theirs, but her brain was in major rewind mode. Desperately, she searched her memory, trying to determine whether her feedback had fallen into the “embrace” category or the “erase” category. A niggling feeling in her stomach told her she might have said a thing or two to a client or two that maybe could have possibly qualified as an “erase.” . . .
But then again, worrying about it would only bring on premature frown lines. And besides, Anastasia seemed more than pleased with her. So the video must have turned out better than great.
“Embrace, don’t erase! Embrace, don’t erase! Embrace, don’t erase!”
“But why listen to me?” Anastasia broke in, and the chanting immediately subsided. “When you can hear it from the girls themselves.”
The lights dimmed, and heavy purple blinds rolled down and covered the windows. The waitstaff quickly emerged from the kitchen delivering popcorn shrimp to the guests. Then the familiar deep-voiced narrator from the movie trailers began.
“In a small beach town rife with insecurity, there lived a girl . . .”
Anastasia leaned in and whispered, “I am so excited to see this.”
Massie froze. Then began sweating. Then her vision blurred.
Anastasia hadn’t seen it yet?
Her eyes darted around the room in search of the nearest exit, but all she saw were hundreds of people nibbling on popcorn shrimp, captivated by the video that was about to change her life for the better . . . or worse.
A close-up image of Lindsey Kerns leaning against a red surfboard on the beach appeared on the cubes.
“Ow, owwww!” Lindsey hooted.
Kimmi whistled through her teeth.
Massie forgot how to breathe.
Video Lindsey smiled boldly into the camera, her oil-infused locks tumbling over smoky gray-shadowed green eyes. “Massie Block showed me what beauty
really
means,” she said confidently.
Anastasia’s pleased grin glowed in the light reflecting from the screen.
“She taught me that beauty
is
actually skin deep and that my ‘beauty’ was dry and flaky,” Video Lindsey continued. “Massie said I needed more coverage on the top”—she pointed to her heavily concealed face—“and less on the bottom.” She wiggled her thong bikini bottom for the camera. “And she promised that if I bought the Be Pretty Cosmetics line, I’d totally find a boyfriend.”
The crowd snickered. Lindsey looked down and bit her lip, looking like she might cry.
Massie side-peeked at Anastasia, afraid of what she might see. But the Be Pretty CEO was still grinning with joy. Massie breathed a Be Minty–scented sigh of relief. William must have been right. The whole “inner beauty” thing was just a hook to sell more product. All she cared about was the bottom line.
Thank Gawd!
Lindsey’s grinning image faded to a shot of Marin, posing by her pool in a white sundress. Massie had to admit the ol’ freckle-face looked good for her. She flashed a thumbs-up at Marin and her mother, sitting just a few tables away. They smiled back.
“Massie told me freckles and heavy prints can induce nausea. So I donated my entire wardrobe to Darfur and replaced it with solids. Then I got a laser facial. Oh, and I also use Be Flawless foundation.” The camera zoomed in on Marin’s face, and she winked. “Thanks, Massie. Without you, I’d never have known the truth about my nauseating looks.”
Marin’s mom slammed down her gold-rimmed glass. She was waving her hands and mouthing something to Massie, but Massie couldn’t quite make it out. Again, Massie side-peeked at her mentor, but Anastasia was still grinning.
“Normally when someone calls your embarrassing blackhead and whitehead condition a ‘nose full of salt and pepper’ it’s upsetting,” said Video Cathie while swinging in her porch swing. Her face had been scrubbed raw. “But my pores
were
super clogged. Now my acne is gone . . . along with the top layer of my skin. But who cares? It was worth it, don’tcha think?” She caressed her red
But then again, worrying about it would only bring on premature frown lines. And besides, Anastasia seemed more than pleased with her. So the video must have turned out better than great.
“Embrace, don’t erase! Embrace, don’t erase! Embrace, don’t erase!”
“But why listen to me?” Anastasia broke in, and the chanting immediately subsided. “When you can hear it from the girls themselves.”
The lights dimmed, and heavy purple blinds rolled down and covered the windows. The waitstaff quickly emerged from the kitchen delivering popcorn shrimp to the guests. Then the familiar deep-voiced narrator from the movie trailers began.
“In a small beach town rife with insecurity, there lived a girl . . .”
Anastasia leaned in and whispered, “I am so excited to see this.”
Massie froze. Then began sweating. Then her vision blurred.
Anastasia hadn’t seen it yet?
Her eyes darted around the room in search of the nearest exit, but all she saw were hundreds of people nibbling on popcorn shrimp, captivated by the video that was about to change her life for the better . . . or worse.
A close-up image of Lindsey Kerns leaning against a red surfboard on the beach appeared on the cubes.
“Ow, owwww!” Lindsey hooted.
Kimmi whistled through her teeth.
Massie forgot how to breathe.
Video Lindsey smiled boldly into the camera, her oil-infused locks tumbling over smoky gray-shadowed green eyes. “Massie Block showed me what beauty
really
means,” she said confidently.
Anastasia’s pleased grin glowed in the light reflecting from the screen.
“She taught me that beauty
is
actually skin deep and that my ‘beauty’ was dry and flaky,” Video Lindsey continued. “Massie said I needed more coverage on the top”—she pointed to her heavily concealed face—“and less on the bottom.” She wiggled her thong bikini bottom for the camera. “And she promised that if I bought the Be Pretty Cosmetics line, I’d totally find a boyfriend.”
The crowd snickered. Lindsey looked down and bit her lip, looking like she might cry.
Massie side-peeked at Anastasia, afraid of what she might see. But the Be Pretty CEO was still grinning with joy. Massie breathed a Be Minty–scented sigh of relief. William must have been right. The whole “inner beauty” thing was just a hook to sell more product. All she cared about was the bottom line.
Thank Gawd!
Lindsey’s grinning image faded to a shot of Marin, posing by her pool in a white sundress. Massie had to admit the ol’ freckle-face looked good for her. She flashed a thumbs-up at Marin and her mother, sitting just a few tables away. They smiled back.
“Massie told me freckles and heavy prints can induce nausea. So I donated my entire wardrobe to Darfur and replaced it with solids. Then I got a laser facial. Oh, and I also use Be Flawless foundation.” The camera zoomed in on Marin’s face, and she winked. “Thanks, Massie. Without you, I’d never have known the truth about my nauseating looks.”
Marin’s mom slammed down her gold-rimmed glass. She was waving her hands and mouthing something to Massie, but Massie couldn’t quite make it out. Again, Massie side-peeked at her mentor, but Anastasia was still grinning.
“Normally when someone calls your embarrassing blackhead and whitehead condition a ‘nose full of salt and pepper’ it’s upsetting,” said Video Cathie while swinging in her porch swing. Her face had been scrubbed raw. “But my pores
were
super clogged. Now my acne is gone . . . along with the top layer of my skin. But who cares? It was worth it, don’tcha think?” She caressed her red
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