Chapter 1
Avery
"Ruby?" I hear Britney call.
"Yeah?" I yelled back, finishing off my lipstick and blotting on a tissue.
"You're due on stage in two, honey!" she calls.
Shit. I thought I had more time.
I smooth down my platinum wig and make sure the ruby-red lace eye mask is securely in place.
I could have used a little more time on my make-up, but that's my bad for being late.
I detest being late. It just makes everything feel wrong after the fact.
Nothing had gone right today, including the software system at the arena, where I work during the day.
It was down all day and caused absolute chaos. When it finally came back online, it was late in the day, and it took forever to log all the appointments and visitors into the system. Which then made me late for my job here, at the Rabbit Hole club. I had barely enough time to cram a protein bar in my face to keep me going for a 6-hour shift dancing the pole.
I was already exhausted. And pissed off.
I took a deep breath and headed towards the stage. There was no time for my self-induced pity party. I just had to suck it up and get on with it because the bills weren't going to pay themselves. And that was the only reason I was doing this.
But somehow, dancing soothed away my bad mood, transporting me to another world. One where I was free and happy, with no worries and no stresses. One far away from what my life looks like now, where my dreams had come true.
When my shift was done, I felt much happier, and all the anxiety I was feeling earlier had ebbed away.
Grace and Mollie invited me out for drinks after work, but it was already late, and I still had stuff to do at home. I was almost out of clean clothes, and I had a good few hours of laundry ahead of me if I wanted clean panties tomorrow. And I did. Not to mention, I had a paper due. But that was OK, I could get the paper finished while I waited for the laundry.
I wished everyone a good night and called a ride back to my tiny one bed apartment that was home.
It wasn't anything fancy, but it was within walking distance of the arena, which meant I saved on cab rides. It wasn't in the best part of town, and it looked a little shabby from the outside, but beggars can't be choosers.
The medical debt from my mom's treatment had been crippling, and I was lucky to have found this apartment at such a low price.
And, yeah, it wasn't the biggest of places. I'd call it compact, but I really didn't need anything bigger. It was just me now, anyway.
My mom passed away 9 months ago now. She had kidney disease and needed a transplant. Only she died before one could be found, and I wasn't a match. Her regular dialysis, which is pretty eye-wateringly expensive by the way, and frequent hospital stays had run up some huge medical bills. Our insurance was basic and only paid for a tiny percentage of her treatment, which was maxed out in a matter of weeks. The bills needed paying, which forced me to get a second job.
And there's not many jobs that pay well for a 21 year old student. I was lucky enough to be able to switch my degree to online classes, so I didn't have to attend in person, which gave me the opportunity to get a decent job during the day. It was enough to live on comfortably, but my job at the arena wasn't enough to meet the payments of the medical expenses and my tuition fees as well. I had actually fallen in love with the job at the arena though, and I had made some good friends there.
But I had needed something more to meet all those payments, and I had taken a few pole dancing lessons at my local gym, which I had enjoyed. I was good at it, so I approached the Rabbit Hole club, where I met Britney, who offered me a job dancing.
It's not exactly the most honourable of careers, and I needed to be careful that the ice rink didn't find out about it. Or anyone else.
But I didn't have any other options. And the debt was eye watering. If I couldn't pay it, well, I don't want to think about that. After the first three months of dancing, after I had grown a very small fan base, I had managed to see some progress in bringing the debt down.
As an added bonus, I had managed to pay off a good chunk of student debt, too, and my tuition fees were all up to date.
I'm not exactly the most outgoing of people, so at first, dancing was a struggle.
So I created my stage act, Ruby, and wore a wig and signature red eye mask to protect my identity. When I'm Ruby, I can pretend I'm someone else. Someone who doesn't have way too much responsibility to deal with. Someone who's confident and sassy. The exact opposite of me in most ways.
That was almost a year ago now. And I do really like it when I'm Ruby, because I feel confident and outgoing.
When I got back home, I dealt with the laundry and put some finishing touches on my paper at the same time. I'm only a few weeks away from graduating, which I'm really excited about. A business degree would allow me to get a better paid job within the arena or move departments and learn something new.
It was after one in the morning by the time I had clean clothes for tomorrow, and I could finally climb into bed, falling asleep almost immediately.
I woke early. I really didn't want to.
I wanted to stay snuggled in my warm bed for eternity, but sadly, it was not to be, and bright sunshine poured through the cheap drapes that blocked out virtually nothing.
The rink opened early for the team to train, so the desk had to be manned, too. The starts were early, which meant my end time was early too on some days. Other days i stayed late, or had my hours extended to boost my hours for the week. It was a little extra money, and every little helps.
Getting up early was a drag, and I was tired. But the freshness of the morning before the heat of the sun got too oppressive was a nice start to the day, and by the time I made the short walk to the rink, I felt more awake and ready to start my shift.
And coffee awaited me when I arrived. Another bonus.
I poured myself a cup and said a quick hello to Melodie, who was in her office. She always came in early too, but I don't think she needs to. It's more like she's got so much to do that she needs to use every available hour to get it done.
We hadn't been friends long, but I liked her. She was peppy and confident, kind of what I wanted to be like but failed miserably in real life.
When I'm Ruby, I act totally different. And that's exactly what it is. An act. Yet I can't seem to act any differently in the real world. It bugged me.
But Melodie was kind and sweet and was starting to be a good friend to me. I didn't have that many. OK, I had none, and it felt really good being her friend.
"Good morning," I said, popping my head in her office. It was a disaster as always.
Papers were covering every available surface, and the bookshelves were cluttered and disorganised with files scattered everywhere. She was doing the work of at least 3 people at the moment, but told me yesterday that she hired someone to help.
That person could not come quick enough. I am seriously concerned that one day, I will poke my head through the door and find that Melodie has been buried under an avalanche of papers and files.
"Hey, how are you?" she said in her chirpy sing-song voice.
"I'm good, and you?" I asked.
"I am great. Two more days until Lainey starts, and I seriously can't wait!" she said, "and before I forget, we are going for drinks at Lava tonight after the game."
She mentioned this yesterday in a passing comment, but I hadn't thought she was serious. Seems like she was and wanted me to come.
I wasn't sure, though. I had a night off from the club, but truly, I was exhausted. I needed a night to chill and recharge. But the look on her face now tells me she's not going down without a fight.
"Um, I'm not sure, Melodie," I started.
"Nuh-uh, you are not bailing," she said firmly.
"I just don't think it's my kind of scene," I said, preaching to her soft side.
"Avery, it's a few drinks at the local bar. What's the worst that could happen? We drink, we dance, we ogle the eye candy that is the Falcons. It's a win-win. And I need you. I absolutely can't go alone," she vented.
Doesn't look like I'm getting out of it. And I had already agreed to go to the game.
"Urgh, fine," I sighed.
"Yay," she said sarcastically. And then she grinned.
"You'll have a blast, I promise," she said warmly, smiling.
"Well see," I said, "I better go, catch you at lunch?"
"You know it," she said.
I reached the front desk and powered up the computer, getting ready for the day. The team members should start coming in any time, and there were a few arena tours booked today, not to mention a full day of classes on the ice.
It looked like it was going to be a busy day. I took out my textbook from my bag, knowing I probably won't have any downtime to read it today.
The team started to trickle in, carrying their huge kit bags on their shoulders.
And then my world stopped as he came through the doors, almost in slow motion. The best part of my day.
The most beautiful man I've ever laid my eyes on.
Nate Hamilton. The team captain.
He swiped his ID card and strolled into the rink like he owned the place, oozing confidence and sex appeal.
I greedily looked him up and down, getting my fill of his huge muscles, before he disappeared through the locker room door.
I allowed myself sixty seconds of shameless pipe dreams before I put him back firmly in the "you must be joking" box.
There was just something about him that made my face heat up, and my stomach swoop.
It was only a small crush. A tiny one.
But I live in the real world. As much as I feel drawn to him, he's unattainable, not to mention stupidly out of my league.
So I don't allow myself to think about him any longer than that one minute of my day when he arrives.
Because it would be foolish to do anything else.
