Searching for Romeo by salina319

Author:salina319
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, love, women, drama, humor, sisters, chick lit, funny, breakups, millenials

Chapter 15

A penny for a pauper

~Liz~

My first day back at work, I learned that I’d gained five pounds. I could tell something was off as I was getting dressed to leave for my photo shoot. My favorite pair of H&M skinny jeans didn’t fit the way they normally did. My tummy jutted out over the waist and my thighs felt taut against the fabric. Automatically, I cursed my dry cleaners, thinking they’d somehow morphed the fit. I’d been arguing with the owner on the phone (I never realized I understood Chinese until I spoke with him, because he definitely was not speaking English) when I’d walked into the studio and come face-to-face with a very disgruntled looking Marco, the Tracy’s Treasures photographer who had always been my absolute favorite to work with.

Today, he wasn’t so pleasant.

With every picture he previewed on his monitor, Marco tsked disapprovingly, which in itself was a figurative slap in the face. I was, and always had been, Marco’s favorite. Our shoots were fun, filled with lots of praise (for me) and several high-fives (for him). On this day, however, Marco was in a foul mood at the very sight of me. Several times, he asked me to suck in my tummy, stretch my arms into the air, and push out my ass. When all else failed, he produced a pair of ten-inch long heels (ok I’m exaggerating, but only a tad) and gruffly asked me to wear them to make my legs look better.

Just moments after I’d left the failed shoot, my agent, Lorraine Gengis, an outspoken woman who was famous for her New York drawl and white Goldilocks curls, called me in an outrage.

“Eliza-beth. What’s goin’ on thay? I heayd you gained, like, fifteen pownds?”

“Lori,” I trilled. I’d just stopped at Panera for a salad—sans dressing, of course. I couldn’t risk gaining another ounce. “Err…no, no, not fifteen.” I gave a nervous giggle. “Nowhere even close. Just a few, but I think it’s water weight. I’m sure it’ll come off soon.”

“Well honey, I ain’t gonna lie to you. It’s gotta come off soon. Like yesterday. You ain’t got agencies knocking down your door like they used to. You’re getting up there in age, ya know? Fresh blood and all. You know how the industry opewates.”

On the way home, Lori’s words banged around in my head, and I chewed off my fingernails.

When I got to my apartment, matters only got worse. I had a letter in the mail from the building supervisor. I was past due on the rent. How the heck that had happened, I had not a clue. Nick always took care of my finances. Heck, I didn’t even know what bills were owed or when.

After applying fresh makeup and different (not winter-appropriate) attire, I paid a visit to the leasing office, hoping to finagle my way out of the situation with the help of my good looks, and okay, a bit of cleavage for good measure.

To my dismay, I was greeted by

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