Ember
Wesley Barrett was my everything. Things were perfect, we were making plans for the future, I just had to finish High School.
But then he cheated on me.
My parents turned on me.
And I ran as far away as I could get with zero intention of ever returning.
Seven years later a phone call from my brother had me heading back to the small town I grew up in.
Everything was exactly the same as I remembered it. And the man who wrecked me still made my heart flutter.
Wes
A broken heart sent me a thousand miles from home. I thought I knew what love was. And then I met her. Ember Davis was everything I never knew I needed.
She saw me in a way no one ever had, and I was ready to give her the world. Then one mistake destroyed everything.
She ran, and I had no choice but to face my new reality. A reality without her.
It’s been seven years, and she’s back. Things aren’t what they appear to be and it’s my chance to explain, if only she would let me.
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Ember
“Is it quittin’ time yet?” I asked, squatting down behind the counter. Paula’s was the best restaurant in town and nothing said that more than the steady stream of customers that came through the door all evening. It didn’t help that it was a Friday night, and I was on my sixth shift in a row. My best friend, Tatum, needed the night off; her boyfriend Brandon was about to ship off for basic training. The man was a year older than us and joined the US Army right after graduation.
I couldn’t blame her for wanting the night off. If I had a boyfriend who was about to leave for lord knows how long, I’d want to spend my last night with him too. I could, however, blame her for her lack of forethought. She knew this day was coming for well over a month. She could have requested the night off in advance. But then she wouldn’t be the wild and impulsive girl I called my best friend.
“What time is it?”
“Ten til, but don’t get too excited. We had a last minute order called in.”
“Ugh, you’re kidding me!”
Linny, my manager, chuckled. “You’re young. You’ll survive.”
The sound of the jingling bell over the door was like music to my ears. Please let this be the pick-up order. I stood up, wiping my hands on the back of my jeans. My breath caught when I took in the man who crossed the dining area with cool confidence.
He was, for lack of a better word, beautiful. He was easily six feet tall, taller than my brother, who was 6’1, and where Miles was tall and lanky, this guy was built. His clothes looked like a second skin, hugging his broad chest and straining around his biceps. His chocolate hair, cropped close on the sides and longer on top, looked so soft my fingers twitched with the need to run through it, and his strong jawline was peppered with at least a days’ worth of stubble.
“Hey, I’m here to pick up an order for Barrett?”
His words barely registered as my eyes locked in on his, which were the most unusual shade of gunmetal blue.
Linny set a bag on the counter just in front of me, “Here ya go, sweetie.”
The sound of her laugh snapped me back to reality and my cheeks blazed with embarrassment for having been caught staring. “Um…” I took the bag and lifted the receipt she set just underneath it. “That’ll be $23.75.”
He pulled a couple twenties from his pocket. His rough fingers brushed mine as he handed them to me, sending a spark of electricity through my body and I pulled away quickly.
Our hands touched again when I passed him his change, though it looked like he did it on purpose this time. My eyes shot up the second I felt that spark. His lips curled up on the sides in a knowing grin and it was the sexiest thing I think I’ve ever seen.
I smiled back and dipped my head low, unable to take my eyes off of him, as heat rose in my cheeks. I didn’t even have to look to know they were pink.
He stuffed the change in his pocket but set the $10 back on the counter before taking the bag. “Thanks ladies,” he said with a nod looking over my shoulder, no doubt at a grinning Linny. “Thanks Ember.” He winked and left just as quickly as he came.
Butterflies swarmed my stomach as I just stood there staring.
“Pick your jaw up off the floor and let’s get this place closed up.” Linny laughed, giving me a little shove.
“He knew my name,” I mumbled, feeling more than a little dazed.
“What’s that?”
I turned to face the woman who found this all too amusing. “He knew my name,” I said again.
She arched an eyebrow. “Honey, for a smart girl, you sure are dumb when it comes to men.” She pointed to my chest, at my nametag.
I covered my face with both my hands. “Oh my god, I’m such an idiot!” I groaned.
“Maybe a little.”
“Linny, you’re supposed to make me feel better! He probably thinks I’m some weirdo creep with the way I was staring.”
She laughed, “Don’t stress it. We all know you have zero experience with the opposite sex.”
“Linny!”
“Relax, it wasn’t that bad.”
“Really?”
She barked out a laugh as she locked the front door. “No, it was bad. But it was cute. Besides, I think he’s a little old for you.”
I covered my face with my hands. Was it possible to die of embarrassment?
Want to see more of Wes and Ember’s epic love story? Tarnished Memories is currently available on Amazon and for free in Kindle Unlimited.
