Couture

Up-and-coming luxury brand Phallacy takes red-carpet fashion by storm...

Growing a fashion atelier from the ground up isn't easy, but it's still awesome. I design gorgeous clothes that people pay a lot of money for, I work with my best friend, and Hollywood A-listers are starting to murmur my name. Things couldn't be better.

Except anxiety is a beast that's ridden me my whole life. It doesn't matter how good things might be, there's always something it takes exception to. And when my baseline stress starts to rise, I become nonverbal.

Which is why my first encounter with celebrity stylist Griff Pevensy is both a dream and a nightmare. I have the chance to design an awards gown for one of the most iconic women in the industry, but a mostly silent meeting plus a design that's not really his style aren't likely to get me past gatekeeper Griff. If I want to make this gown, I need to connect with him and win him over.

That turns out to be a lot easier than expected. Who knew I'd have so much in common with an ex-Marine stylist who prefers to communicate in grunts? We both love fashion, his perfect princess dog, hanging out with my codependent friends... and maybe each other.

The new problem is... how unprofessional can we get before people notice? And how much do I care?