| |
“You want that responsibility?”
Flo shrugged. “I mean, I’m doing it some days, so I don’t see why it would be so hard to do it every day.”
“What are you going to do on your days off?” I asked.
Flo leaned back in her chair. “I could have a meal prepared that the girls can either warm themselves, or it can be something that is supposed to be eaten cold. And if it comes down to it, I could always ask Constance to handle the meals on my days off.”
Flo had just sprung on me that she always wanted to have a meal ready and available for the girls whenever they were working. On random nights, I would have something in the dressing room, but I was not consistent with having something in there. “You’re really taking on the house mom role fully, huh?” I laughed.
She shrugged. “I mean, it is my job, right?”
I nodded. “It is, but I don’t want you to take on more than you can handle. Once you start doing this for the girls, they’re going to expect it all of the time. Right now, they know they get a meal when I get a wild feather in my hair.” And that was the damn truth because some days, it was more than enough to get the girls on the stage and booze in the drinks. Though, bringing on Flo was supposed to help take some of that pressure off me.
“I can handle it. I know when my mom used to dance, there was a woman who made meals for the girls and made sure they had everything they needed. She had a sort of store set up so if the girls forgot something, they could get it at the club. I know when I danced for a few years, I always went on stage starving and would have loved to be able to grab an actual healthy snack or meal in between sets.”
I shrugged. I couldn’t comment because I never danced on stage. Slung drinks and waitressed, yes. Slapped on some titty tassels and shook what the good Lord gave me? Negative. “You wanna do it, do it. Let me know how much you think you’re going to need, and I’ll get the money to you tomorrow.”
Flo clasped her hands together. “Seriously?”
“Wish granted, Flo. Just don’t feed the girls too good, or they are never going to want to leave the dressing room.”
“Is it okay if I talk to Constance about helping out when it’s my days off?”
I nodded and grabbed the schedule. “Shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll try to schedule her on your days off, and if I can’t, I’ll help out.” I guess throwing something in the crockpot or whatever was basically what I was doing now. Flo would have it all planned out, and I would just need to follow her instructions.
Flo jumped up and clutched her clipboard to her chest. “Thanks so much, Mitzy! You’re really not as big of a bitch as you come off as.”
I waved my hand at her and laughed. “You’re not the first person I’ve heard that from. Now get out of here.”
Flo laughed and dashed out the door.
I glanced at the clock and saw it was half-past ten. I was done with my work for the night, and I knew Raelyn was hanging out at the bar while Memphis worked. Monk wasn’t at home, so I didn’t feel the need to rush back to an empty house. That was a new feeling. Normally, I was more than ready to leave the club behind and just find some solace at home.
It was different now that Monk was in my life.
It was crazy how quickly things changed.
I turned off the light in my office and wandered down the hall to the bar. Raelyn was perched on a barstool with Jinx sitting next to her.
“Hey,” Raelyn called when she spotted me. “I was wondering if you were going to come and hang out with me.”
I nodded to Onya behind the bar and sat next to Raelyn. “Just ice water for me. I need to drive home.” Onya filled a glass with water and ice, and set it in front of me.
“You’re lame,” Raelyn jested. “I already had three thingies and one of those other things.”
I leaned back and looked at Jinx.
He shook his head and held up five fingers.
Raelyn leaned back and tried to see what Jinx was doing. “Are you using your fingers about me?” she slurred.
Jinx shrugged.
“He was just telling me I should steal third base.” I took a sip of my water and tried not to laugh.
“Uh, what?” Raelyn asked. “Are we talking about soccer now?”
“And I think this is the point where we switch you to water now,” Jinx laughed. He grabbed her half-full glass and pushed it to Onya. “Raelyn needs to start being lame, too.”
Onya winked at Jinx. “You got it, handsome.”
I might have thought Onya was hitting on Jinx under normal circumstances, but her being behind the bar, I knew she was angling for the best tip she could get. Everyone became handsome, honey, or sweetie when you were bartending. The dancers made the big tips, and then it was a fight between the bartenders and waitresses to do what they could to get the rest of the customers’ money.
“Have you seen Memphis tonight?” Raelyn asked. “She looks super pretty. I bet she’s making bank tonight.”
“I think that’s every night, honey.” I laughed and turned on my barstool to look at the club. “And it’s pretty busy tonight, so I’m sure she’s raking in the tips.”
Raelyn managed to swivel around with the help of Jinx and ended up leaning into me. “Do you think I need to tip Memphis? She brought me all of my drinks.”
I patted her arm. “That’s up to you.” Only Raelyn would worry about tipping Memphis, her best friend.
“I has no money. I’m going to make Playboy give her a huge tip when he comes to pick me up.” She patted my arm. “It’s nice having a boyfriend.”
I glanced at Raelyn. “You came here with no money?”
She hiccupped and nodded. “I had money, but I forgot to grab it, and Playboy said not to worry about it. He parked me on this stool, and Memphis has been feeding me drinks all night.”
“I told you not to worry about it, Raelyn,” Jinx drawled. “I can see the tips Memphis is picking up, and I promise she’s more than fine.”
Raelyn waved her hand at him. “Don’t tell me I can’t pay for Memphis.”
Jinx shook his head with a smirk on his lips. “Ol’ ladies are a fucking trip.”
“What time do you think the guys are going to be done?” Raelyn asked. “I have to pee.”
Two thoughts that somehow came out together. Yeah, Raelyn was drunk.
I grabbed Raelyn’s hand. “I’ll take you to the bathroom.”
“Oh, yeah,” Raelyn cheered. “Sisters never go to the bathroom alone.”
I nodded to Jinx. “I’ve got her.” I managed to get Raelyn to the bathroom with only tripping three times and falling into an empty table.
“It’s so clean in here,” Raelyn gasped. “Are you sure we’re still in a strip club?” She grabbed the box of Kleenex and petted it. “You know, I never in a million years thought I would be hanging out in a strip club while my boyfriend is out being a badass.”
I grabbed the box of Kleenex from her and guided her into the stall. “Yet, here we are,” I laughed. “Living the dream.”
Raelyn plopped down on the toilet seat and looked up at me. “I like it. The only thing that would make it better was if Leona was here.”
Leona had left a huge wound in a lot of people. Raelyn was probably the worst because she had known her for a long time. “You know she’d be right here with you tearing things up.”
Raelyn smiled sadly. “I told her about you. Well, she knew about you, but I told her the other day when I went to go visit her grave that you were actually nice and not a bitch.”
That was the second time I had heard that tonight. “Well, I appreciate that. I tend to be a tough nut to crack, but I do have a heart underneath it all.”
“I’m gonna pee my pants,” Raelyn gasped. She jumped up from the toilet, and I slammed shut the stall door. There went our little heart to heart.
Raelyn peeing was not something I needed to see.
“Wow,” Raelyn gasped. “I have officially broken the seal.”
I leaned against the counter and tried not to laugh my ass off. “You do know you’re gonna pee about ten more times, right?”
“Maybe I’ll just stay here in the pretty bathroom then.” She sighed, and then I heard the toilet flush. “Memphis can come hang out in here, so she doesn’t have to be by that awful Rain.” She opened the door and stumbled back. She managed to hold onto the side of the stall and not sit back down.
“Rain’s days are numbered around here. And I know Monk is keeping an eye on her. Pretty sure if she even looks at Memphis the wrong way, she’s going to get fired even if we still need her.”
Raelyn walked out of the stall and turned on the faucet. “I doubt that. Monk doesn’t like Memphis and me.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think you could have that any more wrong.”
Raelyn scoffed. “Girl, you didn’t see the way he looked at us when Leo brought us in.” Raelyn pumped a shit-ton of soap into her hands and lathered them up.
“Well, I’m sure he wasn’t exactly happy about that, but you gotta know he doesn’t hate you two. I think he just knows you two are...a slight distraction for the club who he does like at the end of the day.” Yeah, that was probably about right.
Raelyn burst out laughing. “I think that is the nicest way to say that Memphis and I are annoying.”
I mean, they weren’t annoying to me, but I’m sure they grated Monk’s nerves a bit. He was a more to-the-point guy than Playboy or Six-Gun were, so it was a good Raelyn and Memphis had found men who were such a good fit.
“What are you thinking about?” Raelyn asked. She turned off the water and wiped her hands on her pants.
I grabbed a paper towel and handed it to her. “Uh, I was just thinking that you and Playboy are a pretty good match. Same with Memphis and Six-Gun.”
“And now you and Monk.” She grabbed the paper towel and finished drying her hands. “You two go together so perfectly that it’s almost stupid that it didn’t happen sooner.”
“There is no Monk and me,” I replied.
Raelyn rolled her eyes and leaned against the counter next to me. “Still denying it, huh?”
“Denying what?” I laughed. I knew exactly what she was talking about.
“You and Monk being an item.”
“Monk and I are... we just are.”
Raelyn scoffed. “Are. That’s it. You’re are.” She laid her head on my shoulder. “Honey, I hate to break it to you, but I’m the drunk one, and I’m making more sense than you are.”
A knocked sounded on the door. “Yo,” Jinx called. “Playboy is here, and I’m supposed to follow you home.”
“Yay!” Raelyn squealed. She darted out of the bathroom, knocking the door into Jinx.
“Jesus, woman,” he laughed. “Can you give me a second to back up before you come barreling at me like a deranged moose?”
“I’m not a moose,” Raelyn called. “I’m a gazelle.” She ran down the hallway and out to the bar.
“You coming out like a gazelle, too?” Jinx asked.
I stepped out and shook my head. “I need about ten drinks to get to that gazelle stage.”
Jinx shook his head. “Ol’ ladies are fucking loony. You ready to hit it?”
I nodded and led the way back to the bar. Raelyn was draped over Playboy like it had been five years since she had seen him, and not two hours.
“Byeee,” Raelyn called. “Have fun with Monkey.”
My steps faltered at the name, and even Jinx looked shocked.
“I am so calling him Monkey when I drop you off.” Jinx smiled wide. “You ol’ ladies sure are crazy, but you do make shit interesting.”
I didn’t argue with Jinx grouping me into ol’ ladies.
Monk and I were just starting out, but I had to admit it felt right. Nothing was forced, and he seemed to actually understand me. I wanted to be loved, but I didn’t want to be caged.
Jinx followed behind me on his bike, and I had my window rolled down with my hand floating along the breeze. I cranked the radio, and Halestorm and The Pretty Reckless' sounds blasted from the speakers.
Two miles from my house, I noticed Jinx flashing his lights at me. I turned down the radio, but the car pulled to the left abruptly, and I struggled to grip the wheel. All of a sudden, the right front of my car crashed to the ground, and I lost control. The car skidded to the shoulder, and then the world turned upside down.
One.
Two.
Three.
CRASH.
The car landed on its side, and I was smashed up against the door. My chest felt like it was crushed, and I struggled to breathe.
“Help,” I gasped. “Help me.”
My eyes struggled to focus, and I felt something dripping down my face. Pain flashed red before my eyes when I tried to move my arm, but it would move. A freight train of agony rocked through me, and then the world went dark.
*
