My heart was beating like a wild horse running in an open field. “You can’t see it.”
Stepping in Michael’s office, I slammed the door shut and made my way over to the dress.
Covering my mouth, I held back the waterworks show. It was beautiful. How Lucy’s friend managed to do this in the short amount of time she had was amazing. No wonder it cost me a small fortune!
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful wedding gown, Ava,” Michael said while we both gazed at it.
“The end product is breathtaking,” I said with a huge smile. Never mind the fact that Michael Blancet just said my wedding dress was beautiful.
“It is. Now, let me have Renee put this back in the bag so that your poor Ryder can join us.”
My face turned red. “Well, I really don’t want him seeing it until I’m in it.”
He nodded and motioned for me to let Ryder back in now that Renee had zipped up the bag. Ryder walked in and shot me a dirty look. I mouthed, sorry, to him and blew him a kiss.
“Sit, both of you please. We have much to talk about.”
We each took a seat and sat there stunned while Michael said he wanted the original designs that Kate had sent them. He also wanted the five other designs of Kate’s that I sent a few weeks back that were not finished.
Ryder took my hand and squeezed it. Kate’s dreams of becoming a fashion designer were going to happen.
“We already decided the money will go into a scholarship account for young girls in Montana to follow their own dreams,” Ryder said when Michael started talking money.
“I do have one question though,” Ryder said. “Who will be finishing my sister’s other designs?”
My heart sank. I’d have given anything to have been able to finish them.
Michael
sat back in his chair. “Oh, that will be done by our latest designer. She lives in America and is very familiar with Kate’s work.”
Ryder and I both looked at each other. What in the hell is he talking about?
“Who?” I asked a little too hard.
With a wide smile, Michael said, “You, Ava. You will finish Kate’s designs. The moment I saw your dress I knew that my sweet Kate brought you to me to finish the work she had begun, and so much more.”
I was positive I had just peed my pants. “Wait. What?”
Everything from that point on was nothing but a blur.
AFTER FILLING MY parents in on everything that had happened since we got to Paris, I was exhausted. Ava and I had been going non-stop since we landed in France. Between finishing up the deal for Kate’s designs, and then Michael offering Ava a position, things were insane.
Ava had called Jackson to let him know also. We had talked one other time since dinner that first night. I had asked him why he was still single and the only thing he said was no one had moved his heart like Kate enough to make him fall again. Ava was hell bent on making sure Jackson moved on and found happiness again. So much so, she and my mother planned a dinner where they invited a shit load of people, many whom were young and single. Jackson wasn’t interested though. He spent most of the night talking to Jennifer.
The water in the bathroom turned off as I made my way in. Ava was soaking in the tub. She had never looked so beautiful.
“So? What did Maurice say?”
She kept her eyes closed. “Well, after he called me a bitch about six times, he told me he was proud of me and that his little secret weapon would have gotten noticed sooner or later.”
I smiled and made my way over to her and sat on the edge of the giant tub. “You look tense.”
“I’m getting married tomorrow. I am tense.”
Moving my eyes to the faucet, I couldn’t help but notice the shower head was a hand held.
“Then I think it’s time to relax you.”