Page 35 of Beauty and the Beach

“He’s not allowed backstage.”

“Then we can have our discussion right here with all the customers looking on.” Makoa saw her hook her thumbs in between her hips and her fin. He stumbled as he saw that it was indeed a costume. He shook his head. He had never been paying close attention.

“Fine.”

There was that fine again. Makoa figured things were going to get a little heated, so he locked the breakroom door behind them. Don didn’t notice, but Ana gave him a funny look. He leaned against it with his arms crossed.

“When I call you, I expect you to pick up,” Don said to Ana, shooting Makoa the stink eye.

“I’m not a fireman. I’m not on call twenty-four seven,” she shot back. Her fingers gripped the chair so she was white knuckled. “I’m sorry about Maud. But you’re working us too hard. We need a break. We’ve been doing three shows for the last seven days straight. Even Vegas shows go dark at least one night a week. And this is no Vegas.”

“Read your contract, sugar tits.”

“Watch it,” Makoa snarled.

“You do not punch a time clock. You work until the work is done. I make your hours.”

The door knob turned and when it didn’t open there was a polite knock.

“Occupied,” Makoa said.

“Open this door.”

“Let him in.” Don rushed to the door, pushing Makoa aside.

Because he wanted to be closer to Ana, he let him. Crouching down beside her chair, he said, “If you quit you can apply at Palekaiko.”

“Do they have a dinner theater?”

He shook his head.

“Thanks.” She cupped his face. “But I’m an actress. Go big or go home.”

Don fumbled with the door and pulled it open. Tetsuo walked in with Holt on his heels.

“I might have known you’d be causing the problem, Ms. Simpson.”

“I was trying to sign autographs when Don insisted on bringing me up here to berate me for not returning his phone calls.”

Tetsuo turned to Don. “This couldn’t wait until after the crowd had left.”

“Mr. Hojo, if you want to continue to put on a decent show, you cannot work us seven days a week, three shows a day.”

“Why not? I work a forty-hour week. I’m asking you to do a forty-two hour week and you are being paid extra for those two hours of overtime.”

“What? No, we’re not. We’re only getting paid for two shows six nights a week.”

“I see.” Tetsuo glared at Don.

“She’s a liar. She slept with me to get the lead part and now she’s jealous because I dumped her for Maud.”

Makoa lunged for him, but Holt blocked him. He might have the weight advantage on Holt, but Holt was all muscle and knew what to do with them. “You shut your filthy mouth or I’ll shut it for you,” Makoa said to Don.

“What do you have to say about this, Ms. Simpson?”

Ana punched a few numbers into her phone and handed it Tetsuo. “Here’s the bank statement for the direct deposit from Merry Mermaids. And I have a different spin on the Maud angle as well. He was hustling her, promising her my part in exchange for blow jobs. You can ask the other women to verify. Maud wasn’t his first choice. She was the only one desperate enough to say yes.”

Tetsuo checked the numbers on her phone and handed it back to her. “I’ll do that. Don, I’m very disappointed in you.”

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