The Way to a Woman's Heart by Christina Jones Read Free Book Online Page B

in. But that’s why I needed Joe’s help in getting it up here. Right, are you ready to introduce him to his new home?’
    Between them, with a considerable amount of huffing and puffing, they eventually managed to slide a still very relaxed Roy into the large vivarium.
    Ella smiled at the way Roy seemed to sigh happily as he moved slowly across the shaved bark, investigated the mounds of sphagnum moss, the rocks, the little caves, the watering hole – all illuminated by carefully shaded spotlights – then, clearly confident that he’d come home, curled himself up and stared at them with his unblinking eyes.
    Ash snapped the locks securely into place. ‘He’s nocturnal so he’ll just want to go to sleep. Thanks so much – you were great.’
    ‘My pleasure,’ Ella said loftily, proud of her snake-charming prowess and really relieved that Ash hadn’t witnessed her earlier terror. ‘So, are you coming down for lunch now?’
    ‘When I’ve unpacked, yes. That’d be great.’
    ‘Poll loves cooking, so we should be well fed – although as that’s your area of professional expertise maybe I shouldn’t say that.’
    Ash shook his head. ‘I’m no culinary diva. It’s always a pleasure to have food cooked for me. Although while I’mout of work maybe I should offer to take a turn in that wonderful farmhouse kitchen. It’ll give me an opportunity to try out my soups. I’ll cook anything, but I love inventing new soup recipes from really fresh local produce.’
    ‘Oh, yes, Poll’s kitchen is brilliant.’ Ella beamed. ‘And as you do soups, Poll specialises in mains and I love concocting puddings – although of course I’m very much an amateur – between us we’ll be able to provide a proper dinner.’
    ‘A
Dewberrys’ Dinner
?’ Ash laughed. ‘My favourite programme.’
    ‘No way! Really? Poll and I have already discovered that we’re both fans, too.’ Ella sighed happily, already visualising snuggling up close and personal to Ash on Poll’s vast cushiony peaches and cream sofa while Tom and Gabby Dewberry ripped some other poor wannabe chefs to shreds on the small screen. ‘We’ve both said we never miss it.’
    ‘Me neither. I always record it to watch after a shift,’ Ash said. ‘Or at least I did until I became one of the unemployment statistics.’
    ‘Mmm, Poll explained about – everything.’
    ‘Hopefully I’ll find another restaurant before long. I can’t afford to live on fresh air.’ Ash smiled. ‘But Poll’s amazing, isn’t she? Thank God for people like Poll. You have no idea how difficult it is finding somewhere to live that’ll take a python. Although, I must admit the set-up here is a bit curious. I mean, you said you weren’t another lodger, so why are you here?’
    ‘Mother’s help, as I said,’ Ella said quickly, deciding to leave out all the other more painful details. ‘New job. I wasfrazzled by working in sales, worn out by impossible targets and bad-tempered customers, needed a change of lifestyle and wanted to escape from city living for a while. And I only arrived here this morning, although it seems as if I’ve been here for several lifetimes already. Of course, I wasn’t expecting –’ She stopped.
    ‘Expecting what?’
    ‘Expecting you to be moving in – or Roy to be a python,’ Ella said, deciding that honesty was the best policy.
    ‘Really? Didn’t Poll tell you anything about us?’
    ‘Not a word until I arrived a couple of hours ago.’
    ‘She’s a bit dizzy, isn’t she? Lovely, though. And so what did you think Roy was, then?’
    Ella grinned. ‘Oh, I thought you and Roy were a gay couple. And Roy worked on pylons and looked like Ozzy Osbourne.’
    Ash laughed.
    Ella decided it was possibly not the best time to tell him that none of this was a joke, so she simply smiled instead. Ash smiled back.
    Oooh, but he had such a fabulous smile. Ella suddenly wanted to open the tank again and kiss Roy. Brought together to live under the same