Darn Knit All (All Access #3)

Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

MAI

Theo

I’m sorry

Mai

For?

Theo

If you don’t know then pretend I never texted

S omething was wrong with Theo.

He’d returned from the bathroom pale and drawn, his jaw ticking.

“Everything okay?” I asked quietly as the show runners set up for the next take.

“Fine,” he said tersely, not meeting my eyes.

I frowned but didn’t push, knowing he’d tell me in his own time. I reached over to give his hand a reassuring squeeze, but he pulled away, tucking his hands into his pockets, acting like he hadn’t seen me moving toward him.

His rejection felt like a slap. Hurt and confused, I opened my mouth to call him on it, but Michelle interrupted.

“You time restarts, now!”

I bit my lip, glancing at the clock. We had four hours left in the competition—precious few minutes so I couldn’t dedicate time to whatever was going on with him.

Shoving my concerns aside, I pointed at the fabric still to be pinned. “Can you do that?”

He nodded tightly, still not meeting my gaze.

I began cutting and pinning the bodice, hand stitching the delicate material while Theo worked on the skirt.

But with every passing minute, my anxiety mounted. Theo’s deft fingers fumbled with the delicate material, ripping the thin lace. His seams were crooked, and his hems half finished. At one point, he knocked over a tray of sequins, sending them scattering across the floor.

“Leave it,” I said when he bent to clean them up. “We don’t have time.”

He just shook his head, scooping handfuls back into the tray with shaking hands. Across the room, I caught Jude smirking at us. Unease slithered down my spine.

“Two hours remaining!” Michelle called.

My eyes widened in horror as I took in the state of our dress. It was a disaster—puckered seams, gaps in the beading, hemline uneven. Tears of frustration pricked my eyes.

“Theo,” I said, fighting to keep my voice calm. “I need you to either tell me what’s wrong or pull it together. Please. This is too important.”

His haunted green eyes met mine. I searched his gaze, struggling to understand what had happened.

“How can I help?” I asked, laying a hand on his arm. “Tell me.”

As we stared at each other, his vacant, hopeless look disappeared, replaced by something like determined resignation.

“Fuck you’re brave.” He gestured at the cameras around us. “You don’t even care that they’re watching me melt down.”

“I care. I just do it anyway.”

“Fuck.” He pulled me close, holding me tight. “You’re right. This is too important.”

He let me go and turned to the mannequin, tugging the skirt free. Wadding it up, he tossed the material onto our workbench.

“Let’s get to work.”

Relieved to have him back, we found our rhythm once more. Our movements were synchronized, a seamless dance of fabric and thread.

“That’s it,” Theo said, passing me a perfectly presented skirt. “We’re nearly done.”

I draped the fabric, cutting and basting with efficiency as he tucked and stitched the final pieces.

Our dress took shape, transforming into its intended vision. The once-gaping holes were closed, the puckered seams smoothed, and the uneven hemline corrected. Imperfections were hidden by clever layering and strategically placed embellishments.

“Time’s up!” Michelle called, clapping her hands. “Congratulations, contestants! You’re done.”

I sagged to the floor, laughing as the reality of what we’d achieved hit me.

“We did it,” I breathed, tilting my head back to stare up at Theo. “We finished.”

My back and neck ached, and my fingers were half-numb from overuse. But we’d done it. And no one could take this away from us.

Theo returned my smile, a flicker of his old humor returning. “You better believe it.”

I pushed up from the floor, hesitantly reaching out for a hug. This time he didn’t pull away. He hauled me into his arms, holding me tight.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered against my hair.

“It’s okay.” I clung to the warmth and security of his embrace. “Are you okay?”

He remained silent for a long time. “No. I let Jude get to me, and I almost ruined everything for you.” He squeezed me tighter, and I could feel him trembling slightly. “I’m sorry, Mai. I underestimated you.”

“Jude? What do you mean?” I asked, pulling back to look him in the eye.

He hesitated. “It’s—let’s talk about this later. Tonight is about you.”

I frowned. “But, Theo, what?—”

“Later. I promise.”

Fear gnawed at my insides, a thousand scenarios running through my head at breakneck speed. I wanted to press him, to demand he tell me. But cameras circled the room, catching our every move.

“Later,” I agreed reluctantly. “But I’m holding you to that.”

The judges examined our final design, picking over every blemish, missed stitch, and pulled thread.

The judges circled our final design, their critical eyes taking in every detail. I held my breath, my heart pounding as they examined the dress from every angle.

Erike lifted the hem, inspecting the stitching. “The construction here is impeccable, especially given the time constraints.” He slid a meaningful glance at Theo. “And you’ve managed to disguise any imperfections with layering and embellishments. I’m begrudgingly impressed.”

Theo tipped his head at Erike. “I’ll take that.”

Alison ran a hand along the bodice of the gown. “I love the way you’ve incorporated the leg strap into the overall design and echoed the details of the bodice. It’s functional and fashionable, without compromising on either aspect.”

I felt almost giddy as Minerva stepped back, taking in the full effect of the dress.

“It’s a stunning piece, and unique. We don’t see many accessible by design pieces,” she said, walking around the model. “The way you’ve tied together the crane motifs across all three designs is a testament to your creativity and cohesion as a team.”

I felt Theo’s hand find mine, our fingers intertwining. We exchanged a glance, a mixture of relief, pride, and anticipation passing between us.

“Well done,” Michelle whispered as the judges moved on. “High praise indeed.”

The set became a flurry of motion as the crew set up for the final announcement.

“No matter what happens,” Theo whispered, squeezing my hand, “I’m proud of you, Mai. You’ve poured your heart and soul into this competition, and it shows in every stitch, every seam, every design.”

I leaned into him, drawing on his strength. “I couldn’t have done it without you.” I mean every word. When I’d felt overwhelmed by emotion, he’d given me a safe place to land. It was through him that I’d discovered a confidence in myself and my ability to handle the unknown.

“All right people, places!” Celeste called, clapping her hands.

The cameras began to roll, and I twisted my ring over and over as the judges deliberated on stage. We awaited their verdict, my chest a bundle of writhing nerve endings.

With a final nod, they turned to the contestants, their expressions solemn.

“Jodie and Gretchen,” Michelle began, smiling. “You stayed true to your brand, creating pieces as magnificent and bold as they are functional. It has been a pleasure to see your efforts throughout this competition, and watch the two of you sparkle together.”

She turned. “Jude and Keeley, your designs are a reflection of your commitment to quality. The construction of your garments are second to none—and I believe you’ve even managed to step outside your comfort zone and create pieces that challenged even your high standards.”

Keeley clasped her hands in front of her chest and bowed slightly in thanks.

“Mai and Theo,” Michelle said, her voice cutting through the tension. “Your designs throughout this competition have been nothing short of remarkable. You’ve consistently pushed the boundaries of fashion while prioritizing inclusivity. Tonight, you’ve shown us that true innovation comes from the heart and accessibility in fashion can be both functional and beautiful.”

She stepped back, gesturing at Erike to step forward.

“The scores have been tallied, and we have our winners. But before we reveal the results, I want to say that each and every one of you should be proud of what you’ve accomplished here. You’ve shown the world that fashion is for everyone, and that true beauty comes in all forms.” He pulled an envelope from his back pocket.

“The judges have made our decision,” Erike declared. “And the winners of this year’s Perfect Fit are….” He paused for dramatic effect.

I held my breath, my heart pounding in my ears. This was it, the moment of truth. We’d fought so hard to be here, worked ourselves to the bone to make this happen. As if hearing my thoughts, Theo pulled me into him, wrapping an arm around my shoulders to squeeze me tight.

“Jude and Keeley!”

I sagged, the excitement and anticipation leaving my body in a rush. Exhaustion hit me with an almost-overwhelming thump.

Tears clogged the back of my throat even as I smiled through the pain.

It had always been a long shot. But I’d hoped.

Theo and I clapped politely, smiling and nodding as Jude and Keeley accepted their award.

“But the night isn’t over,” Erike said, waggling his finger. “While the prize money has been won, a second prize is still to be awarded.”

I exchanged a look with Theo, mouthing silently, “Second prize?”

“Tonight, I will be offering the designer who I believe shows the most promise an exclusive experience. For the next four weeks you will intern with me as we work to create your first runway show for Milan Fashion Week.”

My mouth dropped open, my heart pounding in my chest.

“You might have wondered why you signed on for six weeks when the competition is already complete.” He grinned. “The cameras will follow you over the next four weeks as you develop your designs and work around the clock to ready them. They will be there to capture your triumph as you debut your first show.”

His gaze locked with mine. “Mai, I would like to invite you to join me.”

My mind blanked. Sound disappeared, and I looked at Erike as if he were at the other end of a long tunnel.

Is this happening? Did he really just say my name?

Theo’s roar shook me from my shock.

“Mai! You’re going to Italy!” He wrapped me in a bear hug, lifting me up.

“Theo!” I squealed, thumping against his shoulders. “You’ll hurt yourself!”

“Psh!” he scoffed. “You did it, Mai. You fucking won!”

The show wrapped up and Erike came over to congratulate me.

“To be clear,” he told Theo, shaking his hand, “this offer is for Mai only.”

I stiffened, my stomach dropping.

“Of course,” Theo said easily. “Mai’s the one who deserves this.”

Erike congratulated me once more, reminding me that I’d need to be at the airport by five in the morning before he moved away.

Turning to Theo, I clasped my shaking hands together, desperately trying to hold my sudden panic at bay.

“Theo, I can’t—you—I need?—”

He clasped his hands on my shoulders, dipping down to stare into my eyes.

“You can. And, Mai, you have to. I can’t come with you to do this. God knows I would if I could, but I can’t.”

“I’ll cancel,” I said, running through my options. “Or maybe we could?—”

He cut me off with a shake of his head. “No, baby. This is one path I can’t walk with you—and it’s one path that I know you have to take. You’ll hate yourself if you don’t.”

I hated that he knew that. I hated that I wanted him to tell me all was okay. Hated that I needed him to help me through this.

I wasn’t strong enough to do this by myself.

“I can’t.”

“Yes, you fucking can.” He tapped my nose with his finger. “You’re Mai fucking Sakamoto. You are brave, you are talented, and you’re going to slay on that runway.”

I needed him.

“Theo, take me to bed.”

His eyebrows rose. “You’re sure?”

I nodded. “I need you to make love to me.”

He hesitated for a brief beat, then cursed softly. “Fuck it.” He yanked his microphone out of his shirt, tossing it at the nearest assistant.

“Let’s go.”