Chapter 4
THE NEXT DAY…
Archie stared at the bowl of tepid porridge the next morning in the boarding house’s communal dining room and contemplated whether he should go back to the bakery to speak with Gertie.
After seeing her for the first time in two decades, every question he’d ever had about why she married so soon after he left—and why she hadn’t contacted him before she did—came roaring back to the fore.
The problem was, he knew his Gertie could be stubborn; knew she would not welcome his questions so readily.
“Good morning, Mr. Goodman.” His landlady walked into the dining room and placed a teapot on the sideboard. “There’s fresh tea if you’d care for a cup with your breakfast.”
He glanced up at her and flashed a half-smile, his thoughts lingering on the question of Gertie. “Thank you.”
“Oh, I meant to ask you if you were going to be headed back to that bakery you mentioned you visited yesterday?” The kind woman smiled hopefully at him.
“I’m…I’m not sure.” His gut twisted; part of him wanted very much to see Gertie again, and the other part warned it was a bad idea to dredge up the past.
“Well, if you are and you wouldn’t mind bringing back some buns for tea later, I would be grateful to you. I’ve always heard wonderful things about Sutton’s Bakery, though it is farther than I am able to walk these days.” She chuckled. “My bones are getting too old to traipse across Rivenhall.”
Archie inclined his head. “Certainly, I can pick up a dozen buns for you.” And just like that, he’d decided without really deciding. He should probably listen to his older, steadier half, not the young man who was eager to see his lost love again.
“You’re a good man. I’ll just be right back with the coin.” She nodded and disappeared, leaving him to worry over a poorly thought-out decision.
Archie inhaled deeply, loving the smell of freshly baked bread as he walked back into Sutton’s Bakery.
Once again he found Gertie behind the counter, but this time she was counting loaves of bread.
When she was done, she turned around to see who had entered, and he watched as the welcoming smile slipped from her delicate features.
She stepped out from behind the counter and strode up to him where he stood just inside the door. “What are you doing here, Archie—Mr. Goodman?”
He smiled sheepishly. I came to see you, danced on his lips, but he held the words back. “I came for your buns.”
“This is neither the time nor the place for us to have a conversation about the past.” She glared at him, chin lifting slightly as though daring him to defy her on this matter.
He’d always loved riling Gertie up. She got so angry and passionate that it inevitably led to other, more pleasurable activities once she calmed down.
Archie grinned. “As I said, I came for your buns. After that wonderful bread you gave me, my landlady at Potter’s Boardinghouse requested buns for tea.
” He pulled his coin purse out of his pocket.
“I have money.” He gave it a shake, making the coins clink together softly in the pouch.
“Oh.” She glared at him. “Fine. a few buns then?”
“A dozen, if you please. Everyone at supper yesterday raved about your bread when I shared it.” Archie tried to hide his pleased smile, but it was impossible…which only served to upset Gertie further.
“Fine. A dozen buns and then you need to be gone before my son returns from the morning deliveries and begins asking questions,” she snapped, but before she strode away, Archie couldn’t resist moving forward.
She gasped as he hauled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers, his cock stirring at the feel of her soft curves pressing against him as he sought entrance to her mouth. He traced the seam of her lips until she melted against him and let him inside to explore.
Everything around them faded away leaving just the two of them, kissing as they had once done. When Archie deepened the kiss, his hand drifting lower to take hold of her lush derrier, they both fell right back into their old ways despite so many years apart. As if no time had passed at all…
Most unfortunately a wagon clattered by on the street and caused Gertie to stiffen before she pressed her hands against his chest. Archie hesitated a moment, unwilling to lose the moment, but he knew he had to release her.
She looked up at him, a little dazed—in the most delightful way—then turned to retreat behind the counter where she packaged up the buns into two bundles.
When she walked out from behind the counter, she still seemed off-kilter. “Two shillings, please.”
Archie quickly pulled the coins out and handed them to her as he took the first package of buns.
Gertie thrust the second bundle into his arms and glared. “Don’t come back, Archie. There’s nothing left for you here.”
Surprise punched through him at her soft words said in a firm tone.
It was not so much a threat as it was a warding off.
She truly didn’t want him coming around the bakery.
Perhaps he shouldn’t have given in to his baser needs and kissed her.
But she was the one who had deserted him and married another all those years ago.
Why could she possibly not want to see him in her shop?
Or did she mean the whole town? Was she telling him not to take the position as headmaster?
Confusion reigned as Archie turned and stumbled out of the bakery.
What had just happened?
He’d thought it had been a pleasantly diverting kiss; one that harkened back to their passionate days tumbling in the hay behind her cottage.
He hadn’t meant for it to happen—well, perhaps he’d been hopeful it might—when he went to see her again.
Mostly, he wanted a chance to speak to her uninterrupted.
But in indulging his foolish desire to kiss her, he’d lost the chance to ask her to have dinner with him.
To ask her to explain what had happened all those years ago. To delve into their past.
Now he was banished from her bakery, if not Rivenhall.
What was a man to do when the object of his heart refused to speak to him again?