Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 101764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
I sure would have.
“Thanks. It’s beautiful in here. The entire club is gorgeous. You have one hell of a decorator.”
Parker grinned with pride. “Thank you. This place is my world.” Something about the way he said those words had me tilting my head to study him. There seemed to be an undercurrent of sadness hidden beneath his posh exterior.
Interesting.
And not my business.
I was there to work, hopefully, and show Alex he wasn’t the only man who could rake in monster tips.
“So you’re interested in a position as a bottle service boy?”
“I am.”
Parker leaned back in his leather captain’s chair, folding his hands across his stomach. “That position is Wednesday through Saturday nights from nine p.m. until two a.m. After two, we close up, and as soon as the place is spotless, you can go.”
“Sounds great.”
“Have you been to my club before? As a patron?”
“I have. I was here this past Saturday night.”
He nodded. “So you’re aware of the uniform. It’s… small, but customers love it.”
I flashed him a grin. “Not a problem. I was a fan of it myself.”
A fan of Alex in it, not that anyone would ever find that out.
“Do you have experience with bottle service or bartending?”
“I do not, but I have plenty of experience paying for it, so I’ve picked up a few things.”
Parker grunted and frowned.
Shit. The man was not impressed with me.
“This job is not as frivolous as it seems, Ryder. Bottle service is not an excuse to party. Customers are often overly friendly and want you to party with them. My BSBs are allowed one drink or shot every two hours. Most don’t even drink that much. It gets old. They pour themselves water or apple juice and shoot that as often as the client asks.”
That little shit. No wonder stick-up-his-ass Alex was happy to down every round we’d asked him for and never wobbled once. He’d been cheating all night.
“That makes sense. Hard to do your job if you’re sloppy.”
He nodded. “I also have a strict no-fraternization policy with customers or other staff. At least while you’re on the clock or in the building. I don’t give a shit what or who you do on your own time, but my club is not a meat market. It’s the highest-end gay nightclub in all of Boston for a reason. Everything we do is a level above, and I hold all my employees to that standard.”
Seriously? A bunch of hot guys working in their damn underwear and he thought they adhered to this no-fraternization policy? I’d bet my first night of tips that rule was broken and broken often.
Parker chuckled. “I can see the wheels turning in your head. I’m very aware that sex of all kinds happens here every night. I’d need an extraordinary amount of security to prevent it, and then I’d lose business, so I’m willing to look the other way, but not when it comes to my staff. I will not have my club subjected to bad press because my staff can’t control themselves.”
“Understood. That won’t be an issue.”
He studied me for a moment, seeming to assess my believability. More likely to determine how much of a horndog I was and whether I’d follow his keep-it-in-your-pants-at-work rule, which I could. I wasn’t there to hook up. I was there to one-up.
“Your timing is perfect,” Parker said. He unfolded his arms and opened his desk, drawing out a packet of paperwork. One of my long-time guys resigned yesterday. He’s starting an internship and can no longer keep such late nights.”
“Oh, that is good timing.”
“The first month is a probationary trial. You’ll shadow and co-service with one of my guys for a week, then have one table with some oversight from your mentor. After a month, we meet, and if it’s going well, you’ll have more tables on your own.”
A devilish excitement zinged through me. “So, uh, I actually know Alex. I’ve known him for years. He’d be the perfect one to train me.” I gave Parker my most innocent smile.
“Oh, really?” He jotted something on a notepad. “I’m just making a note of that.”
This was almost too easy. Any simpler and it wouldn’t be fun.
“Yeah, we go way back. Met at a summer enrichment program in high school.”
Parker glanced up from his note-taking. “Well, I’ve gotta say, you being friends with Alex is the best reference you could have. He is by far my hardest worker. He very rarely calls out, has never been late, and often locks up for me at night. Customers adore him and request his section more than any of my other bottle service boys.”
I frowned. Listening to Parker sing Alex’s praises threatened to ruin my new job buzz. However, the thought of outperforming him and becoming the apple of his boss’ eye pumped me right back up.