Tan
I held my breath as Dominick and his grandmother stepped through the doorway of Blanche's Boudoir.
Months ago, when we were little more than strangers who had hooked up inside the private dance room at his grandmother's strip club, I hadn't known what this place and all its eccentricities meant to him. It just seemed like a dump that had a really cool group of dedicated octogenarian fans.
But now, I knew just how important this place was. Blanche's had been his safe place. His refuge from a complicated childhood.
Then, I came along and helped his grandmother change everything he loved about the club, including the dance routines. He resented me for a long time, and I wondered if any of that resentment lingered but pushed the thought aside. I had to believe him when he said he didn't.
Somewhere along the way, between pushing myself out of my comfort zone and falling in love, this club became my safe place, too. I wasn't attached to the outdated furnishings in the way Dominick was, but experienced the same feeling of acceptance whenever we were here.
From listening to Blanche's stories about her upbringing in Paris or her whirlwind time as a dancer, to the history of how she met her best friends in the world, right here in the city, anything felt possible within these walls.
Including learning how to accept myself. Flaws and all. I wasn't there yet, but because of this place and these people, I knew I could get to a place of acceptance.
True to my word, I never told Dominick about his grandmother's money troubles or that the reason why she had done all these renovations was so that she could pass something great down to him.
In some strange way, whenever I saw the two of them together, I thought that he must know just how deeply Blanche cared about him and that he was the reason she risked financial ruin just to give him a profitable business.
I introduced my best friends, new and old, to each other. The boys from the club and Blanche's Brawds to Maren, DeShuana, West, and Kennedy. Lucas was the only person, other than me, who knew everyone, and he was in his element, excitedly chatting. Looking like the clean-cut Conneticut-born rugby player that he was in a smart-looking suit and tie.
Kennedy seemed to have taken note of how well-dressed Lucas was tonight as well, and I wondered if there was something more in her giggles than friendship. It was no secret that I didn't like her fiance and could only hope she'd break off their engagement for someone more like Lucas. Someone who made her laugh like he did.
But, as far as I knew, Kennedy was still all in on their upcoming wedding.
As everyone chatted and laughed, I noticed Dominick's mother had gravitated off to the side, seemingly out of place. Watching the door until it was time for all of us to be let in after Dominick and Blanche's private first look. It must be hard to watch how close her son and her mother had become. Maybe she wanted to be included in that feeling of closeness, too.
Part of me felt sorry for her, but another part wasn't. Especially after hearing Dominick's stories and seeing the tears he never cried in front of anyone. I couldn't imagine how bad addiction must be if it caused her to abuse the man that I was utterly and completely in love with when he was just a sweet little boy.
But if he was willing to move on and forge a better relationship with his mom, then I was going to support Ronnie, too. I believed in my bones that people could grow into better versions of themselves with enough support and love.
So, because she was important to Dominick, I dragged Maren and DeShauna over to where Ronnie stood and introduced my best friends. We made small talk for a few minutes before the front door was cracked open, and Sef waved the rest of us inside.
"Welcome to the new and improved Blanche's Boudoir!" he announced in a booming voice. God, he was really in his element right now.
I waved Rhonda, Flo, and the rest of the girls in first, despite how badly I wanted to check on Dominick. If he hated it, I didn't know how I was going to live with myself, knowing I'd been one of the people cheering on the destruction of his memories.
"I can't believe how nervous I am!" one of the women exclaimed.
"Will there still be a midnight buffet?" another asked.
Sef herded them all inside with a bright smile. "The buffet is dead and gone and isn't coming back, honey." Groans echoed through the vestibule, and Maren and I exchanged giggles. "But," Sef continued, "you're going to love the passed hors d'oerves that will be served instead."
Once all the women had shuffled inside on a chorus of gasps, I linked my arm through Ronnie's and gave her my warmest smile.
"You ready?" I asked.
She nodded but looked just as nervous as Dominick. "Yeah. I think so."
Maren was snapping pictures on her phone as Ronnie and I squeezed through the door together.
The place was unrecognizable, yet at the same time, it felt like Blanche's. Warm and lit with soft lighting, it looked like a place where secrets were told. Everything was a shade of purple or deep red, and gold accents adorned the walls. Vases of roses set atop every table, reminding me of Dominick's tattoos.
Notes of him were everywhere, and it was amazing how well Sef had been able to infuse the place with something so uniquely Dominick.
The ceilings were still low, but a huge hole had been cut in the ceiling, right about the stage, where a massive glass chandelier now hung.
I had no idea how he'd done that, considering Blanche's apartment was right upstairs, and I was pretty sure the massive hole was right where Dominick's bedroom had been. I blinked, trying to understand how this was all possible.
"Wow," Ronnie said softly. Then let go of my arm to wander over to the old-fashioned pull-down seats that had been completely restored. "Are these the original chairs?" Ronnie asked Sef when he drifted by.
"Yes," he replied briskly, waving down his business partner, Hope. She strolled over, pushing up thick rimmed glasses. "We kept as many original pieces as we could salvage. Hope was in charge of the refurbishment team. She overhauled each one. Sanded them down and restrained them. Then painstakingly removed every nail and reupholstered them with this gorgeous fabric that I'm absolutely obsessed with."
The fabric was a gorgeous swirl of deepest red and gold that must've cost a fortune.
"Old furniture is my jam," Hope said with a shrug like the whole transformation wasn't short of miraculous. "I like zoning out in the workshop. I haven't had an excuse to do anything hands-on in a while. Normally, we contract out this kind of work. But, since this was a tight budget, I got to get my hands dirty."
She lifted her chin and pointed behind where I stood. I turned to find all my best friends crowded together, beaming back at me. "I couldn't have done it on this tight of a timeline without Maren and West's help. DeShauna even stopped by when she could."
My mouth dropped, and tears formed in the corners of my eyes. My friends had given what little spare time they had to restore furniture? And they didn't even tell me?
A warm hand landed on my shoulder, and I felt Dominick's steading presence beside me. I glanced up at my boyfriend, wondering how he was taking all the changes, but his stony expression was hard to read.
"I could never thank you enough for helping out," he said, his deep voice tight. "I wish you would've told me so I could've helped."
A tightness I didn't even realize had settled in my chest relaxed when Dominick shook West's hand, then pulled Maren and DeShauna in for a hug. He'd become as much a part of my found family as I'd become of his. And I couldn't be more grateful that everyone had let him in and accepted him for who he was.
"It was worth it just to see the shocked look on your faces," Maren said, clasping her hands together. I could tell she was just as proud of her handiwork as she was with Dominick's reaction. And honestly, so was I.
"The finished product looks so good, I can hardly believe the things you said about it," DeShauna said.
Both Maren and West let out a chuckle. "You should've seen it before," Maren said.
"It had a lot of undiscovered charm," I quickly added, tucking my arm around Dominick's waist and drawing his bulky form closer to me. Our eyes met, and for a second, it was just him and I.
Fireworks popped in my stomach. After two months together, I still had such a crush on this man. I raised up on the balls of my feet, and Dominick leaned down, letting our lips meet in an electric kiss that I could feel all the way down to my toes.
I loved him; there was no denying it, and I wanted to tell him right now. But if there was any chance of hearing him say it back to me, I knew it wasn't going to be in front of a crowd. So I kept the words behind my teeth and let my kiss show him how deeply I cared about him. How happy I was that he didn't hate the renovations.
Sef cleared his throat loudly, and we reluctantly broke apart. Smiling shyly at our grinning friends.
"This place has been redesigned to make customers feel comfortable." He eyed Dominick from nose to toes. "Or as comfortable as they can be around all the scrumptious entertainment. Which we can get started with after Blanche says a few words."
I cast my gaze to the stage, watching as Blanche made her way up, wearing a gown made of teal sequins and a see-through robe detailed with peacock feathers. It was over the top and absolutely Blanche. Everything about her, from her red lipstick to her perfectly styled silver hair, made me smile. She had such warmth about her. It was impossible not to want to know her.
"For once in my life," she began in her thick Parisian accent, "I don't have the words to describe how I'm feeling. This club, and the way it's been restored, it's more than I could've ever dreamed." She dabbed at her eyes with the sleeve of her robe. "It's exactly the boudoir I envisioned when we first opened. A place where women can come for a fun night out with their best friends."
I hugged Dominick tighter, then reached for Maren's hand. Holding on to her as she took DeShauna's. Happiness bubbled inside of me as I was surrounded by friendship and love and the family I chose for myself.
"That's what it's always been about, Blanche!" Rhonda said from her seat in the front. Glass of champagne in hand as she sat beside Flo. "Having a place all our own to spend time together. And you've done a spectacular job giving that place to us."
Cheers and applause went up around the room, and Blanche held out her arms to her friends, urging them up on stage. They laughed. They cried. They hugged each other. And through it all, Dominick remained as still as a statue. Saying nothing. Just taking it all in.
"I could never thank you enough for the beautiful gift you've given me," Mimi said to Sef and Hope, whom she'd dragged on stage. "It's magnifique."
Sef flushed. The color stark against the all black tuxedo he was wearing. He really had shown up for Blanche in a big way, and I was grateful to him.
"I'll take one of those Blanche's Brawds shirts I've been hearing so much about," Sef said.
"Done!" Mimi exclaimed, and everyone laughed again. "Now, let's get the real entertainment up here! The ones who are going to be starring at the Boudoir!"
More cheers. Heat filled my cheeks as I stared up at Dominick, who had one eyebrow raised.
"You ready for this?" he asked, running his hand down my back and settling just above my ass. Tracing little circles with the tips of his fingers.
I pressed my lips together and nodded. It was time for my big debut as a principal, dancing a pas de deux with Romeo.
Ronnie tapped me on the shoulder and the trance I had fallen into momentarily broke. "Are your parents coming? Should I save them a seat?"
Guilt and embarrassment replaced the heat that had been building in my core. Here, it was normal for Dominick's family to be around stripping. His grandmother had been a dancer, and so had his mother. This wasn't weird for them at all, but a form of entertainment. My family wasn't as open, and I was sure they never would be.
The blood drained from my face, and I exchanged a look with Maren, whose face had paled at the mention of my parents, before I turned back to Ronnie. "Uh, no. They aren't. They're working."
Beside me, Dominick shifted uncomfortably.
Ronnie frowned. "That's too bad. It's hard when you gotta work and miss the important stuff. I hope they get to come to the grand opening."
I swallowed hard and nodded. Forcing myself to smile. But my parents attending opening night at a strip club where my boyfriend and I were the stars of the show was the very last thing I wanted.