Vivian Lesperance is determined to flee her hometown and live a life worthy of the society pages she writes for. When she meets Oscar Schmidt, a queer middle manager at a soap company, Vivian finds a partner she can guide to build the life she wants - not least because Oscar will leave Vivian to tend to her own romances with women. But Vivian's plans require capital, so they approach Oscar's rival, Squire Clancey. Together they found Clancey & Schmidt, a manufacturer of soap, perfume, and candles. When Oscar and Squire fall in love, the trio form a new kind of partnership. But exposure threatens, and all three partners are made aware of how much they have to lose.