There were many common misconceptions about what it was like to live as a professional model.

Most people assumed that running yourself into the ground with three-hour workouts and eating nothing but lean meats and greens was an active lifestyle for a model, but there was so much more to it than that.

In London, my working days had started at five o'clock in the morning and ran until anywhere between seven to nine o'clock that night on a good day. Unfortunately, shoot timings were unpredictable and made the rest of the day's schedule somewhat turbulent.

Now that I was home in California, my routine varied once again. My alarm went off at five o'clock the next morning where I jumped out of bed and headed off to the gym for an hour.

From there, it was come home to shower and eat a fulfilling breakfast. Sipping coffee in my new window seat in the kitchen was definitely something I could get used to.

Contrary to popular belief, the morning of a model could be quite relaxed. Partly because it started so early, and partly because it had to be. Rushing into a shoot with bags under your eyes or skin red from a hasty workout and quick shower was not an ideal situation.

Eating breakfast was always a peaceful time for me. My phone was turned off and in another room, giving me the opportunity to take in my surroundings fully without distractions as I admired my freshly-trimmed backyard. The thought of getting a dog crossed my mind once or twice but I decided against it.

After washing away this morning's workout in the shower, I attended to a basic skin care routine. Most of the products I used had been recommended to me by the makeup department or were left over from sponsorships I'd engaged with in the past.

My agent had sent a copy of the day's schedule to my phone the night before and I checked it routinely throughout the morning. Given that it was my first day back with my original company, I had a lot to do today to settle back in. Namely because I had also acquired a new role.

Four years ago, the company's Director and my boss, Claire, had brought up the idea of me becoming Head of Personnel at the company. Despite my qualifications, it was a long shot and would give me far less time behind the camera, if any.

When my contract at the company ended, I had moved straight on to London and the position had been filled in my absence. Now that I was back, Claire had contacted me three months ago with a new job proposition. I would be working part-time with new recruits to help refine their skills in a professional environment.

I had questioned the idea at first. We didn't just have unqualified models waltzing in off the street after all. The company recruited from modelling agencies where individual agents would seek work for their talent and if the company liked them, they would be contracted.

When informing Claire of this fact, she'd told me that while the models who came to the company were expected to already have a detailed portfolio and experience in the field, it would be my job to help polish their skills in a real, professional environment. It was more of a mentor role than professional.

Over the years I'd watched many new models let the stress of a shoot get to them. It wasn't the photographer's job to train the model on the side as well as do their own job, and many became easily frustrated should it happen on set. That would be where I stepped in.

Part of me could see where Claire was coming from. It often surprised people when I told them of how amateur I was when I'd first got in front of the camera as a teenager. Most people looked at me now and argued that fact against my skill and professionalism, but I was young and unpractised when I'd first started working at the company. It had taken me months to adjust to the atmosphere in professional studios as opposed to junior shoot sets.

First, it would be attending appointments with my dietician and physician. At noon I had a meeting with the Board of Directors to discuss my new role in the company and what my contract entailed. I'd been fortunate enough to retain some time in front of the camera so I had a shoot later in the afternoon. My first shoot since being back in California.

I arrived at work early in the morning. Only a handful of people passed by me in the hallways as I lead myself further into the building. An office had been set up for me before I'd arrived back in the States and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't somewhat excited to see it.

The elevator took me up to the fifth floor and I stepped out into a quiet scene of glass walls and red leather furniture. I'd never been on this floor. The setting was immaculate.

The email on my phone said that my office was number 306. Walking down the narrow, twisting hallway, I eventually found my door, not at all expecting what was right in front of me.

I'd told Claire over the phone from London that I didn't need anything fancy. My hours in this space would be limited and all I needed to do was file some paperwork and maybe a few things on the computer. Both my roles were pretty hands-on and wouldn't need a lot of time to sit at a desk.

Clearly Claire had thrown all that out the window because what waited for me was not what I expected.

A large white door led into a spacious quarters. The walls were a soft cream and the carpet beneath my feet a light charcoal. Directly in front of me, the walkway lead to a large desk that sat in front of a series of panelled windows that overlooked the city skyline.

To my left, a brief glance said that a small stylist room was in construction. More often than not designers gifted me early prototypes of their designs during photo shoots or meetings. I didn't keep all of them but a handful of sentimental pieces now hung around the room. The space was completed with a mirror taking up one wall for quick change-overs during the day.

My breath was stolen. "Wow."

My feet moved on their own as I wandered about the space. Trailing my hands across the smooth wood of the desk, I moved to look out the window. The city below was alive and shining.

"What do you think?"

A voice at the doorway startled me. I turned to find none other than Claire herself leaning in the door frame. She smiled knowingly, "Finding everything okay?"

"This is-" I twisted my head each direction, gobsmacked. "This is too much, Claire."

Waving her hand in dismissal, my Director moved further into the room. "Nonsense. All the executive offices are even more grandeur than this. I just wanted you to have a warm welcome of return."

"But this," I laughed somewhat uncomfortably, turning in a full circle to emphasise my point. "This is really fancy. There's even an adjoining room."

"It is equipped with everything you need and nothing more. You needed a space that enabled you perform two roles and that's what we gave you. Now, stop stressing. You're supposed to be basking in this and thanking me."

"But-"

"Say it."

"I-"

She gave me a stern look and I sighed. "Thankyou, Claire. Really, it's beautiful."

Claire broke out in a grin. Dropping her tablet onto the armchair, she stretched her arms out. "Come here."

I moved into her arms and lightly embraced my friend. She was nearly a head taller than me in heels which made the hug awkward but I powered through. Claire was more than my boss. She was my friend of many years.

"It's good to have you back, kiddo. Things haven't been the same without you."

"Claire, I'm twenty-four." I laughed, stepping back to fix my hair where she'd ruffled it. "You have to drop the 'kiddo' nickname at some point."

"When I've known you since you were a junior in high school, you can bet your ass you're the kid in this situation. Besides, the younger you are is the younger I am."

"Oh c'mon. You're not old."

"Yeah, you're right." Claire tapped a manicured claw against her temple thoughtfully. "I'm just a thirty-four year old Director for one of the top modelling agencies in the state whose husband complains that I sleep with my phone more than him. Not to mention, I haven't been to the gym in four months because I sprained my ankle running after the coffee cart in last season's Valentinos. You're right, I'm as young as they come."

"Andrew adores you." I broke out in laughter, referring to Claire's strapping six-foot-two husband who works as a team physician to the Lakers. They'd attended many company events on each other's arm, both radiant in one another's presence. It was sweet to witness but I'd never want that for myself.

"Well," She smoothed down her pencil dress. "We won tickets on the radio to some hot-shot rock band next month. Word is the lead singer - Taylor? Tyler? Whoever - invites women up on stage." She laughed. "Hopefully a night out will help rekindle the romance. Between work and Rosie, all we do is fall asleep on one another lately."

"How is Rosie?"

The Director beamed at the mention of her two-year old daughter. I'd received photos in London when she'd been born and could already tell Claire was a goner. That girl had stolen her mother's heart from day one.

"She put her own shoes on by herself last week," Claire glowed. "I mean, they were on backwards but the smile on her face. Oh Troye, I would move mountains for that kid, I swear."

Tapping quickly on the screen, Claire turned her tablet around to show me her home screen. It was of her and Rosie, the latter being a spitting image of her mother with a mess of blonde ringlets and bright blue eyes beaming at the camera.

"She's gorgeous!" I gushed, admiring the picture. "Got her mother's looks, hey?"

Claire playfully rolled her eyes. "It was either that or a black fohawk and stubble. Stubble, Troye. On a physician."

"The heart wants what the heart wants." I teased.

We both laughed before settling into a state of easy calm. Claire's eyes swept over my desk and around the room before she checked her watch and grimaced. "Crap. I hate to drop and run but I'm late for about a thousand things. Knowing you, you're already all over today's schedule so I'll just see you upstairs for the Board meeting soon. Don't hesitate to shoot me a message if you have any questions." She headed for the door.

"Will do." I replied, "Oh, and Claire?"

The Director stopped in the doorway. I smiled at her. "Thankyou."

Claire returned the look warmly. "It's good to have you back, kiddo. Now I just have to keep you here."

She took off down the hall and I leaned back against my desk, muttering to the empty room, "As long as nothing drives me away again."