"Yes, indeed. We'll make you look good, I promise. What I'd love to do, if you're available, is get you over there tonight so you can meet the rest of the crew and do some camera tests. They're all in the studio working on one of our other projects."

"I can't do it tonight, but I can do it pretty much any other day. Whatever works for you. If I've got a day or two notice I can swap shifts with one of the other servers."

"Fair enough," said Ken. It had been too much to hope that she'd willingly go back to his "studio" tonight.

"And it's okay if I bring a friend, right?"

"Charlene?"

"No, just somebody to come along with me. They'll stay out of the way."

"I swear to God we're not making a porno."

"I know, I know."

"That is totally fine. We want everybody to feel safe and comfortable. Don't bring your whole entourage, but, yes, if you want to bring a friend, that is absolutely not a problem. We'll put him to work!"

"Thanks," said Gertie. "I'm not saying that I don't trust you. But of course this whole thing happened because women were disappearing!"

"Yep. There is no way I can argue that point. I should've been the one to suggest it, honestly. Pay will be a thousand bucks, flat fee. It's not a lot, but it works out to a pretty good hourly wage."

"Oh, no, that's great. I work for tips, basically. I wasn't even going to try to negotiate."

"So do you think you might be interested?"

"Definitely."

"That's great," said Ken. "I'm thrilled to hear it. And our food hasn't even arrived yet. I guess we could have discussed this over coffee."

"I guess we'll just have to suck it up and enjoy a nice meal."

"Sounds like an evening well spent."

* * *

Warren didn't seem like he was trying to hit on her. Gertie figured he would've taken off his wedding ring if that were the case. Of course, it always left an imprint or a tan line and the guys weren't fooling anybody, but that didn't stop them from trying.

She sure as hell didn't feel comfortable enough to go back to his studio tonight. She was reasonably confident that everything would be fine, and if she got a bad feeling about it she'd simply refuse to go inside, and if he pressured her she'd zap the shit out of him with the stun gun in her purse. But though she didn't get a bad vibe from Warren, going to a non-public place with him after dinner simply wasn't an option. Not for a web series shoot, not for sex, not for anything.