Page 47 of Lipstick Kiss

“My grandfather wasn’t all that loving. Not that I’m making excuses for her behaviour.”

Now Freya was itching to change the subject.

“Come on, let’s go and eat. I’m starving.”

“We might have to steal some of Archer’s outside chairs, as the only thing I have to sit on is a bed.”

Freya felt her cheeks heat up, and she turned her back on Luke to walk back to the cottages. He quickly caught up with her, slung an arm around her neck, and kissed her temple.

“Super sleuthing like we used to do. I’m feeling better already,” Luke said.

“Don’t forget florin hunting on Saturday,” Freya reminded him.

“Can’t wait.”

Chapter Fifteen

Luke

Luke had asked Freya to meet him at Turner Hall kitchens as he was embarrassed by the lack of furniture in his cottage. Archer had humped his outdoor chairs back to his rear patio area, leaving him with a wonky wooden stool he remembered seeing in Ralph’s shed. He needed to speak to Maggie to ask her a favour.

When he reached the rear of Jason’s place, he and Heidi were sitting quietly, reading and sipping on coffee. He took a detour and approached their patio area.

“Hey guys,” Luke said as he walked up to the low wall. Heidi was sprawled on one sofa, and Jason was on another. They faced each other with a long coffee table between them with a coffee pot and a plate of pastries.

Luke zoned in on the breakfast pastries.

“Hey Luke, how’re things?” Heidi asked.

“They’re good. I’ve got a few things to sort out, and then I’m meeting Freya over in the kitchens.”

“Anything we can help with?”

“Are you two portable?”

“We have legs,” Jason answered.

“Yes, but are you willing to move from those seats?”

“Yeah. I had to go down to Archer’s place to steal their coffee, so I’m not glued to this seat.”

“That’s one of the things I want to talk about. Are they up and about, or did you help yourself to their kitchen?”

“They’re up. Erica was chatting to her stomach twenty minutes ago, and Archer was looking at her like she’d lost her mind.”

“Sounds like normal. It’s good for the baby to hear their voices,” Heidi said.

“Do you need help to carry anything?” Luke asked.

“Absolutely not. I want these pastries to make it to next door,” Jason grumbled.

“Damn, they look good too.”

“Give him a pastry. There’s another ten in the kitchen,” Heidi said, laughing.

Sighing dramatically, Jason slouched into the kitchen and brought out a tin, and they were on the move. Erica and Archer were sharing a loveseat, with her head in his lap and her legs over the arm of the sofa. Erica was chattering away while Archer stroked her belly with one hand and held a paperback up in the other hand.

“Stop stealing my stuff, Luke,” Archer said without looking up. “I’m fed up with traipsing down to your cottage to fetch it all back.”

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