Glamour by Melody Carlson Read Free Book Online

I’m a bit of a fashion critic, and for the sake of my fans and viewers, I must be totally honest. BBB might appeal to, say, the tweener generation. But I doubt that anyone in the real fashion industry is going to take this line of beachwear terribly seriously. And I’m sure we won’t be seeing her line at Bahamas Fashion Week.” Paige smiles. “Of course, this is Brogan’s first appearance on the style scene—as a designer anyway. And it’s possible that she might surprise us down the line, but I have to say that here and today, it’s not working for — ”
    “Excuse me.”
Brogan seems to have appeared from nowhere, and I’m wondering just how much of Paige’s monologue she’s overheard. Judging by her expression, Brogan’s heard more than enough.
    “Oh, hello, Brogan.” Paige smiles brightly. “Here is our designer now.”
    “What are you doing?” Brogan seethes.
    “I’m doing the monologue for my show. You know how our show works. I would’ve done it afterward, but I figured why not make the most of intermission and—”
    Brogan points to where I’m sitting. “Why are you sitting at
this
table?”
    Paige laughs lightly. “I’m sorry?”
    “I asked you why you switched tables, Paige.
Didn’t you hear me?”
    “I heard you, I was just taken aback.”
    “You and your sister were assigned to that table over there.” She points over to where the guys had been sitting, but they are nowhere to be seen now.
    “I don’t see that it makes any difference,” Paige tells her. “Besides, that table was rather hot.”
    “I had you seated there to give you a better view of the models coming out.”
    “Oh, I can see them just fine over here,” Paige tells her.
    “Yes, but that isn’t the point.”
    I can see that Paige’s patience is fading fast. “Then tell me, Brogan, what is the point? Did you want Erin and me to sit over there and suffer heatstroke from sitting in the glaring sun?”
    Brogan feigns surprise, as if she had no idea the table was minus an umbrella.
    “Because if that’s how you treat your guests, after you asked us here to include The BBB on our show, well, perhaps we should excuse ourselves.” Paige hands me her mic and gives me a “let’s get out of here” expression. I’m already reaching for my bag.
    “You just want to ruin this for me, don’t you?” Brogan’s eyes are narrowed as she steps closer to Paige. “First you mess with my seating arrangement—”
    “I’m sorry,” Paige interrupts. “I think the only one who can ruin this show is you, Brogan.” Paige waves her hand toward the pool area. “And I actually felt hopeful when we got here. This is a great setting and you’re doing a lot of things right.” Paige steps onto the canvas runway by our table. It looks like she’s trying to slip past Brogan gracefully in order to get her purse from the other side of the table, but Brogan is blocking her. “Unfortunately, there’s a lot you’re doing wrong too,” Paige continues coolly. “And in the fashion world—”
    Just then Brogan shoves roughly past her. In fact, she actually shoves Paige. And, as if in slow motion, Paige is teetering dangerously on the edge of the pool. I jump from my chair and attempt to grab her hand, but it’s too late.
    Paige, in her beautiful lemon-yellow sundress, topples right into the swimming pool. Alistair and JJ run to the edge, as if to help her, but seeing that she’s okay, they continue to film the spectacle. With a furious expression, Paige sputters, and Brogan laughs. In that moment it takes all my self-control not to push Brogan into the pool as well. But, somehow, I can feel Fran’s eyes on me, and I’m sure she expects me to salvage this fiasco—to keep it a good show and not just a free-for-all.
    So, with everyone around the pool staring at this scene, some of them commenting and a few of them laughing, I grab the microphone that Paige just gave me and I nod to JJ as he continues to film. With mic in