Chapter 28

“My company would like to represent you and bring you to Los Angeles. We represent all the major gentlemen’s clubs in The Basin, and they pay us to find new talent.”

“The what? Basin?”

He smiled. “The greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. L.A. is ringed by mountains, but ... never mind that.”

“I ... I’ve ... never been out of Texas,” I shyly admitted. Los Angeles ... Hollywood ... hmmmm.

“We also represent... other interests, but we don’t have to go into that now.” He paused for a moment. “I wanted to talk to you yesterday, but I got here too late, and the club was packed. I tried to get your attention several times, but you were always with other men.”

What he said was true. We’d been slammed every night since Tony launched that ad campaign, and I remembered one of the security guys telling me that there was even a 45-minute wait to get into the club due to the long line at the front door. I pushed that thought out of my mind and focused on him. “Why would I want to go to California? This is my home, and I’m happy here.”

That was a white lie, or maybe even a bold outright lie. My relationship with Derek was deteriorating, even if I didn’t want to admit it. The more time I spent with him, the more I realized what we had together had run its course. He was pushing me so hard to stop dancing and enroll in college; ending things with him wasn’t a matter of if. It was a matter of when. A couple of times, I’d even looked at rental sites on the internet to see what I could expect to pay for an apartment of my own.

“It’s much more lucrative to dance in Los Angeles. It’s the second largest city in the country and much bigger than Dallas; more men means more money.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” he said enticingly.

“It just seems ... you know ... so far away.”

“It’s a three-hour flight, not far at all.”

My head was spinning. This was all coming at me so fast. “I ... I need some time to think about this.”

“I’m leaving tomorrow morning for New York and then Miami. There are a couple of girls that I need to speak to, but I’ll be back in Dallas in a week.”

“Okay.”

“I know we’ve just met, and I’m not trying to pressure you, but I’d like you to consider something before I go.” I nodded my head, and he continued. “All of those men out there, all of the money they’re spending, all of the revenue that’s being generated for your co-workers and the owner of this club, came from one place.”

My jaw dropped as the realization of what he was telling me hit home. “Me,” I whispered.

That photographer took photos of both me and Raven, together and separately; both of our pictures were on his website, but the only image on all those billboards was mine.

He smiled. “Yes, you. My boss estimates that your ad campaign has already generated over half a million dollars of revenue for this club in only a few weeks.” He paused for a moment. “How much of that money have you seen?”

“None of it.”

Of course, just like the rest of my co-workers, I was making more now because the club was packed, even during the weekdays, but I’d never actually been paid anything to let Tony use my likeness.

“It’s your image on all those billboards, and had I been representing you, I would have demanded that a percentage of those proceeds go to you. You may not see it, but you’re incredibly talented, and I can make big things happen for you; all you have to do is let me.”

My head was still spinning, but I attempted to respond coherently. “We’ll be in touch, okay?”

He stood up. “I look forward to hearing from you.”

Traffic was light, and I made it to work a little after 3:00. It was actually nice outside now that the temps had gone down and the humidity had vanished. A few dead maple leaves blew by my feet. Autumn is here.

I was relaxing in the break room for a few minutes and sipping my bottle of iced tea when Sofia walked into the room. Her cheeks looked inflamed, and her eyes were red and puffy like she’d been crying. Immediately, I stood up and rushed over to her, and she melted into my arms. We held each other tight for several seconds as I tried to comfort her.

“Baby, are you alright? What’s wrong?” I said gently.

“My brother called me a couple of hours ago. My Mom slipped in the bathroom and hit her head. She might ... she might not make it ... and if she does, she’s going to need a lot of long-term care.”

I gently wiped some of the tears off her cheeks. “I’m so sorry.” I took her hand, and we sat down at the table, and I took both of her hands in mine.

“I’m flying out this evening to New Orleans, but I just had to see you before I left. I have to be with her, with my family.”

No! Don’t leave me!

“Of course you do, honey.”

“My Dad took off when I was really young, and it’s only me and my brother now, and if she pulls through, he’s going to need my help taking care of her.”

My eyes widened as the realization of what she was telling me started to sink in. “Will you be coming back?” I murmured.

Baby, please don’t go!

“I don’t know, baby.”

Tears started rolling down my cheeks, and she pulled me in and held me. I should have been the one comforting her, supporting her, but I wasn’t. I couldn’t bear the thought of not having her in my life. “I ... I ... can’t do this without you, Sofia,” I whispered.