can’t let her work here.”
“Tyra can do whatever she wants.” I turned and headed for the stairs before turning back out of curiosity. “How did you even find out?”
“Dan sent me a photo of their new girl a week ago. He was trying to win my business back.”
If he sent that to Jamie, then it was likely he’d sent it to others, too. Jamie’s claim that I needed to end Tyra’s employment here was starting to sound better and better. Still, I headed for the exit, anyway. I donned that cape once before and look where the hell it got me.
NEIL FINED ME FOR THE tumble I’d taken off the stage, no matter how hard I begged him not to. I tried to think of a way my first stage dance could have gone worse but nothing, nothing topped stripping in front of my friends as well as the father of my child. Nothing.
I shoved on my hoodie, grabbed my duffel, and slammed my locker closed with a growl. Keeping my head down, I pretended not to hear the snickering of the other dancers. Surprise, surprise, I was surrounded by catty bitches. Their kind seemed to follow me wherever I went. Charlie was the only one of my new coworkers who’d proved bearable. I was on my way toward the exit, forcing myself to stop when she waved me down.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself, kid. You did good, and you wouldn’t be the first girl to fall off the stage. At least it wasn’t because you were too drunk or high.” I nodded, and then she reached inside her Chanel pouch. She then handed over a thick wad of bills. “Take it.”
As tempting as it was, I shook my head, declining. “I can’t do that. That’s yours.”
“Actually, it’s yours,” she informed me. “This is your tip.” My eyes bulged because how the hell could I have made that much from one dance? There had to be at least a few hundred in her hand. “I convinced Neil not to fine you, but you’re going to have to work double hours tomorrow. It’s Saturday, our best night, so it will be worth the punishment.”
I eagerly took the money, resisting the urge to count it right then and there. How much closer was I to Harvard? To leaving this all behind?
“Thanks, Charlie, and I’m sorry again.”
“Don’t sweat it.”
Charlie wished me a good night before sending me off into the night. I still had a couple of hours left of my shift, but the club didn’t want the liability if I had a head injury. As I made my way to my car, I checked my head for lumps.
“You should go to the emergency room. You might have a concussion.”
I stopped in my tracks, my head shooting up and finding Vaughn leaning against the hood of my car. “What are you doing here?” I looked around for Jamie, Ever, and Wren but didn’t see them. Why had Vaughn stayed?
“I wanted to make sure you got home safely.”
“I suppose that means you also need a ride now.” To my surprise, he held out his hand. “What?” I asked when he said nothing. He only waited expectantly.
“Give me the keys.”
I held them tighter. “Why?”
“Because we don’t know if you have a concussion, and I’m not leaving my son an orphan. Give me the keys.”
I started to argue, but then I realized the last thing I felt like doing was driving, so I held them out. I hopped in on the passenger side and held my giggle back when he tried to get into the driver’s side but ended up bumping his knee on the wheel and cursing my short legs.
Grumbling, he moved the seat back before trying again. “How the hell can you possibly drive with your chest on the steering wheel?”
I shrugged. “I suppose the same way you can with your ass in the trunk.”
He stared at me, lips turning to the side as he adjusted the seat. When that gaze became less cold and more heated, I looked away. He got in, and we were off. Every time I tried to doze off, he’d shake me awake. He did it enough times that I was ready to punch him in the throat when the car finally stopped.
I realized too late that he had driven us to the hospital.
“It’s Friday night. Do you realize how long this could take? I don’t have a concussion. Let’s just go home.” I quickly cleared my throat.