Page 72 of Game Changer

Chapter30

Zara

Acryptic phone call from Blair this morning has me sitting at the bar in Crush. The club has been closed for five weeks now as we wait for the council to reinstate our licence. They were very quick to suspend the licence. But now that they know I did nothing wrong, they’re taking their sweet time giving it back. It’s always the same with council decisions. I have a feeling it’s going to take a few more weeks and at this stage we’ve already lost tens of thousands in revenue. Not only from the club but from the pole exercise classes we should have been running.

Blair said she had a proposal for me that might make my life a little easier and free up some of my time. I don’t know what she has in mind, but I’m intrigued. Blair is a bit of a closed book. We have a good working relationship, but she keeps her cards close to her chest when it comes to her personal life. All I know is that she grew up in the South Side of Glasgow and that she lost her mum when she was twenty. She’s never told me how she ended up dancing in clubs, but I get the feeling it’s probably escapism for her.

“Hey Zara,” Blair calls from behind me.

“Hi my love. It’s nice to see you.” I jump down off my stool and hug her. “How are you? Listen I’m so sorry about this mess. I swear I’m trying my hardest to sort it out. Niall has it on good authority that it is in hand and being processed as we speak.”

“Ah. That’s why I’m here,” she says, smiling as she takes the seat next to mine.

“Okay then. Fire away.”

“Well, I have some money and I’d like to buy into the club.”

Well knock me down with a feather. “What? I’m sorry am I on some prank show or something?”

“Nope all legit. I have a lot of money Zara. More than you even know. And it’s about time I did something with my life. I can’t keep dancing. Someday it’s going to take its toll on my body and seriously, no one wants to pay to see a geriatric pole dancer.”

“My god this is huge Blair, but you must have read my mind. I was considering my options for this place anyway.” I shake my head, still in disbelief. “Wow I’m stunned. I think you’ll make a great partner.”

“What are your plans going forward then?”

Sighing heavily, I look around at the empty club. It’s very tacky looking in the white standard lights from above. Blacklights and neon are not in order today.

“Buckie touted the idea of taking my brand global. The pub and restaurant side of things anyway. It’s why I was considering getting rid of this place. I’m more likely to get investors in a new venture if my name isn’t attached to a place like this.”

Blair nods in agreement. “Fine. Put the whole business in my name and become a silent partner. I don’t want to lose you. You’re the bones of this place.” She takes a quick glance at her watch and her brow furrows for a second.

“Are you sure about this?”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me or my life. I’d still like to keep it that way if you don’t mind. But I will tell you this, I need to do this for me. I’ve spent far too long worrying about other people and I kind of lost myself a little. I’ve never felt more alive than I did when I was giving you all the ideas for the club and your bars. It felt good to be focussing on something other than grief and self-pity. So, in answer to your question: yes, I’m damn sure and if you are too, I’d like to get the formalities done as soon as possible. I’ve had a great idea to get the licence back too. And even if this licence is reinstated for the club in its present form, I still think this will be a good way forward.”

“Do tell.”

“Burlesque. We change the nature of business to burlesque and cabaret. It’s not a strip club but it’s still as entertaining as one. And it’ll get much more business. I did a bit of research on the city centre and there isn’t such a club within ten miles.” She slaps a bunch of printed A4 sheets on the bar. “We could end up being Glasgow’s answer to the Moulin Rouge.”

“I could bloody kiss you. Do you have any idea what this means to me? “

“What are friends for,” she says holding out her hand. “Put it there partner.”

I take her hand and pull her towards me. Hugging her tight and allowing myself the few seconds of the embrace to gain back my composure.

“Deal. Let’s meet up for a working lunch tomorrow and go through everything. Come to Gemini at noon tomorrow. I’ll contact my accountant and solicitor and we’ll get everything drawn up. The quicker we can get the place up and running the better.”

“Fantastic,” she says looking at her watch again.

“Honey if you need to go, please don’t let me keep you.”

“I need to go and see my dad. He’s got a hospital appointment through, and he can’t make sense of the letter they’ve sent him. He doesn’t do life very well.”

“It’s fine go, please. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She leans in and kisses my cheek and I see a huge difference in her smile. It’s a real one. Not the fake one she normally plasters on. Now I need to get my arse in gear and start looking at how I take my brand global. I’ll be killing two birds with one stone talking to the accountants and solicitors. Today I’ll be using the exorbitant amounts of money I pay them to full advantage.

---