Lily Dupree carefully gripped the edge of the round drink tray as she balanced the three drinks in its center. Her second night at the Candy Shoppe Lounge wasn’t going any better than her first night had. During that first shift, she had tipped over more than a few drinks and broken several glasses.
She took a deep breath and steadied the tray, lifting it above her head as she rotated it gently in the air, as her friend Katie had taught her. The gentlemen’s club had a strict rule that the waitresses straight-arm their trays above their heads at all times. Lily was hardly cut out for waitressing, much less straight-arming a tray of drinks over her head through a dark and crowded room. She was clumsy on the best of days.
But, she needed this job. Without it, she wouldn’t be able to make her loan payments for the next few months, and she’d lose everything she’d worked for. Asking her parents to rescue her was out of the question. Her family was supportive of anything she did, but she wanted to stand on her own two feet this time. Calling them would mean failure, and that would be as bad as losing her business.
Lily shoved the thought aside and began to wend her way through the tables fronting the stage. She tried not to gape as one of the dancers on stage mimicked things with the pole that made Lily want to blush and run the other way. She’d never really thought of herself as prude, but good heavens, there were just some things you shouldn’t do with a pole. And, certainly not in public.
Only two more steps, she whispered under her breath. One more. She could feel the glasses begin to slide on top of the tray. She tilted her wrist to the left to compensate and knew almost immediately that it was too much. Too far. She tilted back the other way, trying to regain the balance, but the tray was hopelessly unsteady at that point. Her eyes caught on Katie’s from across the room just as the tray, the glasses, and all of the liquor in those glasses, came tumbling down.
Lily closed her eyes, knowing where those drinks were falling. Right on top of the guests sitting at table nineteen. A table of three men she’d been told were from the San Francisco Strikers. Players who often came in to relax after a game, ran up big tabs, and left generous tips. And one of them, a very tall, very strong looking, Greek god of a man, was now looking up at her from beneath his very wet hair.
“Oh, shoot!” she whispered as she saw her manager making a beeline for her, the jowls under his chin wobbling in anger as he worked up a good froth around his mouth.
Lily turned to the player, now mopping his face with a napkin. “I’m so, so sorry, sir.”
She didn’t get out another word before Donny was on her, jowls and all.
“That’s it, girlie. You’re out of here. I never should have even let you come in today. I knew yesterday, you were too damned much trouble to keep around. Klutzy as all get out and not much to look at,” he said, loud enough for everyone around them to hear, even with the booming music.
“Hey, buddy,” came from the sexy voice of the god she’d dropped all her drinks on. He rose to his full height and, oh my, it was an impressive height. “That’s no way to talk to a lady. And, besides, she’s a hell of a lot to look at.”
The big guy grinned down at her, and she was torn between being offended and the thrill his assessment gave her. But, she didn’t have time to analyze that. She was busy being fired. She did take the time to notice Donny’s sudden concern for the guest’s opinion, though. He turned to the big guy and began the kowtowing routine she’d seen him use on others.
“We’ll pay for your dry cleaning, sir. I’m so sorry. She won’t be a bother again. She won’t be working here anymore.”
The big guy laughed. “Dry cleaning?” He looked down at his clothes. “I’m wearing jeans and a t-shirt. I doubt I’ll need dry cleaning. And, you’re not listening to me. I don’t want her to be fired. I want you to treat her with a little more respect. In fact, if she leaves, so do we.” He looked over his shoulder at his friends, who all shrugged their shoulders and nodded, clearly ready to follow his lead if that’s what he thought they should do.
“Now, Mr. Kyle,” Donny started and it dawned on Lily. The big guy was Aiden Kyle. The Aiden Kyle of the San Francisco Strikers. She didn’t follow baseball, but everyone who lived in the area would recognize the name and maybe even the face. Oh, that face. The mocha brown eyes and square jaw with a bit of stubble, framed by short-cropped brown hair. She wanted to stare at that face a bit longer, but the confrontation between he and Donny continued, pulling her attention.
Aiden Kyle raised a brow at Donny, crossed his arms over his extraordinary—truly, truly extraordinary—chest and stared him down. It didn’t take long for Donny to cave. Before she knew what happened, he was apologizing to her and telling her to try carrying the tray in front of her instead of over her head, then shooing her away without giving her a chance to apologize to Mr. Kyle again. Lily met Katie back at the waitress station and watched Donny fawn over the baseball players, before turning to her friend.
“I’m so sorry, Katie. I have a feeling I’m gonna cause a lot more trouble for you than you’d planned when you got me this job.”
“Nonsense, honey,” said Katie, giving her a hug. “I believe in you and your business. This is the only way you’ll make enough money fast enough to save it. You’re living my dream, girl. You’re making your own life, building it up just the way you want it. I’ll be stuck slinging drinks for pervs forever. But not you, kid.”
They watched as Donny went back to his perch at the side of the stage.
“Besides,” Katie grinned at Lily, “I think you have a fan. Aiden Kyle hasn’t stopped watching you all night.”
Lily turned to see Aiden’s eyes on her and felt her cheeks flush. Even though she felt great relief at still having a job, she had to wonder what was motivating the man. She knew she was bright red when the next thought dawned on her. She turned to Katie.
“Katie, you don’t think ... I mean, you don’t ... Do you think he wants something in exchange for helping me keep my job?” She chewed at her lower lip, not at all prepared to go that far to keep her job, loan to pay or not.
Katie’s grin got even bigger. “Shoot, girl. If he does, have fun with that.” Her friend’s eyes turned to the table where the famous pitcher still sat watching Lily through hooded eyes. “That is one fine, fine piece of man.”