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I FELT OUT OF PLACE standing between the two model types. But the pair acted as if I were their queen. When they got to the door of the Minx Club, the bouncer looked them up and down, then his eyes landed on me, and he paused.
Oh, here it comes. He thinks I’m too fat and won’t let us in. Insecurity getting the best of me, I began to step back, intending to leave.
“Hey, beautiful!” he called out to me with a huge smile. “I’ve never seen you here.”
I stared at him with wide eyes, and then looked behind me to see if he was speaking to someone else. My two new best buds shrugged their shoulders, looking a bit lost.
I turned back to face him. “I-I usually don’t club.”
“I bet, you don’t look the type.” He nodded and grabbed my arm. “Come on. I will have Salvador get you a good table away from the leeches.” He marched me forward.
“Hey!” Pamela called out.
He stopped and glanced over at me with a bland expression.
“We are with her. Emilie is our best friend!” Barbie added.
He looked from them to me. I nodded.
He smiled. “Okay then, come on.” He waved them in.
I giggled nervously as I met Pamela’s stunned gaze. Then I shrugged. We were led to a table above the dance floor.
The one I assumed to be Salvador came over beaming at us. He nodded at a waitress and she brought over drinks. “On the house, as Bear instructed.”
I stared at him, looking confused.
“Bear, the man at the door. Let me know if you need anything else at all.” He bowed and took my hand, kissing it. Then he walked away.
I looked over at the girls. They were wide-eyed.
“Have you been here before?” Pamela asked me.
Shaking my head, I felt just as confused as they were. “Never.”
“Emilie Swan!” someone yelled from below in between loud songs.
I leaned over and peered down. It was Lena, the clerk from my favorite dress shop. I waved and she made her way up.
Lena was beaming at me as she gave me a hug,
“Pamela and Barbie, this is Lena,” I introduced them.
Lena smiled at them, but looked puzzled as she swung my gaze over to me. I motioned for her to sit down. Yes, I was hanging out literally with ‘Barbie’ type women, when Lena and I were definitely not that type.
“So. What happened?” Lena leaned in close.
“With?” I smiled.
Lena tapped my arm. “With Nicholas Hottie Tessora, you nin!”
Both Pamela and Barbie smiled at her.
Lena stared at their animated faces. “What?”
Pamela sat forward, drink in hand, and told her my story. About the first date, then the weekend, then my going to the job, and then the lunch from hell.
Barbie added her own parts in between about what had done and said in the elevator.
As they spoke, Lena’s eyes grew rounder and wider. Finally, at the last part of what solution I had come up with by my going right back to the studios the next day, she looked over at me. “Oh, my gosh. You... girl! You are my hero!”
The two best friends stood up and Lena slowly raised her gaze up at them. They placed their arms out in front of them. I groaned and put my hands over my face.
They did their homage routine and Lena almost fell out of her chair laughing. Then Lena, too, stood up and joined them. “We’re not worthy.”
Salvador was now standing at the edge of their table wearing a very amused expression.
I then again covered my face as all three girls kept it up. I peeked through my fingers at Salvador. He laughed and then gave me a sweeping bow.
“I knew greatness when I saw it,” Bear said from behind him.
At that point, I wanted the floor to come up and swallow me as they all laughed.
The men came over and smiled at her.
“You have carte blanche in this club whenever you come,” Salvador stated as he again kissed my hand.
Bear took my hand from his and did the same, only he gave me a blue-eyed wink. The man was a big hulk of a man and built like a brickhouse. I knew I was three shades of pink, as all I could do was nod.
After the men left, Pamela and Barbie discussed how it was obvious Bear had a thing for me. I again hid my face. The girls laughed and carried on like a group of long-lost friends. Then Lena told me that she’d lost her job at the store.
I sat up in my seat. “What?”
Nodding, Lena smiled sadly. “It’s okay. I wasn’t using my degree either. The manager never liked me and you know why, too. Jobs like yours are one in a million and I don’t stand a chance, but I was thinking of applying at—”
I grabbed her hand. “How would you like a job as my executive assistant?”
Lena looked stunned. “W-what?”
Nodding, I grinned. “I need someone I know and someone who needs to break in. New blood, high aspirations.”
“B-but you don’t even know if I—?”
“Yes, I do. How many dresses did you put me into that fit me perfectly—and with accessories? You know your fashion, even for a fat girl like me!”
Lena slapped my hand and tsked at me.
“You are not fat, Em! Don’t ever say that!” Pamela exclaimed.
I looked over at her and chewed my lip.
“I mean it. Did you see those men just now? They know you are a curvy goddess.”
A blanket of sadness immediately engulfed me. “My goddess, in my dress.” I heard his voice in my head. Tears welled up in my eyes. Oh, no here it is. The moment where I fall apart... and in front of the girls, too.
“Oh, honey, what did I say?” Pamela took my hand.
“T-that is what he said when I wore his labeled dress. ‘My goddess in my dress’.” I looked over at Lena. “Yes, you chose one of his. Then he said he’d designed it for the perfect woman, one he wanted for himself.” I laid my head on the table. “How could he j-just...”
The three women all tried to hug me and pat me at the same time.
Sniffling, I sat up and swiped away my tears. “Okay, no more of that. I already decided it was over and apparently, he did, too.” I let out a breath. “So, let’s drink!” I raised my glass.
The other three did as well, and we all clinked glasses.
“To a new day!” I looked at Lena. “Then you have a new job starting tomorrow, if you can make it?”
Lena swiped at a tear. “If I can make it?” She rolled her eyes. “Just tell me where and I am there.”
Pamela and Barbie looked over at me and said in unison, “Five-one-five Broadway!”
I gasped and we all started laughing, almost hysterically. Yeah, this is the best night of my life. Suddenly, I thought of that fantastic date with him. Well, almost the best one.