They were seated across from each other, which Ryan gathered was Diana's arrangement — she was at the center of the long table, Richard at the far end with people he appeared to actually want to talk to, and Ryan positioned where he was useful.
The dinner arrived in courses without being asked and each course was described by a server who cared more about the description than Ryan did.
He ate and talked and listened, and the conversation across the table with Diana was different from the boardroom version of her — not unprofessional, just less structured.
She talked about the foundation, what it actually funded versus what the press materials said it funded, the difference being more interesting than the official version.
She had opinions about the city's arts funding that were sharp and specific and built on actual knowledge rather than the kind of generalized advocacy that people in her position usually defaulted to.
Ryan talked about the Bronx.
