The Strip - Collection

Max - Sample

The following is an unedited draft of The Strip - Max / Chapter 1

Being in the business you are always asked, "How did you get started?" Being married gets you the standard, "How did you meet your husband?" Being married AND being in the business... you get a whole lot more. First there is the surprised looks. You know those looks. The ones that are a question of their own. Then the classic, "Does you husband know?" Which is usually spoken in a hushed tone as if he were within listening distance. And ultimately there is the one that puzzles anyone that hasn't managed to keep their own marriage together, "How do you make it work?"

I usually get these sorts of questions and toss out some well worn responses that don't paint the full picture. Half answers that skip details and highlights. I ignore the rough patches and doubts that nobody really wants to hear about anyway.

To truly answer all of these questions and fill in all the spaces I ordinarily leave blank, we have to go back to when it really started. Back to when I was fourteen.

Relax... I didn't get I to the business in the eighth grade. And no, I didn't meet my husband back then, either. But, two events, spaced only a few minutes apart, changed the direction of my life.

I was at my locker, stuffing my homework into my backpack when Bethany and Claire passed by without making a nasty comment. That should have been my first clue that something was up. They joined a gathering at the end of the bank of lockers to chat. I dared not let my eyes hang on the group for too long, but it wasn't easy to break my gaze with Reggie Mathews in the mix.

"Bridget? Hey, did you hear—" Niles Parker started.

"What? Oh, did I what?" I stammered as I glanced at Niles then down at my backpack.

"I asked if you were going to the dance tomorrow."

"Oh, ahhh, no. Well, maybe." I felt the sweat oozing from my skin. "I mean, I didn't buy a ticket. Yet!"

"Oh. Okay. Uhm, well, if you do decide to go, do you think, like, maybe, uhm," he tripped over his own words and I wondered if the dance would be over before he managed to finish his question. "Do you think that maybe we can dance? Together? Like, even a slow song?"

My heart raced. While Reggie may have been the god of the school, Niles wasn't anything to scoff at either. He was sort of on the edge of the "in crowd" but still nice enough to talk to us losers once in a while.

"Ahhh, yeah. Of course."

All I had to do was buy a ticket. And convince my dad to let me go. Both of those tasks were actually easier than deciding what to wear. I spent the evening before the dance trying to figure it out and still wrestled with my outfit choice in the two and a half hours between getting home from school and having to leave for the dance.

I needed something cute. Sexy but still middle school dress code compliant. And, since I lived a twenty minute drive from the school, it had to get past my dad too. A bit of midriff was acceptable. I was sure the two fingers above the knee rule wouldn't be enforced. It was never enforced during the school day so I was confident the mid thigh flirty thing I picked would pass. Spaghetti strap light coloured top with a dark bra underneath. Okay, so I had abandoned the dress code completely. And much to my surprise my dad didn't protest at all.

Once I had made my way into the school and got myself a drink, I started to look for Niles. Of course, he was on the opposite side of the gym, near the stage. Being close by would be too convenient. I wondered if he was looking for me, too. By the time I got close enough to wave and have him notice me, Bethany and Claire were already at his side and pulling him into the small hallway that lead to the back stage area. I rushed the last bit as they disappeared, but didn't follow them into the hallway.