Folk Around and Find Out (Good Folk: Modern Folktales #2)(15)

I wanted to spit in his face and tell him to shove his job offer up his ass ’til he could taste it. I swallowed the impulse.

I still needed to find my cousin. Working at The G-Spot was now firmly off the table, and that meant The Pink Pony was my only option for gaining access to and forging trust with the exotic dancer community in Green Valley. This was an opportunity and it would be stupid as raisins for me to pass it up because Hank Weller made me barmy.

He must’ve taken my silence for hesitation because he added, “You’ll have a regular paycheck and wouldn’t have to make initial investments in costumes, makeup, props, any of that. You can show up for work tomorrow and get started. What do you say?” He reached out his hand for me to shake.

I glanced at the offered fingers, frowning. I was going to say yes. If I wanted to help my cousin, this job was my only option.

Still . . .

I meandered forward and asked, “Why are you so set against me dancing at The Pony? What’s wrong with me?”

He let his hand drop and openly inspected me for a tick, looking contemplative, then said, “How about this: in six months, if you're still interested in becoming a dancer, I will show you the ropes. I will train you and teach you everything you need to know. Deal?”

For some bonkers reason, my first instinct was to ask him if showing me the ropes meant I’d have to call him daddy, but I stopped myself before the bizarre statement exited my mouth. Where had that come from?

Squaring my shoulders, I said, “Fine. Deal,” and accepted his handshake for a quick grasp.

It was a meaningless deal.

I wouldn’t be working at The Pink Pony in six months. If all went well, I’d only be working there for two weeks at the most. And I couldn’t wait for it to be over.





CHAPTER 5





CHARLOTTE





“You always get more respect when you don't have a happy ending.”

JULIA QUINN





My momma and aunt exuberantly volunteered to watch the kids once I gave them the latest update about Hank’s job offer. We also worked out a schedule for the next two weeks that would allow me to be present at The Pony as often as possible. The more I interacted with the dancers, the sooner I could earn their trust and ask about Heather.

Smoothing my hand along the front of my fitted, button-down dress shirt, I lifted my head high and walked the short distance from my car to the front door of The Pink Pony, mentally prepared to deflect and ignore any unpleasantness Hank Weller tossed my way.

I needed to keep my head down, ingratiate myself to the dancers, and determine whether Heather was one of them. If not, I’d try to arrange for one of The Pink Pony dancers to introduce me to a G-Spot dancer, crossing that bridge when I came to it.

Squaring my shoulders, I inhaled then exhaled quickly, tugged open the door, and came face-to-face with Dave.

“Dave!” I stumbled a step back, my brain confused by his presence.

Dave was one of Raquel Ezra’s bodyguards. The famous Hollywood bombshell was dating my good friend Jackson James, the sheriff’s deputy who I’d asked about the crime statistics at The G-Spot. Raquel—Rae to her friends—was also friendly with Sienna. They were thinking about opening up a production company together.

But what was Dave doing here instead of providing personal security to Rae?

“Charlotte.” Dave’s eyes were large as they moved over me. “What are you doing here?”

“I work here.” I smiled. “Hank hired me yesterday. What are you doing here?”

Dave’s expression didn’t change, except his eyebrows snapped together. “Hired . . .?”

I glanced behind him, but I couldn’t see into the club. It was too bright outside and too dark inside. “I’m the new bookkeeper.”

His stunned features morphed into a relieved-looking smile. “Oh! Bookkeeper. Of course.”

“What? Did you think I was a bouncer?” I managed to joke, feeling a little sore for some reason. Apparently, like Hank, Dave didn’t think I’d be a good stripper either. Why did that make me feel so crummy?

He chuckled, his eyes twinkling with humor and something else. “Well, I hoped. I could use the help. And you’re scary.”

“You’re a bouncer here?” I gave him a thoughtful frown. “Are you still working with Rae?”

“Yes. Still working with Rae, but she’s out of town for a few months and I don’t want to travel. Hank needed someone to fill in while he’s looking for a new guy. Even when Rae is in town, she has Jackson now, doesn’t need me and Miquel as often. In my downtime, I’ve been working here.”

“Don’t you work for a firm? Are they okay with you picking up shifts as a bouncer?”

“No, I don’t work for the firm anymore. We’re employed directly by Rae these days since we didn’t want to be moved around anymore.”

“You didn’t?” This was news to me.

“Nah.” The side of his mouth hooked upward and his gaze went from warm to warmer. “I’m finding a few good reasons to stay in Green Valley this time around.” Dave winked. At me. While smoldering.

Oh my.

Surprised to silence, my mouth worked to no avail. I glanced down at my shoes, needing a minute to process his unexpected wink-smolder. Goodness, he was a handsome guy if you went for barrel-chested, blue-eyed Italians with lots of chest hair who were funny, reliable, sweet. Everything I knew about Dave, I really liked.