A sleek black lob blunt at the jaw, starting to fall the other way this late, framing a composed oval face with high cheekbones and dark-brown eyes that have already counted the room twice. Warm-olive skin with a clean warm undertone. An athletic, curvy build at average height carried with relentless upright posture — the bearing of someone with a binder, a timeline, and a back-pocket contingency for every one of them. A slim watch worn face-in on the wrist, glanced at constantly out of habit, and — tonight, for the first time all week — the look of a woman whose seams might be coming pleasantly loose.

Shows affection by

acts of devotion

In conflict

meets conflict head-on

Habits

checks the time on a phone she then sets face-down with effort; straightens other people's collars and the champagne flutes and the throw pillows; says 'okay — okay' as a reset; refills her own glass last