Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133878 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 669(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 446(@300wpm)
Her heart ached for her friend. “I’m so sorry.”
Cleo nodded. “Me, too, because I loved that show but what I learned was no one is coming to save me. I have to save myself. We work in a field where the goal posts are different for men and women. From directing to acting. Everyone loves an ingenue. A twenty-something is an it girl. A forty-something is lucky to play someone’s mom. So actresses learned that they had to become producers if they wanted anything to change. I’m done playing by their rules. I’m taking the money from this gig and borrowing some more and I’m shooting a couple of short films. I’ll see where I go from there, but I know one thing. I won’t let them drag me down. I won’t let them take my dreams. If I’m not welcome in their world, then I’ll build another.”
Tears pierced Brooke’s eyes because she understood. “It feels overwhelming. Gemma explained suing the company probably won’t do anything but cost me money and my family a lot of trouble. I can’t exactly start my own line.”
Cleo pointed to the slouchy comfy top Brooke had put on this morning. It was a lightly woven fabric that managed to be roomy and also cling where she wanted it to because she’d tailored it. It looked nice with jeans. “I don’t know. I would buy one of those. Did you make the jeans, too?”
Brooke shrugged. “I like to work with denim but I’ll be honest, I’ve gotten bored lately. It’s why I went off script and designed the ski and leisure line my asshole boss stole.”
Cleo started for the door. “Well, think about what I said. If you ever decide to roll the dice on costume design and you want to work for very little money, I’m your girl. What I will promise is credit for every design, every stitch you make. I guess what I would promise is to be a real team. To make art together. To entertain the people like the family I hope we all become. Good night, Brooke, and thank you again. Lock up when you’re done. Not that anyone would come in, but Mel claims there’s an intergalactic war going on and this would be a good place to hide. I would love to live in that man’s head for a day. I wonder if he would let me do a documentary?”
Oh, she would bet no. “It would have to be classified.”
Cleo grinned. “And that’s what would be fun about it. ’Night.” She turned back. “Uhm, apparently you have visitors. Oooo, and they brought dinner. Again don’t do anything I wouldn’t do with two gorgeous men.”
She sat up straight as Shane strode through, giving Cleo a nod. He had a big basket in his hand and Bay followed him. Nope. They hadn’t gotten less attractive. She’d kind of hoped in the stark light of day she would have a different reaction to the two men she meant to use and lose and now was fake engaged to, though no one actually believed it. She was kind of the worst and they were…here. Here and big and masculine, and they smelled good. Her stomach grumbled a little because she’d ordered grilled fish for lunch. It was excellent but it wasn’t very filling and she’d walked all over town because Fuber didn’t run during school hours. She could only catch a ride between when the Farley brothers were out of school and when the devil decided to wake up. So four to ten was her only spot.
She needed a car.
Or she needed to ask for help.
It smelled so good. Why had she picked the fish when she’d wanted a burger? She knew. She still had that voice in her head telling her if she was thinner, they would take her more seriously. Not that any male designer had to look like a model. “What are you doing here? I told you I would be working late.”
“You have to eat.” Shane set the basket on the table.
Bay stared down at the big book of design sketches the former designer had left. He frowned. “Is this a new line you’re working on?”
She shuddered at the thought. “No. I love an eighties influence, but I wouldn’t do this to any woman. It’s like she took all the bad things about the eighties and put them into one outfit.” She turned the page. “She seemed to be trying to represent nostalgia in each of the three sisters. I don’t hate the idea, but I don’t think she thought it through enough. Olga is Alexis from Dynasty. I’m worried she took her inspiration for Irina from watching nineties music videos. And Masha is wearing mom jeans. It’s a big old mess.”
“Good. Those didn’t look like you,” Bay replied, stepping back.