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A moment ago, I was thankful for the subject change. Now, I’d rather give Bianca a blow-by-blow enactment of last night and deal with whatever she had to say about it.
“Isn’t she gorgeous?” Tamara asks, unaware of the fear rippling through my body.
I assume people would see an adorable dog in the photo with its big, brown eyes, floppy ears, and fluffy coat. What I see is a monster. A killer. Something that causes cold sweat to bead on my forehead and suck the air from my lungs.
“Hey, are you okay? You’ve turned green.” Tamara stands and places a hand on my shoulder and guides me to the chair she vacated. Thankfully, Tamara put the phone back in her pocket and the threat of fainting passes.
I give an embarrassed chuckle. “I’m fine. Just not a fan of dogs.”
Tamara takes the seat next to me. “It was only a photo.”
“I know it’s silly.” I clench my shaking hands in my lap.
“It’s not silly. You obviously have a fear. Did something happen to you?” Tamara asks with concern.
“When I was a kid, I was attacked by a dog.” I twist my hair and place it over my shoulder to expose my neck. I trace a finger over the faint, slightly raised scar. “While at the park, a dog knocked me down from behind and bit into my neck.”
Tamara leans forward to get a closer look. “Geez, that’s so close to the jugular.”
“The doctors said I was lucky. Any closer and then, well…” I shrug, letting Tamara work the rest out for herself.
“I don’t blame you for fearing dogs.” Tamara shivers. “That must have been traumatizing.”
Bianca chuckles. “After getting bitten by a dog, you’re scared of them all now? Even a small ball of fluff in a photo?”
I pick up my forgotten mug of tea and take a sip. I wish I had something stronger than tea. Today my body has been one jittery mess after another. “I know it seems silly to others. I can’t help it.”
With an eyeroll, Bianca rises. “Yeah, it is stupid.” With that she heads toward the door, pauses, and turns around. “Go see Juliette and pack garments. We have an on-location photoshoot tomorrow. You need to be there by seven AM. I’ll email you the details,” she says with a smirk on her face, like she knows something I don’t, before she prances out of the room.
“What was that look about?” I ask Tamara. “Are photoshoots bad? Is this some kind of punishment?”
Tamara picks up another cookie and takes a bite. “Oh God. I can’t stop eating these!” She licks the crumbs off her fingers. “I’ve never been to a photoshoot before. I’ve been told it’s a lot of work, although no one has complained about it. You never know what’s going on inside Bianca’s head. Thank God she’s not here permanently.”
With Bianca gone in two months, that means Finn will be gone too. Gone again from my life. My chest tightens. I wish things could be different. There’s nothing I can do to change the past. Is this my opportunity to change the future? Can I even attempt to when Finn can barely look at me?
My tea is now long cold, so I pour what’s remaining in the sink. I say goodbye to Tamara and make my way to Juliette’s office.
“Darling, I’m so glad you’re here,” Juliette mumbles around pins between her teeth, kneeling in front of a mannequin. For a second it surprises me. How many world-famous designers would be crawling along the floor hemming a gown? Don’t they have people to do that for them?
Then my eyes are drawn to the gown. An ice-blue, fluffy cloud of tulle surrounds the mannequin. Soft, light, and flowy. The plunging V neckline, which mirrors the back, is beaded delicately with crystals and pearls. The sheer, lacy skirt flares from the waist, reaching gently to the floor. It’s the most stunning creation I’ve ever seen.
“Where’s Bianca?” Juliette tilts her head to the side to look past me.
“With Finn I guess.”
Juliette plucks the pins from her mouth and pricks them into a cushion strapped to her wrist. Pushing herself from the floor, she dusts her hands. “She’s supposed to bring me the list of the itemized gowns for the shoot tomorrow.”
“I can run back and grab it for you.”
Juliette shakes her head. Her flaming red locks bounce around her shoulders. “No, I’ll sort it out. After all, they are my designs. I can add whatever I want.” She gives a jaunty wave of her hand.
I giggle. I love the confidence and flamboyance of this woman. “Bianca said you need someone to pack the gowns?”
I have to admit, I’m feeling a little nervous touching such beautiful garments. What if I dirty them, or worse, rip something by accident? I have dropped a bolt of expensive-looking fabric before. I give my hands a quick glance. They look clean.
“Before you pack, darling, I need a favor.” Juliette taps her chin with her finger as she trails her gaze up and down my body. Then she flicks her eyes to the mannequin and back at me.
“What do you need?” I ask.
