Their Rose Petal

Chapter Sixteen

"Mitchie, please," Kinsley pouts to me while I'm cleaning up behind the bar.

"No, you're a big girl, put your big girl panties on. Besides, it would be weird for me to text Damien and ask him for you," I roll my eyes. Kinsley wants to invite Damien to Rose Petals for a night, pending a negative STD screen and his approval.

"Fine," she mumbles, pulling out her phone to text him herself. The restaurant is pretty dead tonight. Only Kinsley, Bill, and I remain on the bar side. And Carlos, of course.

My phone rings and I smile softly when Elias' name appears on the screen.

"Hello?" I speak once I press accept.

"Hello gorgeous. How is our princess doing tonight?" He grumbles, sounding rather stressed.

"I'm good, love. Are you okay? You sound irritated."

"I'm fine baby, just a long day at work."

"Is that our girl?" Mateo's voice is heard faintly in the back before there's a slight ruffling noise. "Hi baby. I miss you." His voice is soft and tired.

"I miss you too. You guys done working for the night?" I question, my heart strings pulling a bit. I want to take their stress away.

"Yea, bout to head back home."

"Wanna meet me at Rose Petals in an hour?" I speak rather quickly, nervousness bubbling in the pit of my stomach. Kinsley squeals on the bar stool, grinning ear to ear.

"That would be amazing, see you soon baby," Mateo says quickly, ending the line a little too fast for my liking.

"Look at my girl, initiating the sexy time herself. You're growing up on me," she fakes a tear, wiping off her cheeks.

"Better take notes. Damien was a real gentleman to you, yet you're to nervous to ask him for what you really want. All you've done was text causally, while you're sitting over there talking shit to me," I shrug.

"This attitude, this confidence. My bitch is growing. I like it," she looks at me with my arms crossed. "You have an outfit to go over there in?"

I blush at the question, unsure if I really want to answer. "I have a few in my office, for emergencies of course."

Kinsley's jaw drops, and she looks at Bill who is minding his own business. "You hear this shit, Bill? Our girl is growing up on us. It's like watching a toddler learn how to walk," Bill chuckles at her, shaking his head.

"Now you know I stay clear of them conversations of," he pauses, "sexual activity."

"Bill," I groan, covering my face.

"But I can say," he leans forward, coughing a bit. "I'm glad to see that shine back in your eyes that that bastard had stolen. Looks like them boys of yours found it and brought it back," he smiles.

"Yeah, well. They're also helping me to learn how to have confidence with myself; with or without a man. Or men, in this situation," saying it loud always makes me feel weird.

"And I'm glad, you're supposed to love yourself more than anyone else."

We all converse for awhile before a yawn left Bill's lips and he paid his tab. "Go get dressed, I can finish up back here," Kinsley shooed me away.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't forget to count inventory tonight!" I yell, walking to my office.

"Well aren't you very chipper," Noah comments as I walk into the kitchen.

"A woman getting fucked should always be chipper, my dear friend."

He pauses from sweeping, looking at me with a blank face. "That was not what I wanted to hear. Get out of my kitchen," he scolds, aiming the broomstick up at me.