Chapter 144
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Bella cut in, “Harrison’s not here. He can’t see what she’s doing. Zachary, you might not want to hear this, but if Gwyneth could be Harrison’s lover, why couldn’t she be someone else’s too?”
“Besides, even if she doesn’t love Harrison, she could still fall for someone else,” she added.
Zachary had no response. He wanted to argue, but when he opened his mouth, he couldn’t come up with anything to defend Gwyneth.
He wondered if she had really moved on.
In the car, Gwyneth apologized to Evan. “It’s my fault for not handling my personal stuff well. I’m sorry you got caught up in that mess.”
“Well, if it’s personal, I won’t ask,” Evan said, easing off the gas a little, a faint smile on his lips. “Besides, you’re Harrison’s wife. I’m sure when he gets back, he’ll take care of all this drama for you.
“I’m not worried about you handling things. I’m just glad you weren’t shaken up earlier.”
If anything had happened to Gwyneth, Evan knew Harrison would’ve come after him. Not that he mentioned that part.
After all, Harrison and Gwyneth still looked like they hadn’t officially crossed that line yet–just a pair of close, maybe–something–more kind of people. As an outsider, Evan didn’t feel it was his place to say too much.
Gwyneth blinked in surprise. She hadn’t realized Evan and Harrison were that close.
Harrison always came off as cold and distant–like a walking AI when he worked. But somehow, he had a friend like Evan–someone warm, trustworthy, and gentle.
Back when she was with Zachary, Gwyneth had never seen him truly trust anyone. He didn’t have a friend like Evan.
While she was thinking about all this, Evan asked, “You look a little tired. I can handle the kiln stuff. Want to go home and rest?”
“No, I still want to make something back at the studio,” Gwyneth replied.
“Then let’s head back,” Evan said, completely respecting her choice.
They returned to the studio. The kiln would still take a while.
Gwyneth put her apron and sleeves back on, sat down, and got back to shaping the clay. Before long, a small bowl began to take shape.
Evan was moving some clay to prep for later when he saw her carefully carving the edges of the piece. His eyes lit up.
The little bowl was delicate and well–crafted. He couldn’t help but wonder if it was a gift for Harrison.
After thinking it over, Evan asked, “Is this for the ceramic show?”
“No, I just felt like making it,” Gwyneth said. “Do you think the shape looks good?”
“It looks great,” Evan said, now more convinced than ever it was a gift. He’d seen enough potters to know–when someone put this much effort into a tiny piece, it was usually meant for someone special.
Evan set down what he was carrying and took a picture of Gwyneth at work.
In the photo, she was completely focused, gently shaping the edges of the clay. Her face was a little smudged with dust, but the warm studio light made her features look soft and peaceful.
Evan quickly sent the photo to Harrison. [Get ready for your gift.]
But right after sending it, Gwyneth wiped the sweat off her brow with her sleeve and asked, “Evan, do you think this bowl is big enough for a kitten to drink from?”
Evan froze. This wasn’t for Harrison–it was for a cat.
Panicked, he rushed to delete the message and the photo, not realizing it had already been marked as read.
“It’s–uh–it’s the perfect size,” Evan stammered, silently praying Harrison hadn’t seen it.
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