“Because I wanted to see him with you to know what all the rest meant. Now I know. He’s into you and not for a f**k. He’s just into you.”
My eyes shifted over her shoulder and I muttered loudly, “Cocktail waitress, two o’clock.”
Viv let my hand go, turned to my side and I smiled as the waitress arrived and I accepted my San Pellegrino.
Viv turned to the cocktail waitress and asked baldly, “You know if Sebring set up any of his other women in their own VIP section?”
Oh God, Viv and her curiosity. She was an assistant catering and banquet manager at a swank hotel. She should have been an investigative journalist.
The waitress got pale, I could tell even by the club lights.
She swayed away but answered politely, “Mr. Sebring doesn’t allow gossip.”
“We won’t tell,” Viv assured.
“I can’t take that chance,” she replied. “I’m sorry but when I say Mr. Sebring doesn’t allow gossip, I mean, if he found out, I’d lose my job.”
Wow. Interesting.
Viv looked at me. “See what I mean?”
I gave her wide eyes and looked back to the waitress. “Sorry, she didn’t mean to put you on the spot.”
“If he asks, tell him I didn’t say anything,” she stated and I felt my brows draw together.
But I answered, “Okay.”
“It was a big thing, me getting a VIP section. He only picks the right girls for that. This is my first. He gives you a bonus if you get a section like this because sometimes the drinks are free or go on a tab and they forget to tip. Rich people, they do that a lot. Even celebrities, they get so much free stuff, they can be not such hot tippers. Or that’s what the girls say who’ve worked these sections. So Mr. Sebring gives a good bonus. Way beyond any tips you can make and he gives it even if you make tips, like your friends are giving tonight. I want to do it again. I have a kid. I can use a bonus, regular-like. So, you know, his woman, her friends curious, he might get that you’d ask me then ask if I spilled. You’ll tell him I didn’t, right?”
“Right,” I said quietly but she still heard me. I knew this from the relief on her face and I figured she was a dab hand at hearing stuff through loud music since she had practice.
“You need another water,” she tipped her head to my water then looked at Viv with her half-full martini, “or a Grey Goose martini,” she smiled gamely, showing she remembered Viv’s order, “you just call me. Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Viv replied.
“And I’ll tell him you did a good job,” I added but she shook her head.
“You don’t have to. He’ll know. He watches. From his window. He sees everything or one of his boys does. That’s why I think he might ask you if I spilled, in case he sees me right now or one his boys does and reports it to him because they tell him everything.”
“Well, if you’re nervous, you don’t have to stick close, honey,” I told her.
She nodded. “No offense but Mr. Sebring’s rules are, no matter who the celebrity, everyone in the section gets attention so I should do a walkthrough.”
“Go right ahead,” I offered.
She nodded again, smiled then took off.
I looked at Viv to see she was looking after the waitress.
Then her head turned to me and she grinned.
“You’re a celebrity.”
“Uh, Viv, didn’t you think that was weird?”
“Uh, Anya,” she leaned in, “yeah. What did I tell you? The man keeps his shit tight.”
I didn’t like this.