Layers of Us (Second Generation Book 2)

Chapter 21

MILES

“Hey Miles?” Benji, my boss, calls my name from the garage. I was in the back sorting and putting away a new order of parts that we got in this morning,

“What’s up, Benj?”

“There is somebody up at the front here to see you.”

I put the final box away and walked into the garage. “Who is here?”

“I don’t know, some cute little lady with colorful hair. She asked for you, so I’m assuming you know who she is.”

A huge smile crosses my face and Benji slaps my shoulder, “Why don’t you go take an early lunch?”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, we’re good here. From that look on your face, this is a pretty special lady. Go, have fun.”

“Thank you, I owe you one, Benji!”

I holler back at him as I take the door that leads into the waiting area. Sitting next to the vending machine was Ember. She had on a pair of dark denim shorts that were fraying at the ends and a flowy tan top with embroidered flowers that was pulled off her shoulders. She popped up from the seat in the waiting room the second she saw me come through the door.

“Hey you!” She gives a bit of a skip over to me and wraps her arms around my neck. I hold her close to my body in the embrace and inhale her scent, she always smells like some sort of cake mix. “Sorry to just drop by, but I thought maybe we could get lunch.”

“You can stop by whenever, you basically just made my day. Let me crab my wallet and we can walk down to the diner.” I give her a quick kiss on the cheek before heading back to the breakroom to clock out and grab my stuff.

Since that night Ember spent the night, we’ve been hanging out more and more. I haven’t taken her on that official date yet, but I have plans to make it happen soon. She’s swamped with weddings and potential brides. She even booked a couple of birthdays because work has gotten around the area how amazing her cakes are. Stef has also been out of town this week visiting her mom, so she’s been working from sun up to far past dinner time.

We finally exchanged numbers so we’ve been texting back and forth as well. I can honestly say that I’ve never done this type of courting with a girl before. I only had one girlfriend before Naomi and it was just an awkward high school thing where we went to the movies a few times a couple of school dances. Naomi wasn’t a dating type of girl, we just jumped right to being together and she had zero intention to lay in bed and text with me or pick up the phone and call unless it was to sneak out somewhere to hook up. Then obviously with the chicks I hooked up with after Na there was no relationship and no desire to exchange numbers or any of that shit.

Ember is so different though, in a good way. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinkin about the moment when I finally got to be with her, but I was enjoying getting to know her. She loved to turn shit into baking metaphors and she always talks about all the layers of a person. I’m enjoying each and every one of these layers.

Ember takes my hand and we make the short walk down to the diner in the middle of Main Street. We find a seat in the back and order a couple of Cokes while we look through the menu.

“How has your day been, Sugar?”

“Not bad. I have been working on a new Devil’s food recipe for a bride that is gluten free. It’s not coming out as well as I thought it would so I needed to take a mental break.”