Boots and Buckles by Myla Jackson

tassels.”
    “Bunny!”
    “What?” She raised her hands. “I’m just trying to be helpful.”
    “I need to earn cash fast.” Mona grabbed her broom and swept the already clean floor. “Tonight I’ll ask Audrey if I can be first in line for any requests for strippers. That’s the only way I know of to get quick cash.”
    “You’re really good. You could stand to make a couple hundred dollars in a single night if the crowd’s big and drunk enough to tip indiscriminately.”
    “I already have a couple hundred from the past couple nights’ tips. And tonight I should have maybe another hundred. If I work the rest of the week I’ll have close to five hundred in tips. With the money I have saved in the bank, I only need another four hundred and I’m good.”
    Bunny rose from the chair and laid a hand on her arm. “Let me loan it to you.”
    “No way. You were just telling me last week that you were in a cash crunch yourself. If you loan me the money, you won’t be able to make your bills.”
    “Audrey has the money to loan, let her help. I heard her offer.”
    Mona shook her head. “I can’t. When I took over this business, I promised myself I’d do it on my own. Besides when you start borrowing from friends, it mucks up the relationship. I won’t let that happen. I value your friendship and Audrey’s too much to jeopardize it.”
    “At least keep us in the back of your mind if you run up against a time crunch. I could loan you at least a hundred without breaking my bank.”
    Mona hugged Bunny. “Thank you. You don’t know how much you mean to me.”
    “I hope as much as you mean to me.”
    “More.” Worry weighed her down, but having a friend like Bunny made her burden lighter.
    “Call Audrey now.” Bunny released her, grabbed Mona’s cell phone and shoved it into her hands. “See if she’s got a gig lined up.”
    Mona hit the speed dial for Audrey’s personal cell phone. It rang several times before Audrey picked up.
    “Mona? Please tell me you’re not calling in sick. The place is going to be packed tonight and I have a special program planned for after midnight.”
    Her fingers clenching the phone, Mona asked, “Need any strippers?”
    “As a matter of fact—”
    “Count me in.”
    Audrey laughed. “I was just about to call you and offer you first dibs.”
    “I’m your gal. My timeline has moved up and I need the cash.”
    “You’re on then. Plan on a late night.”
    “Thank you, Audrey.” Mona hung up and let go of the breath she’d been holding. “I’m stripping after midnight.”
    Bunny clapped her hands. “One problem mitigated. Now, aren’t you going to change for your date with Grant?”
    Mona glanced down at the jeans and T-shirt she wore. “What? This isn’t good enough for a man who dumped me three years ago by telephone?”
    “Hell, it’s too good for him. But you’ll want to make sure he realizes just what he missed when he let you go. If not to get his attention, it’ll make you feel better when you dump his ass.”
    Mona laughed. “You know how to make a girl feel better.” Her laughter died as she thought about Sam. “I still don’t know what to do about Sam.”
    “He was awfully cute coming out of your apartment this morning with his shirt hanging open and that fresh-from-sex smile on his face.”
    “He was smiling?” Mona sighed. “He was really good in bed.”
    “Yeah, so why are you wasting your time with Grant?”
    “I don’t know. I still feel all soft and squishy inside when he’s near. And he still hits all my buttons when he makes love to me.”
    “Huh?” Bunny grabbed her arms. “And when did that happen? Sometime today? Holy hell, girl, you move fast when you make up your mind.”
    Mona laughed. “He brought me lunch and we had a picnic right here in the shop. And other activities…”
    “You didn’t say a word about that. How could you keep something that titillating to yourself? ’Fess up, girlfriend.”
    “You were