Page 55 of Size King

I almost drop my phone. My mouth falls open. “Really?”

“Absolutely,” he affirms. “Emma’s told us a lot about you already. She says you just moved from New York to be here?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Welcome to L.A.,” the other manager says, smiling.

“We’re shooting with a few different backdrops,” the first manager says. “We just need Emma for the first round of shots, but if you wanted, you could go back with wardrobe, try on a few of the outfits you’d be styling, and we’d be ready for you in about a half hour. What do you say?”

It is out of left field, but I hoped to be faced with unexpected adventures once I got to California. I happily accept their invitation.

I am incredibly nervous at first, but Emma helps me break out of my shell. Even though most of my shots are with Emma, sometimes they take some with only me. The photographers are both complimenting my style, even though I’m not exactly sure what they are referring to specifically.

Once I am comfortable in front of the camera, I start getting braver, trying out my own things during lulls when the photographers or managers are quiet. I feel sexy, powerful, and beautiful.

The shoot is indeed short. The time has flown by, and we are back in our original clothes in less than two hours.

Everyone commends our work. They say they love how we work together, and they like what I bring to the table. They all say they will call me, but I can’t tell how serious they are.

Then, Emma’s agent Christina approaches me. She is smiling wide, excited.

“Hi, Jillian,” says Christina. “You won’t believe this, but our friends at K-Plus thought that I was already representing you!”

“Oh, really now?” I laugh. “You want to be my agent?”

“Well, they really liked what they saw,” says Christina. “They asked me if you’d be interested in modeling with K-Plus.”

“Are you serious?” Emma squeals.

“They say they would love to work with you,” Christina continues. “Is that something you might be interested in?”

“Yes,” I answer immediately, nodding my head confidently.

I am feeling amazing.Not only does it appear that I have an agent willing to represent me, but Emma’s promise of seeing modeling work when I arrived had come to fruition splendidly. Everything feels surreal. Even as we coast down the street, singing songs loudly without a care in the world, it still doesn’t feel real to me.

Emma suggests we go out for drinks that night—not as a way of me thanking her for the free lodging, but because we have so many things to celebrate!

We change at her place and go out into the chaotic world that is Saturday night in L.A. The roads are littered with brake lights, and the sidewalks are filled with groups of well-dressed Angelinos on their way to party.

We go to a place called The Flower Garden, a new bar that opened in the town of Silver Lake near Emma’s apartment. It is crazy busy at the Garden, with a line of people waiting for their turn to order drinks.

Instead of waiting in line, I follow Emma up to the front of the bar. I feel weird cutting in front of everyone, but I have to admit that it’s better than waiting for twenty minutes just to get a drink. Our drinks are free because she knows the bartender.

“What have you been up to?” the bartender asks Emma.

“My girl here and I just finished with a shoot,” she replies. “We killed it.”

“That’s awesome!” he says. “I saw that bikini ad you were telling me about last time I saw you.”

“What’d you think?” Emma asks.

“I loved it,” he tells her as he hands her our drinks. “I’m so proud of you, girl.”

A female bartender approaches Emma. “That’s where I know you from! You’re the girl in that K-Plus swimsuit commercial.”

“That’s me,” says Emma with facetious humility.

“You look so incredible in it,” the female bartender says. “I’m glad K-Plus has been so good to you.”