A Chance Encounter

“Say the word and I’ll put you back on that stage,” he says, taking a sip of his drink. “I’ve already had a dozen men ask why you aren’t on the floor tonight.” Tonight is my first official night behind the bar. For the last six years I’ve been on the floor, serving, and on the stage, dancing, but since this is my last year of school before I apply to law schools, I feel it’s best if I get off the stage and floor and keep my clothes on.

“It’s not the stage that makes the money and you know it…” It’s the private dances you get from showing your ass off on the stage. And working at the bar means no private dances, which means no percentage or tips that come with them. But I’ve been saving like hell, knowing I wouldn’t be working the floor forever. It was a quick way to earn a good amount of money and it did what I needed it to do. I’ve just started my senior year of college, free and clear of any debt, and I have a good amount put away for law school. I probably should’ve stayed on the floor a little longer, saved a little more, so I’d have a more padded cushion, but I’m twenty-five years old and tired of taking my clothes off. Plus, next year I’m going to be applying for internships at law firms, so I need to get used to making less money.

Dante swallows the last of his drink and stands. “I’m heading to your place. Naomi conned me into bringing her pizza and ice cream.”

I laugh. “She didn’t con you into anything. You’re pussy-whipped. Just admit it.” Dante and Naomi have been dating for the last three years, since she gave in and gave him a chance, after she quit working at Emerald’s to start her own business. He’s obsessed with her, and it would be sickening to watch if I weren’t so happy for the both of them.

“Yeah, I am.” He smiles wide and nods, pulling a fifty-dollar bill out and dropping it onto the bar top. I would tell him that’s too much for his drink and tip, but I already know he’ll just wave me off. He owns the club—and several others—so technically he shouldn’t even be paying, but he always pays and tips big. Naomi jokes that it’s his way of contributing to the single mom college fund.

“Give my girls a kiss for me,” I call after him, setting a napkin in front of a gentleman who just walked up and sat down.

“Will do.”

I turn my attention to the gentleman. “Welcome to Emerald’s. What can I get you?”

He drags his gaze down my body. “How about you, sweetheart?”

“Rise and shine, Sunshine.” I lift the blanket and the cutest little pair of blue eyes pop open. She stretches her tiny body and her dirty-blond curls fan out across her pillow.

“It’s so early,” she whines, sounding more like a teenager than the six-year-old she is.

“It’s seven o’clock and you have to get ready for school.”

The mention of school has her perking up slightly. While she hates getting up early, often sleeping in as late as ten on the weekends—I know, I can’t believe I lucked out either—she loves school.

“Fine.” She sits up, wiping the sleep from her eyes with her little fists. “Can I have pancakes for breakfast?”

“If you get ready quickly, yes.”

Her eyes light up. “With chocolate chips?”

“Only if you hurry. Brush your hair and teeth and get dressed.” I pat her leg and stand. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

“Okay.”

While she gets dressed, I whip up a batch of chocolate chip pancakes, then go about getting my stuff ready for class today.

“Morning,” Naomi chirps, gliding into the kitchen in a cute pink wraparound dress and nude heels.

“What has you so happy?” I follow her into the kitchen and grab two mugs, pouring us each a steaming cup of coffee.

“Felicia Kreinbring has hired me to do her wedding.” She beams. When I raise my brows, having no clue why that’s significant, she sighs. “Felicia Kreinbring is the fiancée of Drake Mourning, the NBA star who plays for New York. If she’s pleased with my work, she’ll no doubt recommend me to her friends. Plus, just having their names on my referral list will speak volumes.”

Naomi runs a successful event planning business called An Affair to Remember, and she’s determined to take it to the next level. “Congratulations!” I wrap my arms around her for a hug. “You’re going to kill it. You always do.”

“Thank you.” We separate and she takes a sip of her coffee. “Dante said last night was kind of rough…”

“Bartenders don’t make a fourth of what dancers make.”

“The downfall of leaving your clothes on.” Naomi quit stripping when she decided to open her own business. Her parents were so thrilled she was taking the initiative to do something with her life, they gave her the startup capital. She took it seriously and created a wonderful business for herself—paying her parents back with interest.