Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
“I’m ready!” Skyla comes running out with her purse slung over her shoulder.
“You sure you’re okay with this?” Jase murmurs low enough so that Skyla can’t hear.
“Yeah, it will be fun.” I give him a kiss on his cheek.
“Can my dad come?” Skyla asks.
“Of course. I’ll send you some tickets in case your brother and sister want to go as well.”
* * *
“I’ll just be a minute!” I yell across my condo to Skyla. Spending the day with her has been nothing short of amazing. She’s so mature for her age, and we’ve had a great time. It’s everything I always wanted with my mom but never got to experience. We got manis and pedis at the spa, then went to my favorite Bistro for lunch. I took her to get her hair done, even though once we arrive at the show, they’ll do it how they want. We were on our way there when Margie called and asked me for the designer credit files for tonight. Apparently she can’t find the electronic copy on the cloud, but luckily I keep all files on my home computer as well.
“Can I look at your jewelry?” Skyla asks.
“Go for it!” I find the files, send them to Margie, and then head into my bathroom so I can freshen up before we go. My outfit for tonight is at the studio.
“See anything you like?” I ask when I come out and find Skyla combing through my jewelry box.
“This.” She holds up the dandelion necklace Jase gave me years ago. I almost threw it away the day I thought he slept with Amaya, but something stopped me. Instead, I put it in my jewelry box and never looked at it again.
“It’s just like the one at my dad’s shop…like the one on the bracelets you made for my career day.”
I remember she mentioned that before—that Jase has a painting of a dandelion at the shop, but I didn’t see it when I was there. “I haven’t seen it.”
“It’s in his workstation,” she says. Hmm…looks like I’m going to have to make it a point to check out Jase’s room at the shop.
“He also has a tattoo of one on his ribcage,” she adds, eyeing the necklace with a soft smile. Interesting… guess I’ll also have to make it a point to check out his body more thoroughly as well.
“Your dad gave me that necklace,” I admit. “A long time ago, when we were… friends.”
“You mean boyfriend and girlfriend?” she asks, moving a hand up to her hip. “I’m not a baby, you know. I’m thirteen. I hate that my family acts like I’m still little.” I stifle my laugh because to her thirteen is old, but to someone who is about to be thirty, thirteen is still in fact a baby. But I won’t tell her that.
“Anyway,” I say with a smile. “He gave me this necklace and told me to follow my dreams.”
“It’s beautiful,” Skyla murmurs.
“Why don’t you wear it tonight? You can’t wear it on the runway since it’s not Ralph Lauren, but you can wear it before and after.”
“Wow, okay, thanks.” She nods and lifts up her hair so I can put it on her.
“Hey Celeste,” Skyla says when I finish clasping the lock on.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you.” She turns around and gives me a hug, and the way she holds me tight makes me think she might be thanking me for more than just allowing her to wear my necklace. But I can’t go there…
“You’re welcome, pretty girl.”
We arrive at Springs Studio and Skyla stays with me through the afternoon. Just like Fashion Week, GFE is running all week, at several venues, and all day, well into the evening. My fall line is being showcased today and then Skyla will be walking this evening. She stays with me the entire time, asking questions and commenting on the line. Several times Margie gives me an impressed look at how much Skyla knows about the industry at only thirteen years old.
Once the show is wrapped up, we head over to where Skyla will be getting ready, so I can introduce her to everyone she needs to know. Most girls would be nervous, but not Skyla. She’s bubbly and outgoing and excited. She’s polite to everyone she meets. Jase texts me when he, Quinn, and Jax have arrived and are seated. I couldn’t get them in the front since that’s only for the press, designers, and the who’s who of fashion, but they do have decent seats. Skyla is taken from hair and makeup to wardrobe, and then is walked through what she’ll be doing. I stay with her the entire time, not letting her out of my sight. Her dad is trusting me to take care of her, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly.