CHAPTER 44
“And the winner of Stepping Out is…” Cate closed her eyes and clasped hands with Annie.
The pause seemed to go on forever.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t win. You’ve done what you set out to do – you’ve raised lots of money for 33 Rocks so you can help more women who are struggling with prenatal depression and you’ve made your family proud. When you first started on Stepping Out, you were absolutely convinced that you were going to be voted off in the first week and look at you now; you’re in the freaking final!
Cate squeezed Annie’s hand. Her friend would be a worthy winner.
“It’s Cate and Vladimir.”
Before she could even process what had just happened, there was a deafening burst of applause from the other contestants, crew and the studio audience. There was an explosion of fireworks from the front of the stage and they were all covered in glitter. Vladimir picked her up and spun her around until she was just dreadfully dizzy. “What…?” Cate clung on to him, feeling as though her world had just tilted on its axis. It wasn’t possible that she’d just won Stepping Out.
Suddenly, Charlene was picking her way across the littered dance floor towards them, holding on to the shiny, gold Stepping Out trophy. Bruce and Rich followed behind, carrying the bumper cheque for one million dollars made payable to “33 Rocks.”
“Here they are,” Tom said. Cate was so thankful that Vladimir was there. He’d won it twice before so he knew what to do whereas she vacillated between being a blubbering wreck and thinking that this must be a fanciful dream that she was going to be wake up from soon. He gestured for her to put her hands on one side of the black, lacquered base of the trophy which Charlene was trying to hand them. “Your winners of Stepping Out, Cate and Vladimir.” As they raised the trophy high above their heads, there were yet more fireworks and glitter rained down upon them.
Cate felt a tug at her dress and when she looked down, Lola was there. “Oh my goodness,” Cate gave her eldest daughter the absolute biggest hug possible. “What are you doing here, sweetheart? You’re supposed to be back at home in Seattle.”
“Dad wanted it to be a big surprise,” Lola laughed.
It was so incredibly perfect that Lola was there to share in the triumph because she’d always been Cate’s greatest inspiration. She’d been so young when she’d found out that she was pregnant with Lola but knowing that there was a tiny, new life forming inside her womb had made her grow up really quickly. She’d been so determined that, despite her young age, she was going to be the best mum possible for her child.
As Kian walked across the dance floor towards her, Cate felt fresh tears prick the corners of her eyes. She was so lucky to have found her soulmate when she was just eighteen.
Kian didn’t say a word, he didn’t need to. He tugged her roughly towards him, wrapping his strong arms around her back. Her slender curves fitted perfectly against the contours of his rock-hard flesh. She could feel his big, beautiful heart beating against her skin. When Cate looked up at him; she could see the love and pride burning fiercely in his black eyes. He bent his head and brushed his lips against hers. It felt like warm honey was trickling through her veins. She wished very much that they were alone and not in the middle of a still crowded dance floor. “Later,” he murmured, as if he could tell what she was thinking.
“Hey,” Liv gave them a nudge, “stop mauling each other. There’s a child present.”
Cate laughed, “don’t be such a prude, Olivia.”
She watched as Annie headed backstage. “I need to talk to Annie. I’ll meet you outside?”
“Congratulations,” Annie beamed when Cate caught up with her in Wardrobe.
“Thank you,” Cate blushed. “I was wondering if I could talk to you about something. I know you’re eager to get back to your family but it will only take five minutes, I promise.”
“Of course,” Annie shrugged. Hope let them use one of the supply closets.
Cate nervously chewed on her lip. “I want to split the prize money with you fifty-fifty.”
“Wait a second,” Annie blinked, “you seriously want to give me half a million dollars?”
Cate nodded. “You deserve it, Annie. You’ve experienced real tragedy – losing your son in such a horrific way - and yet you’re the warmest, most positive person I’ve ever met. As my sister so lovingly said, I can be far too serious sometimes. But even when I had really rubbish weeks, you always managed to put the smile back on my face. I don’t even want to think about what it would have been like doing Stepping Out without you.”
“As a mum of three young children, I’m so grateful for what you’re trying to do with your charity, keeping guns out of our schools.”
Annie still looked as though she was in shock, “it’s half a million dollars, Cate. Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?”
Cate nodded, “I discussed it with Abby and she agreed.”
“That’s…” Annie gave Cate a big hug. “That’s one of the nicest things anybody has ever done for me.”
Hope poked her head around the door, “is everything OK in here?”
Annie nodded, “Cate’s just…”
Cate shook her head; she didn’t want everybody to know that she’d split the prize money with Annie fifty-fifty. That definitely wasn’t why she’d done it.
“…A bit emotional, that’s all. She needed one of my famous pep talks.”
“OK,” Hope said, “but you’ve both got a lot of family and friends outside in the corridors waiting to celebrate with you so you might want to wrap it up in here.”