Daniel stares expectantly. “You gonna show me or not?”
I take a deep breath, then stand up slowly. This is humiliating.
“How much do you want to see?” I ask.
“Just take your shirt off.” He waves his pen at me while he checks something on his phone. I shrug off my jacket, well, Mac’s jacket, then grab a fistful of shirt and drag it over my head. Daniel does a double take as I stand there wearing no top and loose-fitting jeans.
He gulps. His blue eyes twinkling with something I can’t name. “You work out.”
I don’t reply. I’d rather not tell him where I acquired my tight chest and ripped abs.
“Sit down. You’re hired. On a trial basis. I have to make sure you can at least mix a drink. Although,” he ogles me, “with a body like that, if bartending doesn’t work out, I’m sure we can find something else for you to do.”
Lovely.
I slip my shirt back on, and Daniel actually pouts.I wonder if he plays for the other team.He certainly acts like he does.
He hands me a clipboard. “Fill this out, and I’ll call one of the other guys up to show you the ropes.”
“Sounds good.” I guess.Am I really going to do this?
I start filling out the mundane information. Name, address, past work experience. But when I get to one pertinent question, I suddenly have second thoughts about this whole job idea.Have you ever been convicted of a felony?I put the pen down.
“On second thought” — I stand up and place the clipboard on his desk — “I don’t think this is going to work out.” I snatch up my jacket and head for the door.Fast.
“Hold it,” Daniel’s voice rings out sternly, and I freeze. “Sit back down.” He surprisingly sounds like a man you don’t want to mess with. I glare at him over my shoulder before I backtrack my steps and sit down crossly.
He looks at me squarely, removing his hat. His hair is thinning, and he has crow’s feet around his eyes. But he can’t be more than forty. “Mac told me about your situation. He said you took the rap for your brother. And if Mac says that’s the truth, I believe him. So...” He pushes the clipboard toward me. “If you want to answernoto a particular question, no one will be the wiser.”
I stare at Daniel silently.Is this guy fucking for real?
“I want you, kid. I won’t lie.” I think he means it in more ways than one. “You’ll be a good addition to this club.”
The moment of truth. I need a job. I need the money. Do I really need my dignity? Maybe not right this second. Plus, I’m only bartending. It’s not like I’m working a stripper pole or anything.
I take the clipboard and finish filling out the application.
“Good.” Daniel takes it and puts it aside when I’m done. “Now we go over the rules. There aren’t many, but they are cardinal. First. We have a saying. Wrap it before you tap it.”
“What?” My eyes widen.
“Don’t look at me like I just slapped you, kid. I’ll reiterate. This is a strip club. There will be women throwing themselves at you left and right. And sometimes you’ll give in to temptation. I have a feeling you’re going to get tempted way more than others. It’s a natural, chemical reaction that happens just the way God intended. But that doesn’t mean you go around spreading STDs or knocking women up. There is protection coming out of every crevice of this club. Use it. Capisce?”
“Seriously?Every crevice?”
“Fuck yeah. Trust me when I tell you, you don’t want some Jersey juice head coming after you for giving him and his wife VD.”
“Did that actually happen?”
“Yes. That, and much worse. Why do you think I keep a sumo wrestler at the door?”
“Point taken.”
And, just for the record, I would very much like to avoid contracting any type of STD.
“Good. Now, second, you treat every woman like your best friend’s sister you want to fuck. You be polite, you be respectful, but you still flirt shamelessly unless they order you otherwise.”
“Do they usually order otherwise?”Now I’m just being a smartass.