Page 88 of Plus Size Player

Without another word, she turned and headed toward the first rack of clothing. I didn’t know what to say so I just silently followed her. She pulled fourteen pieces—a combination of shirts, dresses, pants, skirts, and jumpsuits. I suppressed my enthusiasm and internally oohed and aahed over the clothes.

When we returned to her desk, Angelica broke the silence. “The fashion show is the marquee event to launch. But everything that is posted to drum up the anticipation for this line is just as important.”She looked at me over the top of her glasses. “For you as a model and for the company.”

Does that mean if she doesn’t like what I post, I’m out? Does that mean—?

“Good afternoon, Angelica,” one of the two female models I’d met over the weekend called out. “Oh, hey, Nina!”

The other models filed in and spoke as well.

The brisk hello from Angelica put me at ease. Seeing her interact with the other models with the same firmness and lack of warmth made me feel better.

That’s just who she is, I guess.

“As I was telling Nina, this launch is important. Your roles are important. Your different personalities showcase how RLF is for everybody. I’ve pulled looks for you all. I’ll be monitoring to see what you do with what I’ve given you.” She pointed at us. “You are the tastemakers. You are the influencers. Let me see what you’ve got.”

She handed us each a tote full of clothes and then she dismissed us.

Confused, I walked out into the hall.

“Is that it? Do I go home?” I covered my face bashfully. “I don’t know what’s next.”

All six feet, four inches of Jonah came up beside me and draped his arm around my shoulder. “Stick with me. I’ll lead you—”

“Astray,” Taisha interrupted humorously. “Jonah will lead your ass astray.”

The five of us laughed as we made our way up the hall. The noise seemed to alert Sasha we were done. She hurried out of her office and down the hall.

“Leave your stuff behind this desk. I have some people I want you to meet,” the HR manager said before beckoning for us to follow her. “RLF executives are here. I know a couple of you haven’t met everyone so this will be a good opportunity.”

I didn’t feel nervous at all. I’d already met Remedy and I knew she liked me. I’d made it through Angelica’s silence. I’d already signed the paperwork to bind our contract. Maybe it was the dick I’d gotten last night and this morning.

My smile grew.

She knocked on the conference room door before sticking her head in. “Hi, I have the models here.” She nodded and then smiled. “They have their own clothing on.” She took a step back and allowed us to walk in. “I’m pleased to introduce you to the face of the company, Chief Creative Officer Remedy Rose…”

She introduced us to seven men and women who held executive position with the company. Everyone appeared to be between the ages of thirty and fifty, which was exciting to see. After shaking hands and making light small talk for a few minutes, Remedy took her place at the head of the table.

“Have a seat,” Remedy instructed. “This won’t take long.”

The five of us sat at the far end of the conference table. I clasped my hands in front of me and waited.

Turning to the other executives, Remedy gestured to us. “Our marketing budget has been restructured to add these key pieces to our marketing strategies. Social media is the new commercial, but with more reach, opportunity, and effectiveness. Our marketing team is great and will go through all the traditional channels. But this modeling team”—she pointed to us—“will be key in positioning RLF as a leader in the fashion marketplace.” She turned to us. “The more valuable content you are sharing on social media, the higher your chances to be featured in our national campaign and commercial.” She turned back to the execs. “These five models have a significant social media following. They have the look, they have the style, and they have the opportunity to grow with us. Not only will they show people the versatility of what we offer, they will build the grassroots type of following for our pieces. So, models, we are the waymakers. We can pave the way in this industry to catapult your already-rising stars. And fellow executives, these are the tastemakers. They can make RLF into a household name. And together, we can all make a lot of money.”

The room filled with laughter and applause.

“Thank you for stopping in,” she thanked us before politely indicating for us to leave. “We’ll see you soon. I’ll see you at your in-person appearances. We—oh, perfect timing! Models, there’ssomeone I’d like to introduce you to.” She gestured to the back of the room. “Russell Long…”

Confused, my head jerked in the direction she pointed and my breathing hitched.

“The president and CEO of Real Life Fashions.”

13

Russ took a step forward and when our eyes locked, he froze. His handsome face maintained his professionalism, but his eyes gave him away and I could tell he was surprised.

“We were just leaving,” Sasha insisted, opening the door for us to exit.

He stared at me for a moment before sweeping his gaze to the rest of the models. He flashed his perfect smile. “I was wondering who the extra guests were. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Russell Long.”

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