‘We did it.’ Claire was shaking with a mixture of relief and adrenaline. She swallowed hard. ‘I need to get back to my stand.’
‘Iona can cope for another five minutes,’ Aunt Lou said with a smile. ‘Just enjoy this bit.’
A woman came over to join them. ‘Claire Stewart?’ she asked.
Claire looked up. ‘Yes.’
‘Pia Verdi,’ the woman introduced herself, and handed over her business card.
Claire’s eyes widened as she took in the name of one of the biggest wedding dress manufacturers in the country.
‘I like what I’ve just seen up there, and I’d like to talk to you about designing a collection for us,’ Pia said. ‘Obviously you won’t have your diary on you now, but call my PA on Monday morning and we’ll set up a meeting.’
‘Thank you—I’d really like that,’ Claire said.
The one thing she’d been secretly hoping for—her chance in the big league. To design a collection that would be sold internationally and would have her name on it.
She just about managed to keep it together until Sean—who’d clearly changed out of his wedding outfit at top speed—came out. He picked her up and spun her round, and she laughed.
‘We did it, Sean.’
‘Not me. You’re the one who designed those amazing outfits.’
‘But you supported me when I needed it. Thank you so, so much.’ She handed him the business card and grinned her head off. ‘Look who wants to talk to me next week!’
‘They’re offering you a job?’ he asked.
‘Better than that—they’re asking me to talk to them about designing a collection. So I’ll get my name out there, but I still get to do my brides and design one-offs as well. It’s the icing on the cake. Everything I wanted. I’m so happy.’
‘That’s brilliant news.’ He hugged her. ‘I’m so proud of you, Claire. You deserve this.’
‘Thanks.’ She beamed at him. ‘Though I’d better come down off cloud nine and get back to the stand. It’s not fair to leave Iona on her own.’
‘I’m so glad Pia Verdi came to see you,’ he said.
She frowned as his words sank in. ‘Hang on. Are you telling me you know her?’
‘Um, not exactly.’
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. ‘Sean?’
He blew out a breath. ‘I just networked a bit while you were sorting stuff out, that’s all.’
Claire went cold. ‘You networked?’
‘I just told her that your collection was brilliant and she needed to see it.’
Bile rose in Claire’s throat as she realised what had actually happened. So much for thinking that she’d got this on her own merit. That her designs had been good enough to attract the attention of one of the biggest fashion houses.
Because Sean had intervened.
Without him talking to her, Pia Verdi probably wouldn’t even have bothered coming to see Claire’s collection.
And, although part of Claire knew that he’d done something really nice for her, part of her was horrified. Because what this really meant was that Sean was as overprotective as her father. Whatever Sean had said, he didn’t really believe in her: he didn’t think that she could make it on her own, and he thought she’d always need a bit of a helping hand. To be looked after.
Stifled.
So what she’d thought was her triumph had turned out to be nothing of the kind.
‘You spoke to Pia Verdi,’ she repeated. ‘You told her to come and see my collection.’
He waved a dismissive hand. ‘Claire, it was just a little bit of networking, that’s all. You would’ve done the same for me.’
‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘No, I wouldn’t have thought that I needed to interfere. Because I know you can do things on your own. I know that you’ll succeed without having someone to push you and support you. And you...’ She blew out a breath. ‘You just have to be in control. All the time. That’s not what I want.’
‘Claire, I—’
‘No,’ she cut in. ‘No. I think you’ve just clarified something for me. Something important. I can’t do this, Sean. I can’t be with someone who doesn’t consult me and who always plays things by the book—his book.’ She shook her head. ‘I’m sorry. I know you meant well, but...this isn’t what I want.’ She took a deep breath. There was no going back now. ‘It’s over.’
‘Claire—’
She took a backward step, avoiding his outstretched hand. ‘No. Goodbye, Sean.’
She walked away with her head held high. And all the time she was thinking, just how could today have turned from so spectacularly wonderful to so spectacularly terrible? How could it all have gone so wrong?