Page 24 of The Dance

“Must be nice.” I followed him a few feet into the kitchen.

“Like you’re one to talk. Wasn’t your mom paying your rent?”

“True.” I sighed.

He pulled a can of Dr. Pepper from the fridge. “Which reminds me, did you end up finding a job?”

I took a deep breath and leaned against the counter as I watched him grab two glasses. “You can say that.”

“What does that mean?”

I hadn’t told anyone about Sweethearts, but at that moment, I felt as if I could tell Blake and he wouldn’t judge me. Maybe because he told me he was a player, and I didn’t think he had room to judge me. “Actually, you saw me working tonight.”

He stilled the cap he was turning on a whiskey bottle. “Come again?”

“Have you heard of Sweethearts?”

“No, what’s that?” He poured the whiskey into the glasses filled with ice. I told him about the app and sugar daddies while he finished making our drinks. He handed one to me. “That explains grandpa.”

I rolled my eyes. “Walter is really nice.”

“And loaded, I’m guessing.”

I took a sip of the Dr. Pepper and whiskey. It was smooth and sweet, and Blake was still my favorite bartender. “All the guys on the app are. It’s a requirement.”

“Are there sugar mommas on there?” He smirked.

“Maybe.” I lifted a shoulder. “I haven’t messed around with the app except to get my stuff set up and book dates.”

He leaned on the counter across from me, crossing his ankles. “And you enjoy doing this?”

“I mean, at first, it was scary, but now that I’ve been doing it a few months, it’s just dating with a little perk.”

“And sex with guys old enough to be your father or grandfather,” Blake mumbled.

“I do have standards,” I huffed.

“So, you didn’t fuck Old Walt tonight?”

“For your information, no, I didn’t.”

“And you still got paid?”

“I have a three-date rule. It was my first date with Walter.” I took a sip of my drink.

“So, what’s it like? You have dinner with these guys, and they just give you money?”

I stared at him for a moment and then said, “You know, I didn’t come over here to talk.”

Blake grinned around the lip of his glass. “Good, because I didn’t invite you over to talk.”

“Then stop interrogating me?”

“And fuck you already?”

“Yes,” I sneered.

He set his glass on the counter and then grabbed mine out of my hand, putting it next to his. “All right, toots. Your wish is my command.”