It didn't make sense; he must have heard technical talk before. But he didn't expect to hear it from an attractive woman. It belonged elsewhere, coming from other people. Ha! O.E. Orton-just another insecure man, threatened by a smart woman.
Kay watched him walk away and muttered to herself. "Jerk!" She was disappointed with him and shook her head. But she was disappointed with herself, too. She never made stupid mistakes like that, letting a guy get away after a couple of dances. She could have held on to Orton easily and made a fun evening of it. Instead she had stepped in a big puddle of awkward, all the way up to her ankles.
Why did she engage him in nerd talk? She knew better and still she did it. Maybe it was this damn job, combining sexuality and work. It blurred the lines and was turning her life upside down.
Kay walked around the room lost in a haze. Suddenly Rosseau's disgusting mouth appeared in the air before her and she held a hand over her stomach. She needed something good to wash these images away. More dancing? Another drink? A walk in the warm night air? Kay found herself in front of a bar, thankfully not the one Orton was standing at, and had another shot. She heard a familiar song coming from the band and started swaying to the music.
Then she was back on the dance floor, still in love with the music. Dan wasn't there, but a group of women were dancing together so she joined in. Kay closed her eyes and got lost in the song, a Japanese pop song that the band was handling pretty well.
The music did its job and Kay left the dance floor much more calm. From behind her, a woman's voice interrupted her reverie. "You're pretty. I've never seen you here before." One of the women who had just danced with her was also out in the hall. She wore a paisley hippie dress, long and flowing like her hair. She certainly doesn't fit in here. Some sort of Earth Mother, gentle and easy going, a loving gaze on her face.
"Why thanks. You're quite radiant in that dress. Are you a Westerley?" Probably just an interloper, like herself. Maybe someone she could relate to.
"Yeah, I get that all the time. Just because I dress differently than the others doesn't mean I'm not a Westerley. I'm filthy rich just like everyone else here." She gave Kay a deprecating smile.
"Well, you're obviously different from most of the people here, so please forgive me. I'm Kay Gershon. Never been to a Westerley before, so I'm still figuring it out."