Page 37 of Forbidden Impulses

Annie

Butterflies zoom around in my tummy in a way I could not describe, even if someone held me at gunpoint. But this is it. My big night.

After telling my dad to go get fucked and connecting with Suzie again, things started looking up.

There's still this immense hole in my heart where Lorcan and Monte belong, but I'm finally able to breathe again. Even though colors aren't quite what they need to be, and food doesn't taste as awesome as I know it's supposed to, there's a big part of me that's finding it way easier to live.

So I do.

Between work and helping Chloe, I don't have an awful lot of free time, but what I do have is spent in the studio pumping out one piece after another. At first, Chloe makes me do all the basic shit Jackson had already taught me, but I understand she needs to check my skilllevels. But then, she teaches me new things. Amazing things.

I learn so much, and now that I have my appetite back, and get more than four hours of sleep a night, I have my creativity back too.

The first sculpture I make is small. Sweet. An ode to my friendship with Suzie.

Unable to sell the piece, I ship it to her as a gift. She responds by sending me a cute glass-blown orb with stained glass made to look like a world orb.

A reminder that you and I will see the world, babe. Love the gift. Miss you. xoxo S

Her return gift finally sets it all free. I know I can do this. So I jump into it headfirst and pump out one piece after another. Chloe makes me create a profile and website so I can showcase what I have, and when the first few pieces sell, I nearly pass out from excitement.

Every time I post another piece for sale it sells within a day, and a sneaking suspicion builds that it's either Suzie or one ofthem.

But even if it is, I don't care, because I'm gettingactualmoney formywork and that money means I can finally give up my hours at the gallery and focus on my work.

Chloe quickly finds a replacement and because I'm around to train them, or step in when she needs someone to help, she doesn't mind too much. To be honest, I think she's secretly happy for me, even if she doesn't want to admit it out loud.

Chloe makes some extra space in the workshop for me, and with the extra time I have, I get to work alongsideher. Either helping her make some stupid, trinkety, gift shop pieces or focusing on building up an installation.

Because Chloe offered me a showing in her gallery!

Not because I'm her apprentice, and not because we've come to be friends.

Nope. She assured me when she sat me down to discuss it, that it's because my work really is that good and she thinks I can make it if I'm just given the right chance.

And now the night is here.

I've agonized over every single detail, changing my mind on how to display everything a million times.

But everything is set up, displayed and ready for the showing to open up in an hour. Just enough time for me to go to the cottage, have a shower, and get ready to face the people Chloe invited for tonight.

"I know that face," Chloe says to me, her voice filled with mirth. She's already dressed, leaning against the reception counter, resting on her elbows with a grin on her face. "We don't have time to change anything now, Annie. Go home. Get changed. I'll keep an eye here. Go make yourself pretty for your big night."

My face splits into a huge smile before running to her and wrapping her in a warm hug. She returns it stiffly, awkwardly clapping me on the back. Stifling the urge to giggle at her, I pull back and beam at her. "Thank you, Chloe. None of this would have been possible without you."

Her nose scrunches up as she shakes her head. "I just gave you the tools, babes. You did the work. None of this would have been possiblewithout you."

Chloe's words punch me in the gut and I take another step back, clutching my stomach like it was a physical jab.

Unable to handle emotional scenes comfortably,Chloe shoos me out the door with a grunt. "Now, get. Go be a good girl and come back all shiny and pretty for your admirers."

I do as she says, but I can't get her words out of my head.

They keep replaying in my head as I get cleaned up and changed. Then some more when I walk into the lit gallery as the first guests show up.

After that, everything is one huge buzz.

I'm shaking hands with some pretty important people in the glassblowing industry, not to mention a few art critics who have me shaking in my sexy black pumps.

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