Gabby waves me off. “You were a star on that pole, no matter what he says,” she tells me. “The point is, he didn’t react. He didn’t kick you out or yell. He—”
“Offered me a job,” I finish, my lips tugging into a smile.
“Landon’s face,” Olivia teases, and I chuckle. It was such a good night. It was my second time attending and I wanted to get the full experience.
“The point is, you’ve been there for us but you never let us be there for you,” Harriet murmurs.
“That’s not true.”
Is it?
Emily shakes her head. “No. Remember when your cousin was stabbed?”
My heart hitches at the painful reminder. “Yeah.”
“You said you were okay and wouldn’t let us come and see you,” she answers.
“What? That can’t be right.”
Olivia nods. “She’s right. And then there was the time you stole that duck. Instead of letting us help you, you said you had it covered.”
“I didn’t want to implicate you in the crime,” I whisper, and they laugh, looking at me like I said the funniest joke. “That was serious.”
“Charlotte, that isn’t the point. We wanted to be there for you. Let us be here now because we aren’t going away,” Harriet tells me.
“Yeah. We don’t want to be the people you only see at Tease. We are your friends, aren’t we?”
“Of course you are.”
Gabby straightens. “Good. Then operation Kill Scott is on the way.”
“What?”
She pats my leg. “Don’t worry. He’s a guy. There’s no way he was only at our strip club. We will find out who he is.”
“No. Please, don’t. I’ve got it covered. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
“Friends remember?” Olivia states. “We need to toughen you up a little bit. You are too nice for your own good.”
“I’m starting self-defence classes at Landon’s gym.”
“Will other members of your family be there?” Emily asks, sighing dreamily.
I laugh at her expression. “No. Just Drew, the guy who owns it.”
“I thought Landon owned it?” Olivia muses.
“They both do now, but it was Drew’s before.”
“Is he hot?” Harriet asks.
I open my mouth to answer, but the words won’t come out. I’m not sure why, but I feel like I can’t say the words. Three small letters.
Yes.
“I, um, I guess.”
“You’re blushing,” Olivia teases.
Gabby pouts. “Why couldn’t you be gay?”
I chuckle. “You’ll find someone.”
“Not with the way she acts,” Olivia argues.
“What’s wrong with the way I act?” Gabby defends.
“You’re too bubbly.”
“I’m bubbly,” I point out.
“Not her kind of bubbly.”
Gabby huffs out a breath. “And you are too bitter and argumentative.”
“At least I’m getting some,” Olivia argues.
“A vibrator doesn’t count,” Gabby snaps back.
I laugh, pushing a cupcake Gabby’s way. “Stop it, you pair.”
“Why you two can’t just have sex and get it over with is beyond me,” Emily declares, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“Take that back,” Gabby hisses, and for a moment, I swear I see a flicker of hurt.
Before it can get out of hand, I interrupt. “Want to watch a scary movie one night?”
“Can we bring alcohol?” Olivia asks.
“Yes.”
“Will your cat be there?” Harriet murmurs, her gaze flicking to my arms that are covered in scratches.
I chuckle. “She’ll be good.”
She hums under her breath, not believing me. “Does it have to be scary movies?”
“Yes,” we all reply, laughing when she slumps back in her seat.
This is what I’ve missed.
“Thank you so much for coming,” I tell them, my voice filling with emotion. “And I’m sorry I pushed you away.”
“Never again,” Harriet warns.
“Oh, before we forget, Dave said to tell you you’ve got free entry for a month and a free drink the next time you come in.”
“Really?” I ask, because normally he’s tight when it comes to money. I remember watching him yell at a bartender for giving out free shots.
Emily chuckles. “Yeah, don’t tell him but I think he misses you.”
“It really hasn’t been the same without you there on a Friday.”
“I miss you guys too,” I tell them honestly.
Because I have.
“We can’t stay much longer but we will all book the same day off next week and get sitters.”
“You’re working today?”
Harriet nods, her jaw clenching. “Trixie wants us all to do a new routine.”
My eyes widen. “But didn’t you guys get a new instructor?”
“Yeah, and that bitch is sucking his dick,” Olivia bites out. “I swear she does it knowing it fucks up our routine. We prefer doing our own. We know what the men like.”
“Would you like me to help?”
Emily begins to choke on her drink. “No. No offence, Charlotte, but you nearly took my eye out the last time you tried to help.”
I grimace. Maybe it’s best I don’t help. “Unless you know a space in which we can practice, then we’ll figure it out. The only reason Trixie is getting away with bossing us around is because she has the studio space.”
“My library, but then there’s nowhere to put your poles.” I know they have some adjustable ones they can put up or down when they like. “If I do think of somewhere, I’ll let you know.”
Harriet gives me a bright smile. “Cheers, bab.”
I lift my hand, grabbing Josie’s attention. If we don’t have long together before they have to leave, I’m making the most of their company. Because they make me feel like me again. I don’t feel broken for the first time in weeks.
I missed them.
CHAPTER EIGHT
DREW
The last of our clients leave for the day just as Az finishes wiping down the last bit of equipment.
“See you tomorrow,” he calls out.
“Later,” I call back.
I glance over at Landon, who comes out of the changing rooms, and inwardly groan. The guy can hold a grudge without even meaning to.
“Are you going to keep being mad at me?”
“I’m not mad. I’m just pissed you didn’t come to me first. I wanted to be the one to teach her.”
“You know why you can’t,” I remind him.
“Fuck that shit,” he growls. “You should have said something and you know it.”
“Mate, I didn’t know I was going to ask until I did. I didn’t lie about finding her purse that night. I took it straight to her,” I tell him. “Plus, I don’t think she’s coming so you have nothing to worry about.”
I glance at the door once more. There’s still no sign of her and she was meant to be here twenty minutes ago. If she’s coming, she would have been here. I was stupid to even think she would. It’s still too soon, and she’s recovering.