The Billionaire Who Bought Christmas(34)

       
           



       

They liked her work.

They respected her talent.

She wanted to run backstage and wrap Zenia in her arms.

The contestant next to Kristy nudged her, and like the others before    her, she rose and took a brief bow as the roulette-dress model headed    back toward the curtain.



From his hard folding seat tucked away in a back corner, Jack watched    the red evening gown disappear and shook his head in complete amazement.

She was great. She was better than great. And the collection, the    collection wasthem. From the hot air balloon in the Grand Canyon to    their night at the casino. Kristy had immortalized their whirlwind    relationship in fashion.

He'd watched her face all through her part of the show. Her gaze had    stayed on the models, and she'd smiled in response to comments from    those around her, but he could tell she was still in shock.

God, she was gorgeous. And she was right-he hadn't given her nearly enough credit.

He patted the inside pocket of his suit, trying to figure out what he    could possibly say that would convince her to take another chance on    him. Things had started off badly between them, and he'd definitely let    her down since. But if there was a speech on earth that would win her    back, he was going to find it, and he was going to repeat it to her as    many times as it took.



At the end of the show, the contest director took the stage. She gave a    brief speech, congratulating the contestants and thanking the  sponsors.   She talked about the difficult choices of the judges and the  enormous   level of talent in the room.

Kristy only half listened.

Even when the drumroll sounded to signify the opening of the judges'    decision envelope, her attention was elsewhere. How had Zenia done    it?Why had she done it? She had to find her and thank her.

"And now," the director's voice boomed, "the winner of this year's Matte Fashion Breakout Designer Contest is-"


She thought she saw Zenia at the side of the stage, and the rest of the words blurred in Kristy's ears.

"Kristy!" hissed the contestant next to her.

"Huh?"

"It's you!"

"What?" She glanced around and realized everyone was applauding madly and staring at her.

"Kristy Mahoney," the contest director repeated.

Kristy's entire body turned numb.

Her neighbor gave her a shove. "Getup there!"

Kristy forced herself to stand up on her shaky legs. She found the    staircase and made her way to the stage, staring past the smiling    director, past the curtain, even past Zenia.

And then she was at the microphone, and the director was shaking her hand. It was overwhelming, and she had no idea what to say.

And the applause was dwindling.

And she was supposed to start talking now.

Luckily, she couldn't see any of the audience members past the bright floodlights, or she probably would have passed out.

"Thank you," she managed, her voice quavering. "Thanks to the judges, to    the sponsors, especially to Sierra Sanchez. To Cleveland Osland for    believing in me. To Jack and Hunter Osland for their incredible  support.   And to Zenia Topaz." Kristy paused, gathering her emotions.  "Zenia. I   can't thank you enough for everything."

Kristy paused long enough that the applause began again. The models    gathered around her, looking wonderful in her creations, congratulating    her as the audience came to its feet. In her memory, she saw the    waterfall, the hot air balloon, the casino and Jack. Jack was    everywhere, in everything, and she desperately wanted to see him.

She needed to hear his voice, to feel his arms around her. She needed to    taste him, to smell him, to hold him tight against her body long into    the night. But mostly, she just needed him to be here, to breathe the    same air as her, to tell her what he thought about the show, to tell  her   what he thought about the world.

Suddenly, she couldn't get off the stage fast enough.

She was going to call him.

No. She was going to fly back to L.A., or to New York, or to wherever he    was at the moment. She'd beg him for another chance. The clothes   didn't  matter. The award didn't matter. All she wanted was Jack.

She made her way off the stage, smiling, automatically responding to people with what she hoped was logic.                       
       
           



       

She found Zenia and hugged her tight. "How did you do it?"

Zenia drew back from her. "I didn't. It was-"

"Do you have a cell phone?" Kristy interrupted.

"Sure." Zenia produced a phone.

Kristy flipped it open. "I need a plane ticket. I want to go back to New York. Now. Tonight."

Zenia glanced to a spot past Kristy's ear. "Why?"

Kristy looked down at the phone. "It's Jack. I need the number for the airline."

"What about Jack?"

"I love him. I'm in love with him. Oh, Zenia, I never thought I'd say    this, but I don't care about the collection. I mean, I'm thrilled." She    hugged Zenia again. "And I'm so grateful you brought it. But it  doesn't   matter. What's the damn phone number of the airline?"

"It wasn't me," said Zenia.

Kristy blinked at her.

"It was Jack."

"What was Jack?"

"Jack sent the collection from Vermont."

Kristy's heart stilled.

"About time I started to get a little credit," said Jack from behind her.

Kristy whirled around in astonishment.

He grinned at her, looking gorgeous and sexy andhere. So here. He opened his arms, and she threw herself into them.

"How much did you hear?" she demanded.

"That you love me."

Kristy was embarrassed, but she wasn't about to take back the words now. "Eavesdropper," she accused.

"Hell, yeah. It's the only way I learn anything." He winked at Zenia.    "Come on," he said to Kristy, taking her hand to lead her through the    crowd.

"Where are we going?" Not that she cared. She glanced back to share a smile with Zenia.

"I want to show you something." Jack led her from the backstage area, down a small hallway and past a man in a security blazer.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked.

"Just wait," he answered, as they came out into a round, glassed-in room    overlooking a rainswept garden and a group of lighted fountains.

"Hey," said Kristy. "This reminds me of Vegas."

"I know." Jack cracked a self-satisfied smile.

Then he led her to a painted, wrought-iron chair that sat next to the    window. With the raindrops splattering on the glass and concrete, he    motioned for her to sit down.

She perched on the edge of the chair and crossed her legs, staring into his dark eyes. She loved him so much.

He took a breath. "It occurs to me-" he said, reaching into his jacket pocket and coming down on one knee.

Before the significance of the position could register with Kristy, he    revealed a turquoise jewelry box and opened it to expose a huge    solitaire diamond ring. "-that I may not have done this right the first    time."

Kristy's eyes went wide, first staring at the ring, and then staring at Jack.

"Will you marry me, Kristy? Or at least be kind enough not to divorce    me?" He quirked an unexpected grin, leaning closer. "Because I think I    figured out what's between us."

She felt her own mouth stretch into a smile. "Yeah? Well it's about time."

"As I recall, you were having the same problem."

"Ialready said it."

He cocked his head. "That was only ten minutes ago. I bought a ring and flew all the way from Manchester."

"Big whoop."

"Is that a yes?"



"Yeah," she told him. "That's a yes." She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight.

"Yours better be an 'I love you.'"

He rose to his feet, drawing her with him. "Mine's an 'I love you,'" he rumbled. "Mine's an 'I love you so much.'"

He tightened his arms around her waist, and she leaned her cheek against    his chest, reveling in the feel of his strong, solid body. She had to    blink away a tear.

"I loved your clothes," he rasped against her hair, cradling the back of    her head with his palm. "I was so damn proud of you up there."

"You brought me my clothes." Part of her still couldn't believe it had happened.