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

‘This is one of the more complex dishes I make. Stir fries, meat and two veg, a quick pasta and sauce are usually what I settle on.’
    He brought the bottle of red over to the dining table that ran parallel to the kitchen bench, and sat opposite Rosie. ‘Sorry, am I ruining your view? Should I move?’
    ‘Don’t be daft, it’s fine.’
    ‘Have you ever house-sat this far out of the city?’ He took a sip of the smooth red.
    ‘This is the first time.’
    ‘And do you approve?’
    ‘It’s beautiful.’
    His lips curled into a knowing smile and a strong hand extended over the base of his wine glass. ‘Have you had much chance to explore?’
    ‘Not as much as I’d have liked. But I’ve been to the main street now and got chatting with Bella from Finnegan’s café.’
    His face lit up. ‘She’s great, isn’t she? I bet you didn’t have a chance to escape either. Not before she cornered you for a chat.’
    Rosie giggled. ‘We talked for ages. She thinks a lot of you.’
    ‘Well … what can I say?’ When Rosie rolled her eyes, he asked, ‘So why don’t you have a place of your own?’
    ‘We haven’t got around to buying anywhere yet.’
    ‘We?’
    ‘Me and my boyfriend.’
    ‘Does this boyfriend of yours have a name?’
    ‘Adam.’
    ‘Sorry, I’m being nosey, aren’t I? My usual company in a house is a sleeping bag, an airbed and the smell of renovations. I’m not really fit for human contact.’
    He was better than he realised. ‘House-sitting suits me while Adam is working overseas,’ she explained. ‘He’s an investment banker. A part-time job as a PR assistant came up at Magnolia House, and it’s ideal for me following my communications degree.’
    ‘Aren’t you a bit old to just be finishing Uni?’ he asked. ‘God, I’m sorry. That didn’t quite come out the way I meant it.’
    He looked so embarrassed all Rosie could do was smile. ‘It’s fine. I’m twenty-seven, and communications was my second degree.’
    ‘Your second? Why?’
    She gulped her wine. ‘I originally did a degree in music.’ When he raised his eyebrows she added, ‘I did it because I loved music, but I had no desire to teach or be in any sort of band. So, I decided I needed to study something I enjoyed but something that would get me a job too.’ She hoped her answer would suffice and breathed a sigh of relief when it did and Owen changed tack.
    ‘So when’s the boyfriend coming home?’
    ‘Soon, I hope.’
    Before he could fire any more questions her way, the oven timer pinged. Rosie brought the salad over to the table while Owen served the lasagne.
    ‘This looks amazing,’ she said. ‘You can stay here a bit longer if you cook like this every night.’
    As soon as the words were out she knew she shouldn’t have said them. It was flirty and the wine was partly to blame, but she was also enjoying his company and felt a freedom she didn’t usually feel in her well-structured life. But most of all she was enjoying these moments of normality: sitting down for a meal, talking over the day, discussing future plans. These simple things made her feel alive and present and stopped her obsessing about what was going to happen next.
    Her eyes lingered on the tail of the rose tattoo as it moved with the tendons in his arm when he scooped out a second serving of lasagne, and she thought about how different this man was to Adam. Adam was grounded, had focus and knew what he wanted in life, but Owen seemed unpredictable, freer.
    ‘I’ll be heading down to Mornington Peninsula first thing tomorrow,’ he said, laying the serving spoon down again. ‘I’m putting up a garden shed for my tenants and I’ll bring the bike back on my truck. I’ll be home pretty late. You don’t mind if I leave the truck in the garage, do you?’
    ‘Of course not, I’m happy having my car on the driveway. It brightens up the place.’
    ‘It certainly does.’ He grinned. ‘Can I ask what happens between house-sits, when you