Little White Lies

“Babysitting, Bambi. I mean, Candie.” James smirked. “And fixing Cael.”

“Cael, hurry it up!” Charley said.

“I’ll find you.” Cael’s voice carried through the open door.

“You got me covered, James?”

James turned the monitor to her. “Yup.”

Voice recording and visual from a pin half the size of her fingernail, tucked within her hair like a jewel, would show him everything that she would see.

“Then I’m outta here.” Charley blew James a kiss which he threw back at her.

“I’ll walk with you,” Wyatt said.

“Won’t that be obvious?”

“Yes, but remember, I’ve had you privately for the last few hours.”

“Ah, true.” She tapped her temple. “So true, so true.” She could only wish it had actually been.

Wyatt sauntered his way to the club. Charley matched Candie’s come-hither gait with Wyatt’s hand on her back. Together they turned down the alley between the two buildings. He gave her a nod before he left her to enter alone.

Charley moved toward the sounds of mass hysteria behind a doorway.

“Where’s my eyeliner?” A voice pitched across the din and clatter.

A screech followed. “My costume is ripped!”

“Dammit! Where are my shoes?” The third voice, deeper but still feminine, proceeded with a curse.

Charley swayed at the onslaught of information that hit her.

“Candie! Oh my god! Your first off-site private! How was it?” A girl walked up to Charley, squeezed her arms together in a girlish hug Charley’d only ever seen on television.

Holy shit! That was her first? “Reeeal good.” Charley winked.

“Kate. Leave ’er alone.” A woman sat at a lit booth, applied a thick coat of the same bright red lipstick Candie wore.

“It was good, Kate, reeeeeal good.” Charley mimicked Candie’s giggle to impress upon her the obvious.

At quick glance, she counted four women to her left and four to the right in a room the size of her kitchen. The walls held tables and lights set to best apply garish makeup appropriate only to the skimpy attire.

Apparel flew in every direction as a gentle, calm voice interrupted Charley’s moment of observation. The smile didn’t fit the blue hair, extra-long lashes, or neon-painted blue lips-nor the blue getup she wore.

“You didn’t forget any of your gear, did ya?” Lady-in-Blue shifted her wardrobe, revealing one very taught nipple in the process. Charley looked over at Kate, who continued to hover, preventing her from moving.

“Dance order sign-ups with Boris tonight.” Lady-in-Blue pointed to a desk where a rather large man-Boris by his hand-drawn name tag-sat. She looked Charley up and down before she popped her one in the shoulder. “No need to kiss and tell unless you wanna,” she said as Kate bounced with giddy excitement. “You actually got back on time. Hope you pleased him.” She flung her hair around and walked back to her table.

“Lola’s in a tizzy ’cause she didn’t think you’d get back,” Kate said. “C’mon, tell me all about it!”

Charley let Kate lead her to her table, where she found photos of Candie with various people, taped to the mirror. She dumped her bag underneath and sorted through items Lily suggested she pull out.

“Boris has lines up, and I gotta get ready!” Kate held her hands between her knees. “My set is first-and last- tonight. I am going to rake it in.” She winked at Charley.

“That’s great!” Charley lied with a smile plastered to her face. “Let me go get my times.”

“Oh, yeah, ’k.” Kate turned back to her own mirror.

“The energy, perfume and hairspray alone in this place are going to give me a headache.” She knew James and Cael would both hear her. “Hey, did you guys set up Wyatt, too?” She received an affirmative from the man himself.

So they can all hear me. She pushed her way through to Boris, who had already taken notice of her arrival. His eyebrows wiggled as she approached.

“How’d it go, sweet thang?” Boris’ croon continued on well past the end of his sentence. One plump finger tilted her chin up. “You don’ look no worse for wear.”

“Nope. Good as gold.”

“You want in early, ’case them guys want you back?”

“Yeah. Totally.” She winked at him, added a smile.

While Boris jotted her name down, Charley listened to the women screech, gripe, and complain. As they called each other by name, Charley committed them to memory. Once she had names to faces, the evening would flow much smoother.

Boris gave her a nod and a fist to her jaw with no more a threat than the bat of a kitten’s paw, his toothless smile as wide as a river. He turned his watch toward himself, adding “You done good, chick,” and waved her off.

A bleached-blonde giant of a woman sidled up to Charley with a smile across her face. “Hey there! I’m Cyndyee!” She extended her hand. Her southern drawl added to the unforgettable effect. “I just started.”

Oh, thank god I don’t have to be her.

Cyndyee adjusted the strap that ran from her shoulder to her crotch. Comfort must not have entered the designer’s mind.

“Hey, Cyndyee!” Kate’s voice wafted over. She motioned for them to join her. Charley followed as well to touch up her already perfect makeup.

She dropped her jacket, revealed the red ensemble Lily had selected, and added a pair of silver heels that gave her another six inches as the conversations started.

“Gina’s a no show,” Kate said to Charley.

“Damn! ’Cause she was good. Got her cell?” Lola said from across the room.

“Yeah. No answer. Anyone check her flat?” Kate asked. “I’m goin’ over after shift. Check on ’er.”

“You’re so sweet, Kate,” Cyndyee joined in.

“You hear those two rich guys are back?” Kate asked Charley as if the conversation hadn’t just transitioned from Gina.

“No, seriously?” Charley turned her attention to the conversation while she faked her makeup application. Finally, something relevant. With two taps on her ears, she signaled James.

“Oh yeah. Rhonda said that Joe saw them take a seat at the center of stage one.” Lola sneered. “You gonna hook up with them again, sugar plum? Don’ wanna share with anyone else?” Lola shifted her breasts under the straps that semi-covered them.

“If they ask for me.” Charley batted her lashes. “Can’t help it if they go for sweet.”

***

“Sweet?” Wyatt withheld the chuckle. “You play the part well, Charley.”

One of the servers leaned over his shoulder. “What can I getcha?”

For the third time since Wyatt found the table at the edge of the main circle, he raised his full glass up and scanned the room. The club hadn’t changed since his visit a month before. Hips gyrated and skin grew more obvious with each woman who made her way to center stage. In front of him, one dancer spun while three more did the same at the edges of his vision.

“Charley’s coming out next,” James’s voice cleared the airwaves.

Wyatt relaxed further into his seat. Another pass through the room revealed Cael with one elbow on the bar, his hip leaned into it. Lily had dressed him well. He wore more casual attire than Wyatt-a suit, minus the jacket, his tie left askew. The elegance would appeal to women across the floor.

Wyatt counted at least four who made their way toward Cael from opposite corners. “Cael’s got visitors.”

James’s laugh and Lily’s sigh echoed back at him.

“Cael is not the focus,” Charley said. “I’m at the entrance. Main stage.”

Wyatt turned but directed his gaze beyond the nude dancer to the curtains at the back. As the music came to a stop, she disappeared.

Speakers rumbled with a pending announcement until “Candie!” screeched from the emcee. Loud applause,