Platinum (All That Glitters #3)(68)

“What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t help you in your time of need?” Francesca eyed the other designers’ work and raised an eyebrow. “And it looks like many are in some desperate need.”

“Okay, everyone,” Trihn said, rounding up the troops. “Once you’re finished in hair and makeup, please get into your outfit and line up in order. If you have any questions, please direct them to me, Bryna, or Stacia.”

The volunteers had placed the last of her designs on a rack, and girls started rifling through the bags to collect their outfits. It was less organized than Trihn would have liked, but as long as they were all where they needed to be, then it was fine.

About half an hour before the show started, Trihn was fixing a zipper on a girl’s skirt when Bryna snuck up behind her. “Hey, I have a surprise for you.”

“Wha—” Trihn asked through a mouthful of pins.

“I need to steal you.”

Trihn took the pins out of her mouth and finished the last stitch on the hem of the skirt. “I think that’s good. Let me know if it doesn’t hold up.”

“Thanks, Trihn!”

She turned back to Bryna with raised eyebrows. “What’s up?”

“I might have called in some favors.”

“Oh, Lord, what did you do?”

Bryna grabbed her arm and dragged her up the stairs to the stage. From their viewpoint, they could see out to the crowd that had started filing into the ballroom. Only a few rows in the back left were still open.

Trihn felt the familiar sense of stage fright take over, and she put her hand on her chest. “That’s a lot of people.”

“Yeah, but look.” Bryna pointed to the front row, and Trihn followed her line of vision.

When Trihn saw who Bryna was pointing at, Trihn gasped and smacked Bryna on the arm. “You invited Gates?”

“Ouch. Take it easy! Of course I invited Gates, but it’s not just that. Look at his date.”

“Fuck,” Trihn whispered when she saw the tall leggy blonde with bright red lipstick in a two-piece white-skirt-and-crop combo seated next to Gates. “Is that—”

“Yep,” Bryna said, popping the P.

“I thought she was dating Calvin Harris!”

“Oh, who can keep up? She’s here with Gates, and that’s all that matters. It looks like she’s brought some friends, too.”

“I can’t.”

“Yeah, I have a feeling this is going to be all over Page Six in the morning. I don’t think they’ve been photographed together before.” Bryna nudged Trihn and smiled. “You’d better win this thing, so you can get your name in the paper, too.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“I know,” she said, flipping her long blonde hair over her shoulder.

“Everyone, gather around!”

Trihn looked over her shoulder and saw Teena Hart gesturing for all the students to get together to talk before the show started. Trihn hurried down the steps and shouldered into the lineup.

“Thank you all so much for the endless hours of hard work and dedication to your craft. It’ll all culminate in tonight’s performance. We have some exceptional guests in the front row of our audience tonight, so be prepared for more press than intended. We’re working on controlling the situation, but we didn’t exactly anticipate celebrities showing up to this round.”

Trihn glanced over at Bryna, who snickered.

“In any case, that doesn’t change anything for you. As you know, the winner of this show will go on to New York City to compete nationally. This year, for the grand prize in New York, the winner’s line will be picked up by Bloomingdale’s and be featured in Glitz magazine.”

Trihn’s mouth dropped open. Bloomingdale’s was her dream store. Of course, she had a lot of hurdles she would have to jump before she got to that, but just the opportunity was unbelievable. And to get into Glitz magazine, where her mother was a senior executive for the company, without her mother’s help would be so satisfying.

“But no matter what happens here today, you have all completed your assignments, and you are all winners in my eyes. We’ll be starting in just five minutes. Please get your models ready. Thank you, and good luck.”

Teena left to introduce the fashion show, and all the designers scattered to get their models into order and make final adjustments.

It felt like hours before it was finally Trihn’s turn. Bryna and Stacia squeezed her hand before leaving to go watch her big moment.

Francesca was her first and last model, and before Trihn walked out onto the runway, Francesca enveloped her in a big hug. “Show the world what you’re made of.”

Trihn nervously smiled at her and then took the stairs to the stage. She catwalked the runway like she was born to be onstage. A microphone was waiting for her at the end, and she stepped up to it with her heart in her throat.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m Trihnity Hamilton, and this is my designer collection, Clothes by Trihn. The look I’m showcasing for you today is a street-to-runway look that you can wear anywhere. Whether walking the streets of New York City, dancing on a rooftop in Milan, or lining the red carpet in Hollywood, Trihn fashion can take you there because I’ve been there as a ballet dancer in New York City, a model in Milan, and now fashion designer here in Las Vegas. Welcome to my personal street style, Clothes by Trihn.”