Not Even Close (A New Generation) by Elizabeth Reyes (books to read in a lifetime txt) 📗

she’d be doing laundry thatmorning, he’d sort of expected to have heard back from her about his clothes bynow. She had seemed eager to get them cleaned up and back to him. But here itwas almost noon on Monday and still nothing.

Frowning as he tried to focus on his work, Byron chided himselfinwardly. If anything, he should be grateful she obviously wasn’t looking forexcuses to chat even via text. His ass needed to stop thinking about it alreadybefore he gave into the idiotic temptation of texting her. It’d alreadybeen determined that getting involved with her would not be a good idea. Evenif just in a friendly way like she admitted was the only way shegot involved with anyone. He was only grateful now that unlike Vannah and herfriend, he sucked at cyber stalking. He’d stupidly given into the temptation,now that he knew her name and a little more about her to do what they had andtry to find out more about her. But he’d come up with nothing and thankfully hecame to his senses and cut that shit out real quick.

Byron had finally managed to get lost in his work when he got thetext. Nine and Orlando were at a car auction and Byron was expecting an updateabout what they might’ve scored. So, he’d fully anticipated the text to be fromone of them. Instead, he nearly swallowed his gum when he saw the name on the textpreview. Clicking on it a little too quick he took a deep breath before readingit.

Heya, will you be at work today? Your clothes are ready.

Aware that he was already smiling too big, but was incapable of doinganything about it, Byron responded to let her know he was already there. Hewondered if she knew he lived right above the shop. That even when he was home,technically he was still at work. His phone buzzed again and once again hequickly clicked the text and read it.

Perfect. You’ll be there for at least another hour, yes?I can stop by then and drop them off.

Trying to keep his cool and make less of this than his poundingheart was already doing, Byron responded with a simple, see you then. Ashe rushed off to the bathroom to rinse off his dusty face and wash his greasyhands, he chuckled when he looked in the mirror. Keep his cool? What a joke. Shesaid an hour. What the hell was wrong with him? He ran a wet hand through hishair and then dried his hands shaking his head.

Determined he was going to be cool when she got there, take hisclothes back and just be done with it, he walked back out into the lobby of theauto shop. Not wanting to get all mucked up again before she got there, he workedon the schedule instead. After what felt like the longest hour of his life, hesaw her pull into the parking lot. He half expected her to be with Xochitl, butto his relief she was alone. As busy as the shop stayed, he was grateful he’dbeen enjoying one of those rare moments where the lobby was empty, and all theguys were working on something outside.

Running his hand through his hair again, he watched as shestepped out of her car holding a paper bag in one hand and her purse in theother. She closed the driver side door but then opened the back door and pulledsomething else out. Byron had been too caught up with her long legs and thevery high wedge sandals she wore, he didn’t immediately notice what she’dpulled out of the backseat.

Gulping at the sight of her making her way to the shop door inher short denim shorts and those hot ass shoes, Byron once again attempted tobe cool. He focused on that other thing she was holding. Best he could make ofit from where he was standing, was that it appeared to be an aluminum tray ofsome kind covered with foil. She stuck his clothes in an aluminum pan?

“Hey,” she said smiling beautifully as she walked into the lobby.

“Hey.” Byron’s eyes zoomed in on the slightest peek of her midriffjust above her shorts button.

While the soft lavender crop top didn’t quite reach the top ofher shorts, allowing for just a tease of her soft skin underneath, it wasnowhere near as short as the one she’d worn at the gym the day he’d seen herwith the meathead.

“Here you are.” She handed him the paper bag she was holding.

Shaking off the reminder of her and the meathead at the gym beforehe could start unreasonably grinding his teeth, Byron took the bag with his clothes.

“Thanks.”

Focusing instead on the tray she held in her other hand, heglanced at it curiously then at her. Already her face tinged with color and shecleared her throat. “Xochitl and I thought we should get you a little somethingas a gesture of our gratitude for what you did Friday night.” Immediatelyfeeling panicked, Byron started to protest that they didn’t have to, but shewent on quickly. “Oh, it’s nothing big. We had no idea what you might be into, butwe figured everyone is into food. It’s just a small tray of enchiladas suizas.”She shrugged smiling sweetly. “Kind of my specialty. So, really it was notrouble at all.” She handed him the tray that wasn’t a small tray at all. “Thetray is still kind of hot. I prepared them last night but didn’t put them inthe oven until I text you to make sure you’d be here.”

Byron took the tray and peeked inside under the foil. They lookedand smelled heavenly. “You made these yourself?”

Not sure how much longer he could watch her blush before he tookher face in his hands and kissed it, Byron smiled at her timid expression, gladnow that his hands were full.

“I did.” She smiled with a nod. “Xochitl would’ve helped, but shecan barely toast her bread without setting off the smoke detectors.” Shegiggled making Byron smile even bigger. “I made them, but she was on cleanup duty.So, it was a team effort.”

Taking in the enchiladas again, Byron noted