Julian had meetings with his lawyers all day, preparing for the trial that loomed just beyond the showcase. Around three PM, my phone rang.
Nina's name appeared on the screen. "Please tell me nothing's wrong," I said instead of hello.
"Nothing's wrong," Nina assured me quickly. "I'm just calling to check in, how are you holding up?"
"Barely," I admitted. "I can't stop thinking about everything that could go wrong."
"Nothing's going to go wrong," Nina said. "We've prepared for this, everything is ready."
"What if the models trip?" I asked. "What if the lighting is bad? What if the music doesn't sync properly?"
"Then we handle it," Nina said calmly. "Claire, no show is ever perfect, but yours is going to be beautiful because the designs are beautiful."
I took a shaky breath. "I wish i
