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"I've been looking for you," Vanna says, pulling me into a hug before she greets Mari and Isabel with the same enthusiasm.
"I'm so sorry I wasn't here earlier in the week," I apologize to her once everyone has said their hellos. The other Women of the Year winners have already finished their photoshoots and everything. But there was no way I was going to miss Gray's wedding, even if it was a whirlwind. Thankfully, Vanna understands the importance of family. She rearranged everything to ensure I could be at Gray's wedding and still make my photoshoot. She's an angel.
"Family first," she says, pulling back to smile at me. "That brother of yours has caused quite a stir lately. It's nice to see things turning around for him."
"Thank you," I say. Gray had a little bit of embarrassing trouble with a charity contest and ended up being the punchline in a lot of late-night TV jokes. Meeting Camila turned things around for him, thankfully. "I'm really happy for him and Camila. She's going to be great for him."
I already love Camila. Her brother is a romance author, one of my favorites. We talked a little bit about the possibility of using some of my models on his covers. Not surprisingly, there's a shortage of plus-size cover models. Stock photography isn't flattering to plus-size women.
I'm excited to explore the possibilities with him and Camila.
"That's excellent news," Vanna says. "Please send my congratulations to both of them."
"I will," I promise, and then glance from her to Jimmy. "It's been a long time, stranger."
"And you've only gotten more beautiful," he says, winking at me, which makes Mari and Isabel both laugh. Jimmy is Italian American and can be quite charming. "I'm a little disappointed I won't get to shoot you this time, dear."
My brows furrow. "I thought you were running the shoot?"
"There was a slight change of plan," Vanna says. "Jimmy did the main shoot, but we decided to go a different direction with yours."
"Okay…" I say, not sure what she means or why Jimmy is smiling so widely.
Mari and Isabel don't seem to know what they're talking about either.
"Sage Grimes will be your photographer tomorrow," Vanna says.
"Sage Grimes?" I ask.
"Mmhmm," Jimmy says. "He seems quite smitten with you. He practically demanded that I step aside and let him run your photoshoot."
"Sage Grimes?" I say again…just to make sure we're talking about the same Sage Grimes. He's one of the best photographers in the world, and I'm not exaggerating. He's won every major photography award there is and had a number of photography scholarships named after him. He's literally that good. Every model in the business daydreams about making it big enough to merit a shoot with him. I'mnotthat well known. I've never even met him before!
Everyone says he's a complete grump. He doesn't tolerate bullshit well and has blackballed more than one model for diva-like behavior. No one tells Sage what to do. He can be demanding and bossy and will run a shoot however long it takes for him to get the perfect shot. There are a lot of rumors and stories about him, but I don't know how many are true or how many have simply grown with each retelling. He's an intensely private person, so no one really knows much about him. He lets his work speak for itself, and that's that.
Why in the world does he want to run my shoot?
"Mmhmm," Jimmy says again, his eyes twinkling with humor. "TheSage Grimes wants to do your cover shoot."
"Holy shit," Mari whispers.
Isabel blinks wide eyes at me. Unlike me, she's really outgoing, so I know if she's shocked into silence, this is a big deal. I really like her and Mari. I haven't known them long, but we've really bonded over sharing this experience. Good friends are hard to find as an adult!
"Wow," I whisper, blinking wide eyes at Vanna and Jimmy. My stomach flutters with nerves. I was never a big enough deal when I modeled to even dream about landing a Sage Grimes shoot. Wrapping my head around the fact that he's going to be the photographer tomorrow is hard enough. Knowing that he asked to photograph me is…wow. "Is he sure he has the right person?"
"Positive," Vanna says. "He's done a few pieces for us before. When he asked to do this one, we jumped at the chance. It's a fantastic way to bring attention not just to your shoot, but to all of the Women of the Year nominees and the incredible things you're doing for plus-size women." She meets my gaze. "If you're not comfortable with the change, I'm prepared to tell him no."
This is what I love about working with Vanna. She's not just a great editor, she's a great person and a fantastic advocate for women. There are horror stories about the editors of other magazines, but you only ever hear positive things about Le CRV. They genuinely care about plus-size women, not as a commodity but as people.
Body positivity and advocacy isn't just a bandwagon for Le CRV. It's a way of life. The magazine is so popular because it doesn't focus on celebrities who already have a platform, but on celebrating the achievements, success, and daily life of everyday women. They work hard to make sure the women they highlight are comfortable and are part of the process.
If I tell her that I don't want to work with Sage, I have no doubt that she'll tell him no, even if it means losing him as a photographer in the future. For a second, I consider saying no, simply because I can't fathom why someone with a reputation like his would want to photograph someone like me—a business owner who hasn't been in front of a camera in years. But rabid curiosity silences me.
I want to know why he wants to photograph me. And I want to meet him. I've heard so many things about him over the years, but I've never even been in the same room with him. I'm damn curious to see if he lives up to all of the hype. Besides, even if meeting him is a little intimidating, adaptability is the name of the game in this industry. Last minute changes are to be expected. Anyone who wants to make it in the fashion industry knows this. I would never want to risk harming Le CRV's reputation or the reputation of my agency simply because I was too nervous to work with Sage.
"The change is fine," I promise Vanna and Jimmy, much to their relief.
"We were going to fight if you said no," Isabel says, teasing me.
