By Halloween that year, Maggie and Colby had worked out a routine that allowed them more time together. Two nights a week, Colby would go to Doubles and pay for a lap dance with her. Inside the semiprivate stall, Maggie would reveal secrets of the many girls working for Rock.
Although their attraction to each other continued to grow, neither of them pursued intimacy. In Rock’s apartment, it seemed inappropriate to Colby to show his affection for Maggie. At Doubles, Maggie kept a cool space between them, since Jay, the bar manager, didn’t tolerate any kind of sexual contact with the clients, not even kissing. She’d never make the first move anyway. Even though Maggie was experienced in having sex, she’d never kissed anyone passionately.
After almost two months of meeting in the lap dance room, Colby did what she had hoped he’d do. “Um, I was wondering. When you’re done with your shift here on Wednesday, could I take you for that spaghetti dinner I promised you? You get done at seven on Wednesday night, right?”
“Yeah, seven. I’m working the early shift,” she answered awkwardly.
“Well?” he asked.
“Well, what?” she responded.
“What about dinner?”
“Oh! Right. Yeah, I’d like to go out to dinner,” Maggie answered, hoping he was asking her for a real date.
“Good. Then I’ll pick you up at your apartment around eight o’clock?” Colby asked.
“That’s probably not a good idea. I’ll take the bus to the Melrose Diner, and you can pick me up there. Do you know where it is?”
“Sure, I do. I love the Melrose. Everyone who knows, goes to the Melrose,” he recited, like a total geek.
“So I’ve heard…from the waitress who works there, who is, oh, I don’t know, about a hundred years old,” Maggie teased.
“Are you calling me old?”
“No, I’m just saying that if anyone else heard what you just said, they might think you’re a nerd—you know, a dweeb, dork, dink, wonk…pick whichever one you like best,” she joked, pushing her fingers through his hair.
Whenever Maggie and Colby had any type of physical contact, they shared a sensation that was as addictive as a needle full of heroin to a street junkie.
“I’m none of those things. I’m the coolest dude you’ve ever met. Don’t try to pretend like you don’t know it, either. That’s exactly why you hang with me. You’re cool by association,” he sang.
“Oh, right. I’m cool by association? That’s a joke,” Maggie teased.
“Well, Ms. Cool, I need to head out. Your doorman over there,” Colby said, gesturing to the man who sat by the door of the lap dance room collecting payment and keeping an eye out for the girls’ safety, “just gave me the ‘time’s up’ sign.”
Maggie stood and walked back into the bar with Colby.
“So I’ll see you on Wednesday night,” Colby confirmed, as if Maggie could possibly forget.
“Yep. I’ll see you at the Melrose.”
Maggie headed back downstairs to change into a different outfit for her next set. As she entered the dressing room, Montana gave her venomous look.
“Oh, girls, look…it’s Ms. Cool. At least that’s what I heard her little boyfriend call her when I was in the lap dance room,” she said sharply and began to laugh.
“Well, Montana, it’s just a shame that you aren’t capable of actually connecting with a man,” Maggie shot back.
“Girl, you’re a damn fool. You think that guy is actually interested in being serious with you? They all tell us what we want to hear to get what they want. You are stupider than you look,” Montana screeched.
Maggie walked over to her own chair, sat down, and stared at herself in the mirror. Was Montana right? Was Colby playing her?
“Earth to Maggie,” Emma said.
Maggie turned to her and smiled.
Emma stood with her hands on her hips. “Don’t let that fuckin’ bitch get inside your head. She doesn’t know shit about shit. Montana is a jealous, crazy whore. Does that guy you were with tonight want you to dance for him?”
“Emma, that’s Colby, and the answer is no, he doesn’t want me to dance for him. He only wants to talk to me. I know him from Kensington,” Maggie said.
“He must really like you if he pays you to sit there and talk to him,” Emma reasoned.
“I guess,” Maggie said with a smile.
“What?” Emma shot back.
“He’s taking me to dinner on Wednesday night,” Maggie announced.
“Aw, Mags, that’s great. Are you excited?” Emma asked.
“More than you’ll ever know. But Emma, there’s this thing about what I do for a living that keeps nagging at me. How can a normal guy get past that?” Maggie whined.
“You won’t believe the shit guys will get past if they’re into you. Just go with it. Is this the first real date you’ve ever had?” Emma asked.
Maggie blushed. “Yeah.”
“What are you gonna wear? That’s what you need to be worrying about,” Emma said.
“I don’t know. I mean I haven’t thought about that. I don’t really have anything. I have my costumes for here, and I have my clothes for the men I entertain in Rock’s apartment…”
Maggie’s voice trailed off as she began to think through her wardrobe. “The clothes I wear when I’m not working are crap. I don’t have anything that’s decent. Ugh. Now what?”
“I’m sure I have something you can borrow,” Emma offered.
“Are you kidding me? You do?” Maggie asked excitedly.
“Yeah, I do. You know, you worry too much. It’s gonna give ya wrinkles, and then I’ll have to find another hot bitch to do my dance routine with,” Emma said.
“Ha! I’m about the only one in this place willing to dance with the likes of you. Not to mention, kiss you with that smelly breath of yours,” Maggie poked.
The two girls laughed as they got ready to go back onstage. Emma’s life had been full of people who hurt her, and it was nice to know a person who never expected anything from her but friendship. She was happy that she could help Maggie.
Emma felt a surge of peace when she was with Maggie, and she wondered if the young, dark-haired, blue-eyed beauty would ever find her way out of the life she was living.