Page 58 of Glass Wings
“It’s edible glitter. I had the kitchen staff put together a cocktail table. They’re sitting in the kitchen waiting to be served.”
Hadley obliged as a sweet, thick liquid coated her tongue and teeth, giving her the sensation of drinking gummy bears.
“I quite liked it—everyone should have one,” Sheng said in a jolly, relaxed way. “Let me introduce you to everyone else here.”
Sheng pulled Hadley away from Jenny and Saul, which was a relief, before moving over to a group of men in front of the grill.
“Crew, this is Hailey. Hailey, here with the shaved head and short stature, we have Mark, then Francis is the owner of the small theater in the old town. Next in the red baseball cap is Lawrence; he is a lobbyist, and then Killian here works under the governor.”
Hadley nodded awkwardly at the group and waved her hand, realizing that at least four other people were standing there that Sheng did not directly address.
“Francis, Hailey here is an aspiring playwright. I believe you are looking for local artists to add to your productions. Is that right?” Sheng said, pushing Hadley forward.
“That’s great,” Francis replied, putting his drink-free hand in his pocket. “Have I seen your work anywhere?”
“I’m still in that early stage where I haven’t had a chance to workshop anything,” Hadley admitted, feeling her cheeks turn red.
“That’s not a problem. You should stop by during business hours sometime next week. I’ll be in the office the whole time preparing for our spring intern program. We can look through some of your work and see if there is a place for you in the future.”
Hadley couldn’t believe what she was hearing. In just a span of a few hours, she was more financially secure than she had ever been and had a real opportunity to work on her art.
“I would love that!”
Her head felt lighter and her body wobbled. Sheng held onto her tighter.
“Excuse us for a moment,” he said, pulling her out of the group before turning back to her, concern written on his face. “Are you okay?”
“I am more than okay, Sheng. I . . . I don't know how to thank you for that.” Hadley said in a hushed voice, the late afternoon sun bearing down on her face.
“If you want to thank me, you can text your ride to let them know you will be spending the night.” Sheng winked at her.
Hadley took a moment and considered the proposition. Technically, he had more than paid for her to spend the night already. Maybe she didn’t want to burn this bridge, this connection, after all. She certainly didn’t see herself falling in love with Sheng, but would it be the worst thing to have him on her team?
The hissing sound of heavily seasoned carne asada hitting the grill filled the air, with the fattening, savory smell quickly following. Hadley’s head was light again. She felt a bit loopy and made a note not to drink any more before having some food.
“Okay, I will stay here with you,” she agreed.
“Really?” Sheng asked with a hint of disbelief. He did nothing to hide the satisfaction in his eyes.
Hadley took her cell phone from her back pocket and dialed Hector’s number. The phone rang three times until he picked up.
“Hello? Hadley? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, nothing is wrong. Why do you ask?” She tried to whisper into the phone as she walked away from the gathering to keep their conversation private.
“You’re calling me. People only call if there’s an emergency. This is a known fact,” Hector’s voice sounded from the other side of the line.
“I’m just letting you know that I will spend the night over here. You can pick me up in the morning and we can get your car fixed.”
“Hadley, you dirty slut,” Hector shrieked. Hadley held the phone a little further away from her ear and laughed.
“Okay, I love you, bye,” she said, hanging up the phone after Hector returned the sentiment. She walked back to the gathering, her head feeling light again and her vision blurring. She waved it off and kept moving forward, looking for Sheng.
“It’s done. I’m staying,” she said to him, putting her arm through his in front of the guests he was talking with. Jenny was among them and raised her eyebrows, looking back and forth between the two of them.
“This woman right here,” Sheng announced in front of everyonepaying attention, “is not only someone who will soon realize that we are destined for each other . . .”
“Get a room,” Jenny jokingly shouted as a few others around her chuckled.
