“Oh, shit,” she said, and she made a face like she didn’t mean to say that. Her voice was starting to sound a little less stilted, too. “No wonder you’ve got someone documenting youin a spreadsheet. Am I right in assuming he puts everything in a spreadsheet?”
“You’re quite wrong,” I said playfully. “He’s actually a little scatterbrained sometimes. That’s why he has Linyue.”
“She’s been working with him for a long time, then, huh?”
“Eighteen years. Back before my father was the head of anything. He worked for a different company then, doing international logistics between the US and China, made a reputation for himself at securing good deals with Shiyun Group. Linyue worked for Shiyun then, and they collaborated all the time. When the financial crisis happened in ’07, he was laid off, got scooped up by Shiyun Group, and the rest is history. When they decided to launch a full local presence in the US, he was the obvious choice.” I shrugged. “But really, Linyue does all the work. He just has big ideas and knows how to impress people.”
“That’s men for you, isn’t it?”
I snorted. “Tell me about it. I enjoy modeling, but I’d be lying if I said it was my choice to get into it. I model Shiyun products almost as often as not. Usually I’m going to events as a walking signboard for the latest dress or accessory… this one, for example,” I said, tugging at the collar of my dress. “It’s an older one, but it’s still Shiyun.”
She looked over the dress, slow and appreciative. “I mean, you look good in it. I get the feeling you’d look good in anything, though. What would you do if you didn’t have to perform for a spreadsheet audience?”
“I think I’d still do some of this. Modeling, acting. It’s fun, and I meet a lot of amazing people. But…” I gestured to the party around us. “Probably this. I’ve always been fascinated by startup culture. It feels like the real beating heart of the city, not some glossy veneer on top where everyone’s pretending. So… that’s why I came here tonight.”
She scrunched up a little bit. “And you wound up talking to Houdini Wet Vac instead.”
I laughed out loud, a hand over my mouth. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, little Wet Vac.”
“Don’t… don’t.”
I gave her a playful shove. “Enough about me. Tell me about yourself. What do you do?”
She looked away, clearly blushing and embarrassed. I wondered if her spouse didn’t let her get out talking to people much. She seemed so nervous about it, even though she was perfectly charming now that she’d had enough drink to relax. “Aside from pulling off dazzling escapes?”
“If you have the time between your performances.”
“I, uh, I work in music,” she said. I turned towards her.
“You’re a musician?”
“Oh, no. Well, in my wildest dreams, I can smash out some badass drum chops and all the girls want me. Uh.” She stopped, like she hadn’t meant to say that, and I saw the brief moment of panic before she continued on like it hadn’t happened, her voice shaky and nervous now. “But, uh, no, that’s, uh, no. I mean, I work with the talent. The musical talent.”
“On the business side.”
“Y-yeah, the business side. Of music.”
Modeling was getting better in recent years, but it was still a heteronormative industry. Which meant, naturally, as an openly bisexual model, I had a lot of closeted colleagues secretly confide in me. Or ask to experiment with me, which, well, I didn’t usually say no. I knew what a nervous closeted woman looked like, and what they needed. I wondered if the spouse knew or if that was what the whole thing was about anyway.
I wondered a whole hell of a lot of things with this girl, but I couldn’t just ask them. It was going to drive me mad.
“Well, plenty of girls want that, too,” I said lightly. “I don’t think you’re missing out on anything by not playing those badass drum chops.”
“Ah, well, I’m missing out on carpal tunnel and hearing loss,” she said, blushing all the way down to her neck now as she scratched her head. “But it’s, uh, yeah. It’s good. More up-and-coming talent.”
“Oh, very nice,” I said. “Any highlights you want to share?”
“Oh, you know.” She hunched her shoulders. “Have you ever heard of Stephen Shale?”
“I can’t say I have…”
“That’s because my business partner and I haven’t made a king out of him yet.”
I stifled a laugh. “A king, huh?”
She cleared her throat hard. “Ah, yeah, my partner’s a real… a real kingmaker. I’m just learning from him so far. Eccentric genius.”
“What’s his name?”
