Page 21 of Beguiled

“I’m not kidding. I did a paper on the mafia in college.” Her gaze returned to her food.

“For marketing purposes.”

“I was initially going into the justice system but was lured away by making actual money.”

Smirking, I shoved the remainder of my sandwich into the Ziploc bag. Somehow, I wasn’t very hungry any longer. “I’ll take your warning to heart that I dodged a bullet. Now, what is this favor you need to ask me?”

With her actions methodical, she placed her sandwich on her extra napkin, wiped her mouth with the other, and very slowly lifted her head so she could stare me in the eyes.

Uh-oh. I knew that look. She’d done something to get herself in trouble.

“I have a date tonight.”

“Okay, wow. Plus, don’t tell me it’s with…” She’d been on again, off again with Brian over the past few months.

“No. it’s with this new guy.” She didn’t seem overly enthused. Maybe she was trying to break the cycle of abuse.

Exhaling, I could tell the shoe was about to drop. “I am not going to hold your hand. You’re a big girl.”

“Very funny. See, I have a problem. I have work tonight. It’s the only night he can get free for the foreseeable future and he insisted on seeing me. I mean, I want to see him too of course. A fancy date.”

I’d learned a few months before she had a second job at a club. Why I didn’t know. I thought given her gorgeous apartment and a few things she’d told me that she came from a rich family. However, I knew she was more like me in being determined to live her life the way she wanted. She’d mentioned she liked the energy. And the tips. “Call your boss. Tell him it’s a special night.”

“Yeah, right. He’ll have my legs broken.”

“What?”

She appeared flustered. “I’m kidding.”

No, she wasn’t.

“My boss is just one of those guys who tell you right up front you get one chance. If you fuck it up, you’re out.”

“Sounds like a plum of a job.”

“You don’t know how much money I’ve made over the last year. Enough I’ll be able to get a little house by myself soon.” She was more flustered than I’d seen her in a long time.

“Where, in Jersey?” She knew my favorite topic was earning money.

“Yeah, so what? Paramus is nice. But it’ll be mine. I can finally be free.”

Free. What wasn’t she telling me?

Softening, I had to remember how stubborn she was. “Good for you. So what is it you want me to do, run over your foot so you have a decent excuse?”

“Very funny.” Her entire face scrunched up. “Oh, I’ll just say it. I need you to take my place tonight at the club. I wouldn’t ask except I really like this guy. We met in the cute little coffee shop down the street. You know the one I mean. Anyway, we started having coffee together then we managed a drink after work one day. Now, we’re going on a real date including a cruise around the Hudson. Doesn’t that sound romantic?”

She wasn’t kidding. She was also jabbering, which she did when she was nervous.

“You’ll need to forgive me. I’m still back at where you asked me to cover for you on a job. I honestly think they might notice the differences between the two of us. You’re one hot brunette with an hourglass figure. I’m a tall brunette who looks more like a schoolteacher. Plus, I’ve never waited tables a day in my life. I assure you even if your boss had a mild stroke, I won’t be able to pass myself off as you.”

The truth was, with our hair down we could be twins, except she was shorter and spunkier.

Her giggle was close to being infuriating. “No, silly. Not waiting tables.”

“Then what do you do in this club?” When people didn’t answer a question right away, that normally wasn’t a good thing. “Oh, Tawny. Please do not tell me you’re some… I mean you don’t… Do you?” No wonder she’d made so much cash.

“What?” She narrowed her eyes until she figured out what I was talking about. “Oh, God. No! I am not sleeping with men for money. Or stripping. Although you could almost call it pole dancing.”