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“Well, if you’re looking to date, there’s this adorable young college graduate who just started at my office,” Allison said.
“No, no,” I said. “I, uh…I’m good.” What she suggested fully sank in, and I blinked in surprise. “Would you really set him up with me, knowing what I did?”
Allison glanced between me and Dakota. “Well, yeah. I believe in second chances. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have married Matteo.”
Right. I sometimes forgot that Allison knew more about Redemption Road than most, given that her husband ran the program.
“Besides, it looks like Dakota has forgiven you,” she said. “Hers is the only opinion that matters.”
“That’s right,” Dakota said. “I declare Joey Whittaker forgiven, and henceforth, a non-pariah in Riverton society.”
“Riverton society,” Shiloh said with a chuckle. “Is there such a thing?”
“Sure there is,” Emory said. “It’s a small town, so it doesn’t look like the swanky high society of New York, but you get on the wrong side of people in Riverton, and you’ll never hear the end of it.”
That was the truth, and I was most definitely on the wrong side of it. But here at this table, with these accepting people, I could almost ignore the snide remarks I’d gotten for the past six months.
Sassy launched into a second performance, drawing our attention back to the stage. This time she cartwheeled and did the splits, all to the poppy beat of “Material Girl”.
We sang along, clapping and cheering. She came down into the audience this time, bending close, dropping into laps, dancing between the tables, plucking dollar bills from people offering her tips.
A server came by, handing out little black-light flashlights. “Shine them at her outfit,” they suggested, before moving on.
A beam cut over Sassy’s top as she straightened from a table where she’d been teasing a straight guy, who looked mortified—with bright red cheeks—and revealed lime-green kiss prints all over her torso.
She widened her eyes theatrically and covered her mouth. “You all wish you were kissing me everywhere, huh? Too bad for you, Sassy isn’t so Solo anymore!” She pointed to the back of the crowd, where a bulky bearded guy who looked to be in his mid-forties sat alone. He wore flannel. To a drag show. “That’s my guy right there. Only he gets to put his lips on Sassy.”
Music swelled, and she performed a bit more of the song, gathering tips. Flashlight beams continued to shine over her outfit, revealing shimmering designs that hadn’t been visible under regular light.
Bailey waved a twenty in the air. Sassy’s gaze locked in on our table.
She slunk over, doing a shimmy in front of Shiloh and Bailey before turning around and flipping up her skirt.
Dakota aimed her black light beam at Sassy, and we all broke into gasps and laughter at the two handprints on the skimpy shorts covering her ass.
“You naughty boys!” she cried out, spinning away so others could see the handprints. “You’ve been so bad! My man is right there!”
“I’m innocent!” Shiloh popped up, just as theatrical as Sassy. He turned toward the boyfriend in the back of the room. “I’d never touch your Sassy, sir. Please don’t hurt me.”
“We just wanted to give you a tip!” Bailey said, waving the twenty.
Sassy grabbed it and tucked it down her front, leaning close enough to ruffle Bailey’s hair. “That’s what they all say, cutie.”
Everyone laughed. Not Sassy’s boyfriend, though. He watched with an intense gaze that was unnerving, only the twitch of his lips giving away his amusement.
“Garrett doesn’t hurt anybody,” Sassy continued. “He’ll just spank me later.”
She spun away, flipping up her skirt again. “These handprints are his. He punishes me every night for being a brat.”
She gave an exaggerated pout before jogging up the steps to the stage and starting her next song.
By the time Sassy’s show was over and another queen was taking the spotlight, Dakota was flagging.
“I think I better call it a night,” she said.
“Are you feeling okay?” Allison asked.
“Yeah, it’s just getting late for me. Besides, I’ve got a date tomorrow night. I’ve got to get my beauty rest.”
