Jackie chuckled and shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, you said it, not me. Though… I wouldn’t say I’m a portrait of normalcy or anythin’, either.” And wasn’t that the truth? She put her elbow up on the bar and leaned her elbow into her hand as she looked at him gazing awkwardly around the joint. Her eyes narrowed in bewilderment and amusement. He was such a strange guy. How had he gone through his entire life without ever being in a strip club before? She was sure it had to be some sort of typical rite of passage for guys in their early teenage years.
“You’re right,” she said, laughing—although not coldly or mockingly. It was actually a very genuine laugh. “This place ain’t you. Which is why I think you should hang a bit longer. Help class the joint up. I can’t do it all by my lonesome, Liam.” She sighed and shook her head when he asked when she got off, and she looked at her watch. “I dunno, I gotta stay at least for another half hour. Someone’s gotta man the bar until one of the other gals gets done dancin’. You really that uncomfortable?”