Penny gasped and shook her head. “Stripper? Oh, no. Bartender. Says here that no stripping is required. I have experience, about a year. I work down at the Pier. I…uh…”
“Relax, honey. What’s your name?”
“Penny. Well, Penelope Richards, but everyone calls me Penny.”
“Penny.” He repeated it and then sat back and crossed his arms, scrutinizing her again. “No offense, honey, but again, you don’t look like you belong here. Shit, you look like you’re about to take off runnin’.”
Damn it! She needed this job. Her eyes watered, which was something that had been happening more and more lately. She never used to cry. Probably because she never had reason to cry. Everything had always been handed to her on a silver platter. Literally. Her parents actually served their food in a formal dining room and used silver serving platters and fine china. “I know I don’t look like I fit in, but I will. I can. I promise. I’m a very hard worker and I promise to be committed to this job. I don’t do gossip, I mind my own business. I get along great with everyone. I won’t lie, I’m not the best bartender, but I’m a fast learner.”
“Okay.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “You seem hard up for work. You also seem kind of desperate. Desperate people are always either the best employees or the worst. Someone gave me a chance one time, I can do the same for you. But you have to do something for me.”
Her eyes opened and she held her breath. This was it. This is where he was going to ask for some sort of sexual favor. That’s what these tattooed strip-club people did, right?
“Relax.” He said, and she drew her eyebrows together in confusion. “Relax. That’s the favor I need from you. You’re really wound up.” He squeezed her shoulder and smiled. He had a devastatingly wonderful smile. It made her immediately feel at ease. “How soon can you start?”
“As soon as possible,” she said. Joe gave her a tentative work schedule and her hourly rate, as well as an approximation of the tips the bartenders normally received. Instead of working six days a week, she could cut back to one day at the Pier and four days at Ruby’s, and quit EE’s Diner all together. “Do me a solid, though, if you’re going to quit the Pier, give Patsy enough time to find a replacement, yeah? Patsy’s good people, I don’t want to leave her in a bind.”
“Okay, no problem.”
“Come on back with me, I’ll give you your uniform, some paperwork, and show you around.” Joe led her to the back where she passed by more girls dancing and a group of men drinking and flirting with a stripper who was giving one of the men a lap dance. Then he led her to what he called the “girls’ changing room,” which was lined with different outfits. One wall was set up with mirrors, a long table and a lot of makeup, hair products, blow-dryers, and flat irons. Toward the back of that room were lockers and a closet. He opened one and handed her some shorts, much like the ones she wore at the Pier, and a very form-fitted black spandex top with a plunging neckline and Ruby’s logo written on the back. “Here you go, that’s your uniform and here’s a T-shirt so you don’t have to go home all sticky and wet.”
Her eyes widened and her face immediately reddened. He snorted out a laugh. “What was the first and only rule?”
“Relax?” It was meant to come out assertively but sounded more like a question.
“Yes, relax. Lighten up. I was talking about your wet shirt. By the color, I assume it was some sort of fruity drink. You’re probably all sticky.”
She glanced down. “Oh.” She took the shirt and looked back at him. “Oh, yeah. Thanks.”
“I think you may have a dirty little mind there, honey.” He smiled, handed her some papers, and walked out to give her a chance to change into the shirt. “See you in two weeks. Make sure you bring all those filled out. If you can start earlier give me a ring.”
A few minutes later, with a handful of uniforms and a whole lot of relief, she walked out of the changing room and toward the front door.
“Oh, you got the job!” Darlene said as she walked by, looking at the uniform in Patsy’s hand.
“I did.”
“Great! See you soon.” Darlene strutted away looking perky and happy. It amazed Penny how the woman was so comfortable with her body she’d practically strutted away. Penny was still looking over her shoulder in awe of Darlene’s confidence when she began to walk toward the door.
Bam!
“Motherfuck—”
“Sorry!” She shrieked as another drink was spilled on her. She hadn’t even started and she’d probably get fired soon.
She looked up to see a man who seemed somewhat familiar. “Oh, no. I am so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was walking and—”
“Penny?” She looked over the man’s shoulder to a very familiar Texan who’d been the object of her affection since moving to Tarpon Springs.
“Travis?” She said, then she put two and two together. “Oh, and you’re Iggy?” she asked the man who was wiping his shirt.
“You’re that cute little bartender from the Pier, aren’t you?” Iggy said.
“Yes. Well, not the cute part, but the part about me working at the Pier.” Why did she have to be so awkward. She exhaled loudly and continued. “You’re Iggy, right?” She said again with an apologetic smile.
“Yep. And you know Trav—” He started to point to Travis but Travis interrupted.
“She knows who I am.” A strong, calloused hand took her forearm and pulled her toward him, possessively.
Love stories you’ll never forget
By authors you’ll always remember
eOriginal Romance from Random House
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Fighting Dirty Page 25