“Why Vegas?”the bartender asked as he shook up my espresso martini.
No one could seem to understand why I’d trade the perfect weather and life near the beach in Southern California, for the scorching heat and nightlife in Las Vegas.
He had no idea yet, but I was about to become his newest regular. As of this exact moment, what I had pictured for my life when I moved here a few months ago, and what I knew of my life now, both were vastly different. What was supposed to be a lavish lifestyle and fresh start with my boyfriend—well, technically, ex-boyfriend—in Las Vegas, quickly turned into bumming it in a RV park in my fully decked out VW van next to Connie and Earl who hot boxed their old Winnebago every night. So, when a bar offers five-dollar-you-call-its, there was no way I could deny myself a few drinks and the desperately needed buzz.
I took a sip of the coffee flavored drink before answering, “The lights. The ability to feel alive. People from all around the world come here. Who needs to travel around the globe when every corner of it comes to you?” The bartender looked me deadin the eye as if he could see right through each and every one of my twisted lies.
“Touché.” He nodded, now polishing a set of wine glasses.
While all of it was true, it wasn’t the exact reason that pulled me here. What was supposed to be a new adventure moving a state away, turned into a life I couldn’t wait to be freed from.
With every day that passed, and no clue how to get out of this mess, the shackles only became tighter.
“It’s the city that never sleeps.” The rich warmth of the coffee and vodka flavors hit my tongue. The bartender may be intuitive, but hopefully with the help from my drink, I’d come off the slightest bit truthful.
“Are you sure about that? I’m pretty sure that title belongs to New York City.” He flung the rag he was using just moments ago over his shoulder, placing both hands along the edge of the bar.
“Well, they’ve never walked a day in my shoes in this city.” Hence, the espresso martini.
I was fucking exhausted from spending most nights tossing and turning on my shitty mattress, trying my best to figure out how the fuck I got here in the first place.
“Relatable. I’m going on hour ten, and I’ll probably get off work and meet up with friends for a drink. Who needs sleep when you live in a city buzzing as much as this one does?”
Ten hours.
My mind traveled to the second job I didn’t yet have but desperately needed. Currently, I worked as a pool girl. Sure, the money was good. Good enough to live. But it wouldn’t be good enough to liveandpay for the mess I’d somehow found myself in. Between school loans, credit card debt, and … life, bills were piling up, and I didn’t have nearly enough money to keep my head above water.
In Vegas, there were many types of people with one major thing in common. Money.
You either had it, or you were desperate for it.
If I was going to cut it in Las Vegas, I couldn’t stay on the side of the scale that wasdesperatefor it.
The Strip was full of people willing to spend money on anything, even more so if they were influenced by a drink or two. A huge population of locals who lived here made up the percentage of service workers. We lived here to have job security that was fueled by the influx of tourists. It didn’t matter what day of the week it was—there would always be someone here either passing through or celebrating something, willing to hand out the cash in their wallets.
Whether you were a show girl dressed to the nines in full makeup and feathers, offering to take pictures with sightseers passing by, a flashy bartender, a street performer drawing art or selling your craft, or maybe a pool cocktail waitress like me, we were all here for the same reason—to make a fuck ton of money.
“What’s your name, babe?” the bartender asked, jolting me from my thoughts.
“Oh, um, Avery,” I answered, clearing my throat.
“You say that like it’s a question. Are you trying to throw me off by telling me a false name because you think I’m hitting on you? If that’s the reason, no need to worry. While your legs are a solid twelve out of ten in those heels, I’m about as gay as they come, honey.” He winked.
“No, no. Sorry! I’m just inside my own head tonight. My name is Avery, nothing fake about it. What about you? I feel like I’m going to need to know your name if I plan to be here every few days for cheap drinks and an expensive tip.” We both laughed.
“My name is Colton, pleasure to officially meet you.” My mouth parted just as I was about to tell him the pleasure was all mine, but instead, the commotion of two girls walking into Bluff City Bar turned my head.
With their arms linked, two of the most gorgeous women I’d ever seen stumbled up to where I sat at the bar.
“Ladies.” Colton smirked at the women like he’d known them forever. “Meet my new friend, Avery.”
“Hi. I’m Avery.” I offered a gentle wave, feeling a strike of nerves travel through my veins. “But you know that already, obviously, since Colton just mentioned my name and all,” I mumbled.
I sipped my drink for liquid courage.
Meeting people had never been my forte, and it didn’t help that these women werestunning.They radiated confidence and power—everything I wished I could be.
“Andi.” The redhead stuck out her hand with a beaming smile.
