The Club by Mandasue Heller

saw it and expected him to put it in the tips jar. ‘Keep quiet, and I’ll split it with you later.’
    Sighing, Kalli shook her head. ‘No, it’s yours. Just be careful, yeah?’
    ‘Okay, Mum .’ Grinning cheekily, Austin took his newly loaded tray off the other waitress and winked at Kalli. ‘See ya later, Dominator.’
    Kalli pursed her pretty lips as she watched him skip away through the crowd. He was very perky tonight. Too perky, and she suspected that it had something to do with his boyfriend Xavier’s visit to their flat earlier this afternoon. If she found out he’d been taking Es again, she’d be having very strong words with him. And Xavier would get a good telling–off next time she saw him, too.

    It was almost four in the morning when Jenna dragged herself back up to the VIP lounge. She was exhausted, and her feet were screaming for release from her high, strappy shoes. But they would just have to wait, because nobody looked in any hurry to leave any time soon. God , how she wished she’d settled for a three o’clock licence instead of an all-nighter.
    Making her way to a quiet corner of the bar, she smiled when Kalli came over. ‘Hi, sweetheart. How’s it going?’
    ‘Fine.’ Kalli peered at Jenna with concern. ‘But you look tired.’
    ‘I am. But don’t tell anyone. It’s not the best impression to give the customers, is it? The hostess who can’t stick the pace.’
    ‘Don’t worry, nobody will notice.’
    ‘ You did.’
    ‘Yes, but I see more than most.’
    ‘I’m sure you do.’ Jenna laughed softly. ‘Could you get me a cranberry juice, please?’ Yawning when Kalli went to get her drink, she jumped when Tony Allen suddenly appeared at her side. Throwing a hand over her mouth, she rolled her eyes apologetically. ‘Sorry about that. I guess I’m not used to such late nights.’
    ‘Not so hot on staying up all night myself, these days,’ Tony drawled, giving her a lopsided grin. ‘Mind if I sit down?’ He patted the stool beside hers.
    ‘Not at all.’ She moved her knees to give him room. ‘I’m just getting a drink. Can I get you anything?’
    Settling on the stool, he said, ‘Yeah, that’d be good. JD on ice. Ed?’
    Sitting on the other side of him, Eddie nodded.
    When Kalli had brought their drinks, Tony took a sip of his and exhaled loudly.
    ‘Hope you don’t mind me invading your space like this, but I needed to escape before I lost my mind.’ He jerked his head in the direction of his table, where Leonard was sitting alone now, everyone else having drifted away. ‘Kind of boring, having people agree with every word you say – especially when you know you’re talking shit. But one man’s idiot is another man’s pain in the ass – and all that.’ Reaching into his pocket, he took out a pack of cigars. ‘Mind?’
    ‘Not at all,’ Jenna told him. ‘Go ahead.’
    Lighting up, Tony exhaled a thick plume of noxious smoke, then swivelled in his seat to gaze around.
    ‘You know, this is quite some place you got here. I wasn’t too sure at first, but it’s pretty cool once you get used to it.’
    ‘Glad you like it.’ Jenna smiled, resisting the urge to waft the smoke away. She despised the smell of cigar smoke, but he was a guest.
    ‘Oh, I like it.’ He nodded slowly. ‘A lot, as it goes.’
    Jenna raised an eyebrow when he gave her a disarming smile. For a squat man who wasn’t overly blessed in the looks department, he was almost handsome when he wasn’t scowling.
    ‘So, you inherited this place off of your old man?’Tony asked suddenly, catching her off guard.
    Wondering how he knew, she said, ‘Yes. He died a few months ago.’
    ‘So I hear. How you coping?’
    ‘Okay, I suppose. You just have to get on with it, don’t you?’
    ‘Guess so,’ Tony agreed, leaning an elbow on the bar now and crossing his legs, as if settling in for the night. ‘Mom doing all right?’
    ‘She died a while back,’ Jenna told him. ‘Not long