'This is so exciting!'

Andrea gave a happy little wiggle as she felt the limo slow down outside the DeHeere Towers. They were using the roof-top terrace for the reception and it made Andrea feel even more like royalty, as when others commented on the gorgeous views of the city she'd actually get to say she was maid of honour to one of the other models when she'd had her wedding and reception on the very same rooftop.

As Andrea peered out the tinted window like a little kid trying to see Santa at the Macy's Thanksgiving parade, Meredeth had to laugh; her friend's enthusiasm was infectious in the best possible way. 'I thought you were a member of a movie crew a couple of times in Japan, didn't you get to do the red carpet thing with them?'

'No, I didn't.' Andrea shook her head. 'I wanted my privacy which was why I'd moved across the world to begin with, to get away from my sisters and my mother who was still a raging alcoholic at the time.'

When the car stopped, Andrea actually let out a squeal. 'This is it! Oh, I'm so excited!'

'I can tell.'

Their door was opened and Andrea stepped out first, followed by Mere and to Andrea's surprise there was a huge cheer from the crowd. She knew Meredeth was considered the Jennifer Lawrence of comic-books and graphic novels but since her name didn't pop up like Richard Castle's did, it was very easy to forget her friend had won four Emmys and been nominated for seven, not to mention a whole host of other awards.

'Man, they love you,' Andrea said, smiling as she waved at the crowds.

'You too, you know. These aren't just Hollywood fans, they are here because they like the arts as a whole and that includes your pictures for Sloan. Come on.'

Meredeth looped her arm through Andrea's and ushered her towards the first reporter they had to meet with - Mitch Whalen, an old friend of Meredeth's when they'd both started out writing professionally. 'Hey Mitch, how are you?'

'Just great, Mere,' he replied in his husky voice that sounded like Harvey Fierstein with a cold. 'And Andrea Brick your lovely co-model and date for the evening?'

'That's right.'

'Your picture in the original Real Live Women exhibition was one of the most talked about from Sloan Machado's show,' Mitch said, speaking directly to Andrea, 'is there any chance one of the other model's might be doing a similar pose to celebrate a pregnancy?'

'Right now, there are no babies expected in our family, but never say never,' Andrea replied sweetly.

'And you looking beautiful by the way, who are you wearing?'

'We're both wearing Van Valkan Tailors,' she said, gesturing to herself and Meredeth, 'but her shoes are Jimmy Choo and mine are Manolo Blahnik.'

'You look great, and I think a few more of your fellow Real Live Women have arrived.'

Andrea turned and grinned when she saw Lanie and Honey-Milk walking up the red carpet, pausing for photos as well, and they even signed a few autographs before catching up to them. Honey-Milk's hair had been curled into Princess Bride ringlets and she wore icy-blue with slashes of navy criss-crossing over the bottom four inches of the tea-length silk along with navy blue Jimmy Choos too while Lanie was a stunning vision in a wine-coloured halter number that left her back totally bare from neck to lumbar. She had gone for Christian Louboutin champagne peep-toe stilettos for a contrasting look; Andrea knew her designer footwear well as it was the one indulgence she allowed herself. She would wear Old Navy and Marshall's and even Target for her everyday clothes but she'd pair them with designer, top of the line shoes.

'Hey, girl! You look so beautiful, Lanie!' she gasped, givign her friend a hug and was pleased when she felt Lanie's hand patting her between the shoulders.

'Me, you look like an angel, Andrea! Like Christina Hendricks' little sister or something,' she replied with just as much love.

'Have you gotten to give any autographs yet?' Honey-Milk asked, running her thumb over the clasp of her genuine Dooney and Bourke platinum-line clutch, a birthday gift from her husband the previous year.

'No, we haven't.'

'Come on.'

Honey-Milk grabbed Andrea's hand, hauled her over to one of the bleachers crowded with fans, actually cheering and jumping up and down in excitement. She wrapped her arm behind Andrea's waist and gave her a cuddly squeezing hug. 'Hello everyone, are you excited for another year of supporting the arts?' she asked the crowd and they went bananas. To Andrea's delight, they were actually holding out pictures from the previous year's copy of Vanity Fair of her and Andrea and calling her name.

'Andrea! Andrea! Can I get your autograph!'

'Andrea! Over here! Picture!'

'Andrea! Can you sign this for me too!'

Overwhelmed in a good way, Andrea stepped forward and signed her name on a few magazines, paused for some fan pictures; she didn't even notice in the background the videographers from E!, Entertainment Tonight, ET Canada and Access Hollywood filming her interactions with the crowd. All she saw were so many excited faces, men and women alike, and watched them tweet the photos to Meredeth and Sloan.

It was only when she felt a bright flash near her eyes that she glanced over and saw Honey-Milk taking a picture herself on the red carpet and grinning at her.

'That one's going up at work tomorrow morning,' she trilled, then looked at the crowd. 'Thanks everyone, we have to get going, we have some reporters to talk to before we go inside!'

'We love you Jenny and Andrea!' a group chorused back and sent up a wild cheer that had Andrea feeling like if she smiled any harder in sheer delight, she would crack her face in two. Of course, she also felt like she might split in two pieces herself she was so damn excited.

'Thank you!'

'Isn't that fun?' Honey-Milk hissed in an excited whisper as they headed to join their friends once more. 'Let's go find the others.'