AudreyI arrived at work bright and early on Monday morning, feeling energized after the weekend.The luna moth I had brought home from the botanical gardens was safely tucked away in my bag, and I couldn’t wait to incorporate it into my second project. I had made my decision over the weekend: I wou
“Oh my Goddess,” a voice gasped behind me. I turned to see one of the designers standing there, her eyes wide with horror. “Audrey, did you do this?”I shook my head frantically, clutching the broken pieces to my chest. “No! Of course not. I came back from lunch and found it like this.”But the word
AudreyI stayed late at the office that night, determined to make up for lost time after the luna moth incident.The design department was eerily quiet as I worked, the only sounds the soft scratching of the stylus against my tablet and my foot tapping on the tile floor.I bit my tongue as I worked,
My stomach churned as I recognized Fiona’s voice calling out, “Edwin? Where are you?”She sounded irritated, her heels clicking rapidly on the tile floors. She paused just outside the door, and I swore I could hear her sniffing the air. I could already imagine her fury when she flung the door open a
AudreyI stormed into the house that night, slamming the door behind me with a force that reverberated through the walls. My mind was still reeling from that unexpected encounter with Edwin, the scent of him still lingering on my skin. All I could think about was washing it off, scrubbing away every
I managed to pull myself up onto the weathered wood, wincing as I examined my foot in the dim moonlight. The sight of the blood made me feel light-headed. It looked worse than it felt, but the sharp pain was undeniable.Suddenly, a light flicked on in the cottage behind me. My heart leapt into my th
AudreyEdwin stepped aside, allowing my friends to enter the cottage. “Come in.”Their eyes widened as they stepped inside, their gazes flickering nervously between the luxurious surroundings and our professor. And then they turned to me.“Audrey! There you are,” Gavin said, thoroughly confused—and
Edwin’s gaze swept over our eager faces, and he laughed softly. “I probably shouldn’t be doing this, given that I’m your professor and you’re my students. But…” He turned, grabbing four more glasses from the nearby cabinet. “Would the rest of you like to try some? Consider it an apology for the trou
“I think you’re going to change so many lives,” I said to Eliza. “Those kids are so lucky to have you.” Eliza looked down, her cheeks pink. “Thank you, Audrey. Really.” Tina piped up next. “And my LGBT counseling department is finally off the ground! ” She paused, leaning into my mother, who was
Audrey After a long flight, we finally touched down in Italy. The sunlight streaming in through the plane window was a promising golden hue, and just the sight of it made me feel like my heart was about to leap out of my chest. “I might need a nap when we get to the villa,” Edwin yawned, shaking
And as I watched, I felt a hand slip into mine. I glanced up, finding Edwin beside me, his gaze focused on the runway but his approval humming through the bond. My mother stood on my other side, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. A lump rose in my throat, and I couldn’t even speak. None of us c
Audrey Edwin and I emerged from the small room, his hand still resting protectively on my back. The hustle and bustle of last-minute preparations immediately hit us, assistants running back and forth, models being ushered into position, and the soft hum of the audience’s chatter drifting through t
“There’s always time,” I whispered, grabbing the wrist of his free hand and pulling it close to peer at his watch. The movement caused him to topple forward, and he caught himself on his other palm, caging me against the hard wood of the vanity. “But maybe not enough time to waste right now.” Edwi
Audrey Before I could even answer his question, Edwin rushed past me and locked the door. When he turned back to me, he was grinning from ear to ear. The sight of that mischievous look on his face made my breath hitch. Once, it had been like pulling teeth to get the man to smile. And now here he
He didn’t need to tell me twice. I tore into the wrapping paper, revealing a soft red scarf. I could tell immediately that it was handmade—there were more than a few uneven stitches, and the outline was lumpy. It was far from perfect. But I loved it all the more for that. “Goddess, Edwin,” I laugh
Audrey The morning of the show was a frenzy. No, more than a frenzy. It was complete and utter chaos. I spent the entire morning from sunup to noon running endlessly from one end of the venue to the other, desperately trying to make sure every last detail was perfect. The racks were lined with c
“Uh… Yeah,” Malakai said. “Coffee would be nice.” A few minutes later, the three of us sat around the table, steaming cups of pitch black coffee in our hands. I kept it bitter, just in case Malakai was here to stir up more shit. It burned a little going down, but I sipped it anyway. Malakai look