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thinking.
    Deciding it was probably best she didn’t know, Katrina made her way out the front door and over to her car, which was parked in the lot that ran along the side of the building. The club was near the center of downtown. Given it was late afternoon on a Friday, there was a lot of traffic. All that would change in a few hours when people migrated to their homes in the suburbs. By the time the club opened, the surrounding streets would be close to deserted.
    She lived in a condo roughly ten miles from the club. It was close enough that she could get back and forth quickly if needed, but far enough that she wasn’t tempted to spend more time working than necessary.
    As soon as she walked in the door, her phone rang. It was her son, Nathan. He was a senior at Indiana University. It was hard to believe he was all grown up and for all intents and purposes out on his own.
    By the time she hung up the phone, it was after six. She raced through her shower, changed into some comfortable club wear, and did her hair and makeup. Swiping her keys off the kitchen island where she’d left them, she headed back to the club.
    Luckily, when she walked in the door, Brandon and Ali had everything ready to go. All she had to do was dim the lights and turn on the music.
    “Everything all right?” Brandon asked.
    She must look more harried than she thought. “Yeah, I’m fine. Nathan called to ask if it would be all right if he brought his girlfriend home to meet me over Easter weekend.”
    “Wow. Must be serious. He’s never brought a girl home before, has he?”
    Katrina shook her head. “Not since high school, and that doesn’t really count.”
    “No, it doesn’t.”
    She glanced around but didn’t see Ali. “Is Ali still upstairs?”
    “No. I think she’s in the locker room changing.”
    Katrina strolled over to the wall and opened the cabinet that housed the sound system. Everything was pre-programed. When she had been brainstorming ideas for the club, she’d considered hiring a live DJ. However, after hammering out the details, she realized it wasn’t worth it. The person would have had to not only pass her background check, but also be open to the activities that would be taking place in the club. . . and uphold the members’ privacy. Finding Brandon and Chase, her other bartender, had been difficult enough. Brandon was a Dom. Chase wasn’t, but he had a very open mind, so it worked.
    Once the music was playing, she lowered the lights and took a final look around. Everything was ready. And according to her watch, people would begin arriving within the next ten to fifteen minutes. 
    As she was coming back downstairs after inspecting the rooms one last time, Katrina ran into Ali, who looked as if she were upset. “Ali, what’s wrong?”
    She shook her head.
    “Come with me.” Katrina didn’t give her time to refuse. Instead, she led Ali to her office. Unlocking the door, she ushered her inside, and instructed her to have a seat. “Now, tell me what’s wrong. You look like you’ve been crying.”
    Ali sighed and began wringing her hands together. “It’s nothing. I just thought this guy was interested, and it turns out he’s not.”
    Although it was none of Katrina’s business and she really shouldn’t pry, she asked anyway. “Someone from the club?”
    Ali shifted in her seat, but didn’t answer the question.
    “I’ll take that as a yes.”
    “It’s not a big deal. He says he’s not interested in me like that. It’s not his fault. He never promised me anything.”
    Katrina had a feeling she knew who it was based on who she’d seen Ali hanging out with when she wasn’t manning the coat check. Maybe it was a good thing Ali would be behind the counter tonight and not mingling with the other members.
    Pulling up a chair, Katrina sat down next to Ali and pulled her into a hug. Ali was in her early thirties, but there was something about the girl that brought out Katrina’s mothering instinct.