Chapter 186 – Old Tricks

• “Hi!” I say, falling into the cheerful persona that always works best in the clubs that I’ve worked at the moment we step through the door. Frankie follows coolly at my heels as I stride forward towards the manager, playing idly with my hair, knowing it makes me look silly and a little dumb. “Um, I was wondering if you had an opening for a dancer tonight?”
• The manager takes a moment, looking me up and down, taking in Christian’s baggy clothing and the too-big sandals. He shifts his eyes, for a moment, to Frankie, who looks casually over at the stage, where two girls are dancing. “Tonight isn’t amateur night,” the manager murmurs, looking back down at his clipboard. “Come back on Tuesday.”
• “Oh, I’m not an amateur,” I say, giving a tinkly little laugh and rolling my eyes. “I just to work at the Satin Slipper up north?” His eyebrows go up at the name and I know he heard of it.