I rolled my eyes.
I made my way up to the front door, and we stepped through to the much warmer inside. My shoulders slumped with relief at the temperature change, which had made Dom even more motivated to drive us to the pottery shop rather than walk.
Though it was almost the high times of spring, being by the river meant Barnett held on to the chill as long as it could, tonight included. I could feel the cold breeze as if it were flowing over the river, tickling me under the hem of my shirt that I tucked back into the front of my jeans.
Dom stared at me with raised eyebrows.
I glared back, daring him to say anything about my delicate disposition. I turned to look around. Items to purchase lined the front area of the shop. Professional pottery, aprons, tools, and everything else a pottery or ceramic enthusiast would need lined the shelves. Only so far, there was no Faith.
Just as I was about to turn on my heel to get out of here, a woman pushed through the back curtain with a wide grin on her face.
“Hello! Can I help you two with anything?” Long turquoise earrings dangled over her shoulders.
“Hi,” I said. “We were actually here for the pottery class tonight at seven. I was meeting a friend here, who is the one who signed us up, but I don’t see her so …”
“Oh, don’t worry! They already made their way out back to the workshop with the rest of the group. You can head on back now. I’ll be right with you. Two spots reserved, correct?”
“Me and my friend, yes,” I said, watching as she rounded the counter, marking something off.
“And who is this?” She smiled broadly up at Dom, who stood a step behind me.
“Moral support,” he supplied, shoving his hands down into his pockets with a shrug.
“Wonderful.” Her eyes widened between us, as if in understanding. “We always need a little more of that around here. Head on back, lovely couple, and get yourselves comfortable. I’ll be right with you all.”
“Oh—” I tried to stop Dom, whose one hand had escaped from his jeans. It tangled around my arm, gently leading me toward the back of the shop, where there was a long hallway, down to the other back building, which must’ve been the workshop. “We’re—we are not actually together. Or a couple. Or anything!”
Even if I had just had a panic attack and sob into his arms today before eating an expired box of macaroni and cheese in my bed … which we’d also woken up in. Together.
How had I been so calm, even thinking that coming here tonight was a good idea? Sure, I didn’t want to let down Faith, and it was near impossible not to make a fool out of myself unless the two of us were standing right next to each other so the curse would have nowhere else to go, but …
I was still calling out to the woman by the time he opened the back door, and the cool air rushed in around me once more.
“Did you really have to correct her?” Dom asked.
I stared up at him, arching my head back. “Yes. Though, on second thought, I’d much rather waste the energy to turn back around and go home now.”
Dom huffed. Here I was, oddly enough thinking I wouldn’t hear that sound ever again.
“I thought you wanted to come here.”
“I’m having second thoughts.”
He pushed through the closed barn door leading to the workshop, and both of us stepped inside. Lights hung from the ceiling, and windows were cracked open an inch all around us, yet the space was warm. So warm. A chill went up my back as I felt the cold seep the rest of the way back out of me, scurrying back outside so it wouldn’t melt. Everyone else was taking off their jackets and laying them over their station.
The workspace was arranged in an oval shape with pottery wheels at each spot, complete with foot pedals.
“Wheels.” My eyes widened at the setup. “I thought Faith said this was like a casual make-your-own-mug sort of thing.”
“Looks like she had more faith in you,” said Dom, nudging me farther inside.
“Was that supposed to be a pun?”
A small smile perked up his lips. Since when had he turned so chipper?
“It can be at this point. I figured that I would be in and out of this place in a couple of hours, thanks to you, and now, well, look at us. Might as well make the most of it.”
“You just want to see me royally mess up at some point tonight.”
