3
Sean
“Did you sign these?” Noah slips the papers in front of me. I glance over the papers, scribbling my name down before he pulls them back. I look over at the clock and know he’s leaving for the day. He’s trying to finish up everything he can before he calls it a night. He’s a hard worker and I’m lucky to have him working here.
“Amber.” I look up at Noah as he straightens the papers in his hand and then moves the small glass globe on my desk over an inch. He can be a little bit OCD. I’m sure he’s lining the globe up with something that I don’t even notice but his attention to detail has served us both well.
“I’m already on it.”
“You noticed?” Of course he did.
“She stares at you constantly. At first it was the usual reaction you get from women but now it’s crossed over the line.” He shakes his head like he doesn’t understand why. I fight a laugh because I should be insulted but I’m not. Attraction from women was something I never lacked. Gossip magazines were always trying to pair me up with someone.
I don’t know how many times my picture has been taken in one of my clubs while I was talking to someone. The music being so loud that you have to stand close in order to hear the other person. Yet, the next day I’d be rumored to be having another one-night stand. I’ve gotten so used to them reporting these lies that I no longer pay attention to it.
Why do I give a fuck if the world thinks I’m dating someone? Who cares if they think I'm sleeping with a different woman every night of the week? None of those things have any bearing on my life. I know the truth and that's all that matters.
“I think she has a crush,” I agree. It’s on the idea of dating Sean King. The man that people have made me out to be, not the real me. No one really knows who I am except for my family and Noah. I trust Noah, and that’s why he already knew that I wouldn't care for Amber’s long stares.
I don’t like complications in my life and she is one in the making. I’m here to work and have a successful business. I lead a pretty normal and boring life. People would actually be shocked how ordinary it is.
“Yeah, crush.” Noah lets out a laugh. “More like she wants your last name.”
I cringe at the thought.
“I’m going to have a chat with her before I leave and I’m getting you a second real PA. I should have done it a few weeks ago but I’ll get it handled fast.” I start to talk but he beats me to it. “A male PA.”
“Thanks.” I give him a nod as he heads out of my office. That is one thing I can mark off my list of things I need to get done. I read over the lists that Noah had prepared to update me on what's going on tonight.
It looks like almost everyone made it in for their shifts tonight. No need to call for extra staff. God, that was a nightmare when I first started opening clubs. People come and go in the service industry. It feels as though we are always looking for someone new.
Thank fuck I found an agency that vets and helps hire people for serving staff. Not only that, you can also call them in a pinch and they’ll have bodies for you to cover the night shifts. I heard our temporary positions are fought over because they make so much in cash tips here each night that everyone wants them.
Once I see everything is fine for the night, I get lost in this week's numbers. I don’t know how our numbers keep on climbing, but they do. We are at max capacity every night. Based on these reports it seems as though people keep spending more and more money. I wait for my normal you need to open a new club thought to push forward but it doesn’t. The rush I get from having my next project on the horizon usually starts to take over at this point but it doesn’t come.
I send out an email to my real estate guy about looking into new places anyway. It’s always good to have my feelers out. He can poke around while I wait for the urge to open another club to come. Maybe I’m just tired. This not sleeping shit is wearing me down. The hollow ache in my chest is getting worse.
I should have told Noah to schedule me a doctor appointment. There has to be something to fix whatever this shit is that is happening to me.
Restless. That’s what I am. My body is drained but when I hit the bed, sleep doesn’t come. Even now I’m bored looking over the numbers. There is nothing else to be done. I stand, stretching. I can always check on them downstairs.
I flip on the cameras to see the place is already filling up. The ones on the outside show a line that wraps around the building. My eyes stop when they land on a blond, curly-haired girl.
She’s talking to another girl, not noticing that the men around them are openly staring at them. I’m not sure if it’s because the blonde is the hottest little thing I’ve ever seen or the fact that they stand out. Either way, they have a lot of eyes on them. Especially my blond little cupcake, who looks good enough to eat.
“Two of these things are not like the others,” I say as I grab my phone from out of my pocket. My eyes stay trained on the beautiful blonde. Something stirs inside of me and this time what I’m feeling is anything but hollow.
4
Alyssa
“Are people staring at us?” I ask Neily, peeking over to a man that’s in line next to us. He immediately looks away from me.
“No. Why would people stare at us? That’s rude.” She scrunches her nose. Okay, maybe people aren’t staring. Still it feels like someone’s eyes are on me.
“I don’t know.” It’s probably me. I feel out of place and I’m being paranoid thinking that people are staring at us.
I keep looking around to see if he’s here. I’m guessing he doesn’t have to stand in line with how often he comes.
“Someone is coming over here. Maybe you were right,” Neily hisses. She stands up straight, putting her hands behind her back like she’s hiding something.
“What are you doing?” I hiss back. She’s making us look suspicious. Oh God. Is he coming over here to kick us out of the line? I knew this was going to happen. We look so out of place.
“I don’t know.” She pulls her hands out from behind her back, trying to play it cool. The man comes to a stop in front of us. The badge around his neck reads security. “It’s her shirt, isn’t it? It’s too crude. I told her not to wear it.”
“She’s a liar. She told me to wear it.” I look down at my shirt. Getting ready for tonight was not easy. I had nothing sexy to wear so I went with a shirt that may insinuate something a little dirty.
“Her mom bought it for her.” Neily says it like that should give us a pass on my shirt. My mom really had bought it. It was a gift when Neily and I opened our shop. It reads I always get a rise with a cupcake on it.
“It’s only dirty because you’ve made it out to be. I’m a baker! It’s supposed to be funny. Not in a sexual kind of way either.” The man stands in silence as his head swings back and forth, taking in all of the craziness that’s going on between Neily and me. We’re turning into our moms.
“We just came here to have a good time. You’re not kicking us out of line. In fact, you’re letting us in,” Neily demands as she pushes her glasses up her nose.