Love the Second Time Around Novel

Chapter 67 Pushed Into The Spotlight

Dominic slung an arm around my waist and pulled me into his embrace. He whispered, “The costume for the finale.”

I blinked dumbly, my brain stalling at his words.

About three seconds later, I asked, “You’re letting me wear the final design? What about the model? What’s she going to wear?”

He chuckled and replied, “Liliana, you really should be adding more brain foods to your diet. You’re taking forever as always to connect the dots. Since you’re wearing the costume, doesn’t that make you the model?”

I was about to retort his backhanded jibe when the word “model” struck me dumb.

And indeed, I was silent for a while before I fully understood the implications of his words.

“Dominic, are you making me take the runway? Now’s not the time for jokes. It’s fine if it’s only my reputation at stake, but I don’t want to ruin someone’s hard work and the entire fashion show to boot!”

I stared at Dominic like he was deranged, wondering if he was the one who should be checking out brain foods.

It was not a sense of misguided humility that had me denying his request but a fair assessment of my actual talents.

Walking a runway? That’s absurd.

“Do I look like I’m making a joke right now?” Dominic arched a brow and asked calmly.

I heaved a long sigh. “I can’t do this. If this is your way of pranking me, there are way more appropriate occasions for that. Modeling is beyond me.”

My brain was blank save for one thought – Dominic was definitely trying to embarrass me.

Soon enough, the staff who had left to retrieve the costume returned with a garment bag in hand.

Dominic took the garment bag from the staff and inspected the dress. Satisfied, he dropped the dress in my arms.

“Get changed.”

His tone left no room for argument, and I felt like I was about to dissolve into tears.

“I’m not getting changed! Like I said earlier, it’s not only my reputation at stake. I can’t be responsible for ruining other people’s hard work.” I draped the dress carefully over a nearby chair and stood my ground.

saying, “I designed this costume, and this is my fashion show. You’re not messing things up

mind was running wild. “Why on earth would you have me wear this, then?

perplexed. Really? He’s going to drag himself down

I had already made up my mind to reject him, Dominic pulled out the

insistence

in my

have three seconds. Get changed, or I’ll do it

regret sending me out there?”

“One.”

you need to

“Two.”

around and

he could utter “three,” I grabbed the dress and dashed

had gotten undressed, I heard a woman’s

Zanetti, may I come in to assist you

sure. Please

uncomfortable, but since this was Dominic’s

after my head if I ruin a zipper or

staff’s help, I managed to put on the masterpiece, which happened to be

myself in the

a glove, so much so that I almost thought that he might

female staff busy arranging my skirt, I asked, “Does he specialize in

my question and smiled. “Do you mean Mr. Hartnell?

Then why is the

my curiosity could be satisfied, Dominic was yelling at

staff held my skirt for me as we left

into a tailored black tuxedo. It looked like he had styled his hair as

like a couple ready to

female staff who had been with me earlier had nothing but praise for

if he thinks it looks horrendous? Would he accuse me of ruining

it nice?” I asked

minutes before saying, “It’s all right. The