Page 50 of Darn Knit All

Mai straightened her dress, flicking agitatedly at her skirts. “We don’t have to win, we just have to beat them.”

“Noted. Now, what’s this about crying and a course?”

“Oh man,” Mai crumbled. “It’s so embarrassing. Yasmin and Maeve sent me to a course a few years ago. Keeley is one of the world’s best corset designers. Everything was going well until the end of the week when I started getting anxious aboutthe judging—we had to present in front of a room and I despise public speaking. I freaked myself out and burst into tears just as I finished presenting.”

She shook her head, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“I take it the Douche Canoes weren’t exactly sympathetic.”

“Jude asked me to leave.”

I winced. “Ouch.”

She sighed heavily. “I did a really good job too.”

“Changing topic, how soon before we can blow this popsicle joint?” I asked, ready to find a bed.

“Surely soon. They know we’ve been up since dawn. They can’t expect us to hang around much longer.”

But alas, our prayers were not to be answered.

“Contestants, can you approach the stage please?”

We exchanged a glance as we walked up, taking our position as directed.

“And 3, 2—” The director pointed at the stage.

Music began to pump over the loud system as the lights dimmed. On the far side of the room sat a stage, from which Michelle walked out, a spotlight following her catwalk. She’d changed in the hour since we’d left her side, and now wore a ball gown fit for the red carpet.

My stomach sank like a stone when I spotted camera crews making their way toward the competing couples.

Shit.

If this went how I anticipated, we weren’t getting to bed any time soon.

My stomach grumbled loudly, issuing a protest.

“Welcome, competitors!” Michelle called, striking a pose. “Are you ready to take the fashion world by storm?”

Around us, the crowd cheered while Mai and I stood quietly.

“This year, six fashion-forward couples are fighting to create fabulous looks that will leave us breathless.” Michelle threw her arms out to the audience, and a spotlight hit us, blinding me.

Fuck!

“This is the moment when thread and fabric weave together to create a dream. But will you succeed, or will the pressure of the competition unravel all you’ve worked so hard to achieve?”

I leaned over to whisper in Mai’s ear. “This is some of the corniest shit I’ve ever heard.”

“Shh,” she hushed. “We need to focus.”

Michelle explained the terms of the show and how the lowest performing couples would be eliminated until a champion could be crowned. The dollar figures danced a cancan in my head, while an image of Mai’s ecstatic face swam before me.

I’m gonna do everything in my power to help her to win.

“Your first challenge is to create a fabulous feminine red-carpet look.” Michelle dipped, showing off her dress. “This is a non-elimination round, but while the pressure might be off, I’m about to turn the heat up.”

She spun, holding out a hand to the back of the stage. An older man dressed in a bright-pink jumpsuit stepped onto the stage, his shock of white hair and almost-translucent skin contrasted with his bright orange glasses.

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