She did several walks before, at last, in a glorious haze of glitter and lights and chiffon, it was over. Heather took off her shoes before she melted into a seat and let the sounds around her dull into the numb silence of exhaustion and overstimulation. Nothing else could wear her out like this.
She struggled to keep up with the conversation Crystal and the other models were having as the show wrapped up and cleanup began. Finally, the girls began wandering off in pairs or one at a time toward after-parties and other events, having had all the rest they were allowed. Heather closed her eyes and tried to gather herself. She still had something to do tonight. Someone touched her shoulder, bringing her back to the moment.
It was Crystal. She nodded toward Altair, who was hurrying toward them.
“Tell him,” Crystal urged her. Then she nudged her onto her feet. “Good luck.”
Heather swallowed a nervous lump in her throat and murmured a good-bye to her friend before hurrying to greet Altair.
“You were wonderful tonight,” he said immediately, catching her by the waist and spinning her in a circle. “Absolutely perfect! The show was incredible.”
Heather laughed in surprise and delight as she was lifted into the air. She shook her head as he put her down, chuckling.
“I think you’re a little biased,” she said, smiling at him. “I’m just glad I didn’t fall.”
“Are you ready to go to dinner?” he asked, taking her hands and pressing a kiss to her fingers. “I can’t wait to tell you what Marie said. She wants you to walk for her again, and soon!”
“Give me just a minute to get changed,” Heather said, squeezing his hands. “I’ll be right there.”
“I’ll pull the car up to the front,” Altair said, letting go reluctantly. “See you in just a minute.”
“See you then,” Heather said, waving to him as he hurried away before making her way to the changing rooms to take off the expensive evening gown she was wearing. She wished she had something nicer to change into than the jeans and T-shirt she’d worn there. Hopefully Altair wouldn’t mind. She worried he’d have a lot more to be upset about before the night was over. She was going to tell him tonight, and frankly, the idea still terrified her. Losing him had become unthinkable to her. Before, she’d thought she could get through it, but now it seemed impossible.
She pulled her hair up into a ponytail and headed out. The event location was mostly deserted by now except for the crew still shutting everything down and cleaning up. Between the tent where the event had been held and the street, there was only a dark, empty stretch of park now. A few guests dawdled here and there among the trees, wrapped up in their private dramas. Heather scanned the road for a sign of Altair’s car.
“Heather.”
The familiar voice sent an unpleasant jolt up Heather’s spine. Craig loomed out of the shadow of the trees like something from a horror film, only Heather was more repulsed than afraid.
“Craig,” she said, frowning. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you work, baby.” Craig held up one of the tabloids that had been running the photos of Heather and Altair on high rotation. “I wish you had told me you were interested in modeling before. I would have been happy to be your manager. But that’s all right. I don’t mind stepping in now. I can find you a way better gig than this dump.”
“I don’t need a manager,” Heather said flatly, trying to duck past him. He stepped in front of her again with a small laugh.
“Don’t be silly, babe,” he said. “I’m just trying to look out for you. I mean, if the articles here are anything to believe, you’re clearly not doing a very good job managing yourself. This guy you’ve been sleeping with has only gotten you, what, three gigs? He’s taking advantage of you, babe.”
“Please go away.” Heather tried to step past him again, and he moved in front of her. He stepped closer, and when she backed up, he pursued her, driving her back toward a tree.
“Babe, how long are you gonna act like this?” he said impatiently. “What happened with me and Jacki is over. It’s in the past. And I’m not even mad that you’ve been running around with this loser in the magazines. You don’t have to keep pretending to be tough. Everything can just be how it was before.”
“I don’t want it to be how it was before,” Heather muttered.
“What?” Craig said, though she knew he had heard her. He just knew she wouldn’t be brave enough to say it again.
“Just let me go home,” she said instead.
“It’s cool; you’re tired,” Craig said. “Let’s go get dinner and we can talk over food.”
“I have someone waiting for me,” Heather said. She just wanted to get away. She felt like she was shriveling in on herself. Why couldn’t she just tell him to get lost? Why was she such a coward? She didn’t want to fight him here by herself. She wasn’t strong enough. But she knew how it would end if he got her to give in to dinner.
“Well just tell 'em you’ve got other plans,” Craig said. “They can’t be as important as working this out, right? I mean, I love you. You can’t just blow me off.”
“Heather?”
Heather’s heart seized up in her chest. Altair was approaching, and he was looking at Craig with undisguised suspicion.
“Who is this?” he asked.
“Her boyfriend,” Craig said without even looking up. “Butt out.”
“Ex-boyfriend,” Heather said, her heart racing as she forced herself to say the word as loudly as she could. “I’m leaving now.”
She tried to duck past him for the third time, and he caught her by the arm.
“Whoa, we’re not done talking,” Craig said, pulling her back.
Altair was there in a second, yanking Craig’s arm away.
“She said she’s leaving,” Altair said, a cold edge to his voice Heather had never heard before.
“Listen, buddy.” Craig pulled his arm away from Altair with a snarl. “I don’t know how they deal with girlfriends in your country, but—”
“In my country, we don’t put our hands on women without their permission,” Altair snapped, cutting him off. “Heather, did you want this man to touch you?”
“No,” Heather said at once.
“Do you want to leave?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go.”
Altair turned away from Craig, his anger tangible in the air, and offered Heather a hand. She took it, as grateful for his help out of this situation as she was humiliated to be seen in it at all. They’d barely taken three steps before Craig was after them again.
“Hey, hang on,” he said, grabbing the back of Altair’s coat. “I’m not done—”
Altair didn’t wait for Craig to throw the first punch. As soon as he felt the yank on his jacket, he turned and buried his fist in Craig’s face. Craig hit the ground, blood pouring from his nose, yowling like a wounded animal. Heather’s eyes widened in surprise, but she couldn’t help the cruel satisfaction she felt at seeing him be given a taste of his own medicine. Altair put an arm around Heather’s shoulders and hurried her toward the car in silence.
“That’s assault!” Craig was howling from the ground behind them, not daring to follow. “I’ll sue!”
Altair said nothing. He didn’t need to. He opened the car door for Heather, and Heather all but collapsed into her seat, shaking with relief as they pulled away.
“Thank you,” she said quietly after a few moments of silence. “Is your hand all right?”
“I’m fine.” Altair’s voice was clipped. She could see he was still struggling to control his anger. Worried, she let the silence fall again.
“Who was he?” Altair said after a moment. Heather felt her stomach drop.
“Craig,” she said, “the ex I told you about. I guess he saw me in the tabloids with you and… I don’t know. He won’t leave me alone.”
“And that’s all it is, right?” Altair asked. “He seemed pretty sure he was still your boyfriend.”
“He isn’t,” Heather said at once, a little hurt by the implication. “I told you he was never going to be part of my life again. He’s just a jerk who won’t let go.”
“The way he was talking to you, it seemed like—”
“I’m not cheating on you,” Heather said loudly, hurting. “Especially not with Craig! Did it really seem like I was enjoying anything that was happening back there? I just wanted to get away!”
Altair looked away, his lips pressed together in a thin, angry line.
“I’m sorry,” he said, the words harsh with restrained emotion. “I shouldn’t be doing this. You’re already upset. I just—”
“I know,” Heather said, putting her face in her hands. “I know.”
She could see the shame battling his anger. He knew his suspicion was irrational, but he couldn’t seem to let it go either.
“Do you still want to go to dinner?” he asked.
“I’d rather just go home,” Heather said. She felt guilty, but she knew she wouldn’t be good company tonight anyway.
“All right.” Altair took a deep breath. “I’ll drive you. Can we talk tomorrow?”
“Of course,” Heather said, nodding. “I’m just not in a good place tonight.”
“Neither am I,” Altair admitted. He reached for her hand, and when she didn’t pull away, he squeezed it gently. “But I still care about you. I’m sorry about how I reacted.”
“Thank you,” Heather said, squeezing back. “I still care about you too.”
They rode the rest of the way in silence, but their hands stayed joined between them, providing Heather with the much-needed comfort that, as awfully as this evening had ended, she wasn’t alone. It wasn’t until she got home and fell into bed that she realized she had once again missed her chance to tell him the truth.