Marcus broke into a huge grin as several hands pounded him on the back.
Asha and Samara looked stunningly chic in matching white pantsuits that featured plunging necklines and torso cutouts, baring just enough skin to tantalize without revealing too much. Their hair was slicked back from their faces, a sleek style that accentuated their exotically slanted eyes, high cheekbones and lush mouths. They looked so much alike it was scary.
Awestruck murmurs rippled through the crowd as mother and daughter met at center stage. They slowly circled each other, sizing each other up like two rivals who’d arrived at a party wearing the same outfit.
Scattered laughter could be heard around the tent.
With a haughty toss of their heads, Asha and Samara took off down the runway to the saucy techno beat of Nicki Minaj’s “Pound the Alarm.”
The crowd cheered wildly in approval.
Asha strutted her stuff with the fiercely regal confidence of a former supermodel who’d once ruled the catwalk. She hadn’t lost a step and looked good enough to return to modeling anytime she wanted.
Though not as experienced as her famous mother, Samara was definitely holding her own, strutting down the runway like a pro in her skyscraper heels. She even had the icy pout down pat.
Marcus was on the edge of his seat, grinning so hard it was a miracle his face didn’t split open.
At the end of the runway, Asha and Samara struck several model poses and executed graceful half pivots, sliding one hand into their pants pockets as they showed off their haute couture ensembles.
The crowd was on its feet, clapping and cheering and snapping a frenzy of pictures like fashion photographers. On the other side of the runway, Sterling was grinning from ear to ear. The love he felt for Asha was written all over his face. Marcus imagined he must look just as lovestruck.
Asha and Samara winked at their husbands, then exchanged double cheek kisses and hooked their arms around each other’s waist. Wolf whistles rang out as mother and daughter strutted back up the runway together, disappearing in a dramatic puff of smoke.
As the curtain came down, the audience erupted into thunderous applause punctuated by delighted exclamations of “What an opening!”
Marcus and the fellas exchanged incredulous glances.
“How did they keep all this a secret from us?” Quentin wondered.
The others laughed. “Good question.”
As new music started playing, the curtain opened. The crowd burst into applause at the sight of Lexi standing at center stage with her children. All three were decked out in white outfits. Lexi carried Alexandra in one arm while holding Junior’s hand. The handsome toddler took in the audience with a hazel-eyed stare that had all the women cooing and sighing.
As Lexi began walking the runway, Quentin hooted his approval and thumped his fist on his chest, drawing a round of appreciative laughter.
Reese came next with Savannah and MJ. As Michael whooped and whistled, Marcus grinned at his adorable niece and nephew, who elicited more sighs from the audience as they ambled along beside their gorgeous mother.
They were followed by Taylor, Micah, Maximilian and Malia, who looked like a chocolate baby doll. She pranced down the runway, long pigtails bouncing against her back as she switched her little hips.
The crowd ate it up, laughing and cheering boisterously.
“You better werkkk, baby girl!” someone shouted encouragingly.
“She better not!” Manning retorted, setting off rumbles of laughter.
Maya and Zora sashayed onto the stage in stylish red dresses. They each had three young kids with fair complexions and straight or curly hair that came courtesy of their white and Native American fathers.
The audience clapped and whistled as the twin sisters paraded down the catwalk with their children, turning this way and that to show off their outfits while Navarro and Zachary cheered proudly.
As they left the stage, the curtain came down.
An expectant hush fell over the crowd.
At least two minutes passed, drawing out the suspense.
When the curtain parted again, a spotlight was trained on a humongous gift-wrapped box topped with a giant red bow.
Rustles of curious whispers ran through the crowd.
