by Tania Joyce
“Yes. You always said you wanted to influence fashion. You can do that by using Gem, Kyle, and me. We have millions of followers on social media. Design and source whatever you want; we’ll wear it. You could be the next Kate Young.”
“You want me to use and abuse your celebrity status?”
“Sure. What are friends for? We won’t mind. You’re not some money-hungry corporate who thinks we’re nothing but a product.” He slid his arms around her waist. His thighs brushed against hers. Silver shards flicked in the depths of her blue eyes. God, she’s so beautiful. “And you know what else would be great if you worked with us? We’d be together. All the time. And I’d like that. Very much.”
“You’d like that?” She stroked her long fingernails down the side of his face, tickling his stubble. “Is there any other reason you want me around?”
He drew in a slow breath. When he was with her, the world seemed right. He hadn’t known he was missing something in his life until she came along. His heart boomed like a beatbox in the Bronx. He leaned in and hovered his lips an inch from hers. “Yes. I want you with me . . . all the time . . . because I love you.”
He pressed his lips against hers. Her mouth quivered beneath his. No, her whole body trembled beneath his touch. He eased back and held her arms.
“Get a room,” Kyle called out.
Hunter’s gaze never left Kara’s, but he flipped Kyle the bird. Her eyes darted around his face but lacked any form of emotion.
Shit.
Had something he’d said come out wrong? Panic gurgled up his throat. Time to backtrack. “If you love your job, stay here. You coming to work for us was just an idea,” he rambled. “We’d love to have you. Take the job, don’t take the job—I don’t care. All I know is I want to be with you more and more each day.”
She closed her eyes and swayed. “I’m sorry . . . what did you say after I love you? Because everything went fuzzy.”
The hugest grin spread across his face. He wasn’t sure if he could remember. “You want me to repeat everything? Or just the part where I said I love you?”
Tears pooled in her eyes, and she linked her fingers behind his neck. “That bit. If I have to work on my dirty talk, you need to work on being romantic. This is not the most ideal place for you to tell me you love me for the first time. But I’ll take it.”
“Would it make a difference if I whispered it in your ear like this?” He nuzzled into her ear, blew gently down her neck, nibbled on her earlobe, and whispered, “I love you.”
She giggled and flinched. “Much better.”
While he’d love to spend more time kissing her, he had work to do. He withdrew her hands from around his neck. “Come on. We’d better get back to these fittings. If we don’t move now, I’ll be walking around for the rest of the day with a permanent hard-on.”
“Yes. We should be professional.” She stepped back and smoothed her hands down the front of her shirt. “Let me think about the job, okay? And please, don’t say anything to Conrad.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Although it would give him an endless amount of satisfaction to do so.
“Kara? Hunter?” Conrad hollered from across the room and snatched a dress off the rack for Gemma. Emily was with Kyle choosing items off the accessories table. “It’s not time for personal hook-ups.”
Hunter’s fists twitched. God, he’d love to flatten Conrad to the ground.
Kara gave Conrad a smug smile. “We were discussing work.”
“Didn’t look like it.” He said, pinning in the darts on Gemma’s dress. “Just get on with the fittings, please?”
Knots twisted in the base of Hunter’s neck, but he held his tongue. He peeled off his jacket and shirt and hung it on the rack. Kara selected his next outfit and he shrugged it on. For the next few ensembles, every time Hunter glanced at Kara, her talent struck him—her attention to detail, her eye for coordination, her flair. He loved that her passion for fashion was the same as his was for music.
He hoped she’d take the job.
After everything they’d been through together, didn’t they deserve to be happy?
She held out the last suit and shirt for him to try on.
Conrad stormed over to them. ““No. No. No. Kara. That’s the wrong shirt. Don’t mix up the designs.” Conrad reefed a slivery floral button-down off a hanger and thrust it at Hunter’s chest. “This is the correct one.”
“But the patterns and colors clash.”
“No, they don’t.”
The hair’s on Hunter’s arms stood on end. Conrad and Kara stared at each other, cold, stubborn and fierce.
Should he step away? Say something? He didn’t want to be in the middle of this, but he’d stay and support Kara. With every breath. Because she was right.
Kara jabbed her finger toward Conrad. “You’ve lost it, Conrad. Your pizazz and sophistication, your eye for detail has gone. You don’t won’t my input. And that’s fine. It’s your company, your creative directive. But I’ll not put up with double standards, be belittled and treated like crap when I know I’m right. I want no part in your insecure, power-hungry games. Here . . . have your Goddamn shirt.” She shoved the silk into Conrad’s hands. “You dress Hunter.”
“Kara.” Conrad gaped.
“No. I’m done.” She drew in a deep breath. Defiance flared in her eyes. “I quit.”
Holy shit!
Hunter’s eyes widened. His heart filled with pride and warmth. Kara had put Conrad in his place. What an amazing, strong and incredible woman to fall in love with.
That’s my girl.
My Kara.
Chapter 29
The limousine meandered toward the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles for the Radio Disney Music Awards. Kara sat with Everhide, fidgeting with the beads and sequins on her clutch. Their car joined the snail-paced queue dropping off guests for the red carpet. Tonight was her first awards show. Her first major public appearance with Hunter as his girlfriend. As Everhide’s new stylist.
She closed her eyes and fiddled with her diamond chandelier earring. She loved Hunter. Really loved him. And for the first time in months, she was happy. There was no way that this job could be a mistake. She loved the work, the freedom to create, and was relishing in the early praise and recognition she got from influential industry heavy-weights—the bloggers, the magazines, the fashion elite. She’d found something to own and thrive in, no longer worried about being second best to the likes of her sister or at Conrad’s. She’d found an opportunity to shine, thanks to Hunter’s belief in her.
Sitting opposite Kara, Gemma’s eyes sparkled bright and she flicked her chin toward Hunter. “Kar, are you set to step out with this bozo?”
Kara’s stomach fluttered, flipped, and flopped, but she was ready. “Yes.” She smiled at Hunter, adoration seeping into every pore. He rocked his charcoal Armani suit.
“Good, because when the media sees you with him, they’ll go crazy.” Gemma’s gleaming smile warped into a grimace. She bit her tongue between her teeth, squirmed and tugged at the top of her strapless gold Zuhair Murad pantsuit.
Kara slapped Gemma’s knee. “Leave your top alone. It won’t fall down.” Kara had had that top tailored meticulously and had stuck Gemma into it with enough Hollywood tape to hold the San Andreas fault line together. It wasn’t going anywhere.
“Think I’ll have to have words with my stylist. No strapless tops in the future.” Gemma’s eyes, lined in silver glitter, shimmered and glistened.
Kara giggled. After quitting four weeks ago, Conrad had walked her out the door. She commenced work for Everhide the next day. In becoming their stylist she’d found her ultimate job. She’d become a procurement and logistics specialist—ordering, shipping, and fitting; sorting, coordinating, and dressing. On top of their contracted designers and suppliers, fashion houses randomly sent her clothing and accessories, begging her to have Gemma or the guys wear their brands. Kara’s blog and Instagram accounts had skyrocketed from thousa
nds of followers to millions. Influencing what people wore and creating fashion trends this way was beyond Kara’s wildest dreams.
Kyle raised his chin and adjusted his tie and shirt collar as the car inched closer to the venue. “Ready for the cameras, Kar?”
She took a deep breath to keep her pulse as cool as Louis Vuitton’s latest cruise-wear collection. She was getting used to the paparazzi hanging around. At least they kept their distance and didn’t harass her like they did after losing Ryan. Nothing would ever be that bad.
She smiled at Hunter and squeezed his hand. “As long as I don’t fall over and make a fool of myself, everything will be okay.”
“You’ll be fine.” Hunter kissed the back of her hand. “You’re gorgeous. Guaranteed to be the best on the red carpet.”
The car jerked to a halt. Ushers opened the door, and Kyle and Gemma were the first out.
“Party time.” Hunter slid out of the car, turned around, and offered Kara his hand.
She placed her hand in his and stepped out into the hot summer evening air. Her fingers trembled as she straightened the skirt of her knee-length Chanel dress. Screams from the crowd in the stands erupted and rang in her ears. Her heart pounded and she squinted at the blinding onslaught of camera flashes.
This is crazy.
“Ready?” Warmth simmered in Hunter’s eyes and he kissed her on the cheek.
“I think I want to throw up.” She held her clutch against her knotted belly not knowing where to look—at the stands, the cameras, or the reporters waving and yelling.
Hunter gave her a reassuring smile and entwined his fingers with hers. “Don’t let go of me. I’ll lead the way.”
He drew her over to the barricaded stands where hundreds of overzealous fans scrambled for pictures and called out her friends’ names. Kara released her hold on Hunter’s hand so he could join Kyle and Gemma, but he gripped onto her tighter. “I’m not letting you go.”
Her cheeks blushed, and his touch erased her nerves. With him by her side, each step would be easy.
Farther down the carpet in the main media section, each guest was invited to have individual photos. The chants for Hunter grew to a level of insanity. “Hunter. Hunter. Can we take your photo, please? Is that Ms. Knight? Are you two now an item? Please, Mr. Collins. A photo.”
Kara squeezed Hunter’s hand to get his attention. “It’s okay. Go and have your photo taken. I’ll wait here.”
Hunter hesitated for the briefest of moments before he released his hold and stepped in front of the promo wall. Kara giggled as he struck a pose, flashed his Hollywood smile, and was snapped from every angle by the feisty photographers.
Gemma shimmied over to her side. “I don’t know what you’ve done to him, but I like it. He never, and I mean never, held my hand on a red carpet, or Amie’s. He would run to play up to the crowds the second he was out of the car. You’ve certainly captured him, Kar. You’re so good for each other.”
“It feels surreal.”
“I remember feeling like that when Kyle and I got together. It’s awesome. And that buzz still hasn’t gone away. We’re two lucky girls. Our guys are freaking hot.”
“You’ve got that right.”
Movement caught Kara’s eye. Speak of the devil. Amie weaved around the throng of publicists, celebrities, and security people crowding the red carpet. She wore a slinky lemon-colored cocktail dress, and towering stilettos, and had sapphires dangling around her neck.
Kara’s chest seized. Great. Why did she have to be here?
“Kara.” Amie’s cold tone lacked any form of friendliness. “Never thought I’d see you on the red carpet.”
Hunter’s arms appeared around Kara’s waist and he kissed her on the cheek. He turned and jerked his chin at Amie. “Evening.”
Amie folded her arms. “So . . . you two are together? Thought you were smart, Kara? Don’t fool yourself into thinking you can tame Hunter’s wild ways for long. He loves the ladies too much.”
Hunter snuggled against Kara and gave Amie a smug smirk. “Actually, Amie, Kara has tamed me. I’m all hers.”
Kara’s heart danced, and she tucked her arm around his back, underneath his jacket, and smiled. Yes, I’m totally smitten.
“For now.” Amie leered at Hunter. “When it’s over, you know where to find me.”
“Never going to happen.” Hunter shook his head. “I deleted your phone number and don’t care where you live now. I’ve moved on. You should do the same.”
He kissed Kara again, grabbed her hand, and they joined Gemma and Kyle for photos. Hunter’s beaming smile never left his face as he held her close for the rest of the red-carpet walk.
But not once did he answer reporters’ eager questions if they were together or not. Why was that? Maybe he wasn’t ready to announce their relationship to the public? Had her assumptions been miscalculated?
She knew he loved her. Being together was a big step for them both. Maybe he needed more time. And that was fine; they’d only been together for a smidgen over two months.
Taking their seats in the VIP area in the auditorium, Kara’s concerns evaporated, and her skin tingled with the electric vibe in the air. She sat transfixed by the cameras, the audio cues, the production crew, the performers, the screens, the crowd in the mosh pit going wild, and the presentations. The exhilarating energy in the room bubbled like effervescence through her veins.
Nominated for Best Song of the Year, Everhide were up against Shawn Mendes, Drake and Taylor Swift. They didn’t think they’d win. As the time for their category grew closer, Kara’s palms turned clammy. The back of her dress clung to her perspiring skin. How did her friends remain so calm?
Then came the moment they’d been waiting for. Kara held her breath. Hunter entwined his fingers with hers and squeezed. His leg jiggled. Gemma and Kyle sat with their eyes glued to the screens onstage. The nominee videos flashed before them and the host, Carmel, announced each finalist.
“And the winner . . .” Carmel opened the envelop, “ . . . for Best Song of the Year is . . . I love these guys. EVERHIDE.”
Aaarrrgghhh!
Hunter, Kyle, and Gemma screamed, jumped to their feet, and threw their arms around each other. Kara’s heart beat as loud as the crowd clapped, whistled and roared. Hunter bent down and kissed her lips, sending heat shivering across her skin. He winked and took off to the stage with Gemma and Kyle.
Kara placed her hand on her chest, her pulse still racing. Her friends had worked so hard; they deserved any and every accolade. Tears stung her eyes as Gemma accepted the golden statuette of the mouse wearing headphones. Gemma held it above her head and screamed into the mic. “YEAH! Thank you!” She shuffled to stand with Kyle to one side so Hunter could make their acceptance speech.
“This is freaking awesome. Thank you.” A gleaming smile lit his face. “Kyle, Gem, you rock my world, and thank you for writing the most amazing song. To our management, production, and creative teams, thank you for your tireless, endless efforts to help us bring our music to the world. To the team at Sony who keep helping us reach new heights, cheers. And to you . . . the fans, thank you.” Hunter paused, drew his shoulders back, and took a breath. “Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support through what has been a trying and difficult year.
“This song, ‘Stay,’ is about fighting for the one you love and wanting to be a better person.” Hunter scanned the audience, his confidence unfaltering. “We all have the power to be better people. But the change starts with one person and one person only . . . and that’s you. Time is precious; don’t waste it by being a dick. I’d like to say a special thank you to the person who gave me my wake-up call. To my girlfriend, Kara.”
Kara’s breath caught in her lungs. She touched her fingertips to her lips. What is he doing? He waved and winked at her. This was not the acceptance speech he’d run through earlier in the day.
Hunter continued, “After a traumatic year, you have been my strength, and my downright pain i
n the ass.” A ripple of laughter rolled through the crowd. “But after losing . . . our son . . .” He shuffled on his feet and blew out a slow breath. “You’ve made me reevaluate everything. You make me appreciate every day I wake up breathing and being able to do what I love, with these two people standing by my side. I’m hoping you stay around for a long time too.” He placed his hand over his chest. “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for making me a better person. Love you, babe.” He blew her a kiss, and it slammed into her chest.
Her heart thundered like one thousand drums. He’d just declared his love for her in front of the world. Wow. With trembling fingers, she wiped the tears from her eyes, careful not to scratch her eyeballs out with her long fingernails. That hot and handsome man was hers. All hers. She mouthed “I love you too” back to him.
He smiled and pumped his fist into the air. His voice boomed through the speakers. “Thank you, everyone. Everhide rocks. Be kind to one another. Cheers!”
In a daze, Kara floated to her feet. Everyone in the auditorium stood and applauded as Everhide walked toward the side of the stage. Her breathing was so hard she thought the bodice on her dress might rip. The second the TV production crew gave the cue that telecasting had cut for an ad break and set change, she charged from her seat. She had to find Hunter.
Flashing her VIP pass, she slipped backstage, rushed past the camera crew, and into the interview area where Hunter stood talking to someone with Kyle and Gemma. The moment Hunter finished, he dashed over. He swooped her up in his arms and spun her around.
“You know you’re crazy, right?” she gushed.
“Yes. We established that a long time ago.” He placed her on her feet and grinned.
“Huge brownie points for the most romantic declaration ever. I don’t think you can top that. What you said out there was beautiful. Thank you.”
“I meant every word, Kar. I’m better because of you. You’re mine. For keeps.”
She tugged on the lapels of his jacket. The soft wool slipped beneath her fingertips. Drawing him close, she kissed him. Knowing he felt the same way about her as she did for him, she knew she’d made the right decision about her job, their relationship—about him. She was meant to be with Hunter. With his heart beating against hers, he was right about one thing—she wasn’t going anywhere. Not now. Not ever. Life couldn’t get much better.
