Lindsay folded both arms across her chest and again made two anxious fists. “I know you’re the boss and everything, along with Colt, so I don’t know if I should say anything. Because, you know, I’m mad salty about this whole situation and the way Colt treated me. And Aliyah? You don’t want to hear what my opinion is of her.”
“Say whatever you want to me, sweetheart. Be honest, speak your mind. I’m here to help.” Though sincere with her words, Pamela couldn’t help but to survey Lindsay’s sweet little breasts nestled so snug and cute in the baby tee. Her hands itched to fondle them. “And don’t worry about Colt spying on us, listening in.” Holy hell, those titties are magnificent. Absolutely perfect. “He only does that if a customer is in the room. He won’t hear a word you say to me, I promise.”
Lindsay flailed her right arm about. “Why did Colt suspend me? I didn’t do nothing wrong!”
“Yes, you did.” Pamela drew Lindsay in for an embrace and her entire being melted. “You can’t be getting upset if you’re not chosen from a lineup. It creates enemies in the house and, worst of all, no customer should be witness to any drama.” I haven’t had a reaction like this to another woman in a long, long time, if ever. Talk about getting under your skin, huh? But in an awesome way, the best way. “Most of our customers have enough drama in their everyday lives as it is. That is why they come here. It’s our job to make them happy.”
A crease took shape on Lindsay’s brow and a single tear slid down her cheek.
“We’re a business, baby. We’re like a grocery store, a restaurant, whatever.” I need to focus on this discussion and pull my mind out of the gutter. Kayleigh needs me now. “It’s vital we project a positive image to our customers. It’s how we get them to return.
“And as for Colt and me, our viewpoint as the owners, we don’t want any drama or underlying issues amongst the employees. No negativity.” Yeah, better. “We all live together, and drama eats away at everything, and customers will pick up on it. We’re together twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Everyone needs to get along.”
What would happen if a customer picked Lindsay and Aaliyah for a threesome tomorrow? She couldn’t decline it because they didn’t like each other. You could, but Colt would frown upon that. Lindsay and Aaliyah would have to be best friends and lovers and convince the customer everything between them is legitimate. Been there, done that with girls I didn’t like in the past. It sucks, but it’s the way things are here.
What’s worse, Lindsay didn’t have the acting chops – at least not yet – to pull something like that off. The customer may sense real animosity between Lindsay and Aaliyah, Pamela thought, and it would ruin his or her experience.
Worst of all, the customer would probably never return. And then Colt gets angry and starts pointing fingers.
“I did nothing wrong!” Lindsay again swallowed hard and had to fight back fresh tears that were waiting at the floodgates. “I never pouted or got upset in front of a customer. I’ve always kept smiling. I may have pouted once I was out of sight, but getting passed over in a lineup, it’s so embarrassing.” She made herself choke out the words. “Humiliating!”
“You can never pout, period. It gives off a horrible impression to the customer and your fellow employees.” Aaliyah was right. This girl has had everything handed to her on a silver platter. Lindsay was undoubtedly the hottest female while attending high school and had her pick of anyone. People fawned over her as she walked down the street. They worshipped her like she was a Greek goddess and the single greatest thing that little town ever produced.
God, it’s not her fault. She’s only eighteen and just needs to grow up. Kayleigh needs some maturity is all, some enlightenment, and to be shown the proper way.
I can help her. I want to help her.
“Listen to me, Kayleigh. Hey, look at me. Kayleigh?”
Those tears had since burst and were coming so fast they streaked down Lindsay’s face one after the other.
“Yeah, that’s it. Look at me.” Pamela did her best to dab at those baby blues with a wad of tissues. “I’m trying to help you.” No turnout had ever meant so much to Pamela this quickly. “You’re an emotional girl and need to settle down.” Reminds me of Charlie and the e-mail he sent my way. “Settle down, okay? Don’t cry. I’m telling you this for your own good.”
Her breath coming too fast, Lindsay’s vision was blurred as she nodded.
“Emotions and this job, they don’t mix. I really, really like you, and want you to succeed here.” It was instinct on Pamela’s part to pull Lindsay onto her lap, wrap both arms around her, and try to soothe the hurt away with dancing fingertips down her spine. “But you have to think about the bigger picture.” Colt’s right – you need thicker skin.
Lindsay fought through her anguish and managed a faint smile. “I like you too.”
“This is your job, okay?” Pamela touched Lindsay’s face, her hand delicate and cool. “It’s how you make your living. You don’t want to mess this opportunity up. Look at all the money you’ve made here so far this week. Three hundred and twenty-two dollars after expenses? That’s excluding the six-sixty-three you had to pay back to me for your fees and the day in Oakfall. Kayleigh, honey, you’ve grossed well over a thousand dollars in four days of working here.” Pamela was silent for a moment and relished having Lindsay in her arms. I could get used to this. This girl is way too much temptation. “Really, just two days since you’ve been suspended for the other two. At your age, you’d be hard-pressed to find another job where you can make that type of money, at least legally.” She leaned in closer and her voice became edgier. “Do you want to go back to slinging corn dogs in Citronelle for minimum wage and your ex-boyfriend stalking you?”
Those words hit Lindsay like a cold splash of water to the face. “No. Never.”
“This. Is. Your. Job! Don’t blow it.” I can’t always protect you. “And part of your job is to always have a smile if a customer is present or not. You should be able to sit at the dinner table when it’s just us employees and joke around, laugh, have a fun time. You shouldn’t have any enemies, and no one should think of you as an enemy. My God, Kayleigh. Society looks down on us enough as is. Prostitutes are the dregs of society and we’re all going to Hell. We’re heathens.”
“What?” Lindsay’s eyes narrowed. “You believe that?”
“No, of course not.” This type of life wasn’t fair. Pamela learned that lesson long ago, but she’d made the best of it. “We’re people like everyone else. We have feelings, emotions, desires, and needs like everyone else. Loved ones in our families get sick and die, they pass away. We go through pain and heartaches. I have an uncle, someone close to me all my life, who has Dementia and doesn’t even know who I am anymore. Do you know how painful that is for me? How much it hurts? We’re not immune because we sell sex and fantasy for a living. People think they have the right to talk shit about us, but they don’t.”
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