Page 66 of The Encounter
Maddie nodded and sat at her computer, powering it on. “Okay. It’ll only take me a few minutes to do that. Why do you think this will take the entire morning? Did it seriously take Drew an entire day to move a dress from the shop to the gallery?”
Maddie mentioned Kailynn’s ex, who used to do the marketing for her. Kailynn laughed and said no, but otherwise didn’t speak as Maddie pulled the dress off the shop page and moved it to the gallery. When Maddie turned back around, Kailynn had taken the dress off the mannequin.
“I need you to try it on so I can alter it for you.”
“For… me?” Maddie asked, completely stunned.
“You have a gala to go to, and I think this dress screams Christmas gala, don’t you?”
“But… I… what?”
Kailynn stepped forward and handed Maddie the dress. “I know how much you love this dress, and I can’t think of anyone else who could wear it better than you. It would be an honor if you’d wear one of my dresses to the gala. I realize this could come across as me just trying to get free publicity, which obviously is a huge perk, but I honestly just want you to have it. You were actually who I had in mind when I designed it to begin with.”
Maddie stared in shock, holding the delicate dress in her arms.
“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered.
“Say yes! Say yes to the dress, and go try that puppy on!” Kailynn shouted.
Maddie stood and laid the dress across her chair before pulling Kailynn into her arms. “Yes, of course! You can take money out of my paychecks to cover it, if that’s okay. I can’t afford it outright.”
Kailynn pulled back. “No, I’m giving this to you. You will not pay me. The publicity that I may or may not receive will honestly be enough.”
“Thank you, Kailynn. So much.”
“You’re welcome. Now go put it on, girl! We’ve got work to do!”
Maddie didn’t have to be told twice. She took the dress and walked over to the bathroom to change. When she put it on and stared in the mirror, her breath caught. She had never worn something as nice as this and never expected to wear something as fancy as this to the gala. Her stress over finding something to wear immediately vanished when she stepped back into the office, and Kailynn’s mouth dropped open.
“Damn, girl. You look incredible. I’m a damn good designer, if I do say so myself.”
Maddie laughed and looked in the full-length mirror on the wall. “I’d have to agree.”
Kailynn pinned the dress in and checked the length before having Maddie pull it off. She made the alterations and when she finished; she had Maddie put it on again.
“Perfect,” Kailynn said.
And Maddie had to agree. It was utterly perfect.
22
Jace stepped out of the limo, holding his hand out for Maddie to take. She looked stunning in the red sleeveless dress that Kailynn designed. The charity benefit for the local hospital was the biggest fundraiser of the year. There was a loud and silent auction, along with some raffles and dancing to end the evening.
Despite being a volunteer at the hospital and making regular donations, he enjoyed sponsoring the event. His celebrity status drew larger crowds, and he would use it to his advantage if it meant getting even more money for the hospital.
He loved the kids and loved the time he spent with them. It was one place where he could be himself without worrying about what someone thought of him. The kids didn’t judge him based on his celebrity status or his money. They just wanted someone to play with.
“Over here, over here!” someone called as the flashes went off around them from the many journalists who attended the event hoping to get a photo of him.
He placed his hand at the small of Maddie’s back as they walked the red carpet toward the event. Jace was the only person with celebrity status attending the event, but they always had a red carpet set up to make everyone else feel like celebrities.
The short walk up the red carpet and to the front doors took longer than it would on a normal day. Jace stopped and posed for the cameras. Maddie broke away occasionally to let him get some photos alone, but he pulled her back several times to make sure she was in the photos with him. He wanted the world to know that she was his.
“I don’t think they want my photo,” she whispered into his ear as the lights continued to flash at them.
“I don’t care what they want.”
They finally made it through the double doors that were held open for them by the security of the event. Maddie visibly relaxed as the doors shut behind them, drowning out most of the noise from the paparazzi.
