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She shakes her head. “It doesn’t matter, Mason. I get what this is. I’m nothing but dead weight, and I’m dragging you down with me.”
That does it. Without even taking off my clothes, I climb into the tub with her, ruining my expensive suit. But I don’t care, and ignore the way the now wet fabric clings to my body. Then, I sit against the back of the tub and pull Mimi into my lap with both my arms holding her curvy form tight.
“Listen to me. You mean the world to me, baby, so yes, something that has you this upset absolutely matters to me. Now, tell me why you’ve been crying in this tub all afternoon.”
Her lip quivers and I think she’s going to turn away, but after a minute she says, “I’m hopeless, Mason. I was going to take a cab to Atlantic City today, and then you know what happened? I realized I didn’t have enough money with me.”
I squint.
“But why were you going to Atlantic City? And how can you not have enough money? I thought I gave you my black Amex.”
She looks down, tears rising again.
“You did, but it just shows how pathetic I am! Without you, I have no money. Everything I spend is yours.”
I pull her chin around with firm fingers and look deep into her eyes.
“What’s mine is yours, baby. It’s our money, so I don’t want to hear anything more about it. But why were you taking off for Atlantic City? Was there an emergency?”
She lets out a long, shuddering breath as tears begin to stream again.
“I did the photoshoot for G-Raw, Mason, and I thought everything went well. Carlton was nice and I thought everything was fine. But afterwards,” she sniffs hard, looking utterly broken, “I overheard the creative director, Cassandra, telling him to trash the photos because I’m ugly and overweight. She said the entire shoot was a waste of time, and they only got stuck with me because I’m your girlfriend. Do you know how that made me feel? This is the second job I’ve lost for being fat!”
She starts sobbing once more and I pull her against my chest and rub my hands up and down her back in circles trying to soothe her. For a minute I’m glad she can’t see my face because I’m fucking angry as hell. Cassandra just lost the best job she’s ever going to have. In fact, I’ll make sure she never works in this industry again.
But I have to keep it together for my girl.
“You can’t listen to people like Cassandra,” I say. “She wouldn’t know beautiful if it hit her in the face because she’s never been beautiful in her life. You are exactly the model that G-Raw needs because our audience isn’t interested in rail thin girls. Tastes change and these days, people like curves. They respect real women, and our customers want to see someone lush and healthy, and not stick-thin and starved.”
But Mimi just buries her face against my wet shirt and starts sobbing again, her body shaking against mine as she cries. I wrap my arms around her and hold her for a minute, totally perplexed. Then I gently pull back once more to stare into those chocolate brown eyes.
“Are you sure there isn’t something else on your mind?” I ask gently. “Whatever’s going on, you know you can talk to me.”
She shakes her head, those brown curls swinging against her cheeks.
“It’s not just that, Mason. It’s the fact that I only got the job because I’m your girlfriend! And all of my money is actually your money, like I mentioned. I’m nothing without you, and it kills me to know it.”
That makes my hackles rise, and I hold her shoulders firmly to stare into her eyes.
“Listen, Mimi. We’re a couple, and a happy one too. We don’t go half-half all the time because that’s inane and unworkable, anyways. I bring my fortune to the table, but you bring a lot too. You bring sweetness and light, not to mention harmony and that lush body. I adore being with you, honey, and I genuinely thought you were perfect for the photo shoot.”
Mimi shakes her head miserably again.
“They’re trashing the images, Mason. I’m huge and disgusting, and it’s only nepotism that got me in front of the camera in the first place.”
I shake my head, furious once more.
“No. They’re not trashing the photos. In fact, I haven’t even seen them yet, but I’m going to make sure there’s a billboard in Times Square with your face on it. Besides, how do you think the real world works, honey? It’s always about who you know, especially in a place like NYC, and in this case, you know me. Damn those idiots for bringing you down like this.”
Mimi lets out a long, shuddering sigh.
