Myrtle wanted to scream to the world that everything was going her way.She had a location for her bakery.She couldn’t wait to talk to Aaron.
He walked in just as she put the venison pot pie she’d made for supper into the oven.She hadn’t even removed her coat and gloves yet.
Aaron frowned.“You’re getting home late.”
“I went back into town to talk to Katie about something.Oh, I can’t wait to tell you all about it.”
“There’s something I want to talk to you about as well.”
“Oh?”She shrugged out of her coat and hung it neatly on a hook on the wall.
“Why are you flirting with another man?”he asked.
“I...I would never...”
“Roderick Stanton thinks you’re in love with him.Something about giving him an extra cookie today?He said you’re always particularly nice and single him out of the crowd.”
“That’s not true at all!I did give him an extra cookie, but only because he’s my best customer, and he’s made it clear that the sugar cookies I make are his favorite.That’s all.”
Aaron shook his head.“You’re dealing with men who aren’t used to having women around at all.A simple gesture like that is taken as flirting.He’s told all the men at work that he’s going to marry you as soon as he can convince you to leave me!”
“I would never.”She hurried to him and took his hands in hers.“Surely you can see he mistook my generosity as flirting.The only man I want to flirt with is you.The only man I want to kiss is you.You’re my husband.”
“It doesn’t look good when you give another man preferential treatment.I’d like you to stop doing that.”
“I never meant...”She sighed.“I’m sorry, and it won’t happen again.”
“Good.”Aaron hung his own coat beside hers.“Now what did you want to talk to me about?”
Myrtle frowned, realizing that his jealousy and scolding had made her lose her excitement.“I asked around about who owns the land where the men meet me when I’m heading to the store.It’s owned by the Johnsons.Katie has said that I could lease the property for my bakery.”
“I thought you weren’t going to pursue the bakery until you found a partner to take some of the load off you.”
“I will...I just thought it would be nice to start making plans...”
“I specifically told you not to go forward without a partner.So in one day you flirt with another man, and then you defy me?”
“I didn’t think of it as defying you.I thought it would be smart to know what I was dealing with when I was ready...”
“You talked to someone else about it without even consulting me.I’d have told you to wait, which is what I thought I told you last night.I know you were on your own when you worked at the hotel, and you were able to make your own decisions, but we’re married now.You must talk to me before you go to someone else and start making plans that affect both of us!”
Myrtle felt that he was being unfair.She hadn’t signed any kind of lease or anything, she’d simply inquired about the availability of the property she wanted to use.The man was being stubborn and unreasonable.“I’m sorry,” she whispered before walking outside with no coat.She needed a moment to herself.
