Page 64 of Reckless Kiss

He was standing on the edge of the concrete path when she came back up, pushing her hair off her face.

“I was comfy there,” Erica said through a laugh.

Archer gave her a cheeky grin, hands on his hips highlighting the muscles at the edge of his shorts.

“Can’t get too used to comfiness, Erica. I’m taking my caveman ass off to get changed. I’ll meet you back here in half an hour.”

“All right. I’m sorry about the caveman remark. I didn’t mean it,” Erica called out to his back, walking away. Archer lifted his arms and flexed his muscles in a Popeye move.

Erica sank into the water, treading as she worked her legs and arms, watching him move until he turned the corner around the side of Turner Hall. Then, with a long sigh, Erica swam to the other side of the pool and used the metal steps to get out of the pool. Grabbing her towel, shewrapped her body up and walked back to her cottage. When she met with the vicar, she would have to state her profession for the paperwork which would end up on the marriage certificate. It was on the tip of her tongue to confess when he had her arms around her, but she backed out. Maybe the vicar won’t ask, and she can fill in aform.

Chapter 32

Erica

Erica showered, dressed, and was back at the pool in forty-five minutes. Archer was already there, which was no surprise to her as he was on time for everything.

“Being late is diva behaviour,” he said as he greeted her with a kiss.

“I have been known for my outrageous behaviour. It’s been fully documented.”

It wasn’t a lie. Erica had very little concept of time. She was ready when she was ready. Everyone put up with it, so she made no amends to change her ways. Archer got her to focus on arriving where you said you’d be when you agreed. Fifteen minutes late was a record for her.

“Good job Maggie doesn’t start cooking until we get there. Let’s go,” he said, holding out his hand.

Erica took it. It only took a few minutes to get to the kitchen door. Archer ducked under to walk through the door opening, and Erica followed, clutching his hand. Each time she met a new person, the expected reactionwas familiarity. When Archer didn’t know who Erica was, it was refreshing and wonderful to be normal. But as soon as Erica locked eyes with Maggie, she knew she was busted.

“Oh my, Erica,” Maggie said, rushing over to take her in a hug. “It’s so wonderful to meet you. Erica Taylor in my kitchen, whoever would have thought it.”

“All right, Maggie, bit over the top, isn’t it?”

“You brought Erica Taylor to meet me,” Maggie said.

“Because you asked to meet her. You also promised you’d feed us. We’re starving from the morning workout. What’s on offer?” Archer said, rounding the kitchen table and dropping onto the bench seat. He patted the space next to him for Erica to join him, but she stayed rooted to the spot. She was pleading internally that Maggie didn’t mention anything further. Erica waited for Maggie to turn her back and begin preparations for breakfast. When she thought the coast was clear, she shuffled along the bench to sit next to Archer.

“Ignore Maggie. She is beside herself there is more than Bailey and Jennifer in the house, along with my aunt. We’ve swollen the numbers.”

“Who is Jennifer?”

“My aunt’s maid, dresser, I don’t know what the modern word for it would be. She gets my aunt up in the mornings and dressed these days and then gets her ready for bed. Years ago she would accompany her everywhere she went. Overseas or to the mainland. A lady’s maid would be what she would’ve been called back in the early 1900s. My aunt still lives in those times, so she treats Jennifer as a personal maid even though my aunt never leaves the house.”

“Will I meet her?”

“Maybe. She is the same age as my aunt and stays upstairs most of the time.”

Maggie turned to face them, looked to Archer, and then pointed to the teapot. “Pour the tea, Archer. Erica, what can I make you for breakfast?”

“I love some scrambled eggs and bacon,” she replied, having given it a lot of thought when she was showering. Her lateness gave her the diva tag out in the movie world, but for everything else, she tried to make sure she wasn’t too fussy, keeping things simple.

“Cheese in your scrambled eggs?”

“Ohh, why not? I’ve never had that before,” Erica said.

“All right, sit tight, and I’ll get the food on the go. Archer, I assume you’ll have your usual?”

“Absolutely. I’ve earned it. And I’ll probably earn it later too. We’re going to Little Lagoon after we’ve eaten.”

“Oh, you’ll have a fabulous time,” Maggie said, aiming her comment at Erica. “Archer, Jason, Luke, and Daisy spent a lot of time down there when they were younger.”

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