Page 72 of Lust & Lies
He’d seemed to get along well with Aiden, so my husband shouldn’t be the reason for the older man’s worried look. Then there was Gertrude, who was no longer smiling, but her gaze was zeroed in on me.
“We’ll see you soon, dear,” Gertrude called after us. “But if you all need us before then, just call. Or you can come visit us anytime. We’re right down the road at our orchard. Hatfield Orchards.”
Hatfield Orchards? That name rang a bell. Actually, it did more than that. Just thinking of that place made me picture myself as a little girl, holding a brown bucket, picking blueberries.
That had to be a memory. It had to be. That would mean I’d known Samuel and Gertrude since I was a kid. Gertrude smiled at me just as Aiden and I began to round the corner. She was now out of view. I faced forward.
“I’ve known them for a long time, haven’t I?” I asked Aiden as he opened the patio door for me.
“You have, love,” he told me. “Do you remember them?” he asked, stopping to stare down at me.
I shook my head. “No. Not really. It’s just a feeling I get when I see their faces. They feel like a safe place for me, if that makes sense.”
Aiden smiled. “It makes perfect sense. Do I feel like a safe space for you also?” he asked.
Jealous much?
“Of course,” I told him, coming up on my tiptoes to give him a quick kiss. “The safest place,” I whispered against my husband’s lips.
“I love you,” he whispered before kissing my forehead. “Now, let’s get you fed. I don’t need Gertrude thinking I’ve starved you around here.”
Laughing, I let him lead me into the house, wondering if I was overthinking things again. If Aiden and Gertrude didn’t get along, there was no way he’d let her work here. There was no way he’d reintroduce me to her.
Plus, with my memory gone, he could’ve gotten rid of her before I returned here, and I never would’ve known. I had to be overthinking things again. However, I was convinced that Gertrude wanted to tell me something.
Hatfield Orchards.I would find a way to visit her while she was on vacation. My mind drifted away from Gertrude and back to my stomach when the scent of chocolate wafted my way. We entered the kitchen to the sound of Dolores humming.
“There you two go,” she said. “Go wash your hands.”
We obeyed like we were little kids or something. I was drying my hands when Dolores spoke again.
“Have a seat, sweeties. Hurry up.”
Aiden pulled a chair out for me. After thanking him, I sat down. He sat across from me as Dolores set our plates down in front of us. I inhaled deeply, breathing in the smell ofbacon, chocolate, and savory eggs, making my stomach growl in anticipation.
Dolores placed a cup of coffee down in front of Aiden, then returned to the counter to get mine. She placed mine in front of me.
“There you go, sweeties,” she said with a satisfied nod. “Mr. Park, there’s your coffee, black, the way you like it.”
So, he liked his coffee black, just like his woman. Aiden smirked at me and winked. I held in my chuckle as Dolores continued, not catching the little joke we’d just shared.
“Your coffee is sweetened with hazelnut creamer, Mrs. Park. Just how you like it.”
Hazelnut? Wasn’t that brown? I peered into my coffee, then stared up at Aiden. He winked again.Silly ass.I guess I liked my coffee, how I liked my man.Brown and hot!
“I’ve prepared you both turkey bacon, omelets, and regular pancakes for you, Mr. Park. And chocolate chip pancakes with extra chips for you, Mrs. Park, your favorite.”
It was weird being told that I like things when I had no idea what I liked.
“It smells amazing,” I murmured, staring down at the food, ready to eat.
Dolores wiped her hands on her apron. “Alright, I’ll get out of your hair. I’ll be back in a few days. I’ll call the day before, and we’ll figure out a time when I should come. Or, if you decide you don’t need me, I’ll let Mr. Park handle the cooking for a while.” She gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. “But if you need me, all you have to do is call. Or come by. I live a few miles away on Baston Road. Not too far from Hatfield Orchard. If you get bored, you can ride down on one of the four-wheelers and visit me. I don’t recommend walking.”
“It’s too soon for her to be riding the four-wheelers,” Aiden stated before taking a sip of his coffee.
“You’re right. You’re right. Don’t visit until you’re ready, sweetie. I’ll head home now. My husband is in the car waiting. Take care of our Noe,” Dolores told Aiden, giving him a knowing look.
“I will,” Aiden promised.
