Page 76 of Daddy's Pride

They were both invested, as if they were the ones waiting for the text.

Rogue: Hey, babygirl. Miss me?

I rolled my eyes and I could almost picture Rogue's small smirk. Why did their confidence make me feel more insecure?

Me: You probably call all the girls that. Tell me my name.

Rogue: You wound me, there's only one babygirl for me.

As I was about to reply with something sarcastic, another message popped up and I dropped my chin to my chest to hide my smile. Why did I feel like a teenager with my first crush when Rogue wasn't even my type?

Rogue: But if it makes you feel better. Hey, Trinity, did you miss me?

Me: No.

I'd barely set my phone down after replying before she responded.

"Seems you've got someone's attention." Janine grinned at me.

I shrugged my shoulders because I still didn't know what I wanted to do about it. Even if Rogue was no more than just a flirty person, I was flattered by it. Indecisiveness made me irritable. Once I left my hometown, I promised myself no more doubts or second-guessing what I wanted. I was who I was, but I still didn't feel like I was enough. The pressure I'd put on myself to stay in the closet, and then to live openly and authentically, no longer that person I didn't recognize as me, scared and unsure.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Gene asked as Janine walked off to make sure everything was locked up, and the accounting was done for the night.

"I don't know, I'm all mixed up. I'm overthinking everything," I said as I picked up my phone but didn't check the new text.

"You're newly out, right?"

"My best friend has always known, but, yeah, just since I moved here."

"Hell, you're still a baby. Some people never know what they want or they're always in flux. What we are today isn't always what we are tomorrow. You like Rogue, nothing shameful about that. Just because you'd never been attracted to a woman or a female-assigned-at-birth doesn't mean it'll never happen. Rogue is really nice and more importantly, you know what they do?"

"No, what do they do?"

"Make you smile. Could be just meeting a new friend, but what if it could be more? Think about that. Okay, I am out of here, the boyfriend should be home soon."

"What does he do?"

"Firefighter. He just asked me to move in and we're going to look at getting new furniture and all to make his place our place."

"He sounds sweet."

"Very sweet, the first time I saw him I thought he was going to kick my ass. He's huge compared to me. But he's a cinnamon roll, he just looks a little scary. Good luck with Rogue. Don't talk yourself out of at least hanging out if Rogue asks."

"Thanks for the talk."

"Anytime."

I slid off the stool, grabbed the trays, and put away the silverware rolls and glass folds. I looked up as Janine reappeared. We always walked out together when we worked the closing shifts. I pulled out my phone to order a car and the app said it was ten minutes away.

We spoke a bit longer and she walked to her car farther down the block. As soon as I saw her get in, my ride showed up and as I slid into the backseat, I pulled out my phone.

Rogue: You still working, babygirl?

Why did that endearment make me feel almost giddy? Maybe Gene was right and that I should at least see what happened. Transgender women didn't have the easiest lives. All the news reports and articles, I'd lived in fear especially in my small, conservative town. I hadn't seen any positive representation and I was always too scared to do searches on my computer.

My parents were loving people but extremely strict and my screen time had been severely limited unless it had something to do with school. I'd used Freida's to find a doctor who would see me to start my transition.

I shifted on the seat and was thankful to find a silent driver. Small talk made me uncomfortable, and I never knew what to say. Even with voice lessons to make me sound more feminine, it was still new to hear my softer and higher tone. I tapped the screen for the keyboard and answered Rogue.