Coffee sounds good.

Despite her desire to keep working and make money... coffee did sound good.
"Tell you what. I'm going to keep working for a little bit, but how about I meet you at the Leaf and Bean around midnight?"
"What's the..."
"It's two blocks west on the corner, it's open until 2."
"It's a deal."
Beth went back to work, and when she did her next stage dance, she noticed with some delight that Denny was on the rail, with a wad of singles in hand. It was no trouble at all to give him some special attention. Especially when he kept pricing out other guys to keep her coming back to him. When she left the stage and returned to the floor, he was gone from the club.
Around 11:50, she hit the dressing room to change, and headed out.
"Got a hot date?" Georgia, a sexy blonde with a southern drawl, teased her as she pulled on her nylons. Georgia liked the after midnight crowd.
"What?" Beth spluttered. She had cleaned her dancer makeup from her face and was applying something simpler. "What are you talking about?" Most of the girls here knew nothing about her private life at all, but Georgia knew that she was in a relationship at least.
"You don't usually skip out before midnight on a Friday, sugar." She smiled. "I can't say I'm complaining, It'll be nice to not have to compete with that booty." She sidled up beside Beth and put an arm around her shoulders, "Besides... I know that look."
"...I...I'm going home early to surprise my guy." Beth fumbled a little, and Georgia smiled deeper.
"Ok, sugar. I hope... 'your guy' appreciates it." She sauntered out, and Beth blushed furiously into the mirror before finishing her makeup and hitting the door.
~
She stepped into the Leaf and Bean, and scanned the room until she found Denny in a darkened corner booth. Her heart started skipping faster. What are you so jittery about?
He held up a tall cup for her as she approached. "Grande soy milk latte with a pump of mocha and cinnamon?"
"Damn. Good memory." she smiled and took a seat.
They talked for a while over coffee, about how she was still dancing, an did she see herself getting out of it anytime soon. She talked about the erotic modeling she did, which was a new development since he went away. He was very impressed, and couldn't hide the redness of his face. After a little while, they got quiet, and Denny started to shift nervously.
"What's wrong?" she probed, touching his arm.
"It's.... I was just thinking... I had a long time to think about stuff in the joint. I... I owe you an apology."
"I 'm a grown up, Denny. I did blow and molly because I wanted to..."
"No." he shook his head and looked at the table. "I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about... my temper."
Denny had definitely had one of those. Molly had always soothed it... but blow had made it five times worse. He had slapped her on more than one occasion, and threatened worse on others. Always while strung out on coke, which is why it was nice to see him sober.
"I forgive you." It was as simple as that. Not "It's okay." or "It's no big deal."
"Thanks, but I don't know if I deserve that. No man who treats his woman like that is a real man."
Now was probably not a good time to confess to him that, despite his anger, she had gotten off on the danger: not knowing if he was going to snap her head off... or fuck her brains out. It was childish, and dangerous besides, but it was truth. I was fucked up, too.
"Well, I appreciate your apology. I'm sorry too, for never visiting... for disappearing."
"I don't blame you for that. You had to do what was best for you." He smiled. God damn, that smile. His hand was still on her knee.
"Well, we're both sorry, and we're both forgiven, it seems." she leaned in close, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.