New York Debut (17 page)

“Taylor!”
she cried. “You’re back!”

DJ turned in time to see Taylor coming in the door. The room actually grew hushed as everyone turned to see her walking in. To DJ’s relief she didn’t look wasted at all. In fact, she looked fantastic — like a rock star — as she strolled into the room. She was wearing what looked like a very expensive suit, kind of a caramel brown with safari pockets and a stunning braided leather belt and very cool shoes with killer heels.

Soon they were all gathered around her, oohing and ahhing and complimenting her beautiful outfit. Everyone except Eliza. She was standing over by the catwalk with a slight scowl playing across her high forehead.

“Welcome back,” said Grandmother happily.

Casey and Rhiannon both hugged Taylor, and DJ just grinned as she joined them. “You made it,” she said quietly to Taylor.

“Is that a Marc Jacobs?” Grandmother asked as she closely examined Taylor’s suit.

Taylor smiled. “You nailed it, Mrs. Carter. But how did you know?”

Grandmother smiled with pride. “Just years of paying attention.” Then she put an arm around Taylor’s shoulders. “Oh, I’m so glad that you’re back with us, dear. And just in time for the fashion show too.”

“So who is going to be left behind now?” asked Eliza as she pressed her way into the circle of friends and observers that had surrounded Taylor. “Since it seems that Taylor is going to New York . . . although she hasn’t been to a single training session.” Eliza looked directly at Grandmother now. “And you did say that only girls who had attended the sessions could go with us,
didn’t you
, Mrs. Carter?”

Without even blinking, Grandmother waved her hand. “Surely, you know that doesn’t apply to Taylor. Good grief, she already knows how to do the walk perfectly. And, as always, she looks stunning.” Grandmother turned to Taylor. “Oh, Dylan will be so pleased to hear you’re joining us.”

“But you said only
eight
girls,” persisted Eliza.

“Yes.” Grandmother’s brow creased. “That’s true. Dylan wanted only eight girls for the show.” She turned to Haley now. “I’m terribly sorry, Haley. But since you were the last pick . . . well, in light of this unexpected occurrence, oh, I’m sure you’ll understand why I must change my mind.”

Haley nodded, but DJ thought she could see Haley’s chin quiver just slightly. “I understand.”

“Well,
I
don’t understand,” snapped Madison. “I think it’s totally unfair that we go to all this work, we come to every class, we practice and do everything you ask, and then Taylor waltzes in and takes over like she owns the place.” Then Madison grabbed Tina by the arm. “And we’re like
so
outta here.”

“Well.” Grandmother just shook her head. “I’m sorry, girls.”

“Don’t let those two get to you,” said Casey.

“I don’t know,” said Eliza. “I think Tina and Madison make a good point.” Then she turned and walked out too.

“My goodness!” Grandmother blinked. “It seems emotions are running rampant today.” She looked at her watch. “I think we’ll do a few more runs down the catwalk and call it a day, girls. I find all this emotion to be exhausting.”

Taylor slipped into the lineup and did her walk just as easily and naturally as ever. Like she’d been doing it her whole life. Grandmother actually clapped when she finished. “Yes, just like that, girls. Pay attention to Taylor. No one does it half as well as she does.”

And it was true; no one else in their group could do the walk quite like Taylor. But, unlike times in the past when Taylor had come across as somewhat haughty and arrogant, today she seemed changed. Now as Taylor strutted down the catwalk, something was different. DJ wondered if the others could see it too. Oh, sure, Taylor still held her head high and her shoulders back. But there was a new softness about her, the same thing that DJ had noticed yesterday — the same thing that had worried DJ slightly. But now, rather than seeming like a flaw or a deficiency, DJ thought it made Taylor look better than ever.

14

AS THE “CHOSEN” GIRLS CONTINUED
to practice the catwalk, DJ observed that, one by one, Haley and the rest of the girls who hadn’t been picked were quietly slipping out of the room. They reminded DJ of whipped animals with their tails tucked between their legs, trying to get out without being seen. Very sad.

And, although DJ was hugely relieved that Taylor had made it and seemed perfectly fine, she felt sorry for the others. Okay, maybe not Madison and Tina so much. Mostly she felt badly for Haley — to raise and then dash her hopes all within a short time seemed unusually cruel. And, not for the first time, DJ wondered why American culture put so much value in superficial things like physical appearance. Even more than that, she wondered why she was forced to be part of it.

Finally, the practice session was winding down, and DJ knew what she had to do. She had made a decision, and as she marched over to her grandmother, she knew that nothing was going to dissuade her from it.

“Grandmother,” she said firmly. “May I have a word with you?”

“Certainly, Desiree. Is something wrong?”

“Yes. I would like to step down from the fashion show.”

“What?”
Grandmother’s pale blue eyes glinted with fire now.

“I’d like to offer my spot to Haley Callahan. She desperately wants to go. And you know that I’m not that interested in this sort — ”

“Not interested?”
Grandmother’s hand came up to her chest as if she expected to have a heart attack. “You’re not interested in participating in one of the biggest fashion shows of the year, Desiree?”

“That’s right. I’d like Haley to go in my place.”

Grandmother just shook her head. “Oh, Desiree . . .”

“Please, Grandmother. Haley wants to go so badly. I know she’s brokenhearted right now. Please, I’m begging you to let her go instead of me.”

Grandmother sighed then shrugged. “Fine, Desiree. Although I do not agree, and I fear you will regret it, I will let you make this decision.”

“Thank you!” DJ actually hugged her stunned grandmother, then hurried to dial Haley’s number, waiting impatiently for her to answer.

“Guess what?” DJ cried.

“What?” Haley’s voice sounded flat and discouraged.

“You’re going to New York!”

“I don’t think so . . .”

“No, you are, Haley. I just talked to Grandmother and — ”

“No way. Taylor made that — ”

“Trust me, Haley. You
are
going! Grandmother wants you back in the show.” Okay, maybe that wasn’t one hundred percent true. But it was sort of true since she’d said DJ could choose.

“Really?” Haley’s voice was laced with hope now.

“Absolutely.”

“Oh, that’s so great, DJ. Thank you! Thank you!”

Just as DJ finished the conversation and hung up, she felt someone tapping her on the shoulder. She turned to see Taylor looking at her with a perplexed expression.

“What did you just do?” asked Taylor.

DJ confessed that she’d given her spot to Haley. “With Grandmother’s approval.”

“Why?”

“Because Haley was brokenhearted.”

“That’s my fault, isn’t it?”

“No . . .” DJ firmly shook her head. “It’s just the way it happened.”

“But I want
you
to go to New York.”

DJ shrugged. “Sorry.” Then she considered something. “Hey, don’t tell the others I’m not going, okay?” She could imagine Casey getting mad at her or Rhiannon trying to talk her into it. DJ didn’t need that.

Taylor frowned, but at least she agreed. “Okay, mum’s the word. At least for the moment. Anyway, I have something else to ask you about.”

“What?”

“Is it true . . .” Taylor lowered her voice, “that I’m now rooming with Princess Eliza?”

DJ grimaced. “Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. Sorry.”

Taylor firmly shook her head. “I cannot do that. Seriously, DJ, I’d rather sleep on the floor somewhere else than be with Eliza. Rooming with Eliza would probably put me right back to where I was. I just can’t do it. I’m sorry.”

DJ explained the problem with Kriti and Grandmother’s decision to switch rooms. “It’s not like I really had a choice.”

“I know. And I feel sorry for Kriti. It’s no surprise that Eliza has messed with the poor girl’s mind. And it’s not that I couldn’t stand up to Eliza, it’s just that I don’t need that kind of stress in my life right now. Do you understand?”

“Totally. I’m just not sure what we can do. I hate to send Kriti back to Eliza. I mean, she’s trying to knock off the anorexia game, but she’s not out of the woods yet, if you know what I mean.”

Taylor nodded. “Not only do I know what you mean, I’m there too.”

“So what should we do?”

“I don’t know.” Taylor looked really sad now. “I just wish I was rooming with you again, DJ. You’re the only one in this house who really understands me.”

DJ felt surprisingly touched by this admission, but she tried not to show it. “Let me see what I can do about it.”

“Thanks.” Taylor smiled. “In the meantime, I need to pick up my bags from the B&B. It’s only a couple of blocks, but I’ve got a lot — ”

“You can use my car if you want.” DJ went over to where their things were stashed on the chairs and quickly fished her car keys out of her purse, then handed them to Taylor.

Taylor smiled down at the Gucci bag. “Hey, you’re still using it.”

DJ held up the pretty bag. “Do you want it back?”

“No, of course not. I think it’s more you than me.”

After Taylor left, DJ explained the dilemma to Rhiannon. “I think if it was anyone but Eliza, Taylor might be okay. But Eliza would probably give Taylor an excuse to start drinking again.”

Rhiannon frowned. “It’s like my mom says, any excuse is a good excuse to use when you’re an addict.”

“I know that’s probably true,” admitted DJ. “But in the case of Taylor and Eliza . . . well, it’s kind of predictable. I saw the two of them in Vegas, and it wasn’t healthy for either of them.”

“So what do you suggest we do?” asked Rhiannon. “You’re not suggesting that Kriti go back with Eliza, are you?”

“Not at all. Especially not right before Fashion Week,” agreed DJ. “Kriti already seems to be teetering on the edge as it is.”

“I wish Eliza would get a clue and start treating people better.” Rhiannon pushed a stray auburn curl away from her forehead.

“I suppose I could room with her,” said DJ slowly. “And then Taylor could be with Kriti.”

“But didn’t you say Taylor wants to room with you?”

“Yeah, but we don’t always get what we want, do we?”

“But how do you think Kriti would feel about rooming with Taylor? Talk about your opposites.”

DJ shrugged. “Taylor has changed.”

“There’s only one thing to do.” Rhiannon put her hands on her hips and nodded. “I will room with Eliza.”

DJ frowned. “Are you serious?”

“Totally.”

Now Rhiannon started to chuckle. “I’ll consider it my
mission
. Remember last week’s sermon about how each one of us has our own special mission field, but we don’t usually know where it’s located.”

“Even so, that’s a big sacrifice, Rhiannon. I hope you don’t regret it.”

“And it appears that Taylor is your mission. And it seems like you’re doing a good job.”

DJ thought that was a stretch. “Thanks, but I haven’t done anything.”

Rhiannon’s mouth twisted into a half smile. “So Kriti can move in with Casey, and Taylor can have her bed back.”

“Great.”

Rhiannon poked DJ. “But
you
get to tell Casey about the switch.”

“That seems fair enough.” Although DJ wasn’t looking forward to informing Casey that they’d agreed on this without her consent. But as it turned out, Casey was fairly understanding.

“So you really don’t mind?” DJ asked.

“To be honest, when you first started talking about this, I was afraid I was going to be stuck with Eliza. And that could get ugly.”

DJ laughed. “I’m sure you’re relieved that it’s Rhiannon going into the lion’s den.”

“If anyone can handle that lion, it’s Rhiannon.” Casey looked a little sad now. “But I’ll admit that I’ll miss her.”

“But I think Kriti will appreciate getting to know you better, Casey. You might even be good for her.”

“Hey, maybe she’ll help me with my homework.”

By the time Taylor made it back to Carter House with her bags, DJ had informed Kriti about the change in rooms. “I hope you don’t mind,” she told her. “But Taylor really wants her room back.”

“I understand.” Kriti focused on gathering up some of her things. “You and Taylor seem to have a good friendship.”

DJ kind of laughed. “Well, it’s an unusual one anyway.”

“I figured this was just temporary anyway.” Kriti’s back was to DJ as she slipped her laptop into a case along with some other books. Suddenly DJ was worried that Kriti was feeling hurt.