Page 53 of Up In Smoke
“Ooh, a dog! Does the dog come with the new guy?”
“Can I pet the dog?”
“Can I feed the dog?”
She waves at them as Klaus looks around at the men admiring him. “Hush, now. This here’s your new brother, Jesse, and you’ll meet him properly later. I’m gonna finish showin’ him the Tavern, then we can have a lil dance, okay?”
“Okay, Mama!” they agree cheerfully and wave us off.
I look down in bemusement at Trixie as she starts escorting me toward the hotel part of the building. Klaus is glued to my side like he knows I still need his reassurance.
“Somethin’ on your mind, cowboy?” Trixie asks.
I chuckle and shake my head. “You haven’t even seen me dance yet, but you’re acting like I’m already hired.”
She hums. “Do y’all have two left feet?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Then I reckon the job’s yours, if you want it.” She pats my arm where she’s holding it. “You seem like you belong here, Jesse. Am I wrong thinkin’ you’re lookin’ for a second chance?”
“More like a hundredth chance,” I mumble, that shame threatening to creep back in. But Trixie squeezes my elbow and when I look down, she beams up at me.
“Some folks just don’t know they’re in the wrong place until they’re in the right one. Magnolias don’t grow in the shade, now do they?” She tilts her head and considers me. “You know why I picked up sticks from Louisiana, hon?”
I shake my head because I’ve only just met the woman, so how could I know? But I sense this is all part of her storytelling.
“I have a lil boy, Jesse. His name is Max. Now, where he was born, some folks were confused and liked to think he was a girl, despite him bein’ very clear with me since he could talk that he was a fella. Some folks even had the nerve to try andmakehim be a girl. Now I wasn’t havin’ that. His daddy was never around in the first place, and my family weren’t nothin’ to brag about, so the two of us started driving and didn’t stop till we found this ol’ shack.”
She slaps one of the walls as we head down to where the hotel rooms are located. I realize there’s a lump in my throat which I try and swallow so I can speak. “You’re an amazing mom,” I say softly.
But she huffs and scowls at me. “I did what any mama should do and shame on those who don’t. Your blood is your blood and only a fool turns their back on their kids when they need them the most.”
That lump isn’t budging. In fact, I can’t stop myself from sniffing and hastily rubbing my eyes. Klaus whimpers and thumps his shoulder against my leg.
“Oh, sugar,” Trixie says softly, stopping and wrapping her arms around me. Seeing as she barely comes up to my shoulders, I chuckle wetly and tuck her under my wing to hug her back. She sighs against me. “I’m sorry if someone let you down. But…yeah. I reckon you belong here, all right.”
For a few minutes, she just hugs me until something feels just that bit lighter in my chest. “Thank you,” I mumble.
She leans back and cups her hands around the sides of my face. “Of course. If you’re gonna be one of my boys, that means Mama Bear Trixie comes as part of the package. Now, let me show you one of my rooms. I decorated them all myself, you see, and I like showin’ them off. Then we’ll go round up the posse and do a little number to road test those feet of yours. Did you know I was head cheerleader at Louisiana State? Those pom-poms got me a full ride and a business degree. Ain’t that some’in’?”
“It sure is,” I agree with a laugh, getting what she’s implying.
This isn’t a job I should be ashamed of. It’ll be something to be proud of.
All my previous fears don’t seem so scary anymore, and I think I’m almost definitely going to accept Trixie’s offer.
And I can’t wait to tell Rico all about it.
CHAPTER 16
Rico
I’ll be honest,I wasn’t entirely convinced when Jesse started telling me about his new job. I just heard ‘stripper at a bar’ and my mind rushed toward all the worst possible scenarios.
But then I remembered what I’ve been working on and began actuallylisteningto him. Not just to the words he’s saying, but to the unbridled joy that’s clear in his voice. He’s so excited, and I don’t think it’s simply because he’s been worrying about relying on me so much financially. It’s the job itself. I know how much he hated the club back in LA and how poorly they treated him. This Trixie’s Tavern place sounds completely different. I doubt this is some seedy joint where I’ll have to worry about him.
And the way his eyes light up when he talks about dancing for the audition, how much he’s missed learning choreography and being on stage, it’s clear this isn’t just a job to pay the bills. It’s a vocation he’s passionate about.