Page 23 of Broken Halos
Ollie shook his head before he turned back to the stove and expertly turned over the sandwiches and stirred the soup. “I’m afraid to tell you the reason I became a pastor. It might change the way you feel about me.”
His statement caught me off guard. “That’s not possible, Golden Boy.” I stopped Ollie when he opened his mouth to respond. “Tell me after we finish eating. Your recliner looks comfy and big enough for both of us.”
Ollie nodded then continued toasting our sandwiches while I breathed in the delicious smell of bread, butter, and melting cheese. My mouth was watering by the time he carried our plates and bowls to the table. I knew without a doubt it would be the best grilled cheese sandwich I’d ever had, not just because of the ingredients Ollie used, but because he made it for me.
I was happy to see confidence in his culinary skills replace the insecurity I’d seen moments earlier. The confidence turned to something darker and sexier when I brought the sandwich to my mouth and took a bite. The moan escaping my mouth was pornographic and indecent.
“Perfect,” I mumbled around a mouthful of heaven.
ARCHIE’S PRAISE AND MOAN OFpleasure sent happiness humming through my body like a current of low-voltage electricity. “I’ve never seen anyone put butter in tomato soup before,” Archie said after dipping his sandwich in the soup before taking a second bite. “Mmmm. How’d you know to do that?”
“It’s a trick I learned from a remarkable woman,” I told him. “I’m so used to putting it in there, I didn’t think to ask if you minded.” I tore off a chunk of my sandwich and dunked it in my soup. “It is good though, isn’t it?”
“Delicious. It makes me want to learn all your other cooking secrets.”
“I don’t have very many,” I assured him.
“This grilled cheese is one of the gourmet kind they charge twelve dollars for in New York City, but yours is much better. You could get at least fifteen for it,” Archie said after his third bite. “Throw some garnish on the soup, and you could get at least five dollars for it. Maybe more.”
“People pay twenty dollars for grilled cheese and tomato soup?” I asked, sounding incredulous.
“Gourmetgrilled cheese and tomato soup.” Archie took another bite, and his eyes nearly rolled back in his head. “What kind of cheese did you put in this thing? I can tell it’s not American or Velveeta.”
“Velveeta? That’s not real cheese, Archie.”
“Since when? It’s great in macaroni and cheese and makes excellent nachos.”
“I can see I need to make you real baked macaroni and cheese so you can tell the difference between real and imitation.”
“I’ll let you prove it to me,” he said eagerly. “School me, Golden Boy.”
His use of the silly nickname stifled a little of the joy I felt when he made a fuss about my cooking. He wouldn’t think I was so golden when he learned the truth of my past. Archie could’ve learned a lot about me if he’d read my bio on my website. He either didn’t know the site existed or wanted a first-person account from me.
“You’re not eating,” Archie said, nodding to my sandwich and soup. “I hope it isn’t from the question I asked you, Ollie. You don’t have to answer anything that makes you uncomfortable. Especially on a first date as you pointed out.”
“I’m not hungry,” I told him. “I had a decent dinner before I went to bingo. Would you like my sandwich?”
“I can’t take food out of your mouth, Ollie.”
“You’re not,” I replied, sliding my plate across the table to him. His eyes said he wanted to devour the sandwich, but the slight frown on his lips expressed concern I was only being nice. “I’m offering it, and I’d rather you eat it than throw it away.”
Archie gasped like he couldn’t believe I’d do such a thing.If he only knew the things I’d done.I realized I wanted Archie to know the truth. If he was going to pull away from me in disgust, I needed him to do it before our relationship grew deeper.
“You need to know who I really am so you will stop putting me on a pedestal. I’m a man—born of flesh and blood and baptized by fire. I bleed when I’m cut, and I have scars no man can see. There is nothing pure, golden, or saintly about me. We are equals in all things, Arch.”
“Ollie—”
“Eat your soup and sandwich, Arch,” I said, cutting him off. “Talking and kissing await us.”I hoped.
“Nothing you say will disappoint me,” Archie boldly said, covering my hand on the table. He couldn’t possibly know that, but I appreciated his effort.
I ate a few more bites of soup while he ate my sandwich and finished his bowl of soup. “Would you like more?” I asked, partly hoping he’d say yes so I could delay our discussion and partly hoping he’d say no so we could get it over with.
“I couldn’t handle another bite. To the recliner, Golden Boy.” He didn’t say Bat Cave or call me Robin, but it had that same feel.
“Do you always speak in movie lines?” I asked, stalling for time.
“Only with people I like,” Archie said. “I’ll still like you after our little chat, so get the ridiculous notion that I won’t out of your head right now.” He wasn’t fooled by my tactics.