Chapter 7

 Mia POV

I have been working in the strip club for a week now and I hate every moment of it. The only good thing about this job is the tips I make. I make twice as much in one night than I do for the whole month working at the restaurant.

I have learned so much about the clientele in the club. Some come for the dancing other for the stripping, but most of them come just to be social with each other.

This week we had a bachelor's party. That was the best customer I had for the whole week. The more they drunk the bigger the tips were. The bachelor wanted a lap dance from me in the back so I went with him, but all he wanted was to talk. He told me that this is not his scene. I was so dumbstruck that I didn't know what to tell him. Cinnamon warned me about bachelor's parties. The groom is usually is the worst of the lot.

It's at the end of the night and the girls and I are sitting at one of the tables and counting our tips. Just chatting away.

I have spent the last week getting to know everyone and I found that I have become close to lots of girls. I realize that most of the girls were roped into stripping and were here for the money not because they like this job. Most of the girls here are supporting someone financially, their parents, children.

"So what's going on between you and Kai?" Cinnamon asked me with a sly smile on her face.

"What do you mean? Nothing is going on. You know he has a girlfriend right?" I answer not even looking up.

"You are kidding, right? We all saw the way Kai looks at you. That guy is in love with you." Everyone around the table stops their counting and focusses on me instead.

"He cares sure, but he isn't in love with me. We are childhood friends. We were neighbors when we were little. We kept in touch with each other when he moved away."

"O dear you still have so much to learn. I am telling you, that boy is head over heels in love with you."

"I am so done with you all. I am going to head home. See you tomorrow."

I wave goodbye and walk out the door. Kai is waiting for me outside. I look him up and down and a fit of giggles took over me. I cannot believe the girls think he was in love with me.

"Hey, Mia what's wrong? Why are you laughing?" Kai asks me confused.

"No, the girls just told me a joke. They said that you are in love with me."

"O yeah that's funny." Kai was not looking me in the eyes. He was looking at the ground fidgeting.

"Kai, they are wrong aren't they?"

"I was hoping you never find out Mia."

"Why didn't you tell me? You have a girlfriend for peet sakes."

"I knew you never looked at me like that. That is why I never told you. I am sorry Mia."

"I need some alone time. This changes everything Kai. I'll see you again tomorrow. Don't contact me before I don't come to you."

I turn around and walk towards my car. I slumped down into the driver seat. How the hell did this happen? How am I ever going to look Ava in the eyes again? Why couldn't he just deny it? Why did he have to make everything so awkward between us? He must have realized that this will complicate everything between us. I mean Ava is the one that looks after Liam in the afternoon.

I park in the driveway of my home. I see Ava's pick up truck in my driveway and my heart sink. This is going to be bad. Ava constantly talks about the possibility of Kai finally asking her to marry him. I am struggling with the decision of telling her the truth and just keeping quiet when the door opens and Ava walks to my car and gets into the passenger side.

"What's the matter, Mia. Why aren't you getting out?"

"Ava I have a dilemma. I have this secret that I just found out. I need your advice."

"Tell me." Ava gives me this bright smile and my guilt takes over me once again.

"Okay,I found out this secret that will destroy someone's relationship. I can't decide if I need to tell the other person or just leave it alone."

"And this secret will end the relationship? Did the one person cheat on the other?"

"Yes, it will, and no the other person didn't cheat he just wasn't very truthful when he started the relationship."

"Okay so if he didn't cheat it isn't that bad. Maybe he just needs the right time to tell the other person the secret or maybe the person already knows. You will never know, but what I have learned in relationships is that it is better to find out from the person you are in a relationship with except if he is cheating."

"Thank you, Ava. I really needed to hear that. I need to tell him to come clean. I can't walk around with this guilt. I see her every day of my life and that is a lot of pressure."

"Good luck with that. You have been placed in a hard place. I hope it all works out. I am going to head home. Liam is done with his homework he was fed and he is now in bed sleeping. I left some food for you in the oven. I hope you don't mind."

"Thank you, Ava. You are truly the best."

We both got out of the car and split up. She went to her car and I walked up the front porch. I waved goodbye as Ava pulled out of my driveway.

After eating and taking a shower I climbed into bed. I just laid there thinking about what Ava said. If Kai did tell her about his crush on me she would have hated me, so my only conclusion is that he didn't tell her and that it is my job to tell him to come clean about this. Or I need to let it go. I wouldn't want to know that the guy I was planning to marry likes someone else. The only solution I can see is getting a boyfriend so Kai sees that I am not available and then maybe he can get over me and move on and be happy with Ava.