Jade sank onto the metal chair and reached down to fix her shoe strap.
"Here, let me help."
Of course. Why did they have to end up at this shoot together? Again?
Jade glared at the owner of the voice. "No, thank you, Kestrel." With a practiced smile, Jade flipped her hair over one shoulder and set about fixing her own shoe.
"Friend!" A second voice floated from nearby. "I'm lost. How does this jacket work?"
"Maybe I should help her instead." Kestrel turned a half-step to look over where Lina Olsen had her arms tangled in the straps of a white leather jacket.
Jade kicked the side of Kestrel's shin. "Don't you dare. Don't you have any set rules?"
"Hmm, let me think." Kestrel shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe one?"
"Do I want to know what it is?" Jade swiveled to her feet and lifted her chin. Even in five-inch stilettos, the top of her head didn't settle any higher than Kestrel's eyes.
Kestrel grinned down at her. "Kestrel Knox's only rule to love. Jade must be involved."
Jade rolled her eyes. "You're getting more creative." She had half a mind to stomp on his foot, but she didn't. Instead, she brushed past him to help out her best friend and personal assistant.
Lina pouted at Jade as she approached. "I'm usually really good with fashion, but this jacket is a Chinese puzzle jacket."
It was in moments like this that Jade was reminded that Lina and Zoren were twins. They may fight like cats and dogs, but their dry humor and strange sayings were the same.
"Give it here." Jade held out her hands.
Lina handed over the jacket and turned back to the rack. "Didn't you two do a shoot together a few days ago?"
"This is the continuation of it." Jade sighed. How did one person tangle a jacket so hopelessly? Lina knew her way around fashion. What had her mind muddled? "Are you alright today?"
"Who me? Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Lina selected a dress and held it up between her and Jade. "This with the jacket."
Jade nodded. "I'll go change in a minute. Tell me what went wrong."
"Other than my brother trying to date my second best friend? Other than my second best friend now working for your cousin?"
"I really don't see how that's wrong." Jade finally got the last buckle untangle and slung the jacket over her shoulder.
"It isn't?" Lina folded her arms. "It's awkward, weird, and so, so disturbing."
"The way I see it, your friend was destined to be with one of them from the beginning." Jade didn't mention which one she thought destiny chose. It wouldn't help Lina, either way. The comment had been cryptic enough to catch her attention, anyway.
Sure enough, Lina narrowed her eyes in curiosity. "What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly as I said."
"Jade! Two minutes til start time!" Kestrel called from a spot by the monitor.
"Hold that thought, we'll discuss it later." Jade blew a kiss to her friend as she headed for the changing room. Thankfully, her job interrupted the conversation at the exact right time.
Now all she had to deal with was Kestrel Knox.