Chapter 17 Dallas
SEVENTEEN
DALLAS
The weekend passed quickly, every minute spent with Ace.
We’d known each other less than a month and things felt like they’d heated up quickly.
The relationship felt natural, though, not rushed or forced.
On Sunday afternoon, with Ace’s head in my lap as we relaxed on their couch and watched a rom-com, and while I ran my fingers through their dark hair, a thought occurred to me.
“Hey.”
Ace looked up at me. “Hmm?”
“Would you be interested in helping me present our project to the museum director?”
They sat up and looked at me, confusion on their face. “Why?”
I shrugged. “I’d like the support. You know what your students are capable of. You might be able to answer her questions.”
“Do you really think that would be helpful?”
“I really do.”
They gave me a bright smile. “Okay, then. I’d be happy to.”
That’s how we found ourselves in my office the following day prepping for a meeting with Shana, the museum director, hunched over books at the table and under the table, our feet touched. A few minutes before we left for the meeting, I cleared my throat and turned to Ace.
“I have a question you might not be able to answer.”
“If it’s about grades—”
“It’s not,” I said with a small smile. “It’s about us.”
“Oh.” Ace sat up straighter. “Is everything okay?”
“More than okay. I just want to know how to introduce you to Shana. Friend? Colleague? Co-conspirator?" I hesitated a moment. “Partner?”
They smiled and their cheeks went pink. “I like the last one.”
“It’s not too soon?”
They shrugged. “We’ve been dating for a while now.”
“It’s been three weeks.”
A soft chuckle escaped them. “Okay, fair. But I still like it. If you do, I mean.” They added the last part in a hurry.
I reached across the table and took their hand. “I like it, too.”
A few minutes before our meeting time, I stood, picked up my proposal and supporting documents, and led Ace to the director’s office.
Shana’s office was on the third floor of the museum, far away from the rest of the employees.
The director’s office had been designed and located with donors top of mind, which meant that it had huge windows that let in lots of sunlight, and also that the front of her office was frosted glass instead of a solid wall.
I stood outside and knocked gently. A moment later, she called for us to come in.
“Dallas, hi,” Shana said warmly. “Oh, and I see you’ve brought company. Who’s this?”
I cleared my throat softly, taking a slow breath to build my courage. “This is Ace, my partner. They’ve been helping me with a proposal I have for you.”
“Well, have a seat. I’d love to hear what you’ve come up with.”
We each sat in a chrome and leather chair across from Shana’s desk and it took me a few seconds to get comfortable.
“Okay,” I said finally. Shana just raised her eyebrows, so I proceeded.
“I’ve been thinking—we’ve been thinking—about the temporary display of the Hayes letters that went up last summer.
I’ve been wondering how we can expand on that.
It drew such attention from the town and I really think it would be something we could capitalize on.
It would bring more visitors to the museum and if we get moving quickly, we can do it in time for Pride.
‘It’ being a display, a whole exhibit of local queer history. ”
Shana nodded slowly. “You think we have enough resources to cover that?”
“That’s where I come in,” Ace said. “I teach at the university. I’m going to assign one of my classes a research project, and I’d like to have them researching Port Grandlin history.
We can utilize what they find to track down artifacts, take oral histories, and more.
We can juxtapose queer history in Port Grandlin with the way LGBT people were being treated at the time by society as a whole. ”
Ace fell quiet and I chewed on my bottom lip for a few moments, nerves threatening to overtake me. Shana held her hand out and I passed her the detailed proposal I’d drawn up as well as the supporting documents. For a few moments, she flipped through, reading and nodding occasionally.
After what felt like an eternity, she spoke. “This is an excellent proposal and I’m sure the town would be very interested. I say we go for it.”
“Really?” My eyebrows shot up.
Shana nodded and tapped the papers in front of her. “I think what you’ve got is a great idea. We’ll have to look into getting some grant funding to create a whole exhibit, but I don’t foresee that being a problem. You have my blessing.”
I wanted to jump up and whoop with joy. I wanted to cheer. I looked at Ace and wanted to kiss them breathless as a thanks. That last one was something I could accomplish. I stood and gestured for Ace to do the same.
“Thanks, Shana. We won’t let you down.”
“I’m sure you won’t,” she said as we retreated from her office.