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I took the paper from her, unfolding it carefully, while glancing over the top at her. When I gazed down at the list, I had to stifle a laugh. “Good to see you used your time this afternoon productively.” I started reading off the items. “Number one. Blowup William Reed’s car.”
“I like that one,” Augie called out from the adjoining male dressing room. It was really all one big room, but when we brought the guys on, we’d separated into male and female areas with a curtain. Not that it really mattered. We all seen each other naked a thousand times. It kind of went with the territory at a strip club. None of us even batted an eyelash anymore. But it was a gesture of respect anyway.
“You would,” I called back through the curtain. “We’re not blowing up anyone’s car.”
Lyric went back to applying her makeup, picking up a brush and blending the foundation onto her cheeks. “I told you guys she’d never go for that one. We have alternatives. Keep reading.”
“Number two. Find out a deep dark secret and share it with the world.” I pondered that one for a moment. “I like it. But it sounds like a time-intensive project. And honestly? What are the odds of Mr. Vanilla, an upstanding Christian man, even having a deep dark secret? The guy had us arrested for ripping up a sign. He is the sort of man who probably never even got in a fist fight in high school.”
“I never got in a fist fight in high school either,” Fawn said.
I patted her on the shoulder. “Of course you didn’t. Because you’re a sweetheart. Lyric, how many have you been in?”
“Couldn’t even count. You?”
“I grew up in Saint View. What do you think?”
“Okay, well now I feel left out. You’re both badasses. And I’m a wimp. Who wants to fight? Come on, I’m twenty-two, and I apparently missed a rite of passage.” She lifted her fists and danced around like a boxer.
Lyric and I both eyed her and cringed. I reached over and raised Fawn’s fists so they actually protected her face. “Sweetie, it would be like punching a kitten. And even Lyric isn’t mean enough to punch a kitten.”
Fawn dropped her fighter’s stance. “Fine. But check out number three. That was my suggestion.”
“Pin the Penis on the Politician party.” I glanced up at her. “This was your idea?”
Her face dropped. “Yeah. Sorry. It’s stupid, I know. Childish.”
“Actually, I kind of love it.”
Fawn lit up like she’d won the lottery. “Really?”
I leaned in and kissed her cheek. “It’s the perfect revenge. Everybody around here hates politicians. Who wouldn’t come for the chance to pin a penis on one? Or at least, a poster of one. I’m going to start practicing now, so I can get my dick right in the middle.” I tapped Fawn in the same spot on her own forehead, and she grinned.
A warm feeling settled over me. I liked when she was happy. We all did. Lyric was smiling at her warmly in the mirror as well.
“We’ll start promoting it immediately. I’ll get some graphics made up, and we’ll post them on Facebook, maybe even do a mass mailing. And unlike the mayoral candidate, we’ll mail everyone. Including Providence. Including his house.”
Phoenix’s grumbling tone carried through from behind the curtain. “You sure that’s a good idea, boss?”
I shrugged one shoulder. “It’ll get us in trouble, for sure. But what’s new? It’s kind of my middle name.”
I couldn’t see Phoenix’s reaction, but I could imagine that the big man was probably just shaking his head. He’d worked here for over two years now. He was used to my troublemaking schemes.
I clapped my hands together. “Anyway, we need to finish getting ready. We’re going to have to switch up the order. I need to go last tonight, I’m not even close to ready.”
Lyric stood, adjusting her glitter-covered cleavage in a low-cut top and grabbed Fawn’s hand on her way to the stage door. “We got your back. Take your time. We’ll entertain the boys until you’re ready.”
I blew them both a kiss and then sank down into the chair Lyric had vacated. From out in the club, chatter had already picked up, so I knew that Terry, our bouncer, had started letting people in for the night. Our DJ, Lucinda, cranked up the volume on her speakers, and in a few minutes, once the club had started filling up a little, she’d play Fawn’s opening song.
I hurried through my getting-ready rituals. Old makeup off and the quickest shower ever. I blew out my long dark hair into barrel curls. Heaped on the eyeliner and added fake lashes even though my regular lashes were fairly decent to begin with. I wasn’t a huge fan, but guys seemed to like them. And happy customers equaled generous tips.
I slicked blood-red lipstick across my mouth, before pulling on a matching costume for the night. Red G-string, bikini top, hot pants, and a midriff shirt that I wouldn’t be wearing for long. The guys’ music had started up in their half of the club somewhere in the middle of me getting ready, and the women’s cheers and screams had me wondering if the two guys were dancing together. The two of them on stage at once was always a crowd-pleaser. They put Magic Mike to shame.
I couldn’t worry about them right now, though, other than to hope that they were making some good coin. I needed to get my own butt up on stage.
I added a pair of six-inch heels, strutted through to the backstage area, and gave Lucinda a fist bump. She was an eighteen-year-old from the hood and a damn talented DJ. She’d make it big someday, but for now we were lucky to have her, and she was happy to have a job.
“You ready to roll?” she asked me.
