Chapter 36
VICTORIA
Iwoke up with a knot in my stomach that had nothing to do with the three-day wine binge I’d finally broken.
Today was the charity runway show. I was excited and terrified.
Nervous and anxious. I wanted to do well.
I wanted Tiana’s new foundation to raise a ton of money.
And I knew I had to keep my shit together because Callum would be there. We had to be professional.
I showered, dressed carefully, and applied more makeup than usual. The dark circles under my eyes needed serious work. I applied an extra coat of the waterproof mascara. Tonight mattered. The charity needed this to succeed.
“You can do this,” I told my reflection. “One foot in front of the other.”
I arrived at the store early, before the scheduled time.
I wanted to make sure everything was perfect.
The auction area looked good. The screens were positioned correctly.
The riser for the auctioneer was in place.
I moved through the space, checking off items on my checklist again and again.
It gave me something focus on instead of the storm of butterflies in my stomach.
There was no sign of Callum. I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or disappointed. Probably both. The longer I could go without seeing him, the better.
“Victoria!”
I turned to see Tiana making her way toward me. She looked stunning, as always, in a black dress that looked like it had been made for her. It probably had. The woman had a ton of kid, at least five decades under her belt, and she still looked like she could walk a runway and own it.
“You look beautiful,” she said, hugging me. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m fine,” I lied. “Just making sure everything’s ready.”
She studied me for a moment, then smiled. “Well, everything looks incredible. You’ve done amazing work. Whatever happens, be proud of yourself.”
Behind her, four men who could only be Callum’s brothers were making their entrance. They moved through the space with the same confidence and presence I’d come to associate with this family. They were the definition of beautiful people.
Tiana gestured them over. “Victoria, I’d like you to meet some of my other sons. This is Hollis.” She touched the arm of the tallest one, who stepped forward with a polite smile.
“Nice to finally meet you,” he said, shaking my hand. His skin was tanned and his dark hair looked a little sun bleached. He wore a suit like his brothers but without a tie. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
I wasn’t sure what that meant exactly, but I smiled back. “Likewise.”
“And this is Micah,” Tiana continued, indicating the brother with the artistic flair apparent in his clothing. He was studying the setup with a critical eye.
“The staging looks good,” he said, nodding to me. “Nice work.”
“Thank you,” I said, surprised by his compliment. I hadn’t exactly designed this setup. I had just made sure it would work with the auction.
“Beau,” Tiana said, and the next brother stepped forward. He seemed young, still with some of that youthful roundness to his face.
“And this is Jeremy,” Tiana said, placing her hand on the arm of the youngest brother, who looked like he’d stepped off a magazine cover. The Blackwell good looks were definitely strong in all of them.
“Mom tells me you’re the one responsible for the charity component,” Jeremy said. “That’s awesome.”
“Thank you,” I said again, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the Blackwell presence. There were a lot of them and they commanded attention.
Just as I was starting to regain my composure, Adrian and Elizabeth walked in, with Elizabeth pushing a stroller. Buck was wide-eyed at the lights and activity, dressed in an adorable little suit.
“Hey, Vic!” Elizabeth called, waving.
I walked over, grateful for the distraction. “Hi there, big guy,” I said to the toddler, who gave me a serious look before hiding his face against his mother’s shoulder.
Sebastian and Bernadette came in next. Bernadette was waddling. I would never say that to her, but she had a definite waddle going on.
“You look amazing,” I told her, gesturing to her outfit.
“Thanks,” she said with a warm smile. “I feel fat. But this place is gorgeous.”
Briggs and Mandy arrived next with Dash and Krista.
The family gathered in the center of the store.
I watched them from a distance. They looked like they belonged in a magazine spread.
Hell, most of them had been in magazines.
Some still were. And despite their stunning looks, they’d all welcomed me like I was one of them, even though things were so complicated with Callum.
Mimi made her way toward me. “Come join us. You helped make all this happen, and you’re part of this family, whether you’re with my nephew or not.”
Her words made my eyes sting. I blinked rapidly, determined not to cry and ruin my makeup.
“That’s very kind of you to say,” I said, joining the circle.
Adrian raised a glass. “To family,” he said simply.
“To family,” everyone echoed, lifting their glasses.
This wasn’t my family, but they were treating me like I was. Even with everything that had happened, they were including me, supporting me.
“Victoria?” a voice called from the entrance.
I turned to see Betty walking in, looking nervous but determined.
“Everything looks perfect,” she said, taking in the space. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks to you,” I replied, meaning it. “You gave me this chance.”
She smiled. “And you’ve made the most of it. I just wanted to see what you’d put together.”
“Are you staying?” I asked.
“Oh no. I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
“I’m good.”
She gave me a quick hug. “Good luck tonight. I know it’s going to be perfect.”
As the showtime approached, the space filled with models, crew members, and a select few VIP guests. The energy was electric. The emcee was going over the stories with each of the couples. A woman named Annika, who I only met briefly, was moving a mile a minute, making adjustments on the outfits.
I hadn’t seen Callum. I wondered if he would show at all. Maybe he’d decided to stay away, given the circumstances. Maybe that would be better for both of us.
But when I looked up and saw him standing in the doorway, my heart skipped a beat. He looked tired but determined. Our eyes met across the crowded room, and for a moment, everything else faded away. I couldn’t look away. My eyes missed seeing his face. My entire body lit up.
He gave me a small nod, then began making his way through the crowd, greeting family members as he moved toward the back of the store where the models were preparing.
The doors opened promptly at seven. The crowd began flowing in. I was going to catch flies with as much as my mouth hung open. It was all beautiful people in beautiful clothes, laughing and smiling and taking their seats. I recognized some movie stars, some famous athletes, and even a senator.
As lavish as my parents’ parties had been, the names on their guest list had never been this impressive.
I moved to my position near the auctioneer’s stand. The music swelled and the screens on either side of the runway lit up with a slideshow of past fashion shows for Blackwell Couture. I caught a few glimpses of the show in Greece Dash and Callum had talked about.
The lights dimmed. The music shifted. And then Callum walked onto the runway.
My breath caught. He looked incredible. Dark suit, crisp white shirt, no tie. His hair was perfect. It was impossible to look away. He stepped to the center of the stage and the spotlight found him.
“Good evening,” he said. Gooseflesh rose over my skin. That deep voice took me back to moments in his bed. Goddammit I missed that man. “Thank you all for being here. I’m Callum Blackwell.”
Scattered applause. A few cheers from family members in the front row.
“I’m honored to be standing up here tonight, to be a part of this historic moment for Blackwell Couture.
After decades of setting fashion trends and dressing the stars, Blackwell is proud to announce the grand opening of the first Blackwell Couture store.
” He paused for clapping and cheers. “It’s a new chapter.
A new city. A new store.” He smiled, and even from where I was standing, I could see how proud he was.
“We wanted to start this chapter on the right foot, so we’re doing something a little different tonight. ”
He turned slightly, and I felt his gaze brush across me like a physical touch before he looked back at the audience.
“The fashion business has been good to my family. We’ve been fortunate.
And if karma is real—and I suspect it might be—it can’t hurt to earn a little extra credit.
” A ripple of laughter moved through the crowd.
“So tonight, we’re giving back. Every piece you see on this runway is being auctioned off, with all proceeds going directly to a new foundation dedicated to fighting food insecurity here in Los Angeles, run by Tiana Blackwell herself. Let’s hear it for her, everybody.”
The crowd cheered and Tiana got to her feet, giving a little wave.
“And now for the show,” Callum said. He stepped to the side, and the music changed. The first model emerged from behind the curtain.
It was Sebastian. The face of Blackwell Couture.
I heard the collective intake of breath.
The man looked like he’d been carved from marble.
The suit he was wearing was a deep charcoal cut to perfection.
James Bond. That was my first thought. If James Bond and James Dean had a child—ignoring biology—that’s what the child would look like.
He walked the runway with that effortless swagger that came from years of doing it.
Ladies began raising their paddles immediately.
Callum raised the mic to address the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, just to be clear—my cousin is not up for auction. Only the suit.” The audience laughed. “Though I’m sure Sebastian would be happy to sign the garment if that helps the bidding.”
Sebastian reached the end of the runway, turned, and gave the crowd a look that made half the room sigh. The bids doubled. Shit, no wonder Bernadette was pregnant. Ovaries everywhere were reacting to that man.
I watched the numbers climb, my hand pressed against my stomach. The auctioneer beside me called out the increments, her voice rising with excitement. When Sebastian’s suit finally sold—for a lot—the room erupted in applause.
The next model came out, a woman in a gown that looked like it had been spun from moonlight. Flowing ivory silk that caught the light with every step. The bidding was fierce. I recognized the woman from social media. She was a well-known model.
Then another model. And another. Each one drew gasps, applause, and increasingly competitive bidding. The screens flashed with new offers.
Callum introduced each piece with just enough detail to make it feel personal.
Between the professional models, we got the real couples.
The emcee read their stories as they walked.
I had expected the clothes worn by non-professionals wouldn’t have been as popular, but they were bringing in decent bids.
Sebastian returned in a tux that was definitely giving Bond vibes. He was pulling a wagon decked out in white tulle and little Bucky was wearing his suit.
The entire room let out a collective aww at the sight. Oh yeah, exploding ovaries. There will be some baby-making happening tonight.
When the final piece sold, I stood at the edge of the stage and watched the numbers on the screens tally up. The total was staggering. Far more than I’d dared to hope for.
Tiana appeared beside me. Her eyes were bright. “Victoria, this is extraordinary.”
“It’s because of your family,” I said. “They brought everyone here.”
“It’s because of you and Callum.” She squeezed my arm and moved away before I could respond.
“There’s one more special item up for auction tonight,” Callum announced, his voice filling the space. “But I need Victoria Cavendish to come up here and help me. Give her a round of applause, folks. Let’s get her up here.”
The spotlight swung toward me, blinding me momentarily. The audience erupted in applause. I felt my face flush with heat. What was he doing? This wasn’t in the script. I hadn’t agreed to be part of the show.
“Victoria?” he said again, gesturing toward me.
I had no choice. Hundreds of eyes were on me. I smoothed my dress and made my way through the crowd. I didn’t do public things. And after seeing all the models, I felt seriously underdressed and underwhelming. What was he planning? My mind raced through possibilities, none of them good.
When I reached the edge of the runway, Callum extended his hand to help me up. I took it reluctantly, praying he wasn’t about to humiliate me.