Page 40 of Plus Size Player

“I’m not ugly,” she screeched at my back as I moved past her.

Grabbing the door handle with the paper towel, I glanced over my shoulder. “Neither am I.”

“You’re fat though.”

I smirked. “Yeah, I sure am. I’m a beautiful, fat,workingmodel.”

6

“How was your trip?” Aaliyah asked me when she picked me up from the airport.

My smile grew. “It was a lot of fun!”

“Well, give me details!” She merged into traffic and then glanced over at me. “Why are you holding out?”

I sat back in my seat and sighed. “I don’t know where to begin…”

I told her about the expensively bland dinner and the underground club on Friday night, all the things I learned during the workshop, followed by the cocktail hour, and then all the amazing content I secured at the Sunday brunch. But I saved the best bit of news for last.

“Bowen wasn’t there, but I made some really good connections,” I told her. “There’s a lingerie company that wants to do some stuff with me. They said they were going to send some paperwork for me to look over this week.”

“Nina!” Aaliyah gasped. “That’s amazing! Oh my God!”

Her excitement only fed into mine. “And that’s not even the best part…” I leaned forward, the seatbelt restricting me, but I wanted to see her whole face when I told her. “When I got off the plane, I checked my email and RL Fashions sent me a brand ambassador modeling offer that includes participating in a national campaign and a commercial.”

“What?” She looked over at me with wide eyes. “Nina!”

“I know!”

“Nina!”

“I know!”

We both screamed.

“What did you say?” she asked excitedly. “What happens next?”

“I didn’t say anything yet. You called and I came outside, so I haven’t responded. But…” I looked down at my phone, exhilarationcausing my hands to shake. “RL Fashions is growing into something big. This brand is…” I exhaled.

“I’ve heard of them. They do T-shirts, right?”

“That’s what I thought!” I exclaimed. “Up until a few weeks ago, I thought RL Fashions was just a T-shirt brand. I saw a couple of casual pieces, but I didn’t research anything more about them. And now, I want to get their contract and hear them out before I look up anything. I don’t want to be swayed before hearing them out first.”

“I like that plan,” Aaliyah agreed. “Do your research after you gather the information from them.”

I nodded. “I’m going to formulate my thoughts and opinions, meet with them, and then research other people’s experiences with them.” I sighed. “But if everything is on the up-and-up…”

“You were born to be in the limelight, Nina. This is huge, and I can’t wait to see how this and every other opportunity you get continue to grow your brand, your success, and your bank account.”

I threw my hand in the air. “Amen!”

We squealed excitedly.

“Okay, now tell me what’s going on with you,” I insisted, changing the subject. “What’s going on with your dating life?”

She sighed loudly. “I’m not any closer to getting a boyfriend.”

“What about—”

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