Sequel: Run the Show ›
Somebody Needs You
Chapter 15
Early October had transformed Toronto into an amazing kaleidoscope of different colors as the trees and bushes were all shifting from red to orange to yellow and walking down the grovel walkways in one of the many parks in the middle of the city, Katie couldn’t understand how she could ever have wanted to move away. How she’d ended up in a place that had only two seasons, seasons that weren’t that dissimilar from each other.
She loved the seasons as she was growing up, how everything continuously changed. The flowers and trees blossoming in the spring, the sunshine and the warmth come summer time, the rain and the different colors that fall brought along and – of course – the cold and masses of snow during the winter months. Having spent the past four years in California, she’d almost forgotten just how much she loved it all…
Though it was all quickly coming back to her as she and Luke were walking through the park, people around them giving them their space and most probably not recognizing the tall Luke as one of the Maple Leafs defenders as he had his baseball hat pulled down low over his forehead.
His practice had ended around noon-ish and he’d called her on a whim, wondering if she’d had lunch yet. She hadn’t as they were really busy at the office, working up to fashion week and she’d quickly taken him up on the offer, grabbing her jacket and her bag and leaving before someone could grab hold of her and keep her there.
A quick stop at a small deli later and Luke wasn't quite ready to let her go back just yet, so he’d taken her to the park they were currently walking through, talking about anything and everything that was happening and had happened in their lives. He’d told her about all the pranks pulled in the locker-room and she in turn told him about what really happened behind the scenes at the fashion shows.
“No, seriously?” Luke asked surprised as he looked down at her, his arm loosely wrapped around her shoulder as they were walking in the chilly air.
“Yeah,” Katie nodded slowly. She would have a hard time believing that it happened too if she hadn’t been there to see it. “It was a madhouse. She was so angry that two of the models had gotten sick and couldn’t be there, that she just started throwing things all over the place. And then when the models were dressed precisely like she wanted them, she literally began tearing the clothes off the models.”
“But how…?” he wasn't very in with the fashion world if it wasn't to buy the occasional shirt or tie; he was a regular country boy, he didn’t move in those circles, at all. “I thought the clothes were the designers’ babies, or something.”
“Usually they are,” she nodded slowly. “If I design something and I actually put it together, there is no way that I would tear it apart,” she smiled softly. “Especially not two seconds before they are supposed to down the runway in front of some of the most influential people in the LA fashion world.”
“What happened?” he wondered.
“We got her away from the models, sent out the ones whose clothes weren’t destroyed and then we killed the music and stated that the designer had been hastily ill and therefore couldn’t come out personally, but she was thankful for each and everyone who was there,” she remembered, a soft smile across her lips as she snuggled slightly closer to his side. The air was cooling surprisingly fast and she wasn't used to it, neither was her jacket really up for the job of keeping her warm.
“And I thought the hockey world was crazy,” he noted, causing her to giggle slightly. “So what exactly are you doing right now? For the fashion weekend or what it’s called.”
“It’s Fashion Weeks,” she smiled up at him, not at all bothered that he didn’t know it. She was a fashion junky since she was young, and it almost made her somewhat happy that he didn’t know or particularly like the world of fashion. “We’re showing one day, on Saturday, and then our PR-department is one of about five-ten who are organizing the whole event,” she told him. “It’s everything from making sure that the designers who are showing have enough time to booking enough hotel rooms for all the people coming,” she explained, knowing from experience to not go into too much detail. Especially considering that she herself wasn't fully aware of everything that was happening, and she was working on it.
“That’s a lot of stuff,” he noted, his wasn't dumb, he knew that every little even needed massive preparations to go off without a hitch, but he’d never really thought too much about all the work that went into it, trying to see it from the other point of view.
“It is,” she nodded slightly. “But it’s fun and it really gives you an appreciation of everything that goes into staging a simple fashion show,” she commented. “Most people just see it as a lot of different designs, a few skinny models and a place to host it at, but there is so much more than that.”
“What part is it that you are most interested in?” he pulled her closer to him. “I mean, do you want to be the one arranging the shows or the one actually showing?”
“Both, I think,” she bit her lower lip slightly. “I like designing things, it’s probably where my passion lays, but I don’t know if I'm actually good enough to make more than one good collection,” she admitted softly. “I don’t want to be a one hit wonder, so I'm not ready to jump off the cliff just yet,” she licked her lips slowly. “So right now I'm happy being where I am, helping out with the shows and designing on my own free time, besides I get help and constructive criticism from one of the senior women working on the designs,” she revealed. “I show her some of my drawings and some of the designs, some she ends up loving and others she hates, discarding them to the waste bin immediately,” she smiled softly.
“You love it,” he noted, seeing the look of pure happiness that passed over her features as she talked about designing.
“I really do,” she confirmed nodding slightly.
“So take the chance,” he urged her, wanting her to do something that made her as happy as playing hockey made him.
“I do design,” she told him honestly, knowing that he’d seen the sheets of sketches and half finished pieces of clothing that had been strewn around her apartment on several occasions.
“I know,” he nodded. “I just…”
“I know what you mean,” she gave him a small hug. “But it has to feel right,” she pointed out.
“So what have you designed that…I don’t know, have been sold or whatever?” he wondered curiously.
“Roxy sold one of my swimsuits this summer, and I have a few designs pending with them right now,” she revealed. “I also designed a few different watched that was picked up a while ago, some of them were with Guess and Fossil.”
“That’s amazing,” he smiled widely as he gave her a massive hug, kissing the top of her head.
“I usually don’t like to talk about it,” she admitted. “You know, in case nothing comes of it or I flop or for some reason I just can’t design anymore.”
“It’s your passion,” he pointed out in a mumble as he held her against his chest. “You shouldn’t have to feel like that.”
“I know,” she sighed heavily. “I know that I love it, that it’s what I want to do, but fashion is a very fickle world,” she pointed out. “What’s hot today might not even be alright tomorrow. You never actually know if you're going to be good enough and I'm worried that if I take the step and fall flat on my face, I'm not going to be able to get back up again,” she admitted quietly.
“I’d help you,” he promised. “Besides, I want to see your designs. I mean, I don’t know squat about fashion and all that, but I could give you an honest, outside opinion.”
“You wouldn’t be honest,” she pointed out frankly. “You would tell me they were prefect just because you love me.”
“True,” he nodded; knowing that it was useless to deny it considering it was the truth.
“And besides, just having you in my life seem to have given me more inspiration than ever,” she revealed, a soft blush spreading across her already pinkish cheeks.
“Really?” he asked surprised, and somewhat flattered. He wasn't sure if he’d ever inspired someone before…
“Yeah,” she nodded slightly. “I actually surprised Melanie with how many designs I brought her the other day.”
“I'm glad to be your inspiration,” he leaned down and gently kissed her.
“And I'm very happy to have you as my inspiration,” she mumbled against his lips. “But the whole design thing is still my moonlighting business,” she pointed out, albeit a bit jokingly. “And I need to get back to my real job if I want to keep that, which I need to if I don’t want to move back home to London and live with my parents again,” she smiled slightly as she leaned back away from him.
“Right,” he nodded slowly, but still steered them in the direction of his car. “But you promise that I get to see some of your sketches?” he checked as he pulled out his keys from the pocket of his jacket as they got closer to the gates.
“I’ll do you one better,” she bargained as they approached the car. “I can model some of them for you,” she surprised him with that. Winking at him she quickly got into the passenger seat of the large vehicle.
Watching her curiously, he wasn't about to protest…
She loved the seasons as she was growing up, how everything continuously changed. The flowers and trees blossoming in the spring, the sunshine and the warmth come summer time, the rain and the different colors that fall brought along and – of course – the cold and masses of snow during the winter months. Having spent the past four years in California, she’d almost forgotten just how much she loved it all…
Though it was all quickly coming back to her as she and Luke were walking through the park, people around them giving them their space and most probably not recognizing the tall Luke as one of the Maple Leafs defenders as he had his baseball hat pulled down low over his forehead.
His practice had ended around noon-ish and he’d called her on a whim, wondering if she’d had lunch yet. She hadn’t as they were really busy at the office, working up to fashion week and she’d quickly taken him up on the offer, grabbing her jacket and her bag and leaving before someone could grab hold of her and keep her there.
A quick stop at a small deli later and Luke wasn't quite ready to let her go back just yet, so he’d taken her to the park they were currently walking through, talking about anything and everything that was happening and had happened in their lives. He’d told her about all the pranks pulled in the locker-room and she in turn told him about what really happened behind the scenes at the fashion shows.
“No, seriously?” Luke asked surprised as he looked down at her, his arm loosely wrapped around her shoulder as they were walking in the chilly air.
“Yeah,” Katie nodded slowly. She would have a hard time believing that it happened too if she hadn’t been there to see it. “It was a madhouse. She was so angry that two of the models had gotten sick and couldn’t be there, that she just started throwing things all over the place. And then when the models were dressed precisely like she wanted them, she literally began tearing the clothes off the models.”
“But how…?” he wasn't very in with the fashion world if it wasn't to buy the occasional shirt or tie; he was a regular country boy, he didn’t move in those circles, at all. “I thought the clothes were the designers’ babies, or something.”
“Usually they are,” she nodded slowly. “If I design something and I actually put it together, there is no way that I would tear it apart,” she smiled softly. “Especially not two seconds before they are supposed to down the runway in front of some of the most influential people in the LA fashion world.”
“What happened?” he wondered.
“We got her away from the models, sent out the ones whose clothes weren’t destroyed and then we killed the music and stated that the designer had been hastily ill and therefore couldn’t come out personally, but she was thankful for each and everyone who was there,” she remembered, a soft smile across her lips as she snuggled slightly closer to his side. The air was cooling surprisingly fast and she wasn't used to it, neither was her jacket really up for the job of keeping her warm.
“And I thought the hockey world was crazy,” he noted, causing her to giggle slightly. “So what exactly are you doing right now? For the fashion weekend or what it’s called.”
“It’s Fashion Weeks,” she smiled up at him, not at all bothered that he didn’t know it. She was a fashion junky since she was young, and it almost made her somewhat happy that he didn’t know or particularly like the world of fashion. “We’re showing one day, on Saturday, and then our PR-department is one of about five-ten who are organizing the whole event,” she told him. “It’s everything from making sure that the designers who are showing have enough time to booking enough hotel rooms for all the people coming,” she explained, knowing from experience to not go into too much detail. Especially considering that she herself wasn't fully aware of everything that was happening, and she was working on it.
“That’s a lot of stuff,” he noted, his wasn't dumb, he knew that every little even needed massive preparations to go off without a hitch, but he’d never really thought too much about all the work that went into it, trying to see it from the other point of view.
“It is,” she nodded slightly. “But it’s fun and it really gives you an appreciation of everything that goes into staging a simple fashion show,” she commented. “Most people just see it as a lot of different designs, a few skinny models and a place to host it at, but there is so much more than that.”
“What part is it that you are most interested in?” he pulled her closer to him. “I mean, do you want to be the one arranging the shows or the one actually showing?”
“Both, I think,” she bit her lower lip slightly. “I like designing things, it’s probably where my passion lays, but I don’t know if I'm actually good enough to make more than one good collection,” she admitted softly. “I don’t want to be a one hit wonder, so I'm not ready to jump off the cliff just yet,” she licked her lips slowly. “So right now I'm happy being where I am, helping out with the shows and designing on my own free time, besides I get help and constructive criticism from one of the senior women working on the designs,” she revealed. “I show her some of my drawings and some of the designs, some she ends up loving and others she hates, discarding them to the waste bin immediately,” she smiled softly.
“You love it,” he noted, seeing the look of pure happiness that passed over her features as she talked about designing.
“I really do,” she confirmed nodding slightly.
“So take the chance,” he urged her, wanting her to do something that made her as happy as playing hockey made him.
“I do design,” she told him honestly, knowing that he’d seen the sheets of sketches and half finished pieces of clothing that had been strewn around her apartment on several occasions.
“I know,” he nodded. “I just…”
“I know what you mean,” she gave him a small hug. “But it has to feel right,” she pointed out.
“So what have you designed that…I don’t know, have been sold or whatever?” he wondered curiously.
“Roxy sold one of my swimsuits this summer, and I have a few designs pending with them right now,” she revealed. “I also designed a few different watched that was picked up a while ago, some of them were with Guess and Fossil.”
“That’s amazing,” he smiled widely as he gave her a massive hug, kissing the top of her head.
“I usually don’t like to talk about it,” she admitted. “You know, in case nothing comes of it or I flop or for some reason I just can’t design anymore.”
“It’s your passion,” he pointed out in a mumble as he held her against his chest. “You shouldn’t have to feel like that.”
“I know,” she sighed heavily. “I know that I love it, that it’s what I want to do, but fashion is a very fickle world,” she pointed out. “What’s hot today might not even be alright tomorrow. You never actually know if you're going to be good enough and I'm worried that if I take the step and fall flat on my face, I'm not going to be able to get back up again,” she admitted quietly.
“I’d help you,” he promised. “Besides, I want to see your designs. I mean, I don’t know squat about fashion and all that, but I could give you an honest, outside opinion.”
“You wouldn’t be honest,” she pointed out frankly. “You would tell me they were prefect just because you love me.”
“True,” he nodded; knowing that it was useless to deny it considering it was the truth.
“And besides, just having you in my life seem to have given me more inspiration than ever,” she revealed, a soft blush spreading across her already pinkish cheeks.
“Really?” he asked surprised, and somewhat flattered. He wasn't sure if he’d ever inspired someone before…
“Yeah,” she nodded slightly. “I actually surprised Melanie with how many designs I brought her the other day.”
“I'm glad to be your inspiration,” he leaned down and gently kissed her.
“And I'm very happy to have you as my inspiration,” she mumbled against his lips. “But the whole design thing is still my moonlighting business,” she pointed out, albeit a bit jokingly. “And I need to get back to my real job if I want to keep that, which I need to if I don’t want to move back home to London and live with my parents again,” she smiled slightly as she leaned back away from him.
“Right,” he nodded slowly, but still steered them in the direction of his car. “But you promise that I get to see some of your sketches?” he checked as he pulled out his keys from the pocket of his jacket as they got closer to the gates.
“I’ll do you one better,” she bargained as they approached the car. “I can model some of them for you,” she surprised him with that. Winking at him she quickly got into the passenger seat of the large vehicle.
Watching her curiously, he wasn't about to protest…