“You aren’t interfering.” Audrey motioned her inside. “I was going to spend the weekend in my studio either way, and this way, I get to have company.”
Michelle swept an assessing gaze around the house. “It’s nice, very cozy and comfortable ... and I mean that as a compliment.”
“Good, because I love both of those things. I mean, I can’t take much credit for anything you see. I’m renting it furnished, but those factors did help me choose this place, plus the proximity to the campus.”
“Being able to walk to work is a definite perk. Did you get your car fixed?” Michelle shrugged out of her blazer, and Audrey took in her blouse with its cuffed sleeves, totally unsuited for pottery work. But that was okay. They’d cross that bridge when—and if—they got to it. Audrey had plenty of T-shirts Michelle could borrow if she decided to give it a try.
“Yeah, it needed a new alternator, which was an easy fix, luckily.” Unfortunately, it had put her over budget for the month. She’d try to sell a few extra ceramics pieces to make up the difference. She took Michelle’s jacket and hung it in the hall closet. “Do you want anything to drink before we get started?”
Michelle shook her head. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“Okay. In that case, let’s go up to the studio.” Maybe Audrey had hoped they could hang out for a bit first, but it was probably best this way, keeping things as professional as possible.
Audrey led Michelle upstairs. The studio was across the hall from her bedroom, in a small but bright room that faced the street. She’d left the curtains open, so the room was bathed in afternoon sunshine.
The hardwood floor was covered with painter’s tarps to catch any splatter from the wheel. Usually, there was one stool beside the wheel, but today, she’d placed two. Her stomach fluttered in nervous anticipation as she led Michelle into the room.
“So this is where the magic happens, hmm?” Michelle looked around, that observant gaze taking in every detail. She walked to the wheel at the center of the room, running her fingers over the wheel head.
“This is the room where I spend most of my free time, yeah.”
Michelle looked up with a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Now I’ll know where to picture you.”
Audrey gulped, biting back the urge to say something totally inappropriate like “So you think about me at my pottery wheel?” In all likelihood, Michelle didn’t mean it that way at all. The chances of her thinking about Audrey in any context outside work were extremely slim. Total wishful thinking.
Meanwhile, Michelle had wandered to the shelves along the wall to the right of the door, which contained Audrey’s most recent pieces. Some were finished and ready to sell. Others were in various stages of work, some carved, some not, bare clay ready for the kiln. “Love this one,” Michelle commented, tapping a vase on the top shelf. Instead ofengraving that one, Audrey had given it a blue underglaze and then painted it with delicate flowers. “You paint too?”
She nodded. “I’m a decent painter. I dabble in a lot of art forms, but ceramics will always have my heart.”
“Well, if this vase is any indication, you’re more than adecentpainter. It’s beautiful. I love the depth of color and detail on the petals. It reminds me of Rachel Ruysch’s work.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you have a kiln here at home too?”
Audrey shook her head. “I’ve wanted my own kiln, but they’re expensive, and they actually use a ton of power. I’d have to have a special outlet installed, and that’s not practical in a rental house, so I use the kiln on campus. Perks of the job.”
“Perks are nice.” Michelle finished examining the pieces on the shelf, including the etched mug Audrey had made earlier today. She’d carved leaves into its surface that she would brush with fall colors once it had dried. “This one looks fresh.”
“I made it first thing this morning. The leaves outside the student center last night inspired me.”
“The party went really well, don’t you think?”
“Yeah,” Audrey said. “Everyone seemed to have a good time, and I didn’t even catch anyone sneaking in alcohol or anything else they shouldn’t have.”
“It’s always a success when that’s the case,” Michelle confirmed. “I’ve had to send people home before, which I don’t enjoy doing, but they know the rules for having an event on campus.”
“Totally.”
Michelle turned to face the wheel. “How do you start? And what are you planning to make?”
Audrey walked over and picked up the clay she’d prepared earlier. “I’ve already done the first step, actually. It’s called wedging, and it involves a lot of kneading and pounding to soften the clay, remove any air bubbles, and reshape it from the block I bought to this morespherical shape that’s ready for the wheel.” She held it out to see if Michelle wanted to feel it in her hands. Audrey loved the way it felt at this stage, so smooth and malleable beneath her fingers.
But Michelle shook her head. “I’d prefer to watch you work.”
“You got it. So, I’m going to place it at the center of the wheel ... or what I think is the center, but centering the clay is actually a whole process, and that’s what we’re going to do next. I’m going to sit on this blue stool, and you can take the brown one. Feel free to sit as close as you like, but be aware that if you get too close, you might get splattered. I’m going to put on an apron to protect my clothes, and you might want one, too, even if you’re just watching.”
“All right,” Michelle agreed.
