“Hey, we’ve all been there.” True, I hadn’t dated a gay guy, but I’d had a crush on one until he introduced me to his boyfriend. Talk about awkward.
I hated to admit it, but unburdening myself to Inari had made me feel better. And having her sympathy was also nice. It made me feel far less crazy.
“I just have to keep my focus on work. Oh, I found a venue today. It’s an old church that’s been converted.”
“We should totally go check it out,” she said, finishing her orange juice. I’d thought about getting a mimosa, but figured it set a bad precedent for my other employees if I showed back up at work wasted.
“You know, that sounds like a really good idea. I forget that sometimes I need to get out of the studio.” I also needed to start designing again.
“That’s the spirit. Get up, get out, get busy.”
I paid the bill with my company credit card since it was a “working breakfast,” and we headed to check out the church. It was too far to walk, so we took the T.
“So this is it,” I said as we walked up to a cute little white church sandwiched between an investment firm and a nightclub. This was definitely a swanky part of Boston.
“Oh look, it has stained glass,” Inari said. She pointed to the windows in the front.
“It’s so sweet. Do you think God will smite us for having a lingerie fashion show here?” I looked up at the sky, hoping I wasn’t going to get struck by lightning. That would definitely be a bad sign.
“Probably not. I think he’s got better things to do with his time. War, famine, and all that,” she said as we walked up the steps and through a side door.
“Hello, may I help you?” said the woman who sat at the desk in the entryway. The interior was painted in glaring white, and all the furniture was metal and industrial and cool. Totally at odds with the high ceilings and stained glass, but somehow it worked.
“Yes, my name is Sloane Harris. I’m here to see Pam Dwyer,” I said, using the name Eva had given me.
The receptionist got to her feet and smiled. She had a headset on and hit a button on it.
“Pam? There’s someone here to see you,” she said, and then listened.
“If you want to take a seat, she’ll be right with you. Can I get you anything?” I was still full from breakfast, so I said I was fine. Inari also waived the offer.
We sat down in metal chairs and waited. I finally noticed the music.
“What’s that? I mean, I know it’s a church, but the music doesn’t really go with the décor, which is actually kind of cool.” I said to Inari.
“It’s a hymn. One of my mother’s favorites.” She tilted her head to the side, listening. “Wow, this brings back memories,” she said.
A door opened and a woman came out. I knew immediately why she was friends with Eva. They were cut from the same cloth. Her hair was perfectly dyed blonde and pinned back from a face that exhibited some of the most exquisite cheekbones I’d ever seen on a human being.
I rose to my feet and held my hand out.
“Sloane, it’s nice to meet you. Eva gave me a call and said you might be stopping by. What can I do for you?” she asked, straightening her already straight jacket.
I explained what I needed and she offered to take me on a tour.
“We’ve actually had shows here before, so we can fix it to work for you. We’ve got changing areas in the back and plenty of chairs, and we even have a runway we can set up.”
She led us into the main part of the church (I knew it had a name, but my parents weren’t religious so my knowledge of churches was extremely limited) where the show would be held.
I stifled a gasp. The space was amazing. The ceiling was so high that everything echoed. Windows on either side let in tons of light. This was the perfect backdrop for my garments. Perfect.
Inari squealed in excitement, and I finally brought up the issue of money. I had some saved and set aside for the show, but I was working with a tight budget.
Pam led us back to her office and we talked numbers. I didn’t have to push too hard for her to agree to give me a ten percent discount. Score. And she had an opening in a month, which was insane. I couldn’t plan a fashion show in a month.
Pam scanned her computer. “Okay, the next one we have is . . . oh, not for six months. We’re really booked up during the holiday season. Unless you could do next month.”
Shit. I couldn’t wait six months. I shared a look with Inari.