The bar is dark, but fairy lights add some much needed light to the room. I spot Hope sitting at the bar talking to her brother Jason. He’s a large guy with a bald head and the same bright blue eyes as Hope.
I wrap my arms around Hope from behind. She startles before she realizes it’s me.
“Hey.” She turns on her stool and smiles. “How was the first day?”
Jason sets a strawberry daiquiri on the bar in front of me. I give him a grateful smile.
“Long. Weird without Tom there.” I set my clutch down and draw the daiquiri over for a drink. “Mmm, I need this.”
“And I need this.” Kayla sits down next to me and bumps my arm. “Do you know how many good-looking men work at my new branch?”
“A lot?” Hope asks and takes a sip of her daiquiri.
“Not one.” Kayla holds up a hand toward Jason, but he sets a daiquiri in front of her with a wink. “At least your brother is hot.”
“Seriously?” I ask. “How is it I’m surrounded by gorgeous men and you get the orc edition of Lord of the Rings?”
“Not to worry. There are hot women, who unfortunately are straight.” Shaking her head, Kayla takes a drink of her daiquiri.
“It’s probably best not to dip your pen in the company ink anyway,” Hope says. “It doesn’t always turn out like Madison’s guys.”
“Now I’m even more depressed.” When Kayla raises her hand, Jason sets a bowl of peanut M&M’s in front of her. “I mean, why couldn’t I get propositioned for more than work on my first day?”
“It wasn’t the first day.” Madison takes the other bar stool with a grin. “They told me when they hired me.”
Madison holds her hand out to me with her palm up. I put my hand in hers and squeeze.
“How was your first day?” she asks.
“Good. Long. Kind of lonely, honestly.” Now that I think about it. I was mostly in my office all day with no need for contact with anyone else.
Kayla frowns. “That’s not good.”
“It’s how most of my days go,” Hope says.
“I found something that might be a clue about Tom.” I grab a napkin and pull a pen out of my purse. “Some woman wasn’t good at numbers, but there was a logo on the piece of paper.”
I draw the VV logo from memory and show the girls.
Hope and Madison give me shakes of their head, but Kayla snorts a laugh.
“Do you know what it is?” I stare down at it. “I couldn’t find a business with VV in the name.”
“Oh, I know it. Been a few times. It’s the Veiled Vixen Gentlemen’s Club.”
“Wait!” My eyes widen. “Like a strip club gentlemen’s club?”
“Only the best one in the city.” Kayla takes a drink and eats a couple M&M’s. “The girls there are gorgeous. It’s clean. Good establishment.”
“We should go.” I pick up the napkin. “We can talk to the strippers and see if one of them knows my brother.”
“I’m in to go talk to strippers.” Kayla smirks. “My day just got a whole lot brighter.”
“I can’t.” Madison gives us a little pout. “I promised Seth I’d be home early.”
“I can’t either.” Hope shakes her head. “But you two should go.”
“Maybe we can wait until later in the week.” I stare at the logo. “Are strip clubs even open on Monday nights?”
