Just One Scandal (The Kingston Family #2) -Carly Phillips Page 0,36
it was oversized, she thought, glad he couldn’t see the effect he had on her.
“When are you going to send it in?” he asked, voice gruff, indicating he’d felt the same sparks she had.
Forcing herself to focus on his question wasn’t easy when her body was on fire. “I’ll enter when I stop trying to make it perfect,” she admitted.
He narrowed his gaze. “How close to final is it?”
Even she couldn’t deny the truth. “It’s there. Every new tweak will take the individuality out of it.” She rubbed her hands up and down her arms, her nerves showing again.
He braced his hands on her shoulders. “Then what do you say you submit now? And tonight we go out to dinner to celebrate?”
“Really? Are you sure you’re in the mood?” He’d had a blow this morning, and he’d been upset about his dad.
He inclined his head. “I can’t change the diagnosis, right? Dwelling won’t help. I’m going to see my parents this weekend. So yes, I’m sure. You need to go for what will make you happy, and we need to celebrate your accomplishment. Now no more stalling. Life’s short.”
His sister, she thought, understanding him so much better now. She could learn a lesson from his loss, too.
She clasped her hands in front of her. “The photos are set and formatted, captions and floor plans complete. The written section is also finished.” She nibbled on her lower lip. “You’re right. It’s time.”
Grinning, he took her hand and pulled her closer to the laptop. “Good. You’re ready to show them what you’ve got.”
It helped to have him in her corner, cheering her on. He was in the real estate business, was aware of design and aesthetic, and she trusted he wouldn’t let her make a fool of herself.
Her heart slammed inside her chest as she pulled out the chair and sat down in front of the screen. Beck’s firm hand never left her back as she closed out of the program she’d been working in and began the submission process.
* * *
Beck felt the tension in the room. From Chloe’s stiff shoulders to the way her hands trembled as she hit the keys, he knew this move was taking everything she had inside her. And he was so damned proud of her.
Had he pushed? Yes, but nowhere she didn’t want to go. She’d just needed the right encouragement.
With the last tap of a key, they watched, waiting for the confirmation to appear on the screen. When it happened, she screenshotted the words. “And done!” She spun around to face him, eyes wide, cheeks flushed. “I did it!”
“Yes!” He fist-pumped the air. “Go, Chloe!” he said, pulling her to her feet. “How do you feel?”
She treated him to a wide smile, the truest he’d seen since meeting her at her non-wedding.
“I feel free! I’ve been so worried about feeling like a failure if I don’t win or even final, but now that it’s done? So what if I don’t? I’ll find something else and try again. I have dreams and I’m entitled to them.” Her eyes shone with certainty.
“That’s my girl,” he said. “I mean…”
She shook her head. “It’s fine. I know what you mean.” She stepped away, obviously putting distance between them.
Distance he’d put there first. He needed to get his shit together when it came to Chloe and fast. Push-pull wasn’t his style.
He cleared his throat. “Just so you know, design professionals judge the contest, and there’s a good chance someone will notice your work regardless of where you place.”
Her eyes shone bright. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your belief in me. It’s been a while since anyone trusted in my skills. Not that my brothers aren’t great guys but–”
“They have their own ideas of what’s best for you. I get it. I think if Whitney had lived, the three of us would be the same way.” He let out a deep breath, surprised at how much better he felt admitting that out loud.
He never talked about Whitney. He kept everything bottled up inside him, safe and sound, memories he could take out and hold when he wanted to and push away when they hurt too much. He’d always believed looking at them in the light of day would be too painful to bear, but that admission hadn’t hurt quite the way he would have thought.
“Hey, are you okay?” Chloe grasped his hands, her cool palms bringing him back to the present.