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A Hollywood happily-ever-after that celebrates people who have been sidelined because they don’t fit into rusty, dusty norms? Yes, please! In this excerpt of Because Fat Girl by Lauren Marie Fleming, Diana Smith’s galling moment in the fitting room with a member of the Hollywood elite turns into an offer she can’t refuse.
Because Fat Girl by Lauren Marie Fleming
“For everyone who’s ever felt too big, too weird, too queer—or just too much—comes a happily ever after for the rest of us.
Hollywood isn’t nice to women like Diana Smith, but that hasn’t stopped her from being unabashedly queer, plus-sized, and determined to make award-winning movies that showcase the diversity of her community. She was so close to her goal, appearing at festivals and gaining attention for her short films, when grief came and shattered Diana’s directorial dreams.
Forced to move to the suburbs with her sister and kids, the closest thing Diana gets to the movies these days is dressing the stars of them at her high-end department store job. Until one day, she gets a pity invite to a gala full of Hollywood’s most elite, where she unwittingly attracts the attention of a famous action star.
The unexpected pairing shocks their friends-and the tabloids-forcing Diana to choose between the status quo and the silver screen. For the first time in her life, doors open for Diana and the possibilities seem endless. The chance to create unforgettable films. To shake up the industry. To inspire everyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t belong.
But fame always comes with a cost…and to get her Hollywood ending, Diana’s going to have to go completely off-script.”
I wondered if Chris Stanson ever got coffee for anyone else, if he ever even noticed how his coffee got to him, or if he took for granted its appearance in his hand. As I grabbed another can of the overpriced drink, I thought for the millionth time about what life would be like if women quit catering to men.
What would we wear?
What would we say?
What would we weigh?
Coffee acquired, I walked back into the fitting room to find Emmy and Mr. Stanson laughing together as he stood on the pedestal wearing the outfit I’d picked out for him, neither of them acknowledging my reappearance.
“I love it,” he said, fake posing for photos in the mirror. “I never would have thought to wear something like this, but I love it. What’s this color called?”
“Coral,” Emmy replied.
“Coral,” he repeated, trying the word on like a piece of clothing, seeing if it fit. “I guess I like the color coral. Thank you, Emmy.”
“It was Diana’s pick,” she corrected, acknowledging me as I poured more coffee into his mug. “She gets the credit.”
“Thanks, Coffee Girl.” He was smiling like I should be grateful for his attention.
I wanted to punch him in that cocky, dimpled face of his, but instead I dismissed myself to go downstairs and find shoes for his outfit. Hoping to vent, I searched for my best friend, Janelle, who also worked at Roussard’s, but she was on a break. I grabbed a pair of Gucci loafers patterned with coral and green G’s and a gold buckle on them. Tim or Jim offered to help bring them up to the dressing room for me, but I made him stay away. Though the shoes were a bit outrageous, they paired well with the coral jacket, and Mr. Stanson loved them.
“I feel like a different person.” He strutted around the dressing room. “It’s not too flamboyant, is it?”
“It’s perfect for LACMA,” Emmy stated in her matter-of-fact way that left no room for discussion.
“If you can’t make it to dinner, you should come to the LACMA fundraiser,” Chris said to her. “See the suit in action.”
“I’m busy,” Emmy declined, taking the shoes from him and putting them back in their box.
“I’ll have Bradley bring over an invitation for you anyways, just in case,” Chris insisted, coming out of the dressing room and handing Emmy his credit card. “As a thanks for finding me this suit.”
“Diana found the outfit,” Emmy reminded him, ringing up his purchase. “She should be the one to go.”
Chris Stanson glanced at me, then back at Emmy. “Then I’ll have Bradley bring over two invitations, one for you, one for Coffee Girl.”
“Fine. Here you go.” Emmy handed him the bag with his shoes and pocket square. He said his goodbyes and invited her to dinner one last time before he left, saying nothing to me.
“Are you going to the party?” I asked on our way to clean up the dressing room.
“No,” she said, gathering the suits Chris had passed on. “You?”
“Normally I’d veer far away from that guy… but I really love LACMA, and it could be a chance to meet some interesting artists.”
“Both tickets are yours, then,” Emmy said as I walked over to the table and picked up Chris Stanson’s coffee from where it sat, untouched.
From Because Fat Girl by Lauren Marie Fleming. Copyright © 2024 by the author and reprinted by permission of Amara.
