Layers of Us (Second Generation Book 2)

Chapter 38

MILES

“Did you decide what you want to order yet, Rebecca?”

“I don’t know, Miles, this all looks so good. Wow, I can’t believe you found a Thai food place around here. I never would have guessed. I just figured all these small towns would be about fast food and maybe a sandwich shop or a diner here and there, but Thai food? This menu looks better than the place we go back home.”

“They didn’t have all this stuff growing up, that’s for sure. Now I think you can find most types of cuisine within an hour’s drive or so.”

“Still no movie theater close by though, huh?” Hank joked and I nodded my head.

“Yeah, still have to drive a little over an hour for one of those. They used to have a drive-thru outside of Charleston, but they shut it down while I was gone.”

Ember was working tonight as she did pretty much every Saturday night, but it was just a normal part of our life. Neither of us had to work Sundays and overall out jobs were pretty flexible all things considered. Peyton and I usually stayed home, since the ranch was crazy busy on wedding nights, and when Ember got home I would pour her a glass of wine and rub her feet while she decompressed. Tonight, rather than warming up leftovers, I decided to take Hank and Rebecca out for dinner.

I wanted to make sure that I was being a gracious host, but I also loved the idea of getting to know them a bit and I also had an ulterior motive tonight, but that would come after I filled them up with some amazing food.

Peyton was sitting between Rebecca and me but becoming increasingly agitated with not having more to do. “Here, Pey, do you want your giraffe?” I pulled out her giraffe, but she just tossed it on the ground. She squealed in excitement when Rebecca picked it up and handed it back to her, but then chucked it on the ground again.

“Uh oh, I think Little Miss thinks this is a game now.” Rebecca still picked up the toy, but gave Peyton a kiss on the top of the head and snuck the giraffe behind her back and back to me so I could put it in her diaper bag.

“Let’s try this.” At the store the other day, Ember has bought these mesh feeder things that I had never seen before. Apparently, you put mushy food in then and Peyton could chew down on it to get a little piece out, but nothing that was too large for her to eat. I sliced up a banana earlier just in case. Like I thought she would, Peyton happily chewed on the feeder and was once again a content little girl.

“Miles,” Rebecca looked away from Peyton for a moment, “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

“Go ahead. Honestly, I’m going to be an open book with the two of you. It is really important that you trust me with Ember and I don’t want to hide anything.”

“That’s very refreshing. I was talking to Ember yesterday when we were putting Peyton to bed because I’m worried about her.”

“Peyton or Ember?”

“Well, both if I am being honest. I’m sure you are well aware of this, but Ember doesn’t love part way. She’s not one to give her heart away easily, but when she does, well she’s in it for the long haul.”

“That is definitely done of the many things that I love about her.”

Rebecca smiles. “Ems loves Peyton so much. I know that she doesn’t refer to herself out loud as Peyton’s mom, but you know that is how she feels and that is the role that she wants to take. I’m worried that if something were to happen in the future, that Ember’s heart would be left unprotected.”