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“I’ve only used a personal chef for the last five years.”
I tipped my head and gave him anexactlylook. “And how is William?”
His lips twitched. “Still makes the best beef Wellington.”
I hadn’t gotten used to the personal chef. William had been in and out while I was at work, but it’d been nice eating sandwich-free for over a year.
“It might surprise you,” Archer said, “but I’ve heard of them before. I’ve just never heard them called frickles.”
I like that he teased me. It wasn’t something we’d done before. “My personal favorite is the fried pickle spears in a wanton wrapper with Havarti cheese. Add a cup of knoephla soup and I’m in heaven.”
“I have to ask.”
“You don’t know what knoephla is? You probably don’t even know it’s spelled with aK. And that ‘eh’ sound is anOand anEnext to each other, but no one really knows what order they go in.”
“You’ll need to enlighten me on all things knoephla.” My stomach picked the unfortunate moment to rumble. Victory lit Archer’s eyes. He pulled away from the intersection. “Does Rattler’s serve frickles and the soup?”
“They do, but…” Everyone went to Rattler’s. Especially Stetson and Holden. The sons of Cameron and Kira didn’t hate me, but we weren’t buddies. If they thought I’d tracked down Archer for his last name, they’d hate me soon. They’d lump me in with women like Liam’s mom. She’d been willing to destroy Cameron’s marriage before she died.
“Dammit, Delaney. Do we have to try not to be seen together?”
“Yes, Archer. Because I live here. I’ve been the subject of significant gossip my entire life. I don’t want my marriage to be part of it, especially if it’s so everyone can nod their head in understanding when they learn it didn’t last.” In the time since I’d come back, Coal Haven had been more like the home I wished I had growing up. Hearing all the same things as when Derek dumped me would make me feel more unwelcome than before.
“Jesus. If it’s really that bad, why do you want to be here?” His unspoken question resonated between us.Why did you leave me?
“Because these people have the decency to whisper behind my back and be nice to my face. In Dallas, I didn’t have either.” I mimicked Briony’s twang—an exaggerated hick accent she saved for me—saying, “‘Delaney,huuun. That suit be fittin’ you like burlap on a rutabaga. Why don’t you give my personal shopper a holler? She’s beenah-prizedof the situation.’”
Archer stopped at another stop sign and stared at me, shock in his eyes. “She doesn’t talk like that.”
“Not when you could hear,” I said sweetly.
“She doesn’t have a pronounced accent.”
“She turned it on to make me feel like shit, and I think she liked insulting not just me, but whole groups of people. I’m surprised she didn’t use that on you when she and Wilson made you their little glow-up project.”
He didn’t reply, and his silence told me everything.
“She did the same thing to you, didn’t she?”
“No.” He didn’t meet my gaze. “Wilson liked to give me shit though.”
“Until he bullied it right out of you. They were probably upset that they had to go from their private school to a private college and not an Ivy League school and took it out on you.”
“Their parents wanted them to go to a Texas university.”
“Mm. I’m sure that was why they didn’t land in Harvard. Anyway, Ma might be bad, but at least I know where I stand with her.” Since I was on a roll, I pressed on a subject almost as raw as his partners. “Why didn’t I ever meet your dad? I’m learning how you grew up, but did you even tell him you got married?”
A cloud of fatigue formed around him. “After I left home, it was harder for him and Ansen, and then Ansen left and Dad got fired. He couldn’t keep up with the work. How could he, with my brother and me gone?” Guilt flashed through his features.
We were still sitting at the stop sign, but Coal Haven being so small, no one had come by yet. “Ansen blames you.”
“Maybe. I couldn’t afford to drive four hours to see him when I was going to school, and then he moved, and we sort of lost touch.” His hand tightened on the steering wheel, and he rolled through the intersection. He didn’t take the turn that would lead out of town to my parents’ place.
I glanced around, but there were no vehicles to prompt the move. “Where are you going?”
“Let’s order dinner first. We’ll pick it up and eat at the motel.”
“Why?” Apparently, that was all I would be getting on his dad. Archer had opened up more than ever today, but his family remained a tender subject. I didn’t take it personally. I thought Archer was doing that enough himself.
