Page 53 of Hard Rock Deceit

"It was a combination of dehydration and exhaustion," he said. "The others always say I work myself too hard. I guess it just caught uptome."

The effortless lies were disconcerting. If I didn't know better, I would have taken him athisword.

"Damon, fans have been loving the behind the scenes photos of the band." The interviewer turned her attention to the twin. "How does it feel to have someone taking photos of your privatemoments?"

"I'm cool with it." He grinned wickedly. "Our photographer's cute. I don't mind having a pretty girl following mearound."

I flushed behind my camera as Damon turned to throw me a thumbs up andawink.

The interviewer followed his gaze. Her eyes fell on me. I'd been trying to be inconspicuous, staying in the background as Isnappedaway.

"This is her?" the interviewerasked.

She gave me a once-over. While she wore a smart pantsuit and a neat braid down her back, my hair was loose around my face and I was wearing my usual baggy shirt and leggings. I wondered if she was judging me. I wasn't exactly dressedprofessionally.

"I'd love to ask you some questions,"shesaid.

My glasses slid downmynose.

"Me?" I asked, just toclarify.

She noddedemphatically.

"Yes. Your photos have been shared all over the internet. People are loving them. These aren't quick snaps from a camera phone taken by an intern. You clearly know what you'redoing."

"I hope I do," I said withoutthinking.

"This would make for a great story. Maybe I can interview you separately? An on-camera interview? I'd like to know more about your process. Your inspirations, thingslikethat."

"I'd rather not," I said weakly, heart spiking in mythroat.

The interviewer gestured to her own camera operator behind her, nothearingme.

"Let's get a shot of her and the band for thepaper."

The tips of my fingers went cold even as my face grew hot. This was my worst nightmare. I belonged behind the camera, not in frontofit.

"There are hundreds of people who would kill to be in your place," the interviewer said as she shoved the mic in front of my face. "Can we talk about how you scoredthejob?"

"I just—" I stuttered, tripping on my words as the camera operator scooped in close, trying to get the whole band in framebehindme.

"Cassie. Tell me why Ichoseyou."

I turned my head to look at August. The calmness in his expression, his easy smile, blunted some of mynerves.

"Why did I choose you?" August askedagain.

"Because—" I started withoutthinking.

August nodded at me encouragingly. I remembered step two of hischallenge.

Step out of mycomfortzone.

Do things thatscaredme.

"Because… you said you saw something special in my work. Something you didn't see veryoften."

"And what was that?" the interviewerjumpedin.