Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 62696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 313(@200wpm)___ 251(@250wpm)___ 209(@300wpm)
"Jack dancing?"
"Well, you know what I mean. Now, do you want to hear my news?"
"Oh my God! Yes, please tell me!"
"I'm getting engaged."
Sally stared at her blankly.
"But I thought-"
Kaylie smiled mischievously.
"As soon as Devlin asks me properly. Talked it over with Mama and we decided it was kind of sweet, him getting ahead of himself that way. Besides, it's not like it's not inevitable."
Sally came around the counter and hugged her quickly.
"That's wonderful, Kaylie! Congratulations! Devlin must be ecstatic."
Kaylie winked at her as the dinner crowd started to shuffle in.
"He will be."
"Will?"
"He just doesn't know yet!"
"Kaylie, what?!?"
"Don't worry, Sally. I think I have the solution to both of our problems.”
“You do? I wish I knew what to do.”
Kaylie took her hand and squeezed.
“We are going to out-sweet the sweetbutts."
Chapter 21
Sally
Sally opened her door to see Kaylie and Janet standing outside. Janet held a fancy makeup kit and Kaylie had a hanging wardrobe bag over her arm.
"Hi guys. What's all this?"
"Ammunition!"
"We are going out tonight and we are taking no prisoners!"
She stepped aside to let the other girls in. They glanced around at her sparse decor. She knew it the instant they saw the bat and the locks but thankfully they didn't say anything.
"I have a shift tonight."
"No, you don't. Mae's covering for you with her niece, Becky.”
"Oh… why?"
Kaylie and Janet exchanged a glance and smiled conspiratorially.
"Because tonight, we are getting our men back!"
“Well, Janet never lost Jack, but still, she’s going to drive him wild with lust tonight too.”
Janet giggled and waggled her eyebrows at me. I wanted to laugh but I was petrified.
Oh dear.
"You mean get dressed up and-"
"Make their tongues hang out of their heads!"
They laughed but Sally felt sick with nerves at the thought.
"I don't think I can do that, Kaylie…"
Janet grabbed her arm and led her into the kitchen.
"Of course you can. I brought everything you need. You are stunning already, we just need to add a little bit of sparkle."
"Oh, I've got plenty of sparkle. I'm just not sure I want to use it."
Janet and Kaylie stared at her expectantly. Sally sighed. It was now or never. She knew she could trust them.
And she was tired of being afraid.
"Come on, I'll show you."
She pulled down the folding staircase to the attic and led them up the narrow flight of stairs. Sally inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. She pulled the light cord, bathing the room in stark light.
` There, in the center of the room, was a huge sparkly pink wardrobe trunk. It stood upright and was covered in the stickers from different venues she'd played over the years. Some pretty big venues too, like BB Kings.
She walked over and flipped open the brass locks.
The girls crowded in behind her and she swung the wardrobe open. A rainbow of outfits came spilling out. Most of them were embellished with fringe or rhinestones. Or both.
"Oh my God, Sally! You weren't kidding!"
Janet pulled out a slinky red dress.
"I bet Donnie would keel over if he saw you in this!"
Sally grabbed the dress and put it back in the trunk.
"Maybe. But he won't ever get the chance to. I'm never wearing any of this stuff again."
She closed the trunk. Janet opened it again.
"Maybe it is a little too much for the clubhouse. But I will find you a cute top to wear in here. Trust me."
Kaylie reached into the other side of the trunk and pulled out Sally's favorite performance guitar. It'd been custom designed, with rhinestones covering it from tip to tail. Then she pulled out a CD with Sally's face on it.
"Um, Sally? Is there something you want to tell us?"
She sighed and nodded. She felt something come loose inside her. It felt like such a relief to let go of the burden she'd been carrying for so long.
"Sally isn't my real name…"
Chapter 22
Jack
“Want a refill?”
Jack nodded, pushing his empty ginger ale across the bar to Donnie. Mike had been doing all the heavy lifting all week but Donnie still poured drinks for Dev and Jack.
And only them.
Any sweetbutts or club members who dared ask were told where to shove their cash. Donnie was too drunk to get creative.
He told them all to shove it up their ass.
Devlin was coming out of his funk a little, thank God. He was planning now, and not totally obliterated. He knew Kaylie’s work schedule and her class schedule.
And he was going to make use of it.
Dev was going to ambush her.
Jack felt his lips tugging up at the corners. He smiled a lot easier these days. But it was still an unfamiliar sensation.
Janet said he’d have to get used to it. Just like he’d gotten used to her stealing the covers. He didn’t mind a bit though.
His old lady could rob a bank and he’d think it was adorable. Hell, he’d help her.