Chapter Ten
The evening of the Monosphere event, Savannah comes over to my apartment to lend her expertise. With some treatment products and a bit of styling, the bird’s nest is officially gone. When I look in the mirror, I hardly recognize the person staring back.
Charlotte’s dress is a gorgeous black gown that flows to the floor, with spaghetti straps and a plunging neckline. I’ve never worn anything like it, and I’m worried my boobs might be too small for the cut.
Savannah’s in one of those dresses that has a long, billowy cape. Not many people can pull off that look, but with her five-foot-ten frame, she looks absolutely stunning.
I guess we must’ve done something right, because when we meet Tae-woo at the hotel, he doesn’t tell me I missed the school bus for senior prom. Instead, he gives me his silent approval with a half-smile. Just as Parker promised, we’re allowed entry under his list as “Dani Tsai and guest(s).”
Monosphere has booked the St. Regis’s Roof Ballroom, the hotel’s largest event space.
The elegant gilded walls and grand chandeliers suspended from cloud-painted ceilings are not only a spectacle, but also a testament to the building’s long history.
Staff have strategically arranged standing tables to encourage conversation, and eager beavers are already convening in spirted clusters.
As expected, I feel completely out of place.
The parties Adagio throws are lavish in their own right, but this is the kind of event that feels almost too grand to be called a party.
I take a flute of champagne from the first waiter that passes and down half of it in one go.
Of course, Savannah and Tae-woo are naturals at this.
Someone is already asking Savannah about her dress, and Tae-woo is exchanging cards with a set of brothers who run a tech start-up.
I trail behind them, feeling ill at ease and practicing a smile that’s more charming and polite and less “robot experiences first emotions.”
When I look across the room, I catch sight of Parker right away.
A black suit hugs his over-six-foot frame with immaculate precision, tailored to perfection.
He’s always had the kind of body that only long hours in our school’s weight room could sculpt, and it looks like it’s held up over time.
One look, and you can tell he’s a former athlete.
But the air of sophistication tonight is new—so unlike the boy from next door that it’s almost intimidating.
I think I imagine it at first, but sure enough, he’s looking at me too. Already tied up with other attendees, he simply nods in my direction and returns to his conversation.
Just as I’m stalking another waiter for my second glass of champagne, I hear my phone buzzing in my purse.
Parker: Glad to see you got the pigeon nest under control.
Me: Question for you. Do you sleep in suits too?
Parker: Wouldn’t you like to know how I sleep.
Me: Hopefully with a pillow smothering you.
I scan the room in all its splendor and pick up my phone again.
Me: This is so awkward. What if someone asks what I do?
Parker: Don’t worry, I’m sure people are a lot more accepting of bridge trolls than you think.
Me: I hope you choke.
Parker: Sorry lol. Why can’t you tell them you’re a copy editor?
Me: Isn’t this like a nexus for finance bros? Am I even allowed to be here?
Parker: I told you, it’s an event for professionals. You’re overthinking it; you’ll be fine.
Parker: By the way, that dress looks great on you.
I read the last text more than once, and a tingly warmth rises to my face. Tucking my phone away, the voice in my head reminds me not to slouch. It also tells me I’m a professional who belongs here, but without any alcohol or Savannah to hide behind, I revert to my wallflower roots.
“So, this was your big event.” A familiar voice approaches, and I’m actually relieved to see Charlotte’s comically large, blonde curls float into view. Even if Jerry is next to her. “Not bad, Tsai—you’ve managed to make me not hate my dress on you.”
“Of course you’re here.” I look over at her armpiece. “I guess you do know everyone in New York.”
“How did you get an invite?” Charlotte asks, genuinely curious.
“I went to high school with someone here.” That’s one way of putting it.
“That explains how Thing One and Thing Two got in.” She points a thumb over her shoulder just as Savannah and Tae-woo are traipsing over.
“Oh my god.” Tae-woo covers his eyes dramatically. “I thought I was looking at the sun, but it’s just your massive head, Charlotte.”
“Is this one half of the braincell from the double date?” Savannah asks, then tacks on a quick, “Sorry.”
Jerry merely grunts. I doubt he has enough cognitive ability without his other half to understand what’s going on.
Speaking of—“He’s not here, is he? Ernest?”
“Nope,” Jerry finally says. “You know, Dani, Charlotte told me you were a smart girl, but I think your judgment could use a strategic pivot. Ernest is a catch, and you let a good one go.”
I stick out my tongue, pretending to retch. “I would rather eat a can of solid farts than ever see that sleazebag again.”
“Didn’t I tell you to be professional?”
I whip around, and Parker is standing behind me. I cannot believe it only took fifteen minutes for him to walk in on me telling a fart joke. I picture myself climbing out of one of the embellished windows, free-falling from this disaster of a conversation.
“Oh hey, Jerry.”
“Wassup, Tran.”
Parker takes a cool step forward, and then he’s by my side, smirking devilishly down at me. I’ve never seen his hair styled like this before, with his bangs pushed back. “Hanging in there?”
Charlotte is suddenly right against my ear, hissing, “When did you nab the hottie from Picotea?”
“I didn’t nab anything. He’s, um, someone I know from back home.”
“Parker Tran, from Venture Sports.” He shakes hands with everyone in our circle. “Do you all work for Adagio too?”
“We do!” Savannah’s voice is suddenly loud, very loud.
“Wait, how did you know that?” I don’t recall telling him the name of our publication.
“Hm? Oh, I Googled you after the other night.” He says it like it’s just due diligence. I momentarily panic, thinking of him scrolling through my Instagram but then remember it’s a private account.
“How do you know Dani?” Savannah asks.
“I guess you can say we go way back. I was actually in attendance at her first school play. Her role was Villager Three; no lines, and she still messed up. Tripped as she was exiting stage left.”
Everyone laughs like a practiced chorus. I’ve got one foot off the ledge in my head, and I’m this close to jumping.
“So, you’re also from Portland? I’ve always wanted to visit.” This is the first time I’ve heard Charlotte say anything of the sort. “You should def give me a list of things to do.”
“Portland adjacent,” I correct her. “You could say we’re honorary Portlanders. Or Portlandian by proximity.”
“That is so sad,” groans Tae-woo.
I ignore him. “Everyone in our town would make the drive into the city, like, every other week. There wasn’t much to do otherwise.”
Parker nods, “You should visit. The Pearl District is nice, and you can catch cherry blossoms at the Waterfront too. And this is probably a controversial take to have in New York, but Portland really does have the best pizza.”
I hate to agree with him, but he’s right. There’s a reason Modernist Pizza called it the best pizza city in the country.
“If you want the best of the best, go to Ken’s Artisan. I’ve never had better Neapolitan in my life.”
“Um, Ken’s Artisan is not the best pizza in Portland.” I lift my chin and scoff. “It’s Apizza Scholls. They’re an Oregon institution. No one does a thin crust like they do.”
Parker lifts a brow, sizing me up. “I mean, Apizza is a staple, but Ken’s does wood-fired, which is arguably better.”
“Sure, if you want to argue on the side of unhinged.”
“Apizza has a three-topping limit.”
“Any more than that and they’ll interfere with the crust baking.” I glower at him. “You should know better than to question genius!”
“Mm.” Parker smiles, but it’s an icy one. “Are we going to argue all night? I just want a heads up on how to plan my evening.”
I back down, suddenly conscious that there are three and a half people who just witnessed our impassioned debate about pizza.
“Well, now that Dani’s done embarrassing us,” Tae-woo doesn’t spare me the sidelong glance. “Parker, does working at Venture come with any perks?”
“If you’re asking if I get to sit courtside for the Knicks, then yes.”
It comes as no surprise that everyone from Adagio is smitten with Parker within minutes of meeting him.
He’s captivating and funny, and it’s all so effortless.
Trying to reconcile this grown-up Parker with the boy who spilled juice on my Pokémon cards is making my head spin.
I decide I need another drink. As soon as I find an opening, I slip away to the bar and order a pinot noir.
“It’s a lot, isn’t it?” A man with a thick beard approaches on my right and leans against the counter.
“Sorry?”
He gestures behind us. “Like, I’m sure your new penthouse on Fifth Avenue is amazing, Karl, but your wife is two martinis away from taking home one of the waiters tonight.”
I give him my polite and definitely not robotic smile. “It is pretty overwhelming.”
“I’m Isaac Mehta.” He shakes my hand. “Venture Sports.”
“Dani Tsai,” I say. “You must know Parker Tran then.”
“Ah, yes, the wunderkind himself. You another fan?”
I nearly spit out my drink. “Me? No. No, we’re just acquaintances.” There’s that word again.
“You in marketing?”
“Um, no, I’m a copy editor for a publication.”
“Oh, wow, that’s different. Wait, it’s not one of those academic journals that’s just gonna go right over my head, is it?”
“It’s devoted entirely to Doge, actually.” I suck air through my teeth. “Every month we just print Doge memes in various formats. Sometimes it’s just one singular page of Doge.”
“Wow, I’m sold.” Isaac laughs and swirls the liquor in his glass. “You got a card, Dani?”
“Oh, I do.” I scramble to take a business card out of my purse. Just as I hand it to Isaac, Parker appears in my periphery like a subtle disturbance in the air. He stops to order a whiskey neat, looking from me to Isaac and then back to me again.
I give him a haughty smile. Look, I’m networking! I’m not totally hopeless!
Parker inspects my face for only an instant before turning to Isaac. “Figured I’d find you at the bar.”
“I was introducing myself to Dani,” Isaac says, standing straight. Not unlike Parker, he’s a tower himself. “By the way, I’m head of digital marketing at Venture. Not that you’d need my help marketing Doge, but I’d be happy to be of assistance with anything else.”
I take the business card he offers and hold it up. “Look at that subtle off-white coloring. The tasteful thickness of it.”
Parker drops his head with a sigh. “American Psycho? Really?”
Isaac is a good sport however. “It even has a watermark.” We laugh, and he nudges Parker. “She’s refreshing. How do you two know each other?”
“Dani and I grew up together.”
Isaac blinks at me, and I can read his expression: Acquaintances, huh? I pretend not to notice, taking a slow slip of my wine instead.