Bead-Dazzled Read Online Free PDF

asked. Without Paige Young, there wouldn’t have been Allegra Biscotti. She was the editor at Madison who had discovered her. Paige had vowed to keep her dual identity a secret—and she’d promised to help guide and launch Emma’s career. So far she’d been true to her word.
    “She’s all yours,” Charlie said. “Paige scares me.”
    “Me, too.” Emma feared Paige would think she was committing fashion suicide. “I’ll fill her in later.”
    Emma pulled out her sketchbook and her favorite soft pencil. She doodled a ski jumpsuit with a fur-trimmed hood. In two weeks, Allegra might be wearing this—forever exiled to the frigid Alps, Emma realized. This fashion show was like hurtling down an icy cliff on skis, but without having taken any lessons. She was way out of her league.

    Then she imagined her dresses, her designs, her creations swirling around the lanky legs of models as they strutted down a runway in front of live people. The Allegra Biscotti collection in motion. That would be awesome.
    I can do this, she decided. I’ll stun the audience with my clothes and none of the other stuff will matter. It will be all about the clothes.
    * * *
    Jackson waited by her locker the next morning. His hunter-green flannel shirt hung open over his gray tee and worn jeans. He looked so effortlessly cool, as if he didn’t care what anyone thought or said—totally unheard of at Downtown Day.
    Emma hesitated, unsure how to make this right. He deserved to be angry with her. “I’m sorry,” she said, resting her binders on her hip.
    “You didn’t show up, did you?”
    Emma gnawed her chapped lip. “I meant to. I really did.”
    “We won. I shot a three-pointer from outside the box to win the game.”
    “That’s amazing.” She shifted her weight from foot to foot. How could she explain that she’d gotten so wrapped up in designing for the fashion show that she’d completely blanked out the basketball game? She hadn’t clued into it until she’d gotten undressed for bed and realized she’d meant to go home and change her clothes. “I got stuck at my dad’s office. He needed me to work late—”
    “Next time.” Jackson shrugged. “If you want to, that is.”
    “I do—”
    “Em!” Charlie stepped between her and Jackson.
    “Hey, man,” Jackson said, raising his eyebrows at Charlie’s intrusion.
    “Oh, hey.” Charlie turned to Emma. “Will your dad let us hang out late at Laceland again tonight? I can spring for Chinese takeout. That pizza last night was nasty.”
    Emma registered Jackson’s questioning look. “We’re working on a group project,” she fumbled. What else could she say?
    “Sure thing.” Jackson’s eyes lost a bit of their warmth.
    “So Chinese?” Charlie asked again.
    Couldn’t Charlie leave it alone? Didn’t he see she wanted to talk to Jackson and needed him gone? Obviously not. Charlie stood his ground.
    “Later,” Jackson said, clearly frustrated by Charlie. She watched him meet up with Lexie and Ivana halfway down the hall. Lexie let out a husky laugh at something he said. He playfully punched her lightly on the shoulder. She laughed again.
    Emma cringed. Jackson never touched her. No playful punches or nudges. Last night could’ve been a big deal. They could’ve gone out somewhere afterward. A coffee place? Ice cream? He might’ve held her hand. Or even kissed her.
    But, once again, her sketchbook had sucked her away from the world. Everything faded when she was designing. Even Jackson. She’d blown off his big game and hadn’t even texted an apology.
    She was definitely bad at this boy stuff.
    “Veggie dumplings? Good?” Charlie asked. “I can peek at what you’ve drawn, if you want.”
    Emma couldn’t stay angry with Charlie. She was going make fashion history with his help, even if only they were the only ones who knew it. She’d be the youngest designer to put on a real fashion show.
    “Chinese food is great,” she replied, as Jackson turned the