by Adams, Nancy
Jason shook his hand.
“Best of luck,” Andrew said as he turned to walk away.
Isabel followed closely beside him.
“I just need to head backstage now,” Andrew said. “You should come with me. You can watch the show from beside the stage rather than sitting out at one of the crowded tables.”
She smiled and nodded. “It is a great event as usual,” she said. “You guys certainly know how to throw a party.”
“Thanks,” he replied. “I can’t take much credit for the whole thing though. My assistant really organized everything. It has been so hectic with me flying back and forth to San Francisco for meetings that I haven’t gotten much of a chance to do anything.”
“You must be exhausted,” she said. “You got back into town so late last night.”
“Oh, it’s not a big deal. They are making it work,” he said. “Everyone out there has been great about accommodating our whole bi-coastal situation and, as long as they are happy, I am happy.”
Isabel looked at him. “I really do appreciate you going back and forth like this,” she said. “I know that things are really chaotic at the moment. I wish that I could go out there with you more often. I hate being apart as often as we are.”
Andrew nodded.
“It is just impossible with work at the moment. I can do a few things online here and there but, for the most part, I need to be there and present in the studio to make things happen,” she said.
“I understand that,” he said.
“I know that you do,” she said. “But I still feel bad about it.”
“Well, it isn’t forever,” he said. “And I told them that I simply can’t continue doing it forever either. I explained that we are hoping to settle down soon.”
Isabel raised her eyebrows. “Are we?” she asked quietly.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Isabel yawned as she opened up her laptop. “What a long day,” she said.
Cara nodded. “Yeah, I am ready for bed,” she said.
“Indeed,” Isabel said. “I can’t wait for Friday.”
“Do you have any plans for the weekend?” she asked.
Isabel didn’t reply.
“What are you doing this weekend?” Cara asked again.
She was silent.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“Sorry, I just got an email,” Isabel replied.
“Oh?” Cara asked impatiently.
Isabel was silent for a moment. “It’s from the head of the San Francisco Fashion Week,” she said.
“Oh my God,” Cara exclaimed. “You are kidding. What did they say?”
“They are offering us our own headlining show,” she said.
Cara screamed. She jumped off of her chair and ran over to Isabel. “You must be joking,” she said.
“Nope,” she said. “I am dead serious. They are even going to help us to organize an after party.”
Cara screamed again and threw her arms around Isabel. “That is absolutely amazing,” she said.
Isabel closed her eyes and held onto Cara’s waist. “I can’t believe this is happening,” she said.
She opened her eyes again and looked back at Cara. She stood up and hugged her tightly again. “It is really happening,” she said. “This is like a dream come true.”
Isabel squeezed her friend one last time then stepped back.
“I seriously can’t believe that we will have our own show,” Cara said. “This is what we have always been waiting for.”
“This is crazy,” Isabel said. “I seriously can’t believe it. I need to text Andrew.”
She pulled out her phone. She was smiling from ear to ear.
“I have never ever heard of a designer being asked to be in a fashion show. Normally the designers apply. Why would the people in San Francisco actually go out of their way to track us down and bring us out there to have a show? They must be turning down thousands of people every year. Why us?” Cara asked.
Isabel shrugged and shoved her phone back into her pocket. “Who knows?” she replied. “Maybe they saw our collection from last season and were impressed. Honestly, if I knew what designers looked for in a collection, I would have been able to get us a show years ago.”
“Yeah, I suppose it is pretty random,” Cara said.
“I can’t wait to tell Andrew all about this. Not only are we going to have an amazing show but I’ll be able to spend some time out there with him for once while we are planning all of this,” she said.
Cara laughed loudly.
Isabel looked confused. “What is funny? We will have a little bit of time to relax while we are out there in San Francisco. It doesn't have to be all business all of the time, you know,” she said.
“Yeah, I know that but that is not what I am talking about,” Cara replied.
“What are you talking about then?” she asked.
“Well, don’t you think that it is a pretty big coincidence that we were offered a show in the same place that Andrew is working?” she asked.
Isabel shrugged. “Well, it is a pretty big fashion city,” she said.
“Oh, come on,” Cara replied. “Let’s be realistic.”
Isabel frowned. “We have been making amazing collections lately. There is no reason why we couldn’t be getting this on our own merit,” she replied.
“I don’t know. You could be right but I don’t think the odds are with that. There are a lot of amazing designers out. Why us?” Cara asked. “Why now? Why San Francisco?”
“Why not us?” Isabel asked.
Cara shook her head. “Don’t be naive,” she said.
Isabel’s face fell flat. “And what is that supposed to mean?” she asked.
“Sooner or later you are going to have to accept that your boyfriend is a very powerful person. It is incredibly easy for him to pull strings. He can have whatever he wants. All that he needs to do is pick up the phone and he can have anything and everything at anytime of day or night,” she said.
“Fine,” Isabel replied. “There is definitely some truth to that.”
They stood in silence for a moment.
“So, what is your point?” Isabel asked.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” she said.
Isabel’s phone beeped from her pocket. “That must be him,” she said. “Should I just ask him? We really don’t have any secrets between us. I am sure that he would tell me the truth.”
Cara didn’t reply.
“You know, this should be a happy moment for us,” Isabel said. “There is no reason to ruin it.”
“I know,” Cara said. “I am sorry. I really am thrilled. This is exactly what we have been dreaming about for years.”
“Exactly,” Isabel replied. “So, let’s relish the moment. This is all that we have ever wanted.”
“I really am happy,” she said. “I don’t mean to cause a problem where there isn’t one.”
“Does it matter if Andrew did help us get the show?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” Cara replied. “I guess not. I suppose we'll just have to see how the show goes. If they love us based on our work… well, maybe it doesn’t matter how we got the show.”
Isabel nodded.
“Honestly, I am just not sure how I feel,” she said. “It just feels like we aren’t playing fair.”
“Well, let’s simply go ahead and find out,” Isabel said as she took her phone back out of her pocket. She dialed Andrew’s number and clicked the speakerphone on. They both stared down at the phone.
“Hi, babe,” Andrew answered.
“Hey,” she replied. “You are on speakerphone. Cara is here.”
“Oh, okay. Hi, Cara. How are you?” he asked.
“I’m good,” she replied. “How are you doing?”
“Fine,” he said. “What’s up?”
“Do you know anything about the San Francisco Fashion Week board of directors?” Isabel asked.
Andrew was silent. “Why?”
Cara laughed and rolled her eyes.
“We were invited to be in their next show,” Isabel said.
“Oh, wow,” he exclaimed. “That is absolutely incredible. Congratulations. You two most definitely deserve it. That is very exciting news.”
“Thank you,” Isabel said. “This is really major for us.”
“Yeah, we are definitely really excited about it,” Cara said. “There is one little thing though. We just thought that it was very coincidental. You know, with you working in the city and all.”
Andrew sighed. “You got that on your own merit,” he said.
“Do you know anyone on the board?” Isabel asked.
“Yeah, I do,” he replied. “But I didn’t ask anyone for any favors. I met the director at a work event and we chatted. I simply mentioned that you are a designer. I gave her your card and told her to check out your site sometime. I absolutely promise you that is all that I did.”
Cara shrugged.
“That is the last time that I talked to her,” he said. “She sees designer’s websites all of the time and I hardly know her. She has no reason for her to do me a favor. If she invited you, it is because she likes your work.”
“Well, the man has spoken,” Isabel said.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“You are on,” Isabel screamed from beside the long black curtains.
A tall, young woman in a floor length gown ran up to her.
Isabel looked the model up and down then looked over at Cara.
“You have to blow them away,” Cara said. “This is the grand finale. Show these people why they came. It’s all on you.”
Isabel nodded. “You look amazing. Just sell it to them,” she said.
The woman walked out to the other side of the curtain. Isabel’s heart was racing as she listened to the music thumping through the speakers.
“Oh my God,” Cara said. “I can’t believe that it is finally over. I have never been so nervous in my entire life.”
Isabel let out of a quick chuckle. “Me too,” she said. “I can still barely breathe.”
She nodded. “What do you think? Do you think that we had a good show?” Cara asked.
“Well, no one fell down on the runway. None of the dresses tore. We didn’t throw up on any of the models,” Isabel said. “I think that means that we did alright.”
Cara smiled. “Me too,” she said.
Isabel took a deep breath and grabbed onto her friend’s hands. They saw the model reaching the end of the runway and took their positions at the rear of the stage.
“Well, this is us,” Cara said. “The show is officially over as soon as she walks backstage. Let’s see if they applaud us or throw tomatoes at us.”
The model stepped off the runway. Isabel squeezed Cara’s hand as they walked out on to the catwalk. She couldn’t believe her eyes when they walked onto the other side of the curtain. The room was packed. There were so many photographers and flashing lights that they could barely see. The music faded into the background and room erupted in applause. She looked out to the front row and smiled. She waved but couldn’t see beyond the bright lights of the stage and flashing cameras.
“Let’s walk to the end and take a bow,” Cara said.
Isabel felt like she was walking on a cloud. Cara squeezed her hand again as they floated down the runway. Suddenly, Cara stopped and took a step back. She wrapped her arms around Isabel’s shoulders. Isabel stopped in her tracks. She felt Cara’s warm breath on the back of her neck.
“Look down,” she whispered into Isabel’s ear.
Isabel looked down and saw Andrew. She was so shocked that her jaw literally dropped open. He was down on one knee. She felt Cara wrap her arms tightly around her waist. Isabel felt like she might faint. The entire situation felt so surreal. She squinted to try to see Andrew better. They finally locked eyes. She wanted to speak but no words would come to her.
Still down on one knee, Andrew opened a small velvet box. A few people in the front row gasped. The diamond on the ring was massive. It glimmered in the blinding light. He reached the box toward her. Every single person in the audience seemed to go silent for just a moment.
“Isabel,” Andrew said finally into the small microphone hidden in the lapel of his jacket. “My dear.”
She nodded and smiled. Tears ran down her cheeks. She realized then that her face hurt from smiling.
“It has been a long journey for us,” he continued. “I have loved you my entire life. You are the first thing that I think about in the morning and the last thing that I think about at night. I have never met anyone like you before and I am sure that I never will again. Talking to you is the best part of every single day for me and I never want to go a day without you for as long as I live.”
Cara rubbed her hand across Isabel’s back. Isabel’s hands were shaking and her tear-filled eyes were glistening in the light.
“You’ve seen me at my best and at my worst. Sometimes I think that I will never be good enough for you but I want to spend my life trying to make you happy,” he said.
Isabel smiled as he reached forward and grabbed her hand.
“Cara picked out this ring,” Andrew said as he looked down at it and lagged. “I was a nervous wreck and she saved the day. I hope. I hope that you like it. I hope that you will agree to take it and wear it and marry me. This is truly the least that I can give you. What you have given me doesn't even compare to this ring.”
Isabel wiped the tears from her cheek.
“Isabel,” Andrew said. “Will you marry me?”
The entire crowd looked up at her.
“Yes,” Isabel said. “I would love nothing more.”
