“Deal,” she said and placed the potato in her purse.
After that, I was hooked. From that moment on, I thought about her. Constantly. It helped me get through an otherwise boring day to imagine our future encounter. She’d be back. She had to come back. I couldn’t go on without her. Right away, I knew she was “the one.” I understand how dramatic and cliche that sounds. While I may be dramatic, I try hard to not be cliche, so as much as I hate being one in that particular instance, I also don’t lie. And my pull to her was more than just raging teenage hormones.
Too bad I didn’t have her name.
That night everyone at home noticed I was more than a little off.
“William, are you sick?” my mother asked. She’d always been a sweet woman who cared more about the needs of others than her own. I still feel bad for the pain I’d caused her. She made so many sacrifices for me, and I still don’t feel worthy of them. People suck.
I smiled over at her across the dinner table. “Yes, I feel fine.”
“You’re not eating,” she persisted.
“I must have gotten lost in thought…” How did I explain all of the new feelings and sensations moving through me? I’d never been smitten by someone before.
Somehow, my dad knew. He had the gift of perception, though. A gift I’d been lucky enough to inherit. It was one of the few things we had in common. As soon as I saw the playful glint in his eyes, I knew he was going to embarrass me.
“You’re thinking about a girl,” he stated. “About time. I was beginning to wonder about you. All of the other boys have been working on becoming men, and you keep to yourself.”
I took a bite of dinner for the sake of not saying the first thing that came to my mind. Back then, I actually cared about respecting my elders…regardless of whether or not they deserved it. Mostly because my father didn’t hesitate to make sure I treated him with respect—or else. Some parents taught their children to honor them through love and patience. That was my mother’s path. My father went more for terrifying his children into submission. Being the youngest of my siblings, I was the last one left at home. All of them were married and popping out little people. At nineteen, I should have been doing the same thing.
“What’s her name?” Dad pressed.
“Don’t know,” I said. “Gave her a potato today and made her promise to come back if she liked it.”
My father gripped his fork tightly. “You gave her a potato?”
“Just one and it wasn’t big.” Sweat began to bead into my palms and my legs started to quiver slightly. He couldn’t know I felt scared. “She’ll be back. She liked me too.”
His jaw tightened, and he took in several deep breaths. “Think with your head when she returns. No more freebies.”
“Yes, Father.”
In the present world, I would have told him I knew what I was doing and to back off. Back then, my confidence was shot.
“Work on getting her to let you court her too. I’m tired of looking at you all of the time. Your mother and I are supposed to be enjoying a house without kids again,” he grumbled.
I held my tongue, but the feeling was mutual. I was done looking at him too.
Chapter Four
Patience is not a Virtue
Days passed and I started to lose hope that my mysterious maiden would return. She must have been passing through town, and I let her sucker me out of a good potato! When I thought about those deep, soulful eyes, I always thought—but it was worth it. Just that one moment with her was everything.
Patience was not something that came easy to me in my youth. Now, I thrive on it. My mystery woman was the first thing I had ever truly hoped for. To not have her felt like torture. The smart thing would have been to accept the facts and not pine after her so much. I wasn’t smart in those days. So, I pined, oaked, and birched hardcore.
It felt like agony.
And then, on day five of not seeing her, right as I was about to get ready to head home from the stand, I heard her call out.
“I hope you have one of those ten-pound bags left!”
The tiniest of smiles formed on my lips as I faced her. “Told you they were amazing.”
“You did, and I am a woman of my word,” she said. “Though, I don’t suppose I could convince you to deliver it to my place. Ten pounds is a bit more than I’d like to carry.”
Ten pounds was hardly anything, and we both knew it. She did have a fancy dress on, though, and the bag was large and dirty. It’d have been a shame to ruin her clothes. Besides, I couldn’t deny her the true thing she sought—the pleasure of my company.
I pointed to my cart near the stand. “Would you like a ride home? Or do you have other plans?”
“Originally, I had other plans, but I’d rather spend more time with you.” Her blunt honesty sent tingles of pleasure down my spine. “My parents sent me to be measured for a ball gown. From there, my governess was supposed to parade me around a bit to ensure the mayor’s son saw me. She conveniently decided she’d rather spend time with her boyfriend in the library. It’s part of our arrangement.”
“You have an arrangement with your governess?” I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
My mystery maiden bit her lip as though she’d
