Page 86 of The Anaconda Downstairs

I reached out and squeezed her hand. “You are beautiful. We all are. We just have to give ourselves enough grace to believe it. That's the whole point.”

Marie raised her glass. “To changing the world, one commercial at a time.”

As we clinked glasses, I caught sight of Everett across the room. He was with his brothers and some of the other players, recounting what looked like an exciting play. His eyes met mine, and he flashed that heart-melting smile. God, I loved that man.

As the night progressed, I felt like Everett and I were holding court. So many people stopped by to say something about thecommercials to us. Including the Swoosh and KnightWear reps who were here and buying rounds for everyone, basking in the glow of their successful campaigns.

“Penelope, Kelsey, Everett, Declan.” Mo, the KnightWear rep, joined us with a big smile on his face. “What're you drinking? It's on us tonight.”

Isabel, the Swoosh rep, was right behind him and practically glowing.

I waved them to the seats next to us. “Mo, Isabel,” I greeted them both. “Having fun?”

“Are you kidding? This is incredible. The response to both campaigns has been off the charts. Did you know that our site crashed after the spot aired because we were getting so many orders the servers couldn't handle it?” Isabel said.

“Really?” I couldn't keep the excitement out of my voice. “That's amazing.”

Mo nodded enthusiastically. “It's like you and Kelsey opened the floodgates. People are ready for this message. They're hungry for it.”

As we chatted, a sense of accomplishment skittered though me. This wasn't just about winning a game or making a successful ad. We were starting a movement.

The night continued in a blur of laughter, dancing, and celebration. At one point, I found myself in the middle of the dance floor with Kelsey, Jules, and Trixie, all of us singing along to the music at the top of our lungs.

As the song ended, a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist. I leaned back into Everett's chest, tilting my head up to look at him.

“Having fun?” he asked, pressing a kiss to my temple.

I nodded, a wide smile on my face. “So much.”

The party was in full swing, laughter and music filling the bar, when a commotion at the entrance caught my attention.I turned to see a familiar, unwelcome face arguing with the security guards.

Odin. Looking a little worse for the wear, and all on his own. When was this guy going to quit?

His voice carried over the music, sharp and bitter. “Hey, look at the chubby chasers and their chubby ball bunnies.”

Everett tensed beside me, his jaw clenching. But before he could move, I placed a hand on his arm. “Let's not give him the attention he wants.”

I surprised myself with the steadiness in my own voice. “I arranged for extra security tonight. Let them handle it.”

As if on cue, Kelsey's security team moved in, surrounding Odin. But he wasn't done yet. As they began to escort him away, he shouted, “This isn't over. I'm dropping a new video tonight that'll show everyone what frauds you are.”

Kelsey pulled out her phone, her fingers flying over the screen.

“He's live streaming right now,” she said, her voice tight.

We huddled around her phone, and Odin's face filled the small screen. “...they're selling you a lie, and they've got a big brand behind them helping them do it. But being fat isn't healthy, and?—”

Before he could continue, I reached out and grabbed Kelsey's phone. Without hesitation, I dropped it to the floor and brought my heel down hard, shattering the screen.

A collective gasp went up from our group. Kelsey's eyes were wide with shock. “Pen, what the?—”

“We don't need to let that kind of negativity into our lives,” I said firmly. “Not tonight. Not ever.”

There was a moment of stunned silence, then Everett burst out laughing. “That's my girl,” he said, pulling me into a hug.

I glanced down at the shattered phone and gave it one more kick for good measure. “I'll get you a new phone in the morning. Sorry, but also, not sorry.”

Kelsey shook her head, a slow smile spreading across her face. “You know what? You're absolutely right. And I needed an upgrade anyway.”

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