"You got that right," she whispered back. "Someday, I'll tell her what I really think. Just not today." She sounded resigned.
"What's the statement, Lowell?" everyone asked.
"That being healthy and happy is being beautiful," she said.
"You are beautiful," one of the male reporters said. "And I bet you're going to get some great endorsement offers because of your awesome attitude. You go, girl!"
The other reporters looked at him as if he had three heads.
"If it's still okay to say that," he called sheepishly.
"I appreciate all your support," Lowell said. "See you at El Campo!"
"Thank you, Lowell!"
"Thank you so much!"
"I wish everyone kept us posted about their whereabouts like you two do. It makes things so much easier!"
Lowell smiled at them like a queen, then she strutted to the car with her head held high. I watched Katie, another sour look on her face, watching Lowell.
Lowell sighed, and her face relaxed into a scowl once we were safely inside the confines of the tinted windows. "This is exhausting."
"Good thing you're good at it," I offered.
"You're the one who's good at it. Thanks for sticking up for me back there."
"That Katie…"
"Oh, that Katie…" Lowell agreed.
"She'll get hers someday," I said confidently. "I'll make sure of it."
* * *
I made Lowell eat her dinner, and I made her drink her wine.
"Relax," I said. "You want to project a healthy body image? Eat, for Christ's sake. Then get up and go back to the gym with me tomorrow. You burned, like, five thousand calories today."
Lo sighed and pushed the food around on her plate. "I don't want
Lucas to freak out." She took a sip of wine, looking guilty.
"Fuck Lucas. He can't fire you unless you break the contract terms, right?"
She nodded warily.
"So what do the contract terms actually state?" I asked.
"That I have to be 'fit enough to undertake the action sequences in the film,'" she recited.
"What sort of action is it?"
"Running on a beach. I also have to jump into the back of a moving Jeep." She chewed and looked thoughtful. "I think I have to sprint down a bridge too. Maybe climb some rock walls. They were talking about adding in some stuff like that."
"So every day at the gym from now on, we sprint. We run, jump, and climb. You'll show Lucas exactly how dedicated you are."
"Awesome," she said, finally breaking down and eating her food. "Just awesome."