“Is that what Miley’s doing? Okay, then you should probably listen to your mum. And stay away from construction sites and such.”
“But it’s a great song,” Isabelle added.
“It is a great song.”
“Are you guys still recording your album?” Georgia asked. How they managed to know everything going on in these guys’ lives and still live their own was fascinating to me.
“We’ve just now finished it. They’re still doing some mixing, but we’ve done our bit.”
“I can’t wait to hear it.” Isabelle smiled, her hand hiding her mouth. The ring from Eva was twinkling on her middle finger. She had not taken it off since camp.
“I can’t wait for you to hear it.”
I took my cue when Georgia crossed her arms over her breasts (dear God, when had that happened?), cocked her head, and very seriously said, “So, Hayes, are you into contemporary art?”
I gathered this was all part of their “act cultured” plan and so I politely bowed out.
“I’ll be wandering about, should you have any questions,” I said. “If you can’t find me, check my office.”
He smiled, nodding. Rakish Hayes with his silk scarf, his gaggle of pubescent girls, his perfect hair, his fetching smile. “I will,” he mouthed. It was a promise.
Josephine had assembled a playlist for the opening, and Ed Sheeran’s blue-eyed alternative hip-hop acoustic soul pumped throughout the gallery. It was the perfect complement to Joanna’s serene pieces. Pop Art done in unexpected muted shades of sun, sea, and sand.
“Your boyfriend.” Lulit approached me in Gallery 2, the middle room. “Wow.”
“Please don’t call him that.”
“He’s killing me with the puppy dog eyes. The way they follow you around the room. What did you do to that poor boy?”
“I have no idea,” I said, waving off a server with a passing tray. “We just…click. It’s terrifying actually.” I turned my body into her and away from those surveying the art. “You know why he’s not drinking anything? Because hecan’t.”
Lulit’s eyes widened, and we both started to laugh. “Oh, Solène. That’sbad.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that. I have no idea where this is going. I’m just enjoying the ride.”
“I bet you are… You are like the poster woman for reclaiming one’s sexuality.”
I laughed at that. “I didn’t know I’ddisclaimedit.”
“I think it was lying dormant, and now it’s back in full force. Lest anyone think we women of a certain age were no longer sexually viable.”
“Yes.” I smiled. “Lest anyone think that.
“I’m going to give him a few more minutes and then I’m going to save him from the girls. And then I’ll get him to take some pictures, yes?”
“Yes.” She nodded, stroking her neck. Her hair was pulled back, and the thin straps of her dress accentuated her delicate bones. “Daniel is going to lose his mind.”
“Yes, well, Daniel fucked up, didn’t he?”
I was navigating the sea of bodies filling our space when I bumped into Josephine chatting up a guest. She stopped me, grabbing my elbow.
“Great show. Great turnout.”
“Yes, I’m very happy. You guys worked hard. Awesome DJ-ing, by the way.”
“I made sure not to put any August Moon on the mix.” She smiled.
“Probably wise.”
