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I burst out laughing. “Did she at least have a good idea?”

“Yeah, it was good. But that wasn’t the point. She should’ve knocked.”

The warmth spread through me with each chuckle. “You’re right. That was very rude of her. But I’m glad she brought you a good idea.”

“What are you up to? Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good, actually,” I told him as I climbed off the couch. I made my way to the kitchen. “After I eat, I’m going to record some content and then get my bag packed for Atlanta.”

“Okay, that’s what’s up. You need anything? I can send my assistant to the store.”

I smiled. “No, thank you. Well actually”—I switched the phone to my other ear—“there’s one thing I could use. What’s the name of the model that’ll be working the schedule with me?”

“Gabriella… Gabriella Pace.”

22

I hadn’t talked to Gabby much since the conference in New York, but I reached out to her after Russ told me she was the model in question. I didn’t tell her how the circumstances surrounding her new opportunity impacted me. It wasn’t her fault or her problem. So, I just congratulated her and planned to see her when she came back to the East Coast.

Russ’s meeting with his lawyer was short, but it gave me hope. Russ was advised to wait until after the success of the runway show to approach the board. The idea was that the momentum of positive press and the uptick in sales would help alleviate concerns. In the meantime, my contract and the company’s fraternization policy were being analyzed to see if there was a way around it. When the lawyer suggested a relationship disclosure form and a consensual relationship agreement, Russ had him start the process of drafting it that same day. It seemed a little too easy, but I wanted it to work out. So, I went with it.

If Russ wasn’t stressing it, I wasn’t going to stress it either.

After talking to my mom, I made peace with the fact that they’d brought on another model to encroach on my workload. After talking to Russ, I was happy to hear that I’d be working with Gabby. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but I was genuinely happy for her. After talking to Gabby, I realized that Bowen was also based in LA, so it made sense. But after I arrived at the RLF meeting on Wednesday, I was alarmed by the reaction I was met with when I entered the showroom.

“Nina, I’m so sorry!” Taisha gasped before enveloping me in a hug out of nowhere. One of her locs got tangled in the clasp of my bracelet as she tried to pull away.

“Oh no, wait,” I demanded.

She grabbed my wrist. “It’s my fault. I kind of ambushed you.”She carefully unhooked herself and then stared at it for a moment. “Fantasy,” she read the engraved words. “Aw, this is gorgeous.”

“Thank you.”

She took a step back and eyed me. “You’re okay?”

“Yeah, of course,” I answered.

“We heard the news. I can’t believe they’re replacing you. It doesn’t make any sense,” Jonah expressed, coming over to us with the two others right behind him.

“You should’ve been there on Saturday. Bowen would’ve loved you,” Jacqueline pointed out.

“Yeah. They would have,” Matias agreed. “Are they getting rid of you?”

“What are you going to do?” Jacqueline asked.

All of them were staring at me expectantly.

“I’m going to do my job,” I told them, looking around the group. “I appreciate the concern, but it’s all going to work out.”

“How are you so calm about all of this?” Taisha wondered.

“Well, what is she going to do? Go to Remedy and Russell and demand they reconsider?” Jonah scoffed.

“That’s not a bad idea.” Jacqueline chewed her thumb.

“Yes, it is,” Taisha asserted. “It’s a terrible idea.”

“Why would she set her up like that?” Matias questioned.

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