Page 60 of Reckless Kiss

It was Jason’s turn to be silent.

“Are you still there?”

“Yeah, just thinking. Listen, I need to go, but we’ll talk again soon. Do not let my aunt intimidate you.”

He didn’t let her reply before he hung up the phone. A few minutes later, she was still staring at the blank screen of her phone when Archer called out from across the lawn. She watched him approach in long navy shorts and a buttoned pale blue shirt. Teddy was at his side, half running, half walking to keep up with Archer.

Erica stood, brushed down her linen trousers, and went to meet him at the opening in the wall. He kissed her soundly, holding her tight. He nuzzled her neck and then stepped back.

“Everything okay? We can go another day,” he said.

She thought she was better at hiding her agitation, but with Archer, he sensed the discomfort of her call with his brother. Jason was going to keep her secret, not that she knew why it should be a secret. Erica searched her mind to understand why she hadn’t mentioned she was an actress. It was easy enough to say. She had nothing to share about the humiliating press coverage of her ex-husband parading around with a woman pregnant with their child when they were clearly still married. The press covered every aspect of her life and documented proof that she and her husbandwere still together when you calculated the child’s conception.

“Just work stuff earlier, my manager rang to say there was a delay somewhere along the chain, and I may have to leave at a different time.”

“Oh, not sooner, I hope?”

“Probably later. It could coincide with getting my wedding dress.”

Archer squeezed her hand and smiled wide, seemingly mollified that all was okay. “Okay, let’s go and look at some flowers.”

Chapter 30

Archer

Archer entered the back door of the kitchens to find Maggie at the stove frying bacon. He felt like the bisto kid inhaling a lung full of the amazing smells.

“Are you hungry?” she called over her shoulder without looking at him.

“Always Maggie,” he replied.

“You’ll have to eat toast tomorrow along with Bailey. This is the last of the bacon until I can get down into the high street.”

“What?” he barked in mock outrage. “No bacon sandwich?”

With the frying pan in hand, Maggie turned in a circle and walked over to the side bench, chuckling.

“Yes, Archer, you’ll cope.”

“I don’t think I will. Is there a national shortage?”

“No. But I’m too busy to leave Turner Hall. You’ve eaten through my bacon stocks. Miss Turner doesn’t eat it. It’s only you and Bailey.”

“I’ll go for you. Is there anything else you need from the butcher?”

“No, Archer. I wouldn’t make you go and see the butcher.”

“He’s still my grandfather even if his daughter ran off and left us.”

“Oh, Archer. I’m sure she had her reasons.”

“A mother abandoning her four kids, never to be heard from again but apparently is still alive? Yeah, sure, there’s bound to be a really great reason for never getting in contact with her children. Not even when her husband died. They never divorced, so she was still his wife.”

Archer couldn’t keep the bitterness out of his voice. Maggie put the pan down and came over to the bench seat at the kitchen table. Her plump body twisted at the waist, and she wrapped her arms around his body from the side. The harder she squeezed him, the more Archer wanted to lash out. Being hugged by his childhood cook and surrogate mother felt safe and comforting.

“I’m sorry, Archer. I’ll get the bacon.”

“I’ll get the bacon,” Archer replied. He looped his arm around to bring her head in close, and he kissed into her hair. “Give me the list, and I’ll get everything you need.”

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