“Thanks.”
“No problem,” he said while sliding onto the opposite bench seat.
She brought the cup up to her lips and took a small sip.
“So, from your latest video. Why do you think I’m trying to buy out the museum?”
She groaned. “We really don’t have to hash out my videos.”
“No, I want to. I’m just curious what made you think that way.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you trying to trap me in something?”
He laughed. “No, Olivia. I genuinely want to know.”
She placed her cup on the table and slid it out of the way, so she was able to lace her fingers in front of her.
“You really want to know?”
He took a sip from his own cup. “Wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t.”
She stared at him for a long moment before finally saying, “I think it’s sketchy that you’re trying to buy out some of the other benefactors.”
His brow quirked up. “What? Why?”
“Because you’re disrupting the whole chain of command. Which, don’t get me wrong, I love. But by doing that, you’re putting a lot of strain on the patrons who put a strain on the artists. Suppose the patrons feel like the people who fund the museum are being shaken up. In that case, they’re less likely to want to commission new artists out of fear that the whole pyramid will collapse.”
“Hmm.”
“Plus, getting new talent into those kinds of gatekept societies is hard enough. You’re just making it even harder for them.”
He lifted his hand and rubbed it along his jaw. “Actually, I never thought about that.”
Olivia wasn’t surprised. To men like Henry, it was all about the money and following it to wherever the deepest pocket was.
“I could tell.”
“Look,” he set his cup down, “I’ll be honest with you. The reason I’m pushing to cut off the more senior benefactors is because they’re all old money. And old money never wants to change. Do you know how much change has gone on in that museum in the past fifty years? None. It’s terrible. How are you supposed to hold public interest when nothing ever changes?”
Olivia blinked at him.
Henry shook his head, continuing. “It’s so frustrating trying to get any of them to listen. And the only way they do is if their pockets start hurting. I completely agree with you. Getting new talent is a struggle and much harder than it should be. Artists shouldn't have to feel like they need to sell their soul in order for their art to be seen.”
“I totally agree! Any new up-and-coming artist is always shoved out before they can even debut anything. It’s so sad, and people are missing out on some incredible stuff.”
“Exactly. It’s not fair.”
Olivia sat back and sagged against the back of the booth. Who in the world was she talking to because this certainly wasn’t the Henry Darrow she’d followed for the past three years online? The Henry she knew was cold and calculating. Only doing business with those who had serious money.
But the man sitting before was nothing like that. He was genuine and actually cared about the exact same things she saw wrong with the industry.
Fuck, I really hope this isn’t some elaborate ruse to get into my pants. Because it’s absolutely working if it is.
“Say, there’s a street event happening in a few days. You want to come with me?”
She couldn’t help but smile. “Let’s see how the rest of this date goes first, hmm?”
He chuckled and lifted his cup. “Fair enough.”