Page 59 of Sexy

“Where do you think she went?” I ask, just to see if he’s jealous of Fletcher.

“He’s probably fucking her backstage.”

“What? Do you think?” I fake it. Sorta.

“Why?” Cole snaps. “You like that asshole too? You think he’s sexy? He’s hot? He’s worth the hassle he comes with? Why didn’t you fire him?”

“I didn’t have to. He quit. I asked him to come back and do this show for my dad tonight. And the reviewers.” I look around for their table and two of the women are already in line for a lap dance. “I guess they want the full experience.”

“Yeah, well, if he wanted to impress them, why didn’t he stick around for the lap dance?”

“Are you”—please, God. No. He can’t really like that girl. She was just… there. Right?—“dating Elizabeth?”

“Dating? God, no. But she’s on company time, Tiffy. What kind of employee goes off to fuck the star stripper?”

Hmmmm. I have nothing for that one. I did it myself. In fact, I bet Fletcher took her up on the roof. I bet he’s getting that blanket out of the trunk right now. Telling her he’s never fucked anyone on it because he makes them stand.

Asshole.

“He’s bad news. You fire him tonight. Your father’s not coming out here. I know that for sure.”

I scrunch my eyebrows together. “I’m supposed to be here for another few weeks to get things in order. He doesn’t even want to visit me?”

Cole reaches across the table, his interest in the backstage curtain on pause, and takes my hands in his, giving them a little squeeze. “It’s not about you, Tiffy. It’s just business.”

I force a weak smile. “I know.” And then I get an idea. “You want to go grab some dinner tonight? I haven’t eaten yet.”

He gives the backstage one more glance. “Nah, I’ve got work to do. Let’s go say hello to the reviewers and let them know to contact us if they need anything.”

And before I can even register that he shot me down again, he’s dropped my hands and walked off towards the two in line.

Hmmm. He’s way too preoccupied with his missing assistant.

I spend the next thirty minutes pretending that I’m not noticing how Cole is wasting time to see if Elizabeth will reappear looking well-fucked. But that’s what he’s doing all right. His conversation is directed to the reviewers but his attention is only on the backstage curtain. Like she’ll come out from there.

This is not turning out how I imagined it. “Hey, Cole,” I say, inching my body towards his until our arms are touching. “Wanna have dinner with me tomorrow since you’re busy tonight?”

The reviewers are preoccupied with their turn in line for lap dances, so they aren’t listening. But Cole shoots me a dirty look and shushes me into silence.

God, I’m losing bad right now. I need Fletcher’s help. He’d know exactly what to do. But he’s on the roof with that tramp.

It pisses me off almost as much as it does Cole. I need him and he’s busy fucking someone else.

Asshole.

“OK, well, I’m tired. So I’m turning in for the night. See you tomorrow?”

“Sure, Tiffy. Goodnight.” Cole walks off towards the backstage curtain.

I turn on my heel and walk off as well. I spy Claudio in line to get a lap dance with Steve. And I should put a stop to that, but I need to find Fletcher. This is not working. He promised me it would work.

I head straight up to my floor on the penthouse and turn right towards the door to the roof. There is no stone in there to prop it open, but my keycard opens all the doors, and I don’t see why this one would be any different. It opens. So I creep up the stairs and prop my head against the door as I crack it just an inch.

Silence. Just some residual party noise from the pool down below.

I slip through the door and tiptoe to the garden shed.

And stop dead.