Never Too Real Read Online Free Page B

of a smile while her eyes told Cat that she liked what she saw. Gabi elbowed Magda.
    Cat rambled a bit in reply. “Thank you so much, Magda, for having me—and Gabi. I’ve never really been to one of these things, ya know, because of course the network doesn’t pay for much and then when they do, it’s like I’m just not there yet, ya know?”
    Gabi waved off Cat’s nervousness while acknowledging her feelings of vulnerability. Magda had gotten up to talk with another board member, which gave Gabi the chance to assure Cat as she sat down. “Sweetie, this is just the start of many! So . . . help us out here and make this not a dull night, yes?” Cat smiled. She wasn’t yet the stomping, strong woman who commanded a network show. She seemed smaller, was smaller, in her own head. Her hair wasn’t perfectly blow-dried and ironed flat. Her makeup was obviously done all too gently by her own hand, and her dress was as nondescript and “blend-me-in” as possible. She was not yet ready to be seen. But Gabi saw her—saw the fireball of intelligence and drive under all the politeness and nerves.
    “ Ay, mujeres, what the fuck!” A stunning blue-eyed, African-American woman with a nearly shaved head of pale gold approached the table, feigning exasperation. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”
    “ Ay, belleza, Mami-Luz, come here!” Gabi enthused. She embraced Luz as her friend bent down to give her a full-lipped kiss on the cheek.
    “Don’t get up, don’t get up,” the woman said in Gabi’s ear as she looked down at Gabi’s growing belly. “So, does everybody know?” she whispered.
    “Oh, yeah, yes, all good.” Gabi nodded, with her eyes closing in acknowledgment. She patted her own belly while her friend squeezed her hand on her shoulder.
    They paused for a moment, then Gabi introduced Cat to Luz, who then greeted Magda as they all sat down.
    “Yo, mama, thank you so much for letting me tag along—you know I’m going to get the company to give big next year. They need to buy a table.”
    “That would be great, Lu. Thanks.” Magda smiled. Luz was a longtime friend and grad-school buddy of Gabi, a rising powerhouse in advertising. A stunner visually, the super-cool buzzcut, the velvet brown skin and light eyes, but she was too tall and model-like for Magda’s taste. Not enough to hold. Besides, Luz was another supreme alpha, like Magda. She loved alphas, but only as friends. Besides, Luz was married to a Silicon-Valley Chinese-American from Queens who was grinding his life away at his start-up for God-knows-what chance he’d strike it rich. Might as well be mining for gold. Then again, Luz was no idiot. Magda just didn’t like the odds. She preferred to play it square in business. Just not in life. But that didn’t stop both Luz and Chris from pitching her to invest in his business.
    It was nearing time for the opening speaker and Magda’s table was now filled by three of her staff members: a young, brunette intern with the flowing locks of youth and the angled shoulders of a salad diet; an Adonis thirty-something vice president, with ebony skin and Colgate-white teeth; and the hipster accounting guy, coiffed, full beard, checked shirt, contrasting slim tie and all.
    “Ladies and gentlemen! If you could all please take your seats—the program will soon begin.” The voice of God, as events folks call it, boomed over the speakers. Half of the attendees, still standing, shuffled to their seats as conversations wound down, hugs were given, cards exchanged.
    “Are you saying anything tonight?” Gabi asked Magda as she sat down at the head of her table, closest to the stage, smiling, mouthing hellos around the table.
    “Nah, don’t wanna.” Gabi noted Magda’s tequila-laced breath. She didn’t remember seeing her drink more than one, but she already sensed she was on to number three at a minimum. Gabi knew better than to berate Magda or tell her to cool it. That would just result in a