were wearing her clothing so it seemed fair to see the face behind the work or that was somewhat similar to what Mick had said. He couldn't understand why Mick had chosen that picture because he always wanted to stay with his belief that story lines in RR should only focus on musicians and even a simple photograph of a non musician can somehow help stray away from that fact but looking at the finished glossy photo help put his thought in a new light. He could see why Mick was the boss and he wasn't the picture was probably one of his best works out the group with the edition of Manny she helped add a little innocence and pizazz that the other photos lacked.

Manny had a shy grin that made her look like a fifth member of the band if she wasn't wearing a very adult like three piece gray business suit. The suit was well tailored and nice but it apparently clashed with the girls flashy colorful ensemble. Ginger draped over Manny in fun positions one girl was smiling politely while one girl whose name he remembered as Trouble posed with her tongue hanging out while making a rock & roll sign with her hand,while Manny sat with a very lady like demeanor, legs crossed, hands folded on top of them and a straight posture. He studied her face beyond the smile and noticed something he didn't notice before. He examined the photo fixated on Manny's mild manner but her eyes they were very expressive those eyes really made the picture, unique. He didn't realize how wonderful a model she was it was almost as if she were staring right into his soul. If he didn't know any better he felt as if he could touch her and feel real flesh it looked as if she was real as if she would leap out of the page any minute and touch him back.

Craig grabbed his favorite leather jacket and this might look odd to others because it was very warm outside 85 degrees to be precise and climbing, he always brought it with him. He never trusted the weather especially weather in B.C. it was always changing without a moments notice. "Where is it," He whispered to himself. He rummaged inside the jacket pockets his hands searching fervently after what seemed like an eternity he finally pulled out what he was looking for, three pictures Craig took of Manny during stolen moments at the Ginger shoot in April.

The pictures were crumpled up and folded not as crisp and straight as the had been months before. The photos fragile state was from his own doings no one else's when he had hesitantly folded the photos in his back pants pocket when Ashley playfully demanded to see what was in the brown envelope outside of Caro during her unexpected surprise visit to New York.

"Can I see," Ashley playfully asked.

"Uh," Craig stuttered before realizing that his secret had been discovered and he should just hand it over. "Yeah." He slowly opened the brown envelope and passed the photos to her.

"These aren't what I think they are," Ashley said interrogatively. "And this isn't who I think it is?"

"Yeah it is," Craig mumbled. "But I can explain."

"Explain what," Ashley asked while shuffling through the pictures before stopping what she was doing, pausing and finally staring at one particular photo.

"What is it," Craig nervously asked.

"It's.." Ash didn't have a chance to finish her answer because the stack of photos fell on the ground decorating it like a collage.

"I'll get it." Craig rushed to retrieve the photos on the ground before Ash had a chance to help him.

"Let me-"

"No." Craig hastily interrupted her. He realized that his tone was not very gentlemanly and he hurried up and changed it quickly with a nicer mellow response so he wouldn't startle her any further. "Ash, I can get it." He quickly picked up the photos. "Besides, your wearing a skirt and I wouldn't want you to ruin your outfit on the filthy New York ground."

"Ok." Ash smiled.

Craig carefully picked up the pictures one by one. "Here." He handed a photo to her while simultaneously picking up the rest. "This is my best shot."

Ash stared at it. "This is fantastic." She exclaimed.

Craig silently agreed while Ash stared at the photo and when he was sure she wasn't looking he slowly picked up the infamous Manny pictures and hesitantly put them in his side pocket inside his jacket.

"There." Craig got up with the pile of remanding picture and handed them to Ash. "All done." Craig brushed himself off.

"Craig."

"Yeah?"

"You're such a liar."

"What!"

"You lied to me."

Craig felt his body temperature rising and he was sure he felt a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. He knew Ash was on to him and he should just come clean. "Ash I'm...I," Craig mumbled.

"You said this was your best picture," Ashley held out a picture of Ginger smiling gleefully in a white background while tossing there hair which and whatever way. "But this-" She held out a photo of Ginger in a variety of poses over a metallic splattered paint background which complimented their outfits. "Is your best work."

Ash was right a couple of days later Mick had chosen the cover for the July issue of RR and the one Ash had picked out as her favorite and Craig's best work was staring back at him on the screen in the boardroom. But now, he was even more surprised to see the picture of Manny and the girls which he was truly convinced he didn't add to his final submit of acceptable photos for the mag to Jeremy the Photo Editor. To this day he secretly believed Ron somehow added it to his disk even though he didn't have the proof and Ron repeatedly denied Craig's allegations.

Craig stared at the front cover and flipped back to the pages with Manny and examined the three photos of her for subtle similarities and differences to the one in the magazine. Every picture had a different pose but each had the same intoxicating inviting stare it was the kind of stare that made your soul shiver with mind shuttering vibrations all the way from the bottom of the balls of your feet to the top of the very last strand on your hair. She defiantly had a story to tell with her girlish face but with features to let you know that she was a young woman but they eyes were mature and wise beyond her age as if she had seen things no one would no about but her. Craig stared at the pictures with admiration and intrigue. "The perfect muse," Craig whispered.

"Who's that?"

Note: Everyone's getting angry that I haven't updated in a while but time's have been rough. It's hard to update like I planned with my now topsy-turvy schedule. I haven't suffered from block or anything it's just going to take longer then I thought another chapter will follow sometime this week all I ask for is you're patience. :)