Page 26 of Learning Curves

“I do, but the campus studio books out pretty far with students wanting to use it between classes, so I usually do my own pottery work at home. Why don’t you come over this weekend?

I’d love to show you how to use the wheel.

You can throw your own pot.” She held her breath, awaiting Michelle’s response.

Michelle was silent for several long seconds, and then she cleared her throat. “I don’t want to impose.”

“You wouldn’t be imposing. I’d love to have the company, and showing people how to use the wheel is pretty much my favorite thing.

” Never mind that it would be even harder to ignore this pesky attraction while Michelle was in her house.

Audrey was up for the challenge, and she was eager to take their friendship to the next level, hanging out off campus.

Michelle shook her head. “I’m not an artist. I just wanted to observe you.”

“That’s fine, too, but you don’t have to be an artist to use the wheel.” Audrey realized they’d already reached her house. The drive took no time at all. She pointed. “That’s me, the white house on the corner.”

Michelle turned into the driveway and parked, then looked at her. “All right, then. If you’re sure you don’t mind, I’d like to watch you at the wheel this weekend.”

“Awesome. Does tomorrow afternoon work for you?”

“Yes.”

Audrey’s heart leaped for joy. This was going to be the best Saturday. She just knew it.

Audrey was about to come out of her skin with a combination of nerves and excitement by the time the black BMW pulled into her driveway just before three the following afternoon.

Michelle Thompson was about to be in her house.

And Audrey had every intention of convincing her to try the wheel herself, after she’d had a chance to observe Audrey.

Except suddenly, the idea of throwing pottery with Michelle felt more intimate than she’d anticipated. That scene from Ghost flitted through her mind. Audrey had always wanted to recreate that scene with someone, and now her unhelpful brain was imagining it with Michelle.

Stop it, Audrey told herself as she watched Michelle step out of her car, wearing formfitting jeans and a black top under a burgundy blazer. Goodness. She hadn’t prepared herself to see Michelle in casual clothes, and wow, she looked unfairly good in jeans.

Audrey opened the front door. “Hi.”

Michelle looked up with that little smile that always undid Audrey. “Hi yourself. Thanks again for doing this. I really hadn’t anticipated interfering with your weekend when I asked.”

“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 of engraving 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 a decent painter. 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 more spherical 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.

“Great.” Audrey slapped the clay onto the wheel, then wiped her hands on the clean towel she’d left out for herself and went to retrieve two smocks from the hook behind the door. They were both a pale blue, smudged here and there with clay stains and various color splatters from glazes and paints.

As she handed one to Michelle, their hands brushed, sending a jolt of awareness through Audrey’s system that was as alarming as it was thrilling because her attraction to Michelle was definitely out of control.

Audrey’s hands shook as she tied her smock, which was a terrible state to be in as she prepared to sculpt pottery. She inhaled slowly, filling her lungs, and then blew it out.

Here goes nothing.