Chapter 4 #2
“Let’s hope he keeps it together, but you seem stressed.” He reaches out and takes my hand, rubbing tiny circles around my wrist. In movies, this would be the romantic part, but it’s weird and ticklish, and not in a good way. “Are you okay?”
I have to hold back the tears. I pull my hand from his and take a sip of my water before I reveal my shitty day. “Unfortunately, today’s not my day. I’ve lost my job,” I confess. The weight of the truth coming out feels slightly cathartic, but the feeling is brief.
“What happened?”
“My boss is a real hard case, and apparently I’m just too responsible with my time. I was a minute late, and that was enough to fire me.” I don’t want to explain everything else because he doesn’t need to know all that. Besides, he’s interested in me too.
“Well, sorry to hear that. Unfortunately there’s not a lot of places hiring at the moment, and seasonal jobs are almost over. As shitty as it is to say, you’re gorgeous, so there are other opportunities for you.”
I hold my hand up, stopping him from saying something stupid and rude. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to suggest something terrible, especially from a man of your position.” I stand up from my chair, and he reaches out, taking my wrist.
“Wait. Don’t go.” I sit back down, giving him a moment to redeem himself.
“No, of course not.” He shakes his head and then lowers his voice. “But there are clubs that you could work at as a server, or if you wanted real money…” He doesn’t have to finish that sentence for me to figure it out.
“Excuse me, but what can I get for you?” the server asks, coming up to us. I’ve forgotten all about the food. I don’t really have money to spend, and I don’t want Tony to pay for me.
“I’m buying,” he reminds me. “Please don’t do that split-bill thing.”
“Fine. I’ll have the two chicken taco dinner, please.”
“Cilantro and onion?” he asks me.
“Yes, please.”
“I’ll have the three steak taco dinner, please, with the same. Thanks.” He takes our menus and walks away with a small smile.
“Thank you for dinner.”
“I’m here for you, Angel.”
“Why?”
“Because I like you.”
“As a friend, or…”
“I think I’m a little too old for just friends,” he admits. I’m not, but I need a job, and he’s the only one to help, so I say, “Let’s just take it slow.”
“I can do that. Are you interested in the job?” Do I want to be a waitress at a club? And from the tone in his voice, not a particularly enviable club.
“Yes, but I’m a little too young, aren’t I?” He knew that so I’m not sure why he’d even suggest a place that sold alcohol.
“To sell the booze? Yes. But to serve it? No.”
“I wouldn’t even know where to begin,” I admit, biting down on the bottom right corner of my lip.
“Well, we deal with these people all the time, and it would be nice to have a good girl working there instead of the drug addicts and prostitutes, you know?” I am a good girl, and I’m sure many of those girls started off that way too.
Working in those places can send you into a spiral, so I’ve heard.
Who knows? Perhaps they’re wrong and those women are just like me, looking for a way to make money and a way out of a shitty life.
Still, the government doesn’t take fondly to strip clubs for employment. “Oh. Yeah. I’m not sure if I could do that. I’ve never done anything like that, and I’m trying to focus on caring for my brother. I doubt the state would appreciate me working at a strip club.”
“They won’t appreciate you being unemployed and homeless either. I’m just giving you an option…” The server brings us our food, setting it on the table in front of us.
“Thank you,” I say, smiling at the man.
He nods and then asks if we need anything. “No, thank you,” Anthony answers, sending him away with a look. He turns back to me and continues, “And I think it’s a fair option.”
“Thank you for the option, but I’m hoping there are better choices out there. In fact, I’m going to see if any of the seasonal ones could use the help.”
“Fine, but I’m telling you that there isn’t much work.” We finish dinner with some small talk, and then he drives me home. “Thank you for joining me tonight.” He leans in and slides his hand over my jaw, kissing my lips. I gently pull back and sigh.
“Goodnight, Tony.” I open the door and step out before he tries anything else.
“Goodnight, beautiful.”
****
Three days later, with no luck at any of the retailers, I message Tony. Could you please provide me with the contact information? It would seem I’m out of luck.
I’ll have to take you there.
Okay.
Instant regret hits me as soon as I press send, but I don’t really have a choice. I’m about to be a server at a strip club. I sigh and dig in my closet for something nice to wear. Before my parents passed away, I had a lot of nice clothes, so that isn’t something I have to worry about.
Another message comes in. The owner can meet you in two hours. Be ready, and I’ll come to get you.
I want to tell him to forget it, but I’m out of options, and bills are due soon. Okay.
“Hey, what’s going on, Sis?” Noah asks, looking at me with concern.
“Nothing.”
“You look stressed.”
“It’s nothing. I suppose it’s that time of the year. You know—without Mom and Dad,” I sigh. He nods and then gives me a big hug.
“I miss them too,” he whispers. “But they would be proud of you, Angel. You are a great big sister.”
I pull back and look at the growing young man in front of me, hoping he understands how much I truly love him. “Thank you, Noah. I’m just trying to do my best for you.”
“You are. You are doing the best. I have everything I need.”
“Good. Now I just need you to keep up the good work. Tomorrow is the last day of school, so what do you plan to do to keep busy over the break?”
“I don’t know. Hang with my friends?”
“As long as you stay out of trouble.”
“Of course.” I get a sick, twisted pain in my stomach that something is up.
“Where are you going?”
“Out with Tony.”
“Tony?”
“Officer Fields.”
He raises his eyebrows. “You’re going out with the cop again?”
“Yes, but it’s not serious.”
“Does he know that? You better be careful.”
“I will.” I quickly get ready and then wait for Tony, who doesn’t take long. He’s faster than I expected, coming only an hour after I messaged him. I step outside, and he’s in his squad car.
“Hop in back.” I think it’s a little strange, but I do it anyway. We make the driver, which takes longer than I expected. Working at this place isn’t going to be fun already. How the hell am I going to get home after a shift?
“This place is pretty far.”
“You can take an Uber when I can’t drive you home,” he answers my concerns. “You look pretty hot tonight.”
“Thanks. I thought that was the idea.”
“Yes, but they might want to hire you for a dancing position with the way you look.” He tilts his head toward the back seat and checks out my legs.
“Eyes on the wheel, Officer.”
“Sorry, but damn, you are fine as hell, Ms. Scott.”
“Thank you. I guess I’ll make good tips.” I smile, and then we come to a stop at the club, and my smile fades. The nerves rush in, and I’m not ready for this.
Witnessing the sudden shift in me, Tony grabs my shoulder and squeezes. “Don’t worry. You got this.”
Twenty minutes later, I’ve been hired and asked to start that night.
By the end of the week, I have made a pretty penny, but I’m tired.
“Girl, you did good as a server, but you are too hot for that,” Cherry says, walking up to me as she stuffs her money into her bra. “You could be making a lot more.”
“I’m not sure.”
“I’m telling you, girl. You’ve got it all, and the men were eyeing you more than some of the girls on stage, and they were half naked.”
“Do you think?”
“Yes, I do. If I were you, I’d at least give it a decent shot.”
“Do you think the boss would allow it?”
“Girl, you’re an adult. I’ll have you on tomorrow night,” the manager says, coming up behind me. “Cherry is right. Their eyes were focused on you.”
“Okay. What do I have to do?” He gives me a rundown of what tomorrow night will be like, and I’m getting more and more excited. I love dancing, and all I have to do is pretend I’m alone as Cherry recommends. I can make a killing, and that would make my life a lot easier.
“Great. We’ll see you tomorrow.” I smile and head outside where Tony is waiting for me in his squad car.
“Come on. I’ll give you a ride home, but from now on, you’re going to have to find your own way home. It isn’t appropriate,” he says. As soon as we arrive at my house, he lets me out, and I walk straight to my door without allowing him to stop me. “Don’t tell me you’re pissed,” he calls out.
I whip my head around with my key in the door. “Don’t. You told me my job was okay to have, and now you’re telling me that you giving me a ride is now inappropriate,” I hiss. “I’ll figure out my own way. Thanks for the lift, Officer Fields.”
He takes the steps two at a time and then slides his hand over my cheek. “Please don’t be like that, Angel. I just caught some shit from my boss today, and I want the tension to die down.”
“You started this,” I remind him.
“I’m sorry for being a jerk. You’re right, but I still want to see you.”
“Fine, but when we both have time.”
“Good. Goodnight, beautiful.” He kisses my lips again, and I feel nothing. Pulling away, I open the door, slipping in and closing it behind me before he can invite himself in. I’m totally done with the bipolar cop.
Hopefully, I’ll cut ties with him tomorrow and never have to see him again.