What Rosie Found Next by Helen J. Rolfe Read Free Book Online

you’re here.’ She scooped George into her arms.
    ‘I’ll stay on one condition.’
    She looked up at him again. ‘What?’
    ‘You let me cook dinner for you tonight.’
    *
    She hadn’t intended to ask him to stay. Rosie blamed her over-romanticising the coming home to someone – anyone – and the dream of being part of a real family again. It felt so long since she’d had anything resembling the norm. She also blamed the low feeling she’d felt in the supermarket as she raced around stocking up on food for solo meals with only a cat for company. She blamed her girly instincts last night when she’d heard something on the roof – most likely a possum – and wished Owen could’ve roared up on his motorbike at that very moment.
    She lay on her tummy on the bed, picked up her iPad and clicked on Adam’s name. She knew she had to tell him about Owen, about sharing a house with another man.
    ‘This is a nice surprise.’ Adam grinned into the camera.
    ‘I’m not disturbing you, am I?’
    ‘No. I’ve finished meetings for the day, so I’m all yours.’ His smile faded. ‘What’s up? You’re frowning.’
    Rosie recounted the whole story: Owen turning up in the middle of the night, how he had nowhere else to go, how the house was big enough for two.
    ‘Do you really think this is wise?’ It was his turn to frown.
    ‘It’ll be fine, really.’
    ‘What does your contract say?’
    ‘It doesn’t matter about the contract.’
    ‘Like hell it doesn’t. There’s a reason why you draw one up in this sort of situation. It means everyone knows where they stand, on either side.’
    ‘I know. But—’
    ‘No “buts”, Rosie. You need to call the agency.’
    Was it wrong to be enjoying how possessive Adam was being now? He wasn’t the jealous type, never had been, but this had unsettled him good and proper.
    ‘I’ll pay for you to rent a place in Magnolia Creek,’ he went on. ‘Then you can still take the job.’
    She turned onto her back and rested her legs against the wall. ‘We’ve talked about this. There isn’t much to rent at the moment. And you saw this place on the iPad. It’s massive. I think Owen will be out so much I’ll barely even see him. He’s a property developer and constantly moving around.’
    A sigh came all the way from Singapore.
    She continued her justification for the new house guest. ‘It’s also good to have someone around in case there’s a bushfire emergency.’
    Knowing her personal history, Adam’s voice softened. ‘Fires are highly unlikely, surely?’
    ‘You never know.’ Life could be a game of risk and she knew from painful experience that sometimes you could lose.
    ‘Just don’t let him take advantage of you,’ said Adam.
    She smiled. ‘Of course I won’t.’
    ‘Don’t let him make you cook and clean up after him.’
    She giggled. ‘I won’t.’ Her insides buzzed naughtily when she thought of Owen’s offer to cook tonight. This was a new feeling for her. It was living dangerously given how by-the-book her life was. Usually she knew exactly what was around each and every corner.
    ‘He’ll have me to answer to if he puts one foot wrong,’ said Adam firmly before steering the subject onto safer ground. ‘So, tell me, have you been reading up on all your notes, ready to wow them at your new job?’
    She’d finally managed to use the desk in her room as it was intended rather than as a barricade across her door. ‘I have. I think it’s making me more nervous though.’
    ‘It’ll be good to put all that theory into practice.’
    She smiled back at him. It was five o’clock in Australia, but Singapore was a few hours behind and Adam still had a way to go to finish his day, so they chatted more about her mounting excitement at starting the new job and didn’t mention Owen again.
    By the time Rosie finished her call and descended the stairs, the smell of garlic and something rich and meaty wafted towards her and pulled her into the kitchen to