I read the messages coming through Cherry’s private page; I’m floored and pass my phone to Ads.
Her eyes bulge. “Who is this commission for?”
I shrug. “No clue. They’re anonymous too.”
There’s an inquiry through a third-party art dealer, requesting a three-foot-high glass horse head, where the mane is made to look like it’s blowing in the wind.
It would be one of my biggest pieces to date.
I’m honored, but this would stretch my abilities to the max.
“You could negotiate for a shit ton of money.” She hands me back my phone.
I nod, absentmindedly, and my mind races through the logistics. I’m not sure I could create this in the shared studio I use now.
“I’d have to carve out more time than I work now, it would be tough. I’m already stretched thin, though it would be pretty dang cool.”
“I could help.”
“Really?” I perk up. “How?”
“Negotiate for you. Find better working conditions. I’ll be your liaison.” She takes a slow sip of wine. “My parents are easing off work lately, and I’ve been wondering what that means for me.”
“Adelaide, seriously, I would love for you to help me. I don’t know if I could hire you full-time, since I’ve had very little time to dedicate to glassmaking lately, but we could figure something out.” I bounce on the sofa. “This is so exciting.”
“All right, calm down.” She laughs. “Send me the dealer’s contact. I might even know him.”
I put my glass down and pull her into a hug. “I love you.”
“Samsies.”
I grin. “I was thinking…whatever I make from this piece, I could donate it to the Building Unity charity. For Nate and Leo. Anonymously, of course.”
My phone buzzes in my hand again. This time, it’s my personal line.
“You have your Nate face on.”
“I’ll answer him later,” I murmur, tucking it away and curling into her side.
She wraps an arm around me. “You need to talk to him, Maddie Grace.”
“I know.” My voice is quiet. “I will. I’ll make it right.”
It’s 10:10 a.m., twenty minutes before I meet with Nate and Amara regarding their London project, and my nerves are skyrocketing through the roof.
I’ve been blowing him off for the last few days, all because I’m a coward.
I can’t let this go on. It’s time we talk, and we should do it before we sit through an hour long meeting.
I owe him that.
I round the corner and blow out all my nerves; no mantra from any book I’ve read is going to get me through this conversation.
Lizzy’s desk is empty, but I can see from the propped-open door that Nate is not alone.
All the brothers are here. Harrison and Sebastian are lounging on Nate’s tufted brown leather couch, and Leo is peering over his shoulder.
I stand off to the side, watching for a moment, not meaning to eavesdrop, only I’m totally guilty, since my legs are glued to the floor, and I’m not walking away.
