All About Yves (12 page)

And good riddance. The faster Yves Marisano was out of his life the happier he'd be.

But when he entered the lobby he frowned and stopped bouncing. He raised an eyebrow and stared at the row of black leather chairs in the reception area. Harris Wolfe was sitting in the last seat on the right, wearing a dark conservative suit, his legs crossed at the knee. If he hadn't been swinging his long thin foot like a girl, he might have been able to pass as a straight man in that suit.

"What are
you
doing here?” Marco asked. He didn't feel like being polite.

"I brought Avi down to audition to be your back-up model,” Harris said. He didn't get up. But he lifted his head and gave a half smile.

"Avi,” Marco said. “He looks nothing like me. I don't understand why Edgar would ask you to bring Avi. How many others are here for the audition?"

"Just Avi,” Harris said, grinning. “It seems all of Edgar's models are either booked or they aren't interested in being a back-up model. What are
you
doing here?"

"I promised I'd help Edgar and Jasper out with the auditions,” Marco said. “Edgar asked me to be here so he could see how the possible back-up models compared to me."

"The auditions were set for one this afternoon,” Harris said, looking at his watch. “It's now three o'clock."

Marco rolled his eyes. He was notorious for being late all the time. “I have to remember to start setting the alarm,” he said, smiling.

"Well,” Harris said, “no harm done. They did the auditions without you."

"How was Avi? Did they like him?” Marco asked to be polite. He couldn't have cared less about who they hired to be his back-up model. Marco hadn't missed a shoot, a fashion show, or anything professional in his life, and he wasn't about to start missing anything now that he was getting older and his competition was getting younger and stronger.

"Avi was dismal at best,” Harris said. “He has no training, he tripped all over his big feet, and when he smiles he looks a little creepy. But don't worry. They hired a back-up for you anyway.” Now Harris was smiling so wide his upper gums were showing.

"But you said the only audition was with Avi."

"When you didn't show up,” Harris said, “your dedicated assistant, Yves, was nice enough to volunteer for you. He was so spectacular on the runway they decided to hire him as your back-up."

Marco blinked. His face grew hot and his heart began to race. But he forced a smile and said, “That's impossible. Yves is my assistant. He's not a model."

"Didn't you know they were already thinking about hiring Yves as your back-up?” Harris said. “I overheard Jasper and Edgar talking about it when Frazier was getting coffee."

Marco stared into his beady gray eyes. “Of course I knew,” he said, holding back a flood of emotions. He hadn't a clue they'd been thinking of Yves for his back-up. If he had, he never would have permitted it.

"But you look so shocked. I guess it slipped your mind,” Harris said, laughing.

Marco turned his back on Harris and thought for a moment. He had to handle this with care; he didn't want Harris to know he was seething inside. He crossed the reception area and put his hands in his pockets. He was wearing a black workout suit, with white stripes running down the sides of his legs.

"What about poor Avi?” Marco said. “How was his audition?"

"I don't even remember,” Harris said.

"I guess it just slipped your mind,” Marco said, giving him a sarcastic grin.

Harris stood up and crossed to where Marco was standing. He cleared his throat and furrowed his eyebrows. “Marco,” he said. “I've made this business my life. I've seen more young men who want to be male models than I care to remember. I've seen them come, I've seen them go. At best, most are passable. At worst, they are nice-looking young men from small towns with big dreams. They are self-indulgent and they pay bad photographers far too much money for head shots that will never do a thing for them as models. They pass them out to their friends, and their friends roll their eyes. These boys are all living in a fantasy world with no hope of ever becoming models."

Marco looked into his eyes and listened. He had a feeling he knew where this little speech was going.

"But once in a while I see someone special,” Harris said. “A young man with the perfect face, the perfect body, and the perfect look. It's not something I can describe in detail, but I know it when I see it and I've always been right. Something just clicks the moment he walks into a room. You were one of those young men, Marco. I knew it the moment I saw you. There are a few others, too."

Marco smiled. He knew it wasn't a compliment. “I guess the audition went well for Yves."

"The moment he walked down the runway in one of Frazier's designs, the entire room stopped to watch him,” Harris said. “It was the way he moved, the way he held his shoulders, and the way he tilted his head and smiled at the audience. It wasn't an audition. It was more like watching a professional walk down the runway in Paris. He moved as eloquently and effortlessly as you've always moved."

"Isn't that nice?” Marco said, forcing a smile.

"He'll be every bit the supermodel you are right now, Marco."

"
Supermodel
.” Marco laughed when he said it, despising this word more than any other word in the English language. It made him sound like a race car. “Tell me,” he said, “how did the others react?"

"Edgar drooled, Jasper couldn't stop applauding, and Frazier was speechless. When Frazier finally did say something, he could hardly contain his emotions. He said he'd never seen one of his designs come to life as well as it had come to life on Yves's body."

"I'm so thrilled for Yves,” Marco said, wishing he could spit right in Harris's face.

"Yves was absolutely humble,” Harris said. “He gave all the credit to Frazier's designs. And Frazier disagreed. He insisted Yves wore his clothes exactly the way he'd designed them to be worn."

Marco clenched his fists. “Meaning I haven't been modeling Frazier's designs the way he'd designed them to be worn,” he said.

"Your name was never even mentioned, Marco,” Harris said. “Everyone was too busy watching Yves to even think about you."

When Harris said this, Marco was ready to haul off and punch him in the jaw. The only thing Marco hated more than bad publicity was no publicity at all. How dare he speak to Marco this way? But just as Marco was about to lace into him, Avi walked into the reception area with a dejected look on his face. He stared down at his boots, his hands in his pockets, and frowned. He walked over to where Marco and Harris were standing and sighed. Marco's eyes bulged for a second, then he took a deep breath and looked in Avi's direction.

"Is everything all right?” Harris asked Avi.

"I feel like I just outran a pack of lions,” Avi said. “What do I do now?” He was talking about how Yves had made him look so inadequate, and about his next career move.

"I think it's time you started thinking about doing a TV reality show about male models,” Harris said, sticking the knife even deeper into Marco's back, knowing how Marco detested doing his own reality show.

"Do I get paid for that?” Avi asked.

Harris smiled at Marco and said, “Only the star gets paid. But you might win the grand prize.” Then he adjusted his jacket and opened the door for Avi without saying goodbye to Marco. On his way out, he looked at Marco and winked.

Marco squared his shoulders and took a deep breath, then walked down the hall toward the showroom where they had been holding the auditions. When he entered, he saw the back of Edgar's bald head. Edgar was sitting on a chair in the back row alone while the others were back in the dressing area. Marco walked up behind Edgar's chair and purposely knocked the back of his head with his elbow. When Edgar turned to see who had just banged his head, Marco continued walking to the back. He took long strides, and he didn't stop to apologize to Edgar.

Though he was ready to kick the chairs and tear down the draperies, guessing they had all conspired behind his back to hire Yves as his back-up, he forced himself to smile. He walked into the dressing area fast and dropped his backpack on a chair. Yves was sitting on a zebra-print sofa with Frazier and Jasper standing over him. He noticed Yves was wearing a white linen suit from Frazier's new collection. It was the suit Marco was supposed to wear for the next live taping of the reality show.

"I'm so sorry I'm late,” Marco said. “I got stuck in traffic downtown and my cell phone went dead. Where are all the other models for the audition? I thought this place would be jammed with good-looking young guys."

Frazier and Jasper looked at each other and shrugged. Yves remained on the sofa, leaning forward with his hands folded as if he were ready to confess his sins.

Marco bubbled with energy. He smiled and turned to face Edgar. “How is Yves making out in your office, Edgar? I'm so glad you've hired him. Poor Yves was getting so bored working for me. He just didn't have enough to do.” He knew Edgar hadn't hired Yves to work in his office, and he wanted Edgar to know he knew.

Edgar lowered his eyes and slumped down in his seat.

"But I don't want you working this poor boy too hard,” Marco said, “He's so nice and ready to please everyone. I don't want you taking advantage of him. You promised, just like I promised you I'd be here today to help with the auditions.” Marco raised an eyebrow and looked directly into Edgar's eyes. He pointed his index finger and said, “And you know how I hate it when people don't keep their promises."

Edgar ran his hand across the back of his head and slumped deeper, looking guilty, with nowhere to hide from Marco's wrath.

"It's all over,” Frazier said.

Marco turned. “What do you mean?” He didn't want them to know he knew about Yves being hired as his back-up model.

"The audition is over,” Frazier said. “Edgar could only get one model to audition today because all his other clients have obligations and Avi was the only one who showed up. When you didn't show up, Yves was kind enough to audition with Avi."

Marco put his hands on his hips and gave Edgar a malevolent stare. He knew this was a lie. Edgar had more models than any other agency in the world, and he could have come up with someone better than Avi. Marco wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but he was certain about one thing. They all wanted Yves to be his back-up and it had been planned in advance.

"How wonderful,” Marco said. “And who came up with the idea to have Yves audition with Avi?"

"We didn't have a choice,” Jasper said. “Yves was so good we decided to hire him as your back-up. He knows all your moves. When he's walking down the runway, it's like watching you, Marco.” His voice was high and his tone was eager; he wasn't trying to be mean.

"I'm thrilled,” Marco said. “And here I thought Yves would be working for Edgar in his office.” He smiled at Edgar and said, “I guess it's your loss, Edgar."

Edgar covered his mouth with his palm and shook his head, waiting to see how far Marco would go.

Yves rose from the sofa and walked to where Marco was standing. “Marco,” he said, “I don't know what they see in me. I'm nowhere near as good as you are. I was just awful. I'll never even come close to walking in your shoes. I'm nothing."

Marco looked up at the ceiling and smiled. He knew Yves was just handing him another line of bullshit. The others were buying it, but he wasn't. There was nothing more Yves Marisano wanted in this world than to take Marco's place.

Marco looked at Jasper and smiled. “How was Avi?"

"Just awful,” he said. “But Yves was unbelievable."

"I'm sure he was,” Marco said.

"The way he moved and the way he glided down the runway,” Jasper said. “He's perfect for Frazier's new designs."

Marco turned toward Frazier. Frazier hadn't said a word since he'd arrived. “And I'm sure he's perfect for Frazier, too,” Marco said. “He's so young and so innocent.” His voice dropped and he stopped smiling. He was tired of pretending.

"I don't think I understand,” Jasper said, tilting his head.

Marco's eyebrows knitted together and his head went back. “It must have been so wonderful to see young dear Yves, watching Frazier's designs come to life and be worn exactly the way Frazier had
intended
them to be worn,” he shouted, repeating Harris's words. His eyes were glossy and a vein on his forehead protruded.

Frazier looked at Jasper and shrugged. “He ran into Harris outside. That's what this is all about."

After that, Jasper and Marco entered into a screaming match that could be heard throughout the showroom. Yves's face fell and he quietly slipped away without being noticed. Edgar put his head in his hands and leaned forward in his seat. Jasper shouted about how spoiled and temperamental Marco could be, and Marco told him that without him and without his celebrity name no one would even watch the reality show they were doing. Then Marco accused Jasper of mocking his career as a model and celebrity by making him do reality television, which he thought was beneath him. Marco even went so far as to accuse Jasper of denigrating the good name of Frazier North Designs and lowering the entire company to bargain basement standards. Jasper didn't sit there and take it. For every insult Marco shouted in his face, Jasper responded just as hard. He told Marco they needed the publicity and he didn't apologize for anything he'd done.

Frazier just walked over to the sofa and stretched out on his back. Jasper rarely argued with anyone, especially not Marco. Frazier crossed his feet at the ankle and folded his hands on his stomach. Evidently, he wasn't about to get involved in an argument between his best friend and business partner and his longtime life partner.

The argument ended with Jasper grabbing his jacket and storming out of the showroom. He shouted insults back and forth with Marco all the way out the door. As he reached the door, Marco said, “And without me on our TV reality show, no one would watch. And I might just decide to not show up for the next live taping."

"You do whatever you want, Marco,” Jasper shouted. “You always do whatever you want anyway, and I'm tired of kissing your ass. Go fuck yourself."