Midnight Ballerina Read Online Free Page B

in your bag?” I nodded my head and handed over the bag, which she rifled through for a few minutes before pulling out a single tube of bright red lip gloss. I wasn’t even sure where it came from in the first place. It was something Amelia probably left in my bathroom after a night of getting ready at my apartment before going out. “Here, this will look perfect with your coloring. Other than that, I think you’re good. Let me guess? Randy hired you because of your whole innocent look. Am I right?”
    “I guess.” I shrugged one shoulder. “I’ve never really thought of myself that way, but if it makes me money, I’ll roll with it.”
    She giggled loudly. “That’s the spirit. Oh, here’s Bianca, the head server. She’ll tell you what exactly you need to do and what tables you’re in charge of.” She gestured to a tall girl with caramel-colored skin and short brown hair, a rainbow of chunky streaks running through it. She was headed my direction, glaring. “Good luck with that one,” Vanessa added before scurrying toward the stage.
    “So you must be Monroe ?” She spit out my name like it left a bad taste in her mouth. “Let’s get a few things straight. I’m not here to babysit you, so do your job and do it right. If you have a problem with a customer, tell one of the bouncers, not me. I have my own tables to worry about. Randy may have hired you, but I can still fire you, so don’t screw up. Got it?”
    “Got it,” I replied, following after her down a narrow hallway that led through a small kitchen and into the bar area. My eyes took a minute to adjust to the dark club, my ears overwhelmed by the roar of the noise blaring from the speakers combined with everyone trying to talk over each other. Bianca didn’t stop to wait for me, and though I’d just met her, I didn’t really expect her to.
    “Okay, you have that area over there,” she explained, indicating a section near the stage that looked to be the most crowded. It seemed like she was trying to make me fail on my first night by throwing me into the biggest pack of wolves possible. Well, I would just have to prove her wrong. I was always a hard worker, no matter what the job, and this was no different. “Take that tray and I’ll follow you over to get you started.” She pointed to a tray loaded down with all sorts of different drinks, half of which I didn’t recognize—not a good sign—but I scooped it up, using the awesome balancing skills I acquired working at a small diner back home.
    Bianca handed out each drink when we got there, making small talk with the group of guys seated at the table. There was an assortment of them and surprisingly, none of them looked all that skeezy. I assumed every guy that showed up to a strip club had to be some loser, looking for a good time and naked girls to throw dollar bills at, but these guys were dressed for a business meeting. It was a little strange.
    When there were three drinks left, Bianca began handing me the remaining ones, pointing to each owner of the drink and offering them a flirty smile, which they all appeared to ignore. “And that one goes to him. I have my tables to get to, you’re on your own.”
    I meant to say thanks just as I reached out with the last guy’s drink, but the word didn’t leave my mouth because suddenly, something nudged my elbow. I glanced to my side, catching a glimpse of Bianca smirking triumphantly before turning in the other direction. Everything went in slow motion from there. The drink that was in my hand, quickly left it, and the contents flew into the air, landing on the owner of the drink’s lap, drop by drop. My mouth fell open as his hands loudly smacked down on the table, his back pushing against the booth. Freaking awesome. And somehow I knew Bianca didn’t just accidentally “bump” into me.
    “I am so sorry!” I pressed one hand to my mouth, frantically scanning the table until my eyes landed on a pile of those tiny cocktail napkins.