Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
“So she got married and made you instead.”
“Actually, my father was a one-night stand who didn’t want the burden of fatherhood. He was a singer-songwriter who wanted to be the next Bob Dylan.”
“Did he get there?”
“He fell into a bottle when his first album flopped. Seems like he stayed there a long time. But I saw him on social media recently. Doing some modern-day busking on a live video. Seems like he got sober.”
“Do you have any kind of relationship with him?”
“We’ve talked a handful of times over the years. But it was always awkward. Enough about my messed-up family. What about yours?”
“I was mostly raised by my ma. My father passed.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It was a long time ago. But my mom was left with five of us to raise.”
“Oh, wow. Five?”
“Two brothers, two sisters.”
“Where do you fall?”
“The baby. My two brothers, two sisters, then me.”
“Big age gaps?”
“No. We were one after another. My mom is a big fan of babies.”
“Which means she is looking for grandbabies…”
“She’s got a ton of them. But she wants some from me too.”
“That’s sweet, though.”
“Your mom doesn’t want grandchildren?”
“My mother would rather die than have someone call her ‘grandma.’ And she was forever telling me not to get pregnant because I was going to ruin my body.”
“Ruin,” Milo repeated, frowning. “Change, sure. But ruin is a terrible way to put it.”
“Well, she wanted it to sound terrible. Mostly because she and her third husband stole all my modeling money, so they didn’t want to lose that stream of income if I got knocked up.”
“Jesus, Monroe…”
“Roe. Just Roe.”
“Roe.” God, it sounded even better when he said that. “I like that.”
“Monroe London is a great stage name. But Roe Langston feels more like me.”
“I think they both suit you. You are definitely Monroe London on stage.”
“Yeah. It’s like a costume you slip on. Monroe London is a 1930s or 40s sultry lounge singer who makes men fall in love with her every night and will settle down with some oil magnate.”
“Is that what your grandmother did?”
“Not oil. Real estate mogul.”
“Is she… still with us?”
“No, unfortunately. She passed a few months ago. She did get to see me on stage once, though. Which is a precious memory to keep.”
“She must have been proud.”
“She was. We had a great visit. She loved the stage so much. I think it was a full circle moment for her to see me there. Even if I wasn’t in a bikini with a two-foot tall headdress.”
“I mean… I don’t think anyone would object to seeing you on that stage in a bikini.”
“Before my sets last night, I was thinking about how I might need to quit and start working a very different kind of stage.”
“Well, now you don’t have to worry about that,” Milo said.
“How will we handle the communication?” And payment I added silently.
“I will give you my number. But I’d prefer to meet in person to discuss anything you’ve found. If you have time.”
“I do. But maybe… maybe we shouldn’t be meeting in public like this? If Frank starts to get suspicious about you, then he can link me to you…”
“You’re probably right. You might be seeing me around the casino, though. Just so you aren’t startled by catching sight of me.”
“Where should we meet then?”
“There’s my hotel. If you’re not comfortable with that, this town seems full of places to meet without being seen. Maybe we can switch things up each time.”
“Sounds good.”
“Do you have a shift tonight?”
“No, this is my only night off.”
“Do you have any plans today? I can run across you somewhere to give you the first payment.”
“I have to hit up the pet store.”
“You have a pet?”
“A former alley cat with one eye and missing half an ear. Do you have any pets?”
“I work too much. But that’s not stopping me from going and browsing the supplies for a donation to the local rescue.”
“And maybe you’ll be doing that around six?” I asked as the server came back to take our plates.
“As good a time as any.”
With that, he paid the bill in an almost alarming stack of cash.
“Thanks for the invite,” I said as we made our way outside. “I’ve always wondered if this place lived up to the hype.”
“Does it?”
“Exceeds it, I think. You don’t agree?” I asked when he made a face.
“I might be a little biased. My family owns an Italian restaurant.”
“Better than this? I might have to add that to my bucket list one day.”
“When all this is over, I’d be happy to rent the place out to show you.”
“It’s a date,” I said, giving him a smile.
“I’d like to give you a ride…”
“But we probably shouldn’t be seen together,” I finished for him. “I’m not that far from home. Thanks for lunch.”
And the life-changing money.
A way out.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Roe
By the time I made it back home, my feet were killing me, but I’d managed to walk off the too-full feeling from lunch.