Page 74 of Midnight Salvation

Ash looked toward the window, a smile playing on his face. He crept in and out of here to avoid her detection because Papa insisted Catarina was not to know about our marriage.

“I can’t, Cat,” Xavier replied. “My wife is getting more pregnant by the day and I’m needed at home.”

I lifted the coffee pot to the island and started to pour cups for everyone, leaving the cream and the sugar beside the cups. An array of cookies adorned a plate but Ash never once brought his caramel squares out to share, even when I glared at him. He deliberately poured himself another cup of coffee straight from the machine and lifted a cookie. How could Catarina not see that he had made himself at home here?

“So is Nic bringing Sofia home?” My comment immediately garnered Catarina’s attention and diverted her attention from sniffing around the mystery of why the guys were always here, Ash in particular.

“Isn’t he the one she was staying with in Cuba?” Catarina asked. “The tall, dark, and moody one who helped her up the stairs in Tuscany when she hurt her ankle?”

Tendrils of smoke could almost be seen swirling from Papa’s ears as his temper mounted.

“Now, Papa,” I said as I handed him a cup of coffee. “We can’t remain little girls forever. No guns in Nic’s face since he’s bringing Sofia home for you.”

Ash’s lips twitched at the image from the night Papa found us together and the gun he wielded. Papa threw his best death glare at me and shoved a cookie in his mouth.

“I’m not getting involved since I brought her back from Cuba and was treated to a huff the entire way home,” Jordan replied. “Nic is a scary fucker, you can deal with him yourself, Lucas.”

That didn’t improve Papa’s mood any, so Catarina and I joined Harold in the dining room where he had some of his tools set out on the table and the bodice and skirt on the dummy.

I lifted a wax pencil and marked a pattern for Harold to etch on the skirt panels, drawing circles where stones should be set. He had crafted a headband to the designs and measurements I sent, and I traced the elaborate details by hand, because it allowed me to follow the natural flow of the garment since Catarina was wearing it.

When I was working, I rarely talked since I was in my own headspace. Catarina allowed me to move her head as I added some extras to the headband, marking areas for jewels to hang down into the hair and created a golden cascade down the back of her head.

Catarina tried the bodice and skirt on over black leggings and a tight long-sleeved T-shirt so I could visualise the gold clearly. Moving around her, I proceeded to add a few extra details to the bodice to make it even more ornate. Harold helped me to attach the shoulders I had added, linking them to the bodice with fine chains. Beautiful golden feathers radiated from them to make them look like wings as she moved her arms.

“The black under it looks good,” he commented. “It highlights the golden chains.”

“A black velvet catsuit on the model on the night would help set it off,” I replied.

“I can do that!” Catarina volunteered.

“It makes sense since we’ve made it to her size,” I agreed. “And Cat has always secretly wanted to be a model.”

She pouted at me before a small smile appeared.

“I’m happy with that,” Harold said. “It saves me having to worry about pieces being stolen by the model. It happens,” he replied to my wide-eyed look.

He added notes in his book as I continued to work with my wax pencil.

“I think that since we’ve gone with the black panel theme on the bodice, that you should use polished black obsidians in the skirt. The lights reflecting off them will make the skirt come to life as Cat walks. Also, if we get rainbow obsidians and have them carved for the headpiece, it will add a depth to it.”

He nodded and kept writing.

“Shoes,” I said and he handed me the shoes he had crafted.

Catarina had sent him a pair of her shoes that we had selected with the correct base shape and height. He had used them to put golden feathers over to make them look like they were wings.

“Oh, my God, they’re stunning,” Catarina gasped.

“You can keep them afterwards as a thank you.” Harold winked at Catarina and her smile grew. She loved shoes and these were beyond unique. He had excelled himself with all the accessories I’d emailed him about recently.

“I think it’s just about finished,” I said, standing back to give the outfit one last look.

“It’s beyond anything I would have ever imagined,” Harold said. “You are an incredibly talented designer. If this doesn’t create a buzz at the ceremony, I don’t know what will.”

My cheeks heated at his compliment. I was a newcomer to the jewellery design field, and everything seemed to be moving at breakneck speed. “Thanks, Harold, you’ve been inspirational to work with.”

He beamed at me and began to put all the pieces back into the case. “Your chains are in that box for your latest collection, and I’ll put the finishing touches to this. I’ll text you the details for the awards ceremony.”

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