“True, but she still scares me. That’s something I never expected from anyone’s parents other than my own.” Emily shivers at the thought.
Closing out of the calendar, I begin shutting down the computer. “I think that’s enough for tonight. I know y’all have things to do and it’s not our weekly girls’ night. What do you say we meet back here first thing in the morning and post job listings.”
All three of them murmur their agreement before heading toward the office door. “Quick question, are we really considering Kai for the office manager position?” Emily hovers just before the door while I gather my things.
Sam shrugs her shoulders, “He’s the best option. He already knows how we run things, and he has experience. I’m sure he’ll be happy to have normal hours so he can see his girlfriend more often.”
She’s right. It’s the best option for now. “We’ll talk about it in the morning. He’s definitely going to want a raise.”
“Well,” Caroline turns off the light as I make my way toward them, “as long as we keep booking these high-end events, it won’t be a problem.”
“That’s enough business talk for the night,” I push them out and close the door behind me, “y’all have a good night. I’ll finish locking up.”
“We can help.” Emily offers.
“It’s fine. I can do it.” Little do they know I’ll be stopping by Out of the Ashes on my way home. I need to blow off some steam before we tackle the hiring process in the morning. All this business has really cut into my personal time. I can’t even remember the last time I entertained the thought of meeting up with someone. “Night, y’all.”
I watch them head out the back door before making sure everything up front is closed ready for in the morning. As much as I love our company, it’s draining. A night out is exactly what I need. I only hope the kitchen is still open because I’m starving.
The music is thumping through the walls and people are dancing around the table I’m sitting at. I’ll join them soon enough, but I need a few drinks before to shake away the tension from the day. Maybe I should ask Angie how she handled the growth of the bar. Out of the Ashes used to be different. It was a hole in the wall bar that didn’t have much clientele. That all changed when she became friends with an old classmate’s girlfriend. Stella has turned this place around for the better and turned it into an experience.
“Hey, Trouble, you need another drink?” Eric, one of the bartenders takes the seat in front of me. “Where’s the rest of your crew?”
“At home. It’s not our usual night, you know that.” I take a sip from my margarita, “but another drink would be great.”
“You look…defeated. Anything I can help with?” He leans his elbows on the table ready to listen to whatever I’m going to tell him.
“Not really. Just work stuff.”
“Y’all are getting big for a hometown floral business.”
“That’s part of it.” How in the hell is he always so intuitive? He seems to have a pulse on whatever his patrons are going through. It’s no wonder the new bartender fell for him.
“Well, if there’s any way I can help, other than bring you more drinks, let me know.” He stands up and pushes the chair in. The legs screeching across the hardwood floor is drowned out by the music.
“Not unless you want to work a second job by chance.” I grin up at him as he shakes his head and walks away. It’s the response I knew I was going to get, but he offered to help.
One of the waitstaff brings my next margarita and sets it on the table in front of me. Perfect timing since this one is almost gone. Honestly, it’s going down a little too easily. Even though I walked here from the shop, I should probably slow down a bit after the next one. My apartment isn’t too far away either, so the walk isn’t terrible, but it’s less fun when I’m tipsy. Usually, Emily or Caroline drive me home.
One last sip from the glass finishes it off, and I set it down next to the newly replaced one. I take a deep breath and push away the stress from the day. Whatever happens, we’ll handle it. Growth is good, and I need to look at it with that mindset. Hopefully it helps.
I watch the crowd in front of me and think back to my college days. Sam, Emily, and I would hit the clubs, living our best life. I’m lucky to be able to work with my best friends and make a living doing it. Ugh, all these maudlin thoughts need to go right out the window.
Grabbing the fresh margarita, I take a drink. The sides of the glass are wet from the condensation, and I pick up the small napkin to wipe it off. The chair Eric vacated a few minutes ago moves. I swear he thinks he has to take care of everyone. “Eric, I wasn’t play?—”
My eyes move from the glass in my hand to the person who isn’t Eric sitting in the chair. What the hell? This is so random. Who comes and just plops themselves into a seat at a stranger’s table? Well, I guess I can’t really fault them. I’ve done the same thing on numerous occasions. And it was usually some guy I ended up going home with. It’s just weird having the same thing happen to me. This is new.
“Um, who are you?” Hopefully that wasn’t rude, but like who is this guy.
“Xander.” He holds his hand out. His dark brown eyes twinkle in the dim lighting as he smirks. “You looked lonely.”
Oh. My. God. “Does that pickup line usually work?” I grasp his hand and shake it lightly before pulling back.
He shrugs and leans back in his chair. “Sometimes. I mean, it’s got about an eighty percent chance of it, anyway.”
At least he’s being honest. Not many people would be, especially when they are trying to pick someone up from the bar. “Let me guess, you were standing over there, and you saw me sitting alone minding my own business. You decided to come over and really thought those words were the ones that would endear me to you.”
That may have been a tad bit bitchy, but it’s really hard to be in the mood to play games. As much as I try to shake off the worries I have about the shop, it’s just not working.
