"Hey, Sawyer, you got a call on line 1," the guy working the phones called out to Peyton. She had been working tirelessly in the mailroom at the record company and was exasperated. Anticipating another coffee or food order from her boss, she thanked the phone operator and picked up the receiver.
"This is Peyton," she said monotonously.
"Hey. It's me," Lucas greeted in his sexy voice.
"Hi! It's been so long since we spoke. It's been what four months? I've been trying to call you all morning, but my boss keeps needing me to run and get things for him so I never got to dial. I watched the game highlights online. I wish I could have been there," she told him. There was a hint of sadness in her voice. A hint of missing and longing for familiarity.
"Yeah, me too. So, what are you wearing?" he asked randomly.
"Luke, I can't do that right now. I'm at work," Peyton whispered to him, her cheeks turning a little red from embarrassment, despite knowing that nobody could listen in.
"I'm thinking a Pink Floyd tee over the long-sleeve white shirt and maybe those sexy jeans with the hole in the knee?" he answered for her.
"Wow. You are good!" Peyton remarked, surprised that he was correct to the T.
"Yes, I am," he said, appearing in front of her.
"What! Luke! Hi!" she said, greeting him with a hug. "I can't believe you're here!"
"Surprise!" he greeted and looked around the place. "So, this is marketing and distribution?"
"So, I might have pimped up my job description just a little. Basically, I work in the mail room," she confessed to him.
"Well, that's Hollywood, right? It's always about the spin. I'll bet you know more about music than most of these tools," Lucas replied, not wanting Peyton to feel bad.
"Shh, you're gonna get me in trouble. And they are not all tools, okay?" Peyton warned him.
Just then an executive walked up to Lucas and snapped at him, "You, onion bagel, light on the cream cheese. Now!" he screamed.
"Right away!" Lucas said and rolled his eyes. "Well, it's good to see they're nice. No. Seriously. Why do you put up with this?"
"I will show you why. See that girl right there? Three months ago she was in the mail room, and now she's a junior A&R exec." Peyton informed him, pointing at a lady sitting at a large desk attending phone calls.
"But I bet she didn't produce two albums before she graduated high school!" Lucas said, knowing that the place was awful for Peyton.
"Okay. You're gonna have to go before you get us both fired," she laughed.
"All right. Look, I got dinner reservations for us at 8:00 pm," he informed her with a smile, but Peyton just gave him an awkward look."Is that too late?"
"No, it's actually kind of early. We usually go till at least 9:00 pm," she answered apologetically.
"All right. Then it's 9:30!" he said with a smile.
"Perfect. I'll meet you at the restaurant. Just text me the address, okay?" she said before dropping him off at the door still reeling from the shock to have seen him, there, live in LA, in person.
Lucas giddily left, counting down the minutes till 9;30 pm.
" Hi! I am so sorry. I'm so late. I got stuck going over the canyon," Peyton said, finally making it into the restaurant.
"It's okay. I'm just glad you're here," he replied meaningfully. He was really afraid that she would bail and all his plans would be botched.
"God, look at you!" Peyton said with a wide smile. "I haven't seen a suit on anybody in so long unless they're an agent or a lawyer…. or a successful novelist."
"Oh, I don't know about that," he said, quickly shutting down the topic. "I get a new rejection letter every day."
"Luke, your book is good. It's gonna happen. I know it." she reassured him.
The waiter came and they gave him their orders, continuing with their dinner pleasantries.
"So when the executives blow off the shows, we get the tickets. Like Monday, I went and saw Ryan Adams at the Viper Room, and then Wednesday was Tegan and Sara at the Roxy, and, I don't know, I just... it blows my mind, you know? These are bands we grew up listening to, and now I've got a front-row seat." she said excitedly. Maybe she wasn't completely unhappy with her job, Lucas wondered.
"That's great. We've had our fair share of bands in Tree Hill, thanks to you," he continued showering her with compliments.
"God. Anyway, enough about me. You won a freaking championship! I want to hear everything." Peyton answered with as much excitement as she could muster.
"Well, Whitey's gonna step down as head coach, and he wants me to take over the team. He thinks it'll be good for me and... he thinks I'm ready," Lucas told her, feeling funny talking about his accomplishments.
"Luke, that's incredible. It feels like a full-circle moment for you! Coaching the Tree Hill Ravens!" Peyton said, nudging his arm as she continued to nibble at her food.
"I know... I get a salary, benefits, and a big office," Lucas listed off.
"Wow. That sounds very... adult," she commented, the best she could get besides an unpaid internship was working the mailroom and she didn't know which one was worse.
"By the way, I got you something," he said cryptically. However, they were interrupted by Peyton's cell phone.
"Oh, crap. I'm sorry. It's work," she apologised.
"Don't answer," Lucas suggested, a little annoyed that work was calling her that late.
"They're just gonna keep calling back. Hello… Yeah- right now?... Yeah, of course, I like my job. Okay. Right away, sir." Lucas heard her say on the call and all his excitement diminished. "I'm sorry, Luke."
"It's fine. How about you meet me later in our room at the Beverly Hilton?" he asked with a grin.
"All right. This is gonna be quick. I'll be there by 11:00. I promise," she said and rushed out the door.
Lucas waited. The clock went from 11 to 12 very slowly and still, there was no sign of Peyton. He paced around the room, watched some Tv and finally fell asleep with his little present in his hand which ultimately slipped down and dropped to the floor.
Another two hours passed and Lucas stirred in his sleep to see Peyton sitting on an armchair in the room. "Hey. When did you get here?"
"I don't know. Like an hour ago," she replied. Yet there was something about the tone of her voice. It was different. Something was not right.
"You know, you could have woken me up," he told her with a hint of anger hiding behind his still soft voice.
"Luke. What is this?" she asked, holding out a jewel case for him to see. She was cutting right to the chase. "I couldn't bring myself to open it, but I… I've just been sitting here thinking about how much I love you."
"Well, wanted it to be a surprise, but…" he said, getting off the bed and kneeling in front of the armchair. "Peyton, I love you, and I want us to be together forever."
"Luke, wait. Okay," she stopped him.
" know it's a bit sudden, okay? But, I mean, yesterday was a great day. And I'm sitting on the bus, and I realized none of the great days of my life... matter without you. You're the one I want next to me when my dreams come true, and you're the one I want next to me if they don't. As long as I have you... nothing else matters." he quoted the speech he had written and rehearsed on his way to LA.
"There's... it's just not as simple as all that, okay? There's a lot we have to talk about!" Peyton cut him off again, feeling overwhelmed by everything.
"I know, but we'll figure out the details when we get back to Tree Hill," he said simply, wanting more than anything for her to stop thinking and just say yes to him.
"Okay, I know that's home for you, and I miss it sometimes... I do... but for me, Tree Hill is two dead moms and a psycho stalker and some really painful memories. I actually had to move out to Hollywood to get away from all the drama. So right now, this is my home, and the only thing that's missing is you," she tried to make him see her perspective.
"Then I'll move here," Lucas offered simply.
"No. Luke, honey, Whitey believes in you, and the Ravens need you. And if I ask you to walk away from your dream, you're gonna wake up one day and resent me for it… The same way I would feel if you asked me to leave L.A." she hoped that he would realise and understand.
"Peyton... you get people coffee and you deliver mail. You were doing more than that in Tree Hill!" he scoffed.
"I love you for believing that, but I have to prove that to myself. You see, that's the thing. We both have so much we want to do with our lives, and we're only 22." she reminded him.
"And Nathan and Haley were a lot young than that," he stated simply.
"Okay. Well, we see how easy that's been," she rolled her eyes.
"Come on," he begged.
"Lucas, this is the first time that I am seeing you since graduation where we broke up because we were going separate ways to live different lives and do different things and we decided that that was the best for both of us. We haven't even spoken in months and you want me to say yes to marry you! don't understand how we can be talking about forever right now."
"You're saying no?" he asked, despite knowing it. He needed her to say it.
"No! I am not saying no. I'm saying not now. I don't know what I want with my life but I know that I don't want to be married at 22 when I am still figuring out how to leave my mark on the world through music. I want to fulfil Ellie's dream for me and my mom," she explained herself.
Lucas grew silent. His entire face contorted and Peyton felt an overwhelming surge of guilt.
"Okay. Can we take this back? Can we just pretend like you never woke up? Please!" she begged.
"I don't think we can," he replied painfully.
"I'm afraid that this conversation is gonna end with…" she said guiltily.
"Goodbye." he finished for her sorrowfully.
He saw Peyton walk out the door along with the life he had envisioned with her.
The next morning, he went to the Los Angeles Airport. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I have to get back a little sooner than expected."
"Let me see what we can do," the flight attendant said taking his ticket from him and typing on her computer.
"Thanks," he replied, still feeling the dread and doom from the night before. Suddenly his phone began to ring. "Excuse me one second. Hello."
"Hi. Is this Lucas Scott?" an unfamiliar voice asked on the phone.
"Yeah. Who's this?" he replied.
"My name's Chet Williams. I'm a junior editor at Putnam and Pratt. I read your novel," the man said.
Lucas wasn't in the mood for yet another rejection. "It's nice of you to call. Everyone else sends their rejection letters first-class."
"Actually, I loved it. And I passed it on to my boss, and he feels the same way," he said instead, taking Lucas by surprise.
"Hello?" Vhet asked after several moments of silence.
"No, I'm still here. Sorry, I was just shocked," he said to the man on the phone.
"Haha! I get it! What I'm saying is, we want to publish your book, Lucas. How soon can you be in New York?" he asked.
"I'll figure it out. I'll be there soon!" he said, still feeling jittery by the surprise.
"Yeah. Okay. I'm looking forward to seeing you, too. Bye." Chet said before ending the call.
Lucas chuckled to himself and then looked at the flight attendant. "I need to go to New York. They're publishing my novel!"
"Congratulations. Must be a dream come true," she said, feeling happy for him and enjoying that she got to witness him achieve it. "You're all set to fly there!"
"Hey, man! You need to celebrate tonight! You're gonna be the next American Author!" Chet said to Lucas, making him chuckle.
"Haha thanks!" he answered, still feeling giddy at the thought of having his work out there for the world to witness and enjoy.
"You know what, let me take you out. Unless you have plans of your own," Chet really seemed to be a player of sorts - jock in college but Lucas checked his credentials. He had edited some of the books that he was a fan of and his work spoke well about him.
"Umm, I was hoping to catch up with a friend from High School who moved here to the city once we graduated. But she seems to have changed her number and I don't know. New York is no Tree Hill," Lucas answered, feeling like a small fish in a large pond.
"Yeah, it's big with lots of people and broken dreams. But not yours! So it seems that you're free, right!" he asked again in the same upbeat tempo.
"Yeah, what the heck! Let's do it!" Lucas replied, feeling excited about letting loose. Maybe that would be the best way to forget about Peyton and focus on the fact that his dreams were in his grasp again.
"I am going to take you to the best club in town! Trust me, this place…. You are getting the finest New York experience," Vhet answered cryptically.
They left the office and Chet hailed a cab for us, giving him a random address. The car turned some corners until it started taking back alleys into what seemed to be the sketchy part of the city.
"Chet, where are we?" Lucas asked, feeling uneasy about the neighbourhood they were in.
"Just trust me," he said with so much ease that Lucas fell quiet.
The car stopped in front of a club alright, a strip club!
"Chet! What the hell!" Lucas exclaimed.
"Come on! This place has the finest stripper in all of New York. You have to see her. She goes by Penelope Cruz and boy she is sexy!" he laughed. Lucas did not move an inch as he stared at the club and all the people walking in which was quite some.
"Just come! She goes at 9. Once you see her, everyone else will seem bleak. Trust me. Too bad she isn't a hooker. I have asked but she just won't with anybody. She does give fine jobs though. Costliest in the city. No… the costliest in the country but worth every penny. She charges 100 dollars for a lap dance with you know, touching the waist up and 500 dollars for a blowjob. I once saved and got myself one for my birthday and trust me when I say this. It was worth every penny!" he told him.
"You spent that much money on a stripper! Please tell me that I am misinterpreting this," Lucas tried to make sense of what he was hearing.
"Say what you want after you see her. Have you ever been to a strip club before?" Chet asked him.
"No," Lucas answered simply.
"Oh, then you're going to get your mind blown," he laughed before dragging Lucas inside. "This is the best and I'm talking from college experience."
The boys made their way into the dimly lit club. Its interiors matched its exteriors. It looked right out of a movie set with the ramp and the stripper poles, some couches and tables, a long bar, a curtained-off section on the side and semi-naked women walking around.
"Come let's go in the front," Chet said, wading through the tables and booths.
Lucas looked like a shy puppy. He kept his gaze down as he followed Chet to the front table. It was pretty crowded and there were several men out there but we made it. A girl was performing in only her underwear with pasties covering her nipples. Chet was looking but with an air of boredom as if he was listening to the novice opening act of a concert whose name nobody knew and couldn't wait for the main performer.
Lucas snuck glances every now and then but felt like a fish out of water. Being raised but a single mother will do that to you. But eventually, his guy instincts took in and he began to watch, though not as enthusiastically as Chet. Chet ordered them a couple of beers and despite him never wanting to step foot in a strip club again, it wasn't all that terrible. The women servers gave him seductive glances and tried to get money out of him but he kept shutting them down.
"Hey honey, care for a dance? Or something more?" A woman dressed in a sexy bunny costume asked him.
"Uhh, no thanks," Lucas replied, feeling a little scared. He had slept casually before, Nikki came to mind. But, it wasn't his instinct to.
"Are you sure?" She asked getting on his lap. "You sure are sexy."
Lucas did not know how to react to this woman throwing herself at him.
"Dude you should get it, but after the next act," Chet encouraged.
"Of course, everyone is here to see Penelope," she said in a smug tone. "Gosh, that girl really takes away all the other girls' tips!"
"I smell bitch fight," Chet said without thinking of how hurtful his words were.
The stripper scoffed, rolled her eyes and walked to another table to flirt.
"Okay, it's time for the act that you all have been waiting for! Give it up for Penelope Cruz!" somebody said on the microphone. The lights went out in the club with only the lights that highlighted the ramp being on.
There was complete silence in the club as everyone waited for the mysterious girl's entrance with bated breath. Lucas wondered what the girl could look like who had amassed such a large crowd. Who could charge whatever she wanted for her services and get away with it.
A track started to play and a girl confidently walked out in nothing but a bra and a g string. She left everyone gaping. Her hair was done up and her make-up was just right for the stage without it being too excessive.
Lucas gaped too, but for an entirely different reason because the stripper was none other than Brooke Davis!
The beauty smiled confidently as if she was a queen and not a stripper. She walked all the way to the front baring it all and then she spotted him with his jaw hanging open. Brooke froze on stage. It was as if time stood still. She couldn't care that the track was playing and she was missing all her cues or that there were dozens of other people in the club who were complaining and screaming things like take it all off.
She just stood there and stared until she was snapped out of it. Suddenly her whole demeanour changed. She wrapped her arms around herself trying to hide her exposed body. She looked around, breathing had become difficult. Had someone sucked all the air out of the room?
She couldn't do it, so she turned on her high heels and walked off the stage. Everyone in the crowd began to groan and scream insults. Meanwhile, the manager stopped the young girl dead in her tracks.
"What the hell was that? What is wrong with you? Can you hear those men screaming insults about my club!? If those men don't return, I will cut their tabs from your paycheck!" the Manager yelled at her.
"Marty, I'm the reason the club is this full and you know it. So do not threaten me. Also, I can't go out today," she said to him, still shaking from fear.
"Like hell, you can't!" he yelled back.
"Marty, please. I mean it. I'm sorry, you can cut out today's losses from my cheque but please, send somebody else up there," she begged.
"You will go out and you will go out now," he put his foot down. "Penelope, you know how kind I am to you. Do you want to talk about what I'm letting you get away with in the back room? I could lose my club for doing that and you know it. Find another club that will be so lenient or pay you so well."
"What payment! I have to give you a cut of my lap dances and other jobs! I'm basically paying you rent for the time I go up on that stage!" she reminded him. "I am not dumb or high!"
"But you are needy," he said, getting to her. "You do it here, you pay the rent. Don't wanna take them home and do it there, do you? Then quit whining. Also, Stop arguing with me and shimmy your ass back up that stage or you will learn just how much the lack of that money you make can affect your life. Go out now before the crowd gets more restless than it already is and dare you pull such a stunt again."
Brooke knew that she was fighting a losing battle. She hoped that Lucas would be gone by then. But who was she kidding? She willed that all this be a dream. That she was dreaming all of this up. Yet, she knew the truth. She had been willing that the entirety of the last 4 years be a dream, she had pinched herself repeatedly in hopes that she would wake up from the horrid reality which was her life. But all that pinching had only left her with a bruised arm and nothing had ever changed.
Brooke closed her eyes. She knew the routine by heart. She could do it in her sleep. Heck, most days she did do it in her sleep considering she worked as a waitress at a diner before getting to the club. She closed her eyes when she heard the music start playing again. Her head jerked from side to side as she tried to block the anxiety, panic and dread that was washing over her in deep waves. Her body was shaking from having to do that in front of him. Yet she needed this job. It was the only way to make ends meet. So at her cue, Brooke pretended. She made another castle in the air... that her reality was very different and this was just a dystopian parallel universe that she had been sucked into. That she would wake up and have the life that she so desperately craved.
She imagined a house, a small pretty white one with a red door similar to the one she had grown up in. She imagined being surrounded by family and love. She imagined she was standing in the backyard of her imaginary home and not here. Anywhere but here and the only eyes peering on her were of the man she loved, not the lecherous gazes she earned her bread and butter with. She imagined safety, but that feeling was too much, too foreign. She remembered the last time she felt safe, or at least the illusion of it because the truth was she never had a safety net. She couldn't ignore the catastrophic emotions that safety had cost her.
A tear fell from her eyes onto her cheek while she did her routine. Yet, the blinding lights of the stage did not magnify it. She did not look at the crowd. She could not from the fear that she would catch the disgust in his eyes. Brooke did the routine, gyrating her body against the pole. And then it was time to strip which was when she hesitated. She looked back and Marty was standing in the wings with a grim look on his face that meant one thing - business.
Brooke felt like she had no autonomy at that moment as she unhooked the front of her bra and threw the tiny piece of fabric on the floor. She could hear the cheers as she dance with her exposed breasts. bending down sultrily to give everyone a view of her ass, another tear slipped down and crashed onto the ramp inaudibly. The cheers heightened. She was so close to the crowd and yet so far away. She heard the sounds of 'take your panties off.' Yet, they would never come off. That was her rule.
Giving her payers some further views of her exposed goodies, she arched her back to show her rack. There were whistles in the crowd. Then she got on the pole and swung around it, wrapping her feet on it and moving effortlessly. It was a good thing that she used to be a cheerleader and a high school slut. Those skillsets came in quite handy after all.
Once the song started coming to an end, Brooke gave them a finale with a little tease where they believed she would take off her panties but she wouldn't. It kept them on edge, with expectation and anticipation. Finally, the song ended. She bent down as slowly and sexily as she could to grab her bra off the floor and then catwalked off the stage and into the crowd to collect her tips. People slipped bills into her g-string and her stockings and she gave each of them a sexy smile. She did however ignore the table that Lucas was sitting at like the plague. Chet was raising some dollar bills towards her, yet she never came to collect. Brooke quickly walked to the stage and back to where she came from. Chet sighed at the lack of attention but he didn't seem too upset.
"Nice right?" He asked Lucas whose jaw still hung loose.
"Oh my god! You're speechless! I knew you would enjoy it! She is so so sexy and in the end, when she teases everyone, I could just come right off it. Anyway, wanna take off? I have an early day tomorrow," he asked,
Just as he said that, Lucas saw Brooke walk out from the corner of his eye. She was still in just that stupid g-string and nothing else. All the dollar bills had vanished. She was also tense. He could tell. Her walking wasn't like Brooke's. It was not natural. She was also keeping a completely straight face to obviously ignore him. She walked to the table right next to Lucas' and smiled at the guy sitting there.
It was just her luck! The guy at the table right next to his had ordered a bloody lap dance from her and it was one of her guys in particular who was filthy rich and did not mind throwing money at her.
"Uhh, why don't you head back? I'll get back to the hotel on my own," Lucas said to Chet who just chuckled, proud of himself.
"Don't throw all your book money on her," he advised before leaving the club.
Brooke could feel Lucas' gaze bore into her. "Hello Mr. Daniels, how are you today?" She asked the man in front of her as she sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her raspy voice had an additional layer of huskiness making her sound so sexy that Lucas could feel something bubble in the pit of his stomach. Although, he quickly shook those feelings away.
"I'm fine baby girl. Tough day at work and you are just what I need to get out of that head," he bopped her nose. "And what have I told you about calling me Daddy?"
"Wel,l what have I told you about finding Mr. Daniels sexier?" she asked him with a sexy kink of an eyebrow. Whoever Mr. Daniels was, Brooke's dominance was surely getting to him and it was visible from the bulge in his pants.
"Come on, why don't we take it to the VIP area?" she asked pointing towards the curtained-off area at the side of the club.
"I have to ask. What is your fee to take this upstairs?" He has such a glimmer in his eyes it makes both Brooke and Lucas feel sick
"You know my rates already… You can get a blowjob for 500 dollars," she said in a straight voice
Mr Daniels' hands started going a little further south reaching the tiny string keeping her panties in place, "I mean how much to get these off?"
Brooke hissed feeling visibly uncomfortable, "I am not a hooker sir. They will not come off. I would appreciate it if you quit asking me."
"But what if you change your mind!?" He asked completely unfazed, squeezing her ass and the sides of her thighs.
"Okay so no on the lap dance?" She asked like she couldn't get out of there soon enough and began to stand up.
"I'll take it." He took out a hundred dollar bill and slipped it into the string of her underwear then without waiting for any permission, he buried his face in Brooke's boobs. His hands moved to grope her and Lucas saw her body arch from pain and disgust.
"Mr. Daniels, arent we taking this to the VIP room?" she asked, feeling very uncomfortable out there, being that way.
"No, I can't wait. Do it here," he replied.
Brooke gave a small glance in Lucas' direction as if apologising for the mistake that she was about to commit and what Lucas was about to witness. She began to gyrate her hips on the perv's lap as his hands continued to attack Brooke's breasts.
Her face told just how much she was not enjoying it but the man seemed unfazed. He on the other hand looked like he was having the time of his life. Brooke shook to the music, rubbing her hands on his face and his chest as she ground her body against his erection. She danced in his lap pretending to enjoy what she was doing with him moving to the rhythm and allowing her hands to roam everywhere on his torso. Mr. Daniels continued to pet her breasts before groping her ass. He tried to go further down but Brooke slapped his hand away. When the song ended, Brooke stood up immediately.
"Will you give me a kiss, please? I'll pay you whatever you want for it," he asked her, mesmerised by her beauty.
"No sir. I will not. Anyway, the song is over. I have some other lap dances to give." Brooke quickly moved to another table in the far corner of the room. I saw her sit on another man's lap before taking his hand and walking towards the VIP corner. As the song ended, Brooke emerged again as she looked around for her next client. She was getting better and better at ignoring Lucas. Lucas saw her come out and stuff her cash in her stocking. She almost had a businesswoman-like air as she nitpicked her clients. She also had a youthfulness to her as she searched for someone. Spotting him at the bar, Lucas saw her demeanour change as she brought on the sexy. Her eyes got all glazy and her voice grew huskier as if she was much older than she was in reality. Another boy was charmed by her beauty as he followed her to the corner like she was the pied piper of Hamlin. This continued 3 more times before she went to the back of the stage through a door that read staff only. Lucas sat there. His mind was blank. He did not see any other act, he did not order another drink. He just waited. Brooke emerged on stage a good 30 minutes later and did another routine. It was a different dance and song from the others but it covered the same basics. She then went on to serve drinks to clients and flirt and giggle with them. Two more people agreed to pay for a lap dance and she did them right there as she circled her hips sandwiched between the two men. She giggled seductively, listened to what they had to say and served them a good amount of alcohol with a cheeky smile to raise their tabs.
Then one man came dangling 500 dollars in front of her eyes. Brooke swallowed. Lucas saw the whole thing happen. She went to some other girl and whispered something to them who just nodded. She went back to the man and pointed towards the staircase going upstairs but not before taking the cash and counting it. She then went back to the staff-only back room and emerged ten minutes later. Her face and her eyes seemed passive as if she was not here and a robot had taken her spot instead. Lucas saw her breathe in and out a couple of times before walking up the staircase herself.
That was the moment his numbness faded. However, he wasn't thrilled because the numbness was overtaken by nausea. He walked to the bar and asked for her strongest drink.
"I see you have a thing for Penelope. You have been following her moves all night. Can't afford her, huh? You know I can show you a time as good as her for half the price," the barkeep propositioned.
"No. Thanks," Lucas said as he chugged down the drink. He ordered some more shots, trying to block his mind from going where it was and picturing the horrid reality he was just learning about.
Brooke and the guy emerged downstairs 30 minutes later. I was still sitting at the bar quietly to myself at that time. He saw the goofy grin the man had on his face. Brooke's eyes met his and she exhaled sharply. Bidding goodbye to the man she had pleasured with a flirtatious look, she began walking towards Lucas before getting behind the counter and grabbing a bottle of water.
"Br-" he started to say. He couldn't help it. He had to.
"Don't." She said to him, stopping him from uttering her name. What baffled him was her voice. It was calm. Dead calm. She neither raised her voice in anger nor did her voice become soft with fear. It wasn't lousy either. It was assertive and full of warning without making heads turn.
She then quickly went back to the staff room with her bottle of water. Emerging from the room 10 minutes later, she went back on stage and did another routine, collecting her tips and ignoring him. She served more drinks and soon the crowd started thinning. But unfortunately, another man came and once more, Brooke walked up the stairs with him. Lucas checked his watch and it was close to 2 am by then. Soon the girls began to lounge and be casual in the place. He had been so fixated on Brooke that he never compared how many men the other girls were taking up. Another 15 mins later he was the only one there. The bartender quietly slipped his bill to him to indicate that they were now closing. He paid the bill but did not move from his seat.
"Sweetie, we're closing up for the night. Do you want me to call you a taxi?" The bartender offered.
"No. Uhh, Penelope. Does she get done now too?" Lucas asked her. His voice was unsure as it cracked, but he felt like he needed to know.
"Yes but don't wait to ask her if she will be interested in coming home with you. She will not." The woman answered with a roll of her eyes. It was evident that this was a recurring thing.
10 more minutes went by and Brooke came down again. She giggled at what the man was saying to her who gave her some more money as tips. She thanked the man with a sultry smile, her hands moving around his buff body before showing him the door.
Then she saw me and huffed.
"I'm sorry. We are closed now. You have to leave" She said to Lucas in a stern voice as if he was another customer at the bar.
"Broo-" he began to say but she widened her eyes. Oh shit! She went by Penelope here.
"Sorry sir, but I am not the girl you are clearly here to try to forget. We are however closed now so would you leave so we can close up." she said professionally and assertively.
Lucas had to talk to her. He just had to!
Just then a man smoking a cigar walked out. "Good job today, girls. Hand in my cut." All the girls began to hand the man some dollar bills.
"Who is this man?" He asked looking at Lucas.
"Customer won't leave," the barkeep said casually while counting her dollar bills.
"Sir, this is a club, not a homeless shelter. You have to leave." Marty said he was annoyed.
"Uhh, wait. I want a lap dance from her," Lucas said quickly before fishing out his wallet with one hand and pointing at Brooke with the other.
"Uhh, no. Sorry. We are done for the day," She said to him with a tremor in her voice.
"Ohh, no we are not. She will be happy to give you a dance, wouldn't she?" Marty spoke on Brooke's behalf. "I know your rates girl and I want that 20% cut."
Brooke huffed but didn't say anything. Marty took the hundred dollars from my hand and gave some of the bills to Brooke.
Lucas quietly began to walk towards the VIP area and turned around every two seconds to see if Brooke was following him. She was but at the slowest pace that she could.
"Wait, we turned off the music. He will need it for the dance," the manager screamed.
"No, it's okay. I'd rather have it without the music. What can I say, I'm a talker," Lucas answered, trying to poke fun at himself.
However just as he was about to step into the curtained area, the door of the staff-only room opened and closed with a thud.
"Mom! I had a nightmare!" A little boy screamed. Lucas and Brooke both stopped in their tracks and turned around. "Celeste said it was okay for me to come out."
Lucas took in the appearance of the little boy that stood there who could not be more than 3. He looked exactly like him with blonde hair although a shade darker than his and piercing blue eyes. The boy walked towards Brooke, rubbing his eyes as Brooke lifted him up in her arms with ease. It baffled Lucas because he could see the resemblance. The boy had Brooke's nose, facial structure and most importantly, her signature trademark dimples.
Lucas stared at the brunette who was soothing the blonde boy's back and kissing his blonde hair. "Mom?"