CHAPTER NINE
Nadine
The days went by and I slowly adapted to my new surroundings. I did my best to fit in with the other girls, and, for the most part, I did. Most of the other girls came from real poor backgrounds like I did.
And they all needed money. Except maybe Glory. And Madeline. I couldn’t figure them out. Glory seemed like she came from a lot of money but was trying to do things on her own or something. But of all the roommates she was the least friendly, so I didn’t ask.
And Madeline? She was a mystery. She said she didn’t come from money, but she seemed to know all the right, rich person things to do and say. She also had a fancy car and lots of designer clothing. I knew there was a story there, but if the other girls knew it, they weren’t talking.
Madeline worked with me on my grammar. It made me feel self-conscious that Carmen asked her to do that, but I also understood. When I first walked into Sugar, I was struck by how luxurious it was.
I guess when Carmen had said she had a sex club and a strip club, I’d pictured something seedy and kind of gross, like the strip club over in shitty Wilkins. It looked like a condemned building from the outside, and I’d never seen the inside, thank the good lord.
But this was something entirely different.
It was pure excess. Everything in Sugar looked like it cost a million bucks.
Even the women. I watched the ‘dancers’—that’s what they told us to call the strippers—perform with my mouth open.
They were so beautiful. Some of them were my roommates, too, but Carmen said I couldn’t cheer for them because that was trashy. So, I didn’t.
Carmen worked with me a lot on how to act.
“You’re kind of clumsy, but that’s okay. If you trip, just try to play it off. They’ll be staring at your body, anyway. Maybe they won’t notice.” She looked doubtful.
“I made it through the Miss Puckins Hog Pageant and got crowned Little Miss Bell Pepper all without tripping,” I said defensively.
“Well. Then you’ll be fine.”
I nodded, then felt like I should tell the whole truth. “Well, to be honest, Little Miss Bell Pepper was when I was five. I didn’t have to wear heels, you know? But I didn’t trip during the Miss Puckins Hog Pageant, which I know sounds like it was for hogs, not girls…”
“Also,” she interrupted, and I had the sneaking suspicion she wasn’t listening to me, “don’t forget they’re going to want to touch you. A little is fine, but don’t let them do too much.”
“Don’t worry. I got you. If there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s avoid men’s grabby hands.”
She looked a little sad when I said that, so I pasted on a big smile. That just made her even more sad, so I stopped trying.
“Okay. Well, I think you’re ready for your first night.”
That had been several days ago. And I had done alright except for that first night, when I’d dumped drinks on Enzo Salazar and the mayor. I even had a few customers who already asked for me by name. But then last night had happened.
I woke up this morning and covered my face with my pillow. I just wished I could forget the previous evening.
I had been so embarrassed that I’d dropped an entire tray of champagne on two of the fancy schmancy partygoers at one of Carmen and Nico’s other clubs, Salazar Nights. The fanciest partygoers. The mayor and his girlfriend.
I wondered how quickly I’d get fired for that catastrophe. It probably wouldn’t take long. The Salazars got things done. They still scared me, and Nico was the worst. And he almost never smiled.
So, for me to screw up in front of him, again, made me scared he would fire me, or push Carmen to do it, sooner rather than later.
I was trying not to cry when my bedroom door opened, and all my roommates came pouring in.
“What the hell?” I pulled the sheets up over my Bratz pajamas.
I didn’t want them to see me in them. I’d always wanted some when I was little, but Mama had still been putting me in pageants back then and couldn’t afford anything extra.
When I got my first paycheck, I’d gone shopping and gotten some.
I’d sent a pair home to Jelly, too. She had always wanted them growing up, but her grandma had said those dolls didn’t set a good example for little girls.
I’d only talked to Jelly once since I’d been here. I would feel guilty about it, but she’d straight up told me not to worry about calling her until I was settled. It still felt strange to be so out of touch, though.
“Girl. You. Are. Famous!” Madeline came and jumped on my bed, making me forget all about Jelly.
“Huh?”
“Look.” Glory held her phone out to me. There was a dirty picture of some hot guy in a tux fucking some girl from behind. Or at least that’s what it looked like.
I read the caption below the photo out loud. “Mayor Taylor gets up close and personal with a hostess at Salazar Nights.”
Why were they showing me this?
I frowned for a minute, not understanding what I was seeing. Then I gasped and dropped the phone.
“Oh my God. Oh no.” It was me. The hot guy was the mayor.
“We weren’t doing anything, obviously. Why did they print that?” Then it dawned on me. I covered my face with my hands. “Why does stuff like this happen to me?”
“It’s not that bad, Nadine,” Madeline soothed.
“No, you don’t understand,” I wailed and collapsed back onto my pillow. “He was the hot guy from the premiere table the night I spilled drinks. Now I’ve spilled drinks on his bitch girlfriend, and then this?” I gestured to the picture on Glory’s phone. “Oh, Jesus.”
Abbi came over and gave me a hug. “It’ll be okay, Nadine. Nico and Carmen say that almost any press is good press for the nightclubs.”
“The mayor, though?” Glory snorted. “God, that girlfriend of his is going to flip the fuck out. I wouldn’t be surprised if she dumps him.”
“She should,” Bethany said. “He’s at Cayenne every other night fucking around on her.”
“Truth, bitch,” Madeline said and gave her five. Then she got a thoughtful look on her face. “Although, I don’t think he’s been around that often lately. Maybe he’s being faithful to her?”
Bethany laughed. “Yeah, right.”
Daisy smiled but looked concerned. “Are you okay?” she asked me.
I nodded but I might have been lying. “It’s not the first time I’ve spilled a drink on him, at least. He’s probably a little used to it.”
“Listen, don’t sweat it,” Glory said, tossing her dark, curly hair over her shoulder. “I bet the mayor doesn’t even care. That man can do nothing wrong in this town. His approval rating will go up because all the men in this town will think he’s awesome.”
My phone rang, and we all looked at it.
“One of y’all look. I’m too scared.”
Abbi picked it up and winced. “It’s Carmen.”
“Dammit!” I flopped back on the bed. “Which one of y’all is going to drive me back to Puckins?”
Madeline grabbed the phone. “Oh, stop that. You’re not fired.” She answered my phone. “Nadine’s phone, this is Madeline.”
She listened for a minute. “Okay. Yeah, I’ll tell her. No problem.” She hung up and stared at me. “So, don’t freak out. Carmen wants to see you in her office when you get up and get ready.”
“Oh, God!” I wailed.
“She didn’t sound mad,” Madeline said.
“How could she not be?” I asked.
“Just go ahead and get ready, Nadine. Let’s get this over with,” Abbi said kindly.
“Okay.” I put my feet on the floor, no longer worried about whether or not they saw my pajamas.
God. I hoped Carmen didn’t fire me. I could not even imagine going home to Mama with no money and no job prospects.