That's all about to change, isn't it?

When we arrive at the office building and reach Creative Connection's floor, Seth and the rest of the company are waiting for us at the elevator. I feel like a dark cloud is hanging over my head and I wonder if it shows on my face. I hope Seth doesn't know I was forced here against my will. When the agency reps see me they start to applaud. I smile sweetly and try to push my ill will aside. Seth is standing in the middle of the crowd with a huge, laser-white smile.

If you met Seth six years ago, you wouldn't recognize him today. Seth wore Dockers and Old Navy polos and had big, brown glasses that always slid down his nose when he talked in a soft, low voice. He didn't make eye contact much, probably because his brown hair was constantly falling in front of his brown eyes. He was so pale that sometimes when he wore beige, I used to joke that he looked like the invisible man. He was fresh out of college and it was his first year at CC so he was eager to work triple hard, which Mom loved. (My old agent kept pushing for me to leave FA and stretch my wings on a "real soap" like The Young and the Restless. I'm glad we ignored him.)

Seth envelopes me in a tight hug, giving me a whiff of his cologne. (Armani, perhaps?) "I was worried you were avoiding me," he whispers.

"Never," I lie. The new(ish) Seth has his groove on. He's tanned to perfection, thanks to airbrushing. His hair is still chin-length, but product-heavy and I'm pretty sure it's highlighted. His clothes (Armani suit, Tom Ford tie, Prada shoes) are strictly from Fred Segal or Barneys. The only thing missing are Seth's trademark silver shades. Usually whether we're indoors or out, Seth has them glued to his face -- along with his Bluetooth.

"Good," he says and his eyes, 20/20 thanks to Lasik eye surgery, bounce from one person to the next. "Let's get you in the conference room and pick your next project." Seth puts his arm around me and leads me down the hall.

The Creative Connections conference room always makes me feel like I'm in a fishbowl. One wall faces busy Wilshire Boulevard and the other three walls are made of glass so everyone in the office can look in. The refreshment table along the back wall is fully stocked with three types of water, Coke and Diet Coke, and an assortment of flavored coffees. I grab a Smartwater and take a seat in the chair Seth has for me at the head of the table. Every seat has a pink folder with an embossed K on the front. At the opposite end of the table is a large flat-screen TV. Mom and Dad take seats on either side of me. (Laney has decided to wait in Seth's office and make some calls.)