Chapter 20
I assumed the fundraiser would be upscale based on the address, but I wasn’t prepared for this level of fancy.
The large room sparkles under crystal chandeliers, the gleam of the pristine place settings and intricate centerpieces creating a magical quality to the air, like everything is sprinkled with gold.
A slideshow of queer youth and young adults Euphoric Identity has helped and supported plays on the mainstage, photos and stills of Lilith and the team in action propped around the room.
There’s a buoyancy to the energy, an event that could so easily feel stuck-up and stuffy somehow buzzing and effervescent with the excitement of everyone in attendance.
“Lilith, this is amazing ,” I say when we finally locate the hostess. “I can’t even wrap my head around it.”
“So proud of you, Lil.” Rylie gives her a big hug.
“Thank you,” she says, a glint in her eyes and pink on her cheeks.
She sways from side to side, her pale blue beaded skirt catching the light and making her glimmer.
“I mean, it certainly wouldn’t be this caliber of an event if it weren’t for a collection of elder, old-money gays doing their damndest to spend their millions for good and choosing to be our benefactors, but whatever helps the kids. ” We clink our glasses at that.
“And Ray’s food is god-tier,” Lilith adds, plucking a slice of crusty bread topped with cheese and chimichurri sauce from a passing waiter. “How did he know provoleta is my favorite?”
I share a private smile with Rylie as we shrug. Ray wanted to pay homage to Lilith’s Argentinian roots in his menu design, and Rylie was overwhelmingly helpful in knowing her most-loved dishes.
“Everyone is raving about it,” she says with a contented moan as she finishes her bite.
“He’s this city’s greatest secret,” I say, beaming in pride for my friend. “I swear in a few years he’s going to have one of the biggest restaurants in the world.”
“Based on the feral response of these rich folks asking me for his info, I’d bet it’ll be a matter of months, not years.
” Lilith’s name is called, and her attention flicks to a group of people by the bar, waving her over.
“I better do a round,” she says, indicating to them that she’ll be right there.
“Actually, Rylie, there’s a few people I wanted you to meet. Eva, would you mind…?”
I wave them on. “Oh my god, of course. I just spotted Aida anyway,” I say, bobbing my head in the opposite direction. “You two do your thing.”
I walk toward Aida, smiling and waving when she notices me.
She looks amazing in a hunter-green cocktail dress that hugs her curves.
Her long, curly hair rests over one shoulder, accenting her perfectly applied makeup.
We haven’t had a real conversation since the mean-comments thing, but I’ve been deluding myself that the animosity is something I’ve built up in my head.
Neither of us would miss Ray’s big debut, and I’m hoping tonight will give us a chance to clear the air.
“Hey, stunner,” I say, sidling up to her and wrapping her in a big hug. I feel a current of tension in her muscles. “Can you believe this?”
“I can’t think of a setting we fit in less,” she says, giving the room a wide-eyed sweep. “These are the type of people who blow their noses with dollar bills.”
There’s a long, taut silence that feels unnatural between us, and I shift on my feet, clearing my throat a few times.
“You okay?” I ask.
She ignores my question. “Have you seen Ray yet?”
As if summoned, Ray bursts through the kitchen doors directly across the room from us, glowing in his pristine chef’s jacket.
A few patrons swarm him, and he shakes hands and accepts business cards.
He maneuvers it all with the grace and confidence of a renowned chef, giving no hint that tonight may be the very start of a tirelessly worked-for career.
Eventually, he waltzes up to us, and we nearly tackle him in a group hug, giddy with pride.
“Look at you,” I croon.
“Everyone is obsessed,” Aida adds.
“As was always my destiny,” Ray says with a subdued shrug. “Have you two talked yet?” he asks, his tone lifting to one I recognize when there is even a whiff of drama.
My eyebrows furrow as I glance at Aida, but she avoids my gaze, eyes fixed on the ground and color rushing up her cheeks. Okay, so maybe I didn’t create the tension in my head.
“Oh Jesus,” Ray huffs. “Can we get this over with, please?”
“I didn’t want to distract from your night,” Aida snaps back, the pair staring at each other in a silent but heated conversation.
“What’s going on?”
Ray nudges Aida’s shoulder, and she glares at him. With an achy sense of dread, I reach out, grabbing Aida’s hand with a reassuring pressure. Hers stays limp.
“I’ve felt really frustrated with you lately,” she mumbles, gaze still on the ground.
I flinch. “You have?”
She finally looks at me, eyes slitted in annoyance.
“You’ve been making me look pretty bad at work.
William’s been furious since that stupid mean-comments video, and I’ve been on damage control trying to deflect and save both our jobs.
He wanted to fire you after your show of attitude and then you going MIA on any Rylie Cooper stuff after that hasn’t made this any easier. It’s exhausting.”
“It wasn’t a show of attitude, Aida,” I say, indignation flaring. “That whole thing crossed so many lines and he knows it. The guy is a prick.”
“I know,” Aida says, shoulders slumping. “But he’s the prick that now signs our paychecks.”
“I just don’t think I was the bad guy in how I reacted.”
“You weren’t!” A few heads turn at the earnest rise in her voice, and she clears her throat, tilting her head toward me.
“You weren’t. You were one hundred percent justified in being upset, and I felt awful being your segment producer and letting that happen, and I’m sorry.
But I also didn’t love not hearing anything from you afterward and being left to fix things on my own…
Especially when I don’t know what’s actually going on with the whole Rylie thing.
” Her expression is bare-boned, flooding my system with guilt.
“You’re my best friend, Eva. I’m trying to defend you and protect you, but it’s hard to do when you don’t let me in enough to know what’s happening. ”
I look down, nose and eyes stinging with the sudden urge to cry. Jesus, when did I get so damn emotional?
Aida squeezes my hand, ducking her head to meet my gaze. “I miss you, dickhead. I just want you to text me back.”
“Ditto,” Ray says, but there’s a gentle curve to his mouth. “I hate finding out news about you from social media. I prefer the details firsthand and with as much graphic detail as possible.”
Aida and I both giggle, and I have to tilt my head back, blinking carefully so no tears fall and smear my makeup. “I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I… My life has been kind of messy lately.”
“No shit.”
I frown at Aida. “That’s kind of the whole thing, though.
It’s always felt messy. I’m either in a failing relationship or deal ing with roommate drama or complaining about my stupid-ass job.
It’s… I don’t know. Embarrassing, I guess.
I feel like you two have blossomed and I’m a weed that needs pulling.
You have plans and goals and you’re actively achieving them while I eat hot dogs for a living while bitching about wanting to be taken seriously. ”
“Babe.” Ray grips my shoulders, forcing me to look at him.
“I hate to ruin your pity party, but none of what you just said is special.” He delivers the line so gently, I laugh.
“Seriously, though. Feeling useless and directionless and like you aren’t keeping up is kind of the entire point of your twenties.
Everything is ass all the time and all we can do is lean on each other through it, not compare ourselves moment to moment. ”
“That was very live, love, laugh of you,” I say through a thick throat. Ray smiles.
“None of us have shit figured out,” Aida says, rubbing a soothing circle along my back. “And that’s okay. But don’t cut us out and make it all that much harder.”
“I didn’t pull away intentionally,” I say, looking between them. “Things got… complicated with Rylie and I know that affects your work, Aida, and William was hounding me and it ultimately felt easier to kind of shut down than have to tap-dance my way through the details of everything.”
“Don’t get me started on fucking William,” Aida groans, rolling her eyes. “That man is going to give me an ulcer. He’s so obsessed it’s unhinged.”
“ Why is he so obsessed, though? He must have other things to worry about.”
Aida gives me a gently patronizing glance.
“I think you underestimate just how much traffic and money this whole stunt has brought in. Our views spike every time something new about you two comes out; the ad revenue has it on track to be one of our best quarters yet. He’s stepping into power at a time when he’ll greatly profit off the attention you two generate and it’ll make him look like some sort of corporate god.
Only something with more earning potential could distract him at this point. ”
My stomach twists, bile running up my throat. “I can’t keep doing it. Things with Rylie… It doesn’t feel good or right to keep up the whole bit.”
“Yeah, okay, sorry, but I’m assuming you two are fucking now, right?” Ray, so delicately, asks. Aida pinches him and he gives her a disbelieving look. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did I offend your delicate constitution? How would you suggest I get to the heart of the matter?”
“With a bit more tact, perhaps?” Aida snaps back. There’s a pause, and they both slant me a questioning glance.
My cheeks heat, a smile tugging at my lips as I try to be cool. “Um. Well. While we are, in fact—” I wave my hand.
“Fucking,” Ray supplies.