“These, over here, are the ones for the show.” Kristy tried to direct Sinclair’s attention to the Irene collection.
But Sinclair wouldn’t be distracted. “You made all of them?” She put the green dress back and switched to the waterfall dress.
“I did,” said Kristy. “But, these ones—”
“Are boring,” said Sinclair, with a dismissive wave of her hand. “Why not take the good ones to London?”
Kristy raised her eyebrows at the ludicrous suggestion. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve had expert help withthis collection. And it’s the one Cleveland and I made the deal on.”
“So, tell him you’ve changed your mind.”
“I can’t change my mind.”
Sinclair traded the waterfall dress for the crop top. “Then tell Jack you’ve changed your mind.”
“I can’t do that, either.”
Jack didn’t respect her skills or her talent. He was only going along with having her in the contest because Cleveland had forced him.
“You’re sleeping with him, right?”
Kristy didn’t know what to say to that.
Sinclair watched her closely, then her voice took on an unnatural calm. “Right, Kristy. Because heis your husband. ”
Kristy blinked like a deer in the headlights.
Sinclair plunked the crop top back on the rack. “Damn it,” she swore. “I hoped he was lying.”
“Huh?”
“Hunter, dear sister.” Sinclair paced in a semicircle around Kristy. “Your cousin-in-law told me your marriage was a sham.”
Kristy opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
“He said Jack only married you to save his grandfather from a fortune hunter.”
Kristy recognized the angry crackle in Sinclair’s familiar blue eyes. She’d hated deceiving her sister.
“Am I not your partner in crime?” asked Sinclair.
Kristy struggled to frame a response.
Then a note of real hurt crept into Sinclair’s voice. “Why would you lie to me?”
“Because I didn’t wantyou to have to lie forme. ”
“To Mom and Dad?”
“Yes!” It was a choice between bad and worse.
“I’ve been lying to Mom and Dad for you since we were born.”
“Not like this.”
“What the hell happened?”
“I thought Hunter told you.”
“Not all of it.” Sinclair took a step forward. “He didn’t know why you said yes. Why’d you go and marry Jack?”
Kristy didn’t know.
She honestly didn’t know.
“There were helicopters,” she tried. “And dinner and dancing. Oh, Sinclair, you should see him in a suit.”
“You were hot for him? That’s it?”
“Totally,” Kristy admitted.
Sinclair laughed softly. “I can respect that. But you couldn’t have settled for a fling?”
“He proposed.”
“The rat bastard,” said Sinclair, but there was a wry grin along with the insult.
“As it turned out,” said Kristy on a sigh.
“So, now what?”
“Now, I put these away, finish thereal collection and go to London and try to win that darn contest.”
Kristy scooped two of the fantasy dresses from the rack and headed for the closet.
“Mistake,” said Sinclair, nodding to Kristy’s armload. “Those dresses are better. And he owes you.”
“Do you have any idea how much they’ve spent on me already? I’m coming away just fine from this deal.”
“Did you sign a prenup?”
“We arenot going after his money.” Kristy transferred the evening gown to the closet.
Sinclair leaned to peer out the window. “That’s a whole lot of money, babe.”
“And it’s his, not mine.”
“Depends on the state.”
“I signed a prenup.”
Sinclair gave a sigh of disgust. “Did I teach you nothing?”
“This is not a scenario evenyou could have contemplated.” Kristy all but sprinted to the closet with the remaining items.
“What about future planning?” Sinclair called. “Self-preservation? Keeping your sister in the style to which she’s planning to become accustomed?”
Kristy latched the closet. “Don’t you have a plane to catch?”
“I could stay through the holidays, eat caviar, sip champagne.”
“I thought you said they needed you at work.”
“They do.”
“And we can’t both miss Christmas dinner.”
“So you get to stay here with the hunky husband and eat caviar and drink champagne?”
Kristy crossed her arms over her chest in mock censure. “You got your sights set on my hunky husband?”