The plaque next to the installation said “she”. Simple and to the point.
“I met the artist when I was touching up the paint in the room.” Marin continued walking. “I love her unapologetic art.”
We joined the gathered guests and listened to Ms. Mina’s speech, thanking the donors, and praising the art she’d collected. Within an hour of everyone wandering around the gallery, the music and the conversations turned louder.
“Is there a dance party?” I asked Marin, raising my voice over the beat.
“It’s a queer exhibit, so yes, dancing is required.” DeeDee appeared out of nowhere.I didn’t jump. Did I? “Have some champagne.” She handed flutes to me and Marin, then disappeared into the crowd.
“Here is my Marinos!Mon ami!” A middle-aged man with a gray complexion and a strong French accent approached us. He took Marin by the shoulders and touched his cheek to Marin’s making a kissing sound, then did the same to the other cheek. “I heard you turned this dump into a gallery-worthy space and Mina was not exaggerating.”
“You’re too kind, Pierre. Meet Kert.” Marin wrapped a tentacle around my waist, giving me a smile with raised eyebrows. Was he trying to tell me something? I’d play along, whatever it was.
The man looked at the gesture and sighed dramatically. “I so wished you wooed my son, but he loves beingrancunier.” He waved a hand as if grabbing words from the air. “Spiteful. Now, he’s declaring he’ll move to Chicago. I was hoping you’d keep him in New York, but I see I should bury those hopes.” He pouted at me, and holy hell could the man pull off a pout.
“I used to share an apartment with his son Gabriel for a few weeks,” Marin told me, then turned to Pierre. “Yes, my boyfriend finally joined me here.”
Pierre tsk-ed and eyed my belly button ring with appreciation in his gaze. “Well, best of luck to you,mon ami. And you, Kert. Ah, champagne.” He grabbed a flute from a tray a server carried by and twirled off into the crowd.
“The people are more fascinating than the art.” I drummed my fingers over Marin’s tentacle still around my waist. He didn’t take it away.So that’s how we’re playing, huh? I can be Marin’s boyfriend for the day.
A voluptuous woman in a tight leather dress approached us and graced Marin with a sultry smile. “Hello there. I thought your long-distance open relationship was made up to get away from commitment.” She tossed her long red hair over her shoulder. The lively green tone of her skin matched the color of her eyes that shone with mischief.
Marin had definitely made interesting friends, most of whom looked at him with fuck-me eyes, including ogres.
But they hadn’t crushed on him for nine years.I got this.“I’m Kert and I’m definitely real.” I spread my arms to show off the body I worked hard on, and the waist jewellery that had several people around us doing a double take.
“I can see that. I’m Evelyn. Welcome to the fun side of New York.” She clinked her glass to mine then turned to Marin. “Are you two open when Kert is here?” She traced her tongue over her fangs. She was a sexy ogre and she knew it. “You could bring him with you.”
Marin shook his head and pulled me closer. “No. We’re enjoying the time alone.” His tentacle tightened around me. Was he protecting me? Or hiding himself behind me?
Evelyn scanned me like I was her prey and I thrust my chin up.
“Oh, a feisty one. How exciting.” She offered her hand for a shake, but when I reached for it, she looked at my palm instead. Wide-eyed, she looked at me, then Marin, and back to my hand. “Well, if you ever change your mind, you know where to find me.” She finger-waved at us, retreating.
I stood on tiptoes to talk directly into Marin’s ear. “Why is everyone assuming we’re a couple? Don’t they know you’re straight? What did you tell people?” I fired off the questions in rapid succession in case we’d be approached again.
“That I’m taken but in an open relationship. When they started asking more questions—” He snapped his mouth shutand nodded to someone passing by. “I’ll explain everything later. Sorry.”
Ah, my people-pleasing friend didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings so he made up a relationship. Ingenious, considering he knew I’d go along with any antics. Standing close to him felt wonderful and hurtful at the same time. Being his boyfriend, albeit a fake one, opened the chasm in me that I’d been patching with stolen touches. I schooled my smile and nodded. I could do this and go back to pretending I wasn’t in love with him.
Yup. A crush wouldn’t hurt so much whenever I imagined him with someone else.
He waved back to a couple on the other side. The young, tall man with blue skin and gills on his neck stood in high stilettos, leaning against a white man straight from a Tom of Finland drawing, leather pants and muir cap included.
“I see kinky and art circles don’t only overlap in Berlin.” I nudged Marin with my elbow.
“I guess so.”
Did he know them only from the art side? I scanned Marin’s tense jaw. Could it be he was into more than vanilla?
A petite woman with dark skin and a flowy peach dress approached us, looking around as if she were trying to disappear. “This is crazy, isn’t it?”
“Yes. We love your installation.” Marin pointed to the one with many arms. “This is Kert.”
“Lovely to finally meet you, I’m Rowena.” She kept her hands in her dress pockets, but leaned closer to me. “We were half-convinced Marin made you up.”
I laughed. “Flesh and blood here.”
