Jean Spangler made it just fine without your help. (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} goodluck_girl) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} valarlogs,@ 2013-09-10 23:20:00 |
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What: Auditions.
When: Backdated to 9/5.
Where: Yuriko's club.
Rating: PG-13.
Status: Complete!
Bucky was both nervous and excited about this new gig. The Japanese woman who’d hired him had been very pleasant and businesslike, and the salary she’d named, even for part time, was pretty good. But he was nervous about making an idiot of himself in front of a ton of pretty girls. He’d dated before, obviously, but he had to admit, this was going to be a lot of pretty girl in one room in front of him.
Still, he could do his best. He opened the door to the backstage area, heading over to the piano and setting everything up before the ladies started arriving.
It was a good habit for auditions, arriving about a half hour before curtain time. Even though it made her day much longer, she liked being able to be prepared. She liked being able to size up the stage, to figure out how much room she had for turns and kicks and such.
Her heels click-click-clicked their way into the backstage area, walking out onto it and counting in her head the number of feet from one end to the next. She wore a long black pencil skirt, kitten heels, and a blazer that made her look like an exaggerated hourglass. Her black hair was curled just so, and her lips were bright red. It was clear she’d dressed up.
Bucky was putting the music out, figuring he could warm up a bit, but as he hit the first few notes, he heard heels. He turned to see who it was, and immediately blushed. This was an extraordinarily pretty woman. Still, he could control himself. “Mind if I warm up?” She was probably checking the place out, which was smart for an audition.
“Oh, not at all, don’t mind me. Just figuring out how big the space is.” Jean smiled down at him, looking at him from under the brim of a broad hat. “I should likely get changed anyway.”
Bucky nodded, smiling in a way that hopefully wasn’t stupid. “Well,” he finally said, “I’ll be here.”
He was terribly handsome, and Jean just nodded at his statement. “Good.” She moved back toward the stairs so she could go and get changed, but looked behind herself to watch him sit down.
He sat back down, feeling stupid. Sure, she was pretty, but if she got the job, she’d be a coworker. He didn’t have to slobber all over the place. Bucky tried to focus on the music, and had a decent amount of success.
Jean didn’t go to her dressing room immediately. She heard him playing, and couldn’t help but smile. Walking toward the piano, she stood against the wall, watching his hands and biting her lower lip. “Gracious.”
He only just heard her speak, and he blinked, not stopping his classical piece. “Is something up, ma’am?”
“Just admiring your playing, sir.” She sounded like the midwestern girl she was, and she couldn’t help but chuckle as she watched him.
Bucky blushed. “That’s kind of you. I do it professionally, but I also just love it.”
“It shows. Music without passion’s like coffee without cream.” She smiled and shook her head. “Okay in a pinch, but hardly worth it. I’m Jean.” She reached out to shake hands with him, tugging off an elbow length glove beforehand. Her skin was alabaster pale, porcelain white.
She really was gorgeous, and he liked her retro style. It suited her somehow. Most women just would have looked stupid in opera gloves, but not her. “I’m James, but everyone calls me Bucky. Middle name’s Buchanan.” Something made him lightly kiss her hand, just to be a little retro himself.
“Well, I must say it’s real nice to meet you, Buck.” Jean smiled a tiny half smile, but it was wholly genuine. “What’s your favorite song to play at things like this? That’s what I want to dance to.”
“For this sort of stuff? Hm.” Bucky thought for a second. “More cabaret, jazz style stuff. Maybe something fun, like ‘Big Spender’?” In terms of sexy women, you couldn’t do much better than Peggy Lee.
That made Jean chuckle. “You’re trying to get me to sing.” She nodded. “That’ll do. Let me go get changed, Bucky. See you soon.” She wasn’t trying to flirt, but it came out only in her tone. She was too professional to do it with words, but the tiny bit of extra sway in her hips said it all.
And he noticed. “Yes, ma’am.” Bucky looked down at his instrument, smiling. He didn’t dare watch her walk away.
She sat backstage, waiting for her name to be called. She’d changed into black brief-short dance bottoms and a black sports bra top. She was lacing up her toe shoes as she hummed to herself to warm up her voice. Thank god he’d picked a song in her naturally deep, throaty register.
One of the security men was calling dancers’ names backstage, and Yuriko was sitting in the back of the room, ready to say yes or no. Bucky just kept his head down and played. He saw some talented women, but not the girl Jean. Candidate after candidate went in front of him, and six were hired, but Yuriko had wanted eight. Were there any left?
Once Jean’s name was called, she took center stage, eyes closed, arms spread-eagle. The spotlight shining down on her made her look all the more pale, her red lips all the more dark. When the pianist - Bucky - started playing, she went into third position, snapping her fingers before starting to sing along. Her voice was breathy, low, sultry, nothing that would sell records, but definitely a voice that men would come to listen to. Especially when it came from a woman with legs as long as trees, willowy legs, and a smile that promised all of the treats that a woman could deliver.
Bucky damn near lost his place a few times, but managed to keep hold of his concentration. All the more difficult when she leaned over his upright piano, one glorious leg perilously close to his field of vision. He grit his teeth and kept playing, doing his best to listen and watch without watching her.
She ended the song sprawled on her stomach on the piano, cooing at the owner, legs crossed at the ankle, toes pointing skyward. She was grinning, a tiny, feral thing, and directed it for a moment at Bucky once the song was over. She hoped they’d both liked it, but him a little more than her.
Oh, he’d liked it. Even aside from finding her pretty, this lady knew how to work a room. The customers would be hanging off her - hopefully just metaphorically.
Yuriko seemed to think so, too. “You are very talented, Miss Spangler,” Bucky heard her say warmly from the back of the room. “Have you any objection to the other side of the work? Hostessing is not a common concept in this country, or so I am told, but are you familiar with it?”
Jean moved back to the stage, smiling and shaking her head. “I researched it once you told me about it when inviting me to the interview. I don’t mind it at all.”
“The term that my fiance used to describe it is armchair psychology.” Yuriko said. Bucky smiled to himself; it was usually what strippers did anyway. “If you truly do not object, I would say you are most certainly hired.”
“I’ve done that before,” Jean smiled. “I’d like the job, very much.” She grinned broadly, a happy carefree thing that she hadn’t done since walking into the audition space.
“Excellent,” Yuriko said, smiling. “Perhaps you could come back here and complete the paperwork? Okugata will be delighted to have you.”
Bucky was struck by that grin; it was really charming. He might, he realized, have a small problem. He’d told that guy Logan that he wouldn’t hit on any of the ladies. That promise might be hard to keep.
“I’d love to. May I get changed first?” Jean was still smiling, eyes still bright and pleased. She couldn’t help but meet Bucky’s eyes, cheeks going pink.
“Of course.” Yuriko turned and spoke to Bucky. “There’s one more lady to come in; Reiko-chan will vet her.” Reiko was the manager. “After that, you are free to go, Mister Barnes.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Bucky didn’t dare look at Jean, not while Yuriko was around.
Jean was quick to change into her clothes; if she filled out the paperwork quickly, she could probably time it where she and Mr. Barnes would be done around the same time.
It only took about five minutes to prove that the last dancer was horribly uncoordinated when it came to pole dancing, so Bucky was out of there in two proverbial shakes of a lamb’s tail. He was in the hallway, making sure he had all his music, when he heard footsteps.
She smiled when she saw Bucky in the hall. Her hat was off, and she leaned on the wall near him. “Thanks for picking that song, Buck.”
He looked up and saw her, smiling shyly. “Welcome. It seemed to fit.” Both her and the situation. She’d have been Theda Bara in another age.
“Where are you off to?” She had her clutch under her arm, and she was smiling a little lopsidedly.
“Was going to go home for a while before my other job.” If she had other plans, he was more than willing to entertain them.
“Would you like to get a bite to eat?” She hoped he’d hear the implied ‘with me’ at the end of it. She bit her lower lip, grinning a little at him. “I’m buying.”
“Liberated of you.” Bucky smiled a little. “Okay, Miss Spangler. That’d be nice.”
“Good. What’s your fancy?” She smiled at him, moving closer and moving some hair out of his eyes.
“I’m pretty easy. Food wise.” He had to add that last bit. “Maybe just a good old fashioned burger?”
“Oh, I could go for that. Or a steak.” She reached out a hand to take his arm. “And call me Jean, sugar. I did just ask you out to eat.”
“A steak would be good, too.” Bucky smiled. “Good idea, Miss Jean.” He added the miss as a term of endearment - it seemed more polite than saying ‘honey’ or something like that.
She chuckled, taking his arm. “I know a place a few blocks from here that does both.” Jean really hoped there weren’t any rules against her dating coworkers.
“That sounds great.” He hadn’t taken her arm because he hadn’t wanted to come off as pushy, but he sure smiled when she took his. “Let’s get going.”
“Do you want to drive or should I?” Jean liked just smiling at him, just being around him. “Golly, you sure do smell good.” She leaned closer to him, eyes closed.
“I will.” The fact she’d said ‘golly’ was kind of charming. He laughed. “Gee, Miss Jean, thanks. You’re sure swell.”
“You’re the bees’ knees, Buck.” She really liked teasing him, and she tiptoed up to kiss him on the cheek.
It made him laugh, talking like they were stuck in the fifties. He would have teased her more, but then she pecked him on the cheek and he blushed. “You’re friendly!” It was kindly meant, as literally that.
“I did ask you on a date, you know. I’m sure you can guess from that alone that I think you’re ... well. I wanted to get to know you better.” Jean grinned up at the much taller man.
He actually hadn’t guessed that it was a date, but he’d take that. “Was it my charming smile?” he joked.
“It was the fact your charming smile was directed at my eyes.” She squeezed his hand. She’d liked that, and appreciated it. Even when she was dancing, he’d made sure to look at his hands.
“You have lovely eyes.” Bucky said innocently, smiling. “And I mean, I’m not going to lie and say I didn’t notice your figure, but I tried not to ogle. Really.”
“That’s the point, though, you tried. During my audition, that was half the point, but you were trying to be a gentleman. That goes a long way in my world.” Jean grinned up at him, squeezing his hand again.
“I don’t know, I just got raised that way, I guess.” You didn’t look at a woman that way if you didn’t think she’d give you the time of day, and he hadn’t thought Jean Spangler would give him the time of day. He held the outside door for her and pointed out his car.
Jean smiled and walked outside with him, putting on her hat once they were in the sun again. “Thank you. Your parents did well. Send them an extra hug my way next time you see them.” She smiled brightly, wishing for a moment that she was still close to her own.
“I will, actually. They’re both still living, up in Frisco.” Bucky opened the car door for her before going around. “They adopted me and my sister when we were really small, so they’ve always been my parents.”
“That’s really nice,” she murmured, meaning it. Settling in the car, she chuckled. “My parents weren’t mean or abusive or anything, but I was a whoopsie who kinda felt like one.” She buckled her seatbelt, smiling at him. “I’m glad you got more love than I did. I hear kids need that.”
“That’s still not ... I don’t know. I kind of imagine that’s how my real parents were.” Bucky shrugged as he started the car. He didn’t go into it; he didn’t really want to discuss his real parents with a relative stranger, even a pretty one. He couldn’t think they were cold or unfeeling, just unable to handle him and his sister. He didn’t want to judge without all the facts.
“You know who your parents are,” Jean murmured. She looked at her hands and willed them to stop shaking. Telling a man that you gave a child up for adoption when you got knocked up at fourteen wasn’t the smartest thing to secure a second date. “They’re who loves you.” Swallowing hard against a lump in her throat, she soon looked like they’d just been discussing the weather. “So. How long you been playing piano?”
“Since I was a kid.” Bucky didn’t notice any discomfort; he was watching the road. “Had lessons in elementary school and everything. I hated them at the time, but it got more fun. I think it got more fun when I discovered Billy Joel.” He’d memorized the opening to “New York State of Mind” before he’d gotten out of middle school.
“Mmm, I can see you as a Billy Joel type. All necktie undone, glass of whiskey on your piano, smoking between songs. Speaking of, I might burn one after we eat, I hope it doesn’t put you off.” She really did think she’d probably want a second date, which was rare.
Bucky grinned. “I’m down to a half pack a day, but trust me, that suits me fine.” He just tried to keep it to outside and places that wouldn’t hold the smoke smell for years. “Luckies.”
“Still smoke Pall Malls like my daddy. First thing I stole, so of course it’s my favorite.” She smiled, shaking her head at him.
“Same; my uncle smoked Luckies.” Bucky laughed. He turned the car down a little cul-de-sac, heading for the water.
“While we’re makin’ small talk, how old are you? Please tell me over twenty-one, a girl’s gotta have standards, and mine are you have to be able to drink with me.”
“Oh, God, I’m twenty-nine.” Bucky laughed. “You look maybe thirty, tops, and if you’re younger please don’t smack me, at least not while I’m driving.”
Jean smiled, waiting until they came to a red light to kiss him on the cheek. “I’m thirty-four, and I appreciate your sayin’ so.”
“Well, I meant it.” Either he was bad at reading ages, she looked youthful, or both. “You must have some sort of magical makeup that takes five years off your age.”
“Nope, just blessed with those genetics that mean I’ll look young for a while until I hit sixty and then I’ll deflate.” She grinned at him, appreciating that he was so honest.
“Well, you got a long time til then.” Bucky pulled into the parking lot. “Here we are.”
She chuckled. “Thank you, Buck.” She squeezed his hand before getting out of the car. He was a gentleman, and she was enjoying herself.