In any case, since he had, ostensibly, agreed, he supposed he’d better make the most of it. And it was more time with Celeste, after all.
But then again…
Hardwicke wasn’t sure he’d ever so much as touched a piece of clay in his life. He’d certainly never attempted to make anything out of it. Arts and crafts had never been his strong suit. Come to think of it, he wasn’t even sure he’d ever evendrawnanything.
He gulped.
Just what have I gotten myself into?
Chapter 5
Just what have I gotten myself into?
Celeste looked, wide-eyed, around Mrs. Shelby’s small pottery studio.
She knew Mrs. Shelby had had quite the career as a sculptor and potter at one time, until she’d retired here to the island. She still kept a small pottery studio now and her daughter sold things for her through an online shop, but that, as Mrs. Shelby had explained, was mainly just to keep herself busy, since she didn’t need the money.
Celeste had to admit the studio was cute – it was nice and warm, and the walls were lined with shelves holding Mrs. Shelby’s creations, all of which were obviously highly professional and extremely beautiful, everything from drinking mugs with little rabbits on them to dog bowls, to little ceramic dragons and tigers, glazed in brilliantly vivid colors.
I can’t make anything like that, though,Celeste thought, as she gazed around the room.I hope Mrs. Shelby isn’t expecting anything too much…
And then, of course, there was the fact that Pierce had been dragged into this too. Celeste felt bad about that – but shealsofelt bad about the fact that there was just the tiniest bit of her that was dancing a jig in pure joy.
Which is very selfish,she chided herself. She tried to remind herself that she wouldn’t have even come looking for Pierce again if Uncle Gordon hadn’t commanded her to keep an eye on him. And she hadn’t even been surehowto do that – should she have asked him out for a drink, a lunch, a dinner? All of those things soundedwaytoo close todatesfor her to feel comfortable about. The last thing she needed to do was lead Pierce on –As if he’d even be interested!– or remind herself of how she’d never really gotten over him.
No, things had worked out for the best, she supposed. This wasn’t a date, she could do what Gordon had asked, and she could spend some time with Pierce while telling herself there was no danger of giving anyone the wrong impression.
Grimacing, Celeste shook her head. She couldn’t get caught up in these kinds of thoughts – she knew Pierce could read her face better than anyone, and if she started down this road, he’d definitely ask her what was wrong, and then she wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep herself from blurting everything out.
She wasn’t here to have a fun time reminiscing about things that would never come back – she was supposed to be here to keep an eye on Pierce.
Could he really have something to do with the tremors, the weakening of the wards? Orknowsomething about them?
Even if she hadn’t known Pierce, and, at one time at least, trusted him completely, Celeste would have had a hard time believing that as she watched him now, patiently listening as Mrs. Shelby patronizingly explained to him whatclaywas.
And then, there was also the fact that, as far as she knew, Pierce was a completely ordinary man – he definitely wasn’t a wizard, or affiliated with any magical groups that she’d ever heard of. It was a very closed society, and everyone tended to know everyone else. If he was aware of these things, Celeste – or Gordon, certainly – would have known him.
And then I never would have needed to leave him in the first place…
No, Gordon was very clearly barking up the wrong tree, Celeste told herself firmly. But shedidhave a responsibility to do what he’d asked her to do.
“Now, let me just get you someclay,” Mrs. Shelby was musing as she opened up a large cupboard at the back of the room. “Of course, you’ll have to come back in a few days after they’ve had their first firing in order to glaze them. But I’msurethat’ll be no trouble, will it? No, of course not. But we can arrange that when the time comes!”
Come back? In a few days?!
Celeste shot a look at Pierce, mouthing,I’m sorry.
And once again, Pierce simply shook his head, giving her a small half-smile that Celeste remembered as meaningDon’t worry about it.
Pierce had always been a pretty easy-going guy, despite his essentially serious nature. It had taken her a little while to crack through his hard exterior herself, but, somehow, from the moment she’d met him she’d always had a sense that beneath his hard outer surface he was really just a big softie – and she’d been proved completely correct. Beneath all of that seemingly unemotional front, Pierce had been a die-hard romantic.
Celeste felt a small smile twitching at the corner of her mouth, before she quickly pushed the thought away, coldness washing over her.Yes, he was. And then you broke his heart.
The fact she’d also broken herownheart in the process was beside the point – it had beenheractions, after all, that had done it, even if at the time she’d felt she’d had no choice.
“Now, I think wheel work would be a little toocomplicatedfor you two.” Mrs. Shelby’s voice broke into her thoughts. “So let’s just stick to hand-made mugs. Look, I’ve cut you off someclay– that should be quite enough. Let me show you some that I made for a client the other day –”
She broke off at the sound of her cell phone ringing – or at least, that was what Celeste assumed it was, since Vivaldi’sFour Seasonssuddenly burst into the room at high volume. Mrs. Shelby whipped the phone from her pocket, holding up a finger for quiet – even though neither Celeste nor Pierce had gotten a word in edgewise the whole time they’d been here – before answering.
