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
AudreyThe following Monday morning dawned bright and full of promise. The Friday before, my ‘Life Cycle’ dress had been well received by Leo and the other designers despite the previous incident—much to Linda’s chagrin.Now, Leo led us down the bustling hallway, down a set of stairs, and into a lar
Despite my lingering anger toward him, I couldn’t help but feel a small spark of warmth at the gesture. To think that he had done something so drastic, all because of me…The logical part of my brain wanted to believe that it wasn’t because of me, that it wasn’t a coincidence.But my heart, the part
EdwinThat night, I had waited in my office for Audrey to leave, just as I always did. But I had waited for hours, and it was after midnight, and she still didn’t emerge from the building. I had begun to think that she must have slipped out without me noticing, and maybe she was home already.But th
From the corner of my eye, I saw Audrey’s head snap toward me, her blue eyes wide as saucers. “So you’ve been watching me?” she asked, although there was no real heat to her voice. Something told me that she wasn’t as mad about it as she was letting on.“Not in a creepy way, if it’s any consolation,
AudreyFor the next two weeks, I threw myself into my work. The days blurred together, my mind solely focused on one thing: winning this competition.But despite my best efforts, Edwin lingered in the back of my mind every step of the way. I didn’t see or hear from him again, and I wasn’t sure if I
“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