Free Catch a Rising Star by Tracey Bateman Page B

you seen his wife?” Two hundred pounds if she’s an ounce, and Jerry adores the Missus.
    “Okay. It was Julie Foster.”
    “Julie?”
    He gives a nod. “The cow says she’s not writing for an overweight heroine. It’s too hard for audiences to believe the hunky
     guys like Trey are in love with fat women when there are so many hot women running around.”
    “Hunky?” I can’t help but laugh. “If they had to kiss his coffee breath, they wouldn’t think he’s so hot.”
    “I just do what I’m told.” He has that eye of the tiger, and I know I’m about to get yelled at so I move my legs and go back
     to the torture. But I’m definitely having a talk with the powers that be about this.
    Jerry, I can’t physically get below a size six, and even a six is pushing it. I’m genetically predisposed to a size eight
     or above.”
    A snort from Julie raises my hackles. I whip around in Jerry’s plush office and face her. “Why can’t you write me in as curvy,
     not fat?”
    She ignores me and stays focused on Jerry. “Jerry, sweetheart, no one is going to believe a man like Rudolph will fall in
     love with someone with a large behind.”
    Oh, she is begging to be tossed out of that chair onto her own boney backside.
    “What are you talking about?” He frowns and eyes me up and down. “She looks like she hasn’t had a meal in a week.”
    Hello? Remember me? Still in the room here.
    Julie turns to me and gives me a once-over without making eye contact. “She’s at least a full size bigger than the last time
     she was on the show. Trey would never be attracted to… that.”
    Jerry scowls and I can see he’s growing impatient with her. “Well, this isn’t about what Trey would be attracted to. It’s
     about what Rudolph is attracted to, and his love for Felicia has nothing to do with the size of her derrière.”
    Oh yeah! My new hero. Jerry Gardner. Who would have ever thought? As much as I hated to be a tattletale, I can’t help but
     feel a sense of satisfaction. Maybe there are just times when a girl needs to go to the powers that be.
    Jerry swings around and shoves his finger toward me. “Next time you have a problem with Julie, go through Zoe. What do I have
     an associate producer for if people are going to just go over her head?”
    Humiliation burns my cheeks, and I can feel Julie’s mocking gaze on me.
    I stand and give my ex-hero Jerry a two-fingered salute. “Will do. Thank you for not making me lose more weight than is healthy
     for me.”
    “You’re welcome. Now get out of here. Both of you.”
    Julie jerks to her feet and slides around me, avoiding any physical contact. I guess she’s afraid some of my chub might wear
     off on her and make Trey lose interest. I mean really, given her track record with cheating husbands, who can blame her?
    I follow her out and she spins on her stilettos, glaring at me like she needs an exorcist. “Don’t get too comfortable, chickee.
     You won’t be here long.”
    I stand there gaping at her as she sashays away, leaving me slack-jawed and speechless, wishing I had a quippy comeback. But
     then, I never really do.
    So, how are things going now that you’ve been back to work for a while?” Through an uncommon series of events, Dancy, Laini,
     and I are all three home tonight for dinner, and Laini has cooked us a fabulous shrimp scampi (from a box, but still), a lovely
     Caesar salad, and she’s baked a cake with the words
Break a Leg
written on it. Triple-layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. I’m in heaven.
    We are sitting at our small, neglected kitchen table catching up for the first time in weeks. I relay my day of stardom.
    Dancy spears a juicy shrimp and pops it into her mouth. “Do you have any lines yet?” she says around the bite. Her mother
     would be mortified with her lack of table manners, but Laini and I couldn’t care less. Dancy’s come a long way out of all
     that snootiness of Fifth Avenue old money.
    “Oh yes. Want