Midnight Ballerina (11 page)

“Well, that explains a lot. I feel like such a bitch for setting you up with him. And then I just left you with him? This is all my fault. I’m so sorry, Roe.”

I could tell she was upset and I instantly felt relieved. I didn’t know what I would do without her. “Amelia, it’s not your fault and I’m not going to let you blame yourself. Listen, can we talk about this later? Or maybe just be done with it? I don’t know if I can keep reliving it over and over again. I just got to work, so I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Anything you want, Monroe. I owe you big time. I still can’t believe—” She abruptly stopped talking, hiccupping loudly. “Sorry. I’m done talking about it, I promise. Have a good night at work.”

I tossed my phone into my purse after saying goodbye and found a hair tie to pull my hair up for my shift. Vanessa was still standing there and I gave her a small smile. “Sorry, I didn’t catch what you were trying to say when I walked in.”

“Well, I was just wondering what you were doing here. Randy took you off the schedule for the night.”

I groaned as I stepped out of my shoes and slipped on the pair of heels that were well worn in since I ran my butt off every night that I worked. “Well, I’m here. I guess I’ll go talk to him and make sure that it’s okay if I work. I need the money.”

“Oh, I know that feeling, girl. I’ll catch up with ya in a bit then.”

I headed out into the club, which was packed. It was the most people I had ever seen in there at one time. Randy was standing near the bar, talking to the bartender, so I took off in that direction.

“Hey.” I tapped on his shoulder twice to get his attention and he briefly glanced at me, doing a double-take once he realized who it was. His eyes darted past me for just a second and when I followed his line of vision, I saw that he was clearly checking out Vanessa as she stepped onto the stage. He shook his head once, like he was forcing himself to look away, before focusing on me.

“Monroe, wasn’t expecting you tonight, darlin’. Couldn’t stay away? Mr. Buchanan said you needed some time off.”

“I decided I didn’t want the time off. Could you still use another waitress tonight?”

“Sure, sure,” he replied with a wave of his hands, effectively dismissing me. “Find Bianca, she’s working two sections. You can take one of hers.”

I found Bianca quickly, who surprisingly gave me some of her tables. I expected some kind of fight from her since she liked to act as if she were in charge, but money was money so I didn’t question it. I was glad to see a few of my regular customers seated in my section and it seemed to help the night go by quicker. When I first started working at Pure, I was worried that I would constantly get hit on or have to deal with a bunch of drunks fawning over the half-naked women on stage, but that really wasn’t the case. Most of the people were just there to have a good time and occasionally, there were even a few women sprinkled into the mix.

Then I saw Gary and my whole fantastic night came to a crashing halt. Gary was the exception to my usual customers. He was an older guy that always came by himself and drank. A ton. And somehow, he always ended up in my section. I don’t know if he requested it to be that way, or what.

At first, I felt sorry for him and tried to pay more attention to him than the other customers who came in with groups of friends or their girlfriends. But then he started making comments here and there about wanting to see me up on the stage or how good my legs looked on that particular night. Next came the accidental touches when I brought him a drink, or how he somehow always needed to use the bathroom whenever I came by and he would brush past me.

Maybe I was overthinking the whole situation and they were just coincidental, but after last night, I didn’t feel like dealing with him. Bianca probably stuck me with him on purpose. “Hi Gary. What can I get for ya?”

“Ah, my Tink is here! My night just got a whole lot better.” His lips curled into a grin underneath the graying mustache that only helped to add to his creeper status. Tink was a name that just sort of stuck. When I first started, one of the regulars said I reminded them of a dark-haired Tinkerbell, and according to the girls, it was safer that way so if I ever did decide to dance, I didn’t have some weirdo trying to stalk me armed with my real name. Gary would probably be the first one in line.

I forced a smile onto my face, nodding along as he began to talk my ear off until he finally told me what he was drinking for the night. He liked to mix it up and I think was attempting to try every kind of alcohol that was available at the bar. I made a few rounds before delivering his drink, and he leaned in as I sat it down on the table for him, his fingers brushing against my arm before I yanked it away.

“Don’t touch me,” I snapped, tired of assholes thinking it was their right just because of my place of employment. He sat back in his seat as if I’d slapped him, his bushy eyebrows knitted together, and I pressed a hand to my chest, trying to calm my racing heartbeat. “I’m sorry, Gary. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I just—”

“Is there a problem here?” A deep voice vibrated from behind me with that southern twang that made my stomach flip flop every time. I felt a hand land on my elbow as I was pulled back against Miller’s chest.

“Of course not, Mr. Buchanan,” Gary replied, throwing his hands up in the air. “Just enjoying my drink. You got yourself a fine waitress here is all. Just a misunderstanding, I suppose.”

Miller grunted from behind me. “I see. Well then, can you excuse us? Enjoy your night.” Miller tugged on my elbow and I hurried to keep up with his fast pace as he headed away from the stage. Instead of taking me to the back, he went in the opposite direction down the hallway that I knew led to his office. After opening the door and shutting it behind us, he ushered me toward a leather couch. “Sit,” he demanded as if I were a dog or something. I reluctantly listened, but sat right on the edge, not wanting him to think that I was being too cooperative. “Didn’t I tell you to take the night off?” He crouched down in front of me. His full lips pursed together as he steepled his hands under his chin. “What in the hell are you doing here, Monroe?”

“Randy said it was okay. I didn’t think you would be here.” I tucked my hands underneath my legs and rocked forward slightly. I could see why pretty much everyone was intimidated by him. With the way he was looking at me, I wanted to run and hide in the corner.

“So, you figured it was okay to work? You do know I own the place, right?”

“Yes, but—”

“But nothing. You’re off the floor for the night. I’ll deal with Randy.”

“Miller. The main reason why I came in was because I need to get paid. I have bills and I just had to get my car fixed. I’m doing fine, I swear.”

“Doesn’t matter.” He shook his head. “After last night, you don’t need to be dealing with the shit that happens out there. Why are you even working in a place like this, Monroe? I can tell you aren’t the usual type.”

“Is there really a
usual
type? Vanessa doesn’t seem like she should be in a place like this either.”

He stood up, crossing the room to sit behind his desk where he picked up a picture frame, tapping it twice before setting it back down. “Vanessa has her reasons for being here. But she could also find another job. She might not make as much money, but she could still do okay. Did you know I offered her a job at one of my other companies, making a salary with benefits, and she refused? Even if she doesn’t seem like she likes the attention, she does. I saw your application; you’re a student at the University. Don’t your parents help you out?”

“No.” I shook my head and walked over to his desk, trying to peek at the frame that he’d placed in the center amidst a ton of papers, but I couldn’t quite see it. Yup, I was trying to be nosey. I wondered if it was that girl from the restaurant, who by the way, mysteriously disappeared when Miller came to my rescue. I wonder if he ditched her for me. The thought made me giddy but I quickly squashed it down, focusing once again on Miller. “I’ve always been pretty independent. My parents never had much when I was growing up and they still don’t, so I’m on my own.”

“But your parents are around?”

“Well, yeah. If you call Michigan
around
. I don’t have daddy issues, if that’s what you’re asking.”

He snorted loudly before standing up and coming around to my side, staring down at me intently, with both arms placed behind him on the desk, causing the tanned muscles to stretch nice and tightly
. How did I end up in here alone with him again
? “Fine. If you’re worried about money, then you can work for me tonight. I’ll pay you the same amount you normally make in tips.”

My mouth opened and closed several times until I was finally able to sputter out some incoherent words. “Wha—I don’t know.…Um…do you really think that’s appropriate? I mean, you’re a good looking guy…hot in fact…well, that word really doesn’t even begin to describe you. I’m sure you’ve heard it all before. I saw that girl with you; she looked like a freaking supermodel. I’m not letting you pay me for sexual favors, though. Why would you need to anyway? I’m sure you could find anyone who’s more than willing.” I licked my lips and he just stared at me silently, so I figured I would continue on with my rambling. Why not, right? “You definitely wouldn’t need to pay me for something like that. Wait. I’m not saying I
would
have sex with you, not that you would want me in the first place, but….I really need to stop talking.”

I sighed loudly and Miller cleared his throat. “Well, all right then. I was going to
pay
you to clean my office. That’s all.” I could tell he was trying so hard not to laugh and I appreciated the effort. My whole body was burning from my diarrhea of the mouth. I wasn’t a big talker, but whenever I got nervous or uncomfortable, I tended to blab on and on.

Please, just kill me now, because that had to be one of the most embarrassing situations in my life and I’m sure I would never top it.

“Oh.”

“There’s shit everywhere, so do you think you can put some kind of order to the mess? Maybe file all the folders, make some piles of stuff I need to go through so I can actually see my desk. I’m not really here that often so I don’t have the time.”

“Yup, can do. I guess I should put some of my schooling to good use. Better than being out there.”

“What’s your major?” he asked as he gathered a stack of papers and placed them in front of me, pulling up a chair and pointing for me to sit down.

“I’m over at the business school for Marketing.”

“Really? That’s…interesting.”

“Why?” I paused shuffling through the giant stack of papers.

“Just not what I pictured. I don’t get why you’re working here.”

“We all have different journeys in life, I guess. Mine hasn’t been too hard, but it hasn’t been easy either. If I could’ve started straight out of high school, I would’ve, but I had no clue what it takes to run a business or anything like that. My dream’s to open my own dance studio someday, but I’m sure that’s way off, if it’s even possible.”

“A dance studio? For like ballet and that kind of stuff? You’re a dancer?”

“I was for a while.” I sighed. “I still remember my very first day of ballet class. It was magical. It was one of the instructor’s last days. She was getting ready to leave for New York and join one of the best ballet companies in the country. I told my teacher, Miss Kathy, that very day, ‘When I grow up, I’m going to be a dancer. I just know it.’ She told me I could do just that with lots of practice. But I was only average, I couldn’t really take it any farther than a few competitions.” I shook my head, amazed that I still remembered that day so vividly. “They say those who can’t do, teach. Right?” I started rifling through the papers once again and began making piles, so I could organize everything that was just thrown together.

“I guess, but I’m pretty sure you can
do
just fine, I saw you.”

“What do you mean?”

He swallowed thickly. “On the stage, remember?”

“For like a second, and I was upside down on a pole.” He bit his lip before straightening up and awkwardly patting me on the back. I felt like telling him just to keep his hand right where he had it, but he removed it all too soon.

“Um…right. Well, I’ve gotta go make some rounds and catch up with a few clients that came in tonight. Think you can have this place cleaned up in a few hours?”

I looked around, nodding my head, even though it seemed impossible. “Not a problem.”

He backed out of the room, shaking his head. “All right, you better work hard for the money I’m paying you, then.” He laughed once and I cringed because I knew he was teasing me about the whole sexual favors thing. I had a feeling I would never live that down, hopefully he kept it just between the two of us.

Just before the door closed, he mumbled something, his voice nearly drowned out by the crowd but I caught something about his ballerina, making me swoon on the spot as I took a step backwards. The idea of Miller having a nickname for
me
making me all giddy on the inside. Nicknames were important, they were personal and Miller had one for
me.
And with that, I just about fell straight to the floor.