Pinups and Possibilities Read Online Free PDF Page B

baited breath atmosphere. It provided me with a momentary distraction from the nerves assaulting my system, but I couldn’t see anything that struck me as unusual. The only thing different from last night was a sign announcing that someone named Pin-up Polly was the headlining act tonight.
    My stomach, overly full of greasy diner food and too much soda, was churning, and I tried to steer my thoughts to a place that would ease my anxiousness. I needed to focus on locating Jayme Duncan. It was five to seven, and I’d been at the club for a half hour, standing in a corner. I hadn’t yet seen someone who stood out.
    When a girl, dressed in a barely there jean skirt and a stretchy strip of orange that passed as a shirt, placed a light hand on my elbow, I jumped.
    “Runnin’ from the law?” she teased in an exaggerated southern drawl.
    “Not exactly,” I growled, and it was the girl’s turn to jump.
    Another orange-T-shirt-wearing bouncer glanced our way and I sighed and made myself smile.
    “Sorry, sweetheart,” I said from behind my purposely cocky grin. “It’s just that usually the law is running from me .”
    She relaxed and put her hand back on my arm.
    “Y’all need a drink and seat, darlin’?” she asked in a sultry voice.
    “In the opposite order, please,” I replied easily.
    She laughed pleasantly. I knew that her appreciation of my not-too-solid attempt at humour was probably put on, but I smiled again anyway, and I let her lead me through the crowd to a spot near the stage. The round table was only about two feet wide, and had a single chair. It was clearly designed for a man here alone. The girl patted the seat, and I eased into it as she swished away.
    The fact that I was so obviously friendless cause a momentary pang.
    I wasn’t alone last night.
    My eyes sought that bar stool where I’d been sitting the previous evening. Where I’d met the girl.
    Was she here? Would she think I came back for more? Would she believe me if I said I wasn’t here for that? But if the opportunity was there, would she even want more?
    The waitress reappeared, cutting off my laughably insecure train of thought. She set a bottle of beer appeared in front of me. I frowned at it, and considered sending it back before remembering that Cohen was still paying my tab.
    “What do I owe you? Whatever it is, double it and bring me a receipt,” I told the girl.
    “It’s on the house, honey. You look like you need it.”
    I eyed the beer suspiciously. Was I that rough?
    I hadn’t touched a drop since the night Cohen found me, ash-covered and broken, and I had no intention of starting again now. I never wanted to get to that place again.
    Then it occurred to me that someone other than the waitress might’ve comped the drink. My eyes narrowed, but I kept myself from taking another look around the room. Had Mike the mechanic called Jayme Duncan and warned him I was coming?
    Hell, maybe he had, I thought. Maybe Jayme himself was the one who’d sent the beer to my table.
    On the off chance that it had been him, I raised the beer to my lips and feigned taking a sip. The icy cold rim brought the acrid taste of alcohol to my mouth, and I had to hold in a gag.
    With an unfamiliar sense of dread, I shoved the drink away from myself, and wished that this job was done.

Chapter Four
Polly
    “Polly!”
    My head snapped up as I realized Ellis was shouting my name. I rubbed my eyes sleepily, and realized, also, that I had more or less fallen asleep at my dressing table.
    It had taken a full half hour and a quarter of a tube of professional-grade cake make-up to cover my rapidly blackening eye.
    “You all right?” Ellis asked.
    “Mmph,” I said.
    “Yeah. About what I thought.” My dough-faced boss tipped his head sideways at my mumbled acknowledgement. “It’s like the fourth time I’ve called you, P.”
    “I’m a little tired today.”
    He did his best to smile kindly, and failed. It would’ve been miraculous to see him