“The Helium Hellion?”
“Since when have I ever actually raised hell?” Theo splayed his hands out indignantly. “Where the fuck did all these nicknames come from?!”
But Violet only shook her head in disbelief. “You? Sweet, sweet Theodore Sullivan, too shy to ask Audrey out, are the scourge of theNew York Post?”
Theo rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. Even in this light, Audrey could tell that his ears had flushed pink, if not scorching red.
“Um…yeah? That’s me.”
“No one’s ever seen your face.”
“Well, obviously notno one.” He grimaced. “But now you know why we needed an NDA.” He shrugged sheepishly and winced, shifting anxiously on his feet. “I mean, I’d really appreciate it if youdidn’t blow my cover. I don’t want the attention.” The low buzzing of his sculptures and signs was the only noise filling the space, punctuating the uncomfortable silence stretching between them.
“Holy shit, you’re not joking,” Violet finally breathed. “I keep waiting for someone to tell me this is a prank, but you—” She suddenly spun around and gasped when she looked at where he’d pointed behind her, paling in the bright, multicolored light of his artwork and clamping her hands over her mouth.
Theo let out the breath he’d been holding.
Audrey took his free hand again and wove their fingers together, leaning her head on his arm and resting there as they all quietly studied his work in progress. It was raw, he’d told her, still only the beginnings of his next work. A sketch, essentially. He’d needed something to do with his hands after getting some of his confidence back post–charity auction, so as soon as he could, he’d set to work fiddling around in his studio. The end result was going to be stunning.
Imogen stepped up behind them and put her hand on Theo’s shoulder, resting the other casually on her hip. “It’s good,” she murmured. “I can see where you’re going with it, and if it’s the direction I think it is, it’s going to be very good, Theo. Well done.”
“Don’t congratulate me yet,” he muttered back. “I have to finish the damn thing first. I’ve only just started.”
“You will.” When Audrey uttered the words, he looked down and smiled softly. “You’ll finish it. And it’ll be brilliant.” The light in Theo’s eyes was everything she needed. It was brighter than the sun.
But Violet, meanwhile, seemed to be at a loss for words.
This new sculpture wasn’t anything like the last one. It wasn’t an expression of his pain, or rage, or grief. It wasn’t chaotic, or frenetic, or filled with terrible, trembling fury mixed with agonizing beauty.
This one was all curves, the welded scaffolding and initial neon tubing sweeping and smooth and soft.
This one was all lightness, the first strokes of radiance laid down in yellows and whites and bright oranges, all of it full of joy, of sweetness, like Popsicles eaten during the height and heat of a summer’s day.
It was like hope.
It was like the sun.
It was how Theo felt now, with Audrey, and she with him.
It was how he saw her, how he lit up whenever she entered the room. How she lit up for him in return.
It was how he loved her, in the soft, golden glow of dawn. And how she loved him back in the dulcet, amber tones cast over the city skyline at dusk.
She knew, because he told her.
He told her every single day.
Violet spun back to look at the three of them. Tears shone in her eyes, and she kept glancing between Theo and this new sculpture. “The whole time?” she finally managed to gasp. “You’ve been listening to me babble on about how much I love your work the whole goddamn time?!”
Theo’s neck turned even redder. Audrey could tell how hot his face had suddenly become even in the bright, multicolored light of his studio, and she knew if she were to reach up and rub one of his ears, she’d find it blazing. “Yeah?” He shrugged helplessly. “It’s not like it wasn’t flattering.” He limped over to where Violet stood. “It’s not like I can just blurt that sort of thing out. Page Six would pay alotto uncover my identity, and they’re not the only ones.”
“That’s putting it mildly, don’t you think?!” Violet punched him bitterly in the arm.
“Ow!”
Violet drew in a deep breath. And Audrey knew the dearth of words was about to be over.
She braced herself for the onslaught.
