Chapter 4

The next few days flew by, Rose was busy sorting out the rooms in the cottage and she’d made a huge dent. She could now easily use the rooms without tripping over boxes or stray pieces of furniture and even Muffin had his designated cosy corner full of toys and a snuggly bed. All of her personal things had found homes and most of the packaging was sitting in the hall ready to go away.

She had spent time on her laptop and phone sorting out her next illustration project and had the dates in hand. She was awaiting the manuscript for the story along with the author’s notes on how she wanted the characters’ scenes to lay out. All was set, and her fee had been signed off on. Her first payment in the bank and it was making everything feel more final. She’d celebrated the new commission by buying herself a dress online for the dance, and then felt incredibly stupid when her first thought was what he’d think of it. This really bad habit he had of creeping into her mind unexpectedly and then she’d slap it away again, feeling irritation rise. She’d pushed the thought down the back of the sofa with all the ooze and dust of previous years to fester.

Thanks to Tommy, the gardens had been brought into order by a local man, Malcolm, and his teen son, Liam. With the taming of the gardens they’d even added chicken wire to the back fence for her, making it Muffin safe. There wasn’t a single escape route for that fiery little furball, and he was now enjoying running around like a mad hound in the garden, rolling in the newly shorn lawn and exploring the now tame flower beds, which had surprisingly been full of gorgeous wild flowers.

She knew Rob must have Okayed them being here and felt slightly miffed at the fact she owed him some thanks.

She’d worked out a regular deal with them to keep the place trim and fabulous. An inexpensive necessity that didn’t infringe on their manor working hours. So, she didn’t need to be thankful to that arrogant sod up in his mansion for anything more.

The garden was looking beautiful. She’d been overwhelmed with emotion when she’d seen the neat long garden with its stepping-stone path to the outhouse’s blue door. Trim flower beds and a washing line leading down the side of the garden. A small metal patio set laid out on the now cleared paving stones to the right of the door and it brought back many memories of garden picnics on days like this. Summer tents made from bed sheets and rolling around playfully with her aunt, lost in some game.

As the week progressed, Abby came by most mornings for a quick cup of tea as she headed to the bus stop a good ten-minute walk out of town. That was the upside to both the cottage and manor entry roads being only a mile apart on the same road. Abby loved walking and just loved walking right in for tea and Muffin cuddles. Rose could almost set her watch by her visits and looked forward to the young girl’s arrival every day. She’d helped move the rest of the furniture in place in each room, carted boxes to the garden, and helped take a lot of packaging and rubbish to the local dump in the back of Rose’s car. She’d been a godsend in helping with the finishing touches and a dab hand at DIY. Showing up one morning with a wheelbarrow full of power tools to hang up heavy mirrors and pictures and tighten some loose hinges. She’d taught Rose what a rawlplug was and the joy of a power drill.

Rose had finally taken delivery of her new kitchen appliances, and the helpful men even put them in place for her. Probably sensing she was useless at any sort of manual labour that involved appliances, and had no idea how to plumb in a washing machine or attach a gas cooker. They had even removed her old appliances free of charge. She guessed her coffee and cakes, delivered with a smile, had swung that. The kitchen overall wasn’t too bad. It was made from real wood units in need of a sand and varnish, but there was something quaint and shabby chic about them so Rose intended to whitewash them instead.

Most of the jobs in the house were easy cosmetics, elbow grease, and just a lot of time spent doing tedious manual labour. All in all, she was finally getting the place to resemble the cosy home of her memories. It had not taken much painting either. Her aunt had only ever lived alone and had the paint touched up every year until she left. There was nothing that a wipe down and clean couldn’t remove and the majority of the walls were cream with stained dark wood beams and dark wood floor. She’d found old sealed cans of paint in the shed and had managed to use the name to purchase a new tin for touch-ups. Nothing Rose wanted to change. She was in love with the mash-up of old vintage furniture and new modern things in her cosy little home and had finally found the refuge she’d been seeking.

In week two, Rose and Abby had taken a four-hour round trip to Ikea a few towns south and managed to pick up so many bargains that she had the whole place looking modern yet quaint. Vintage meets Ikea. Somehow it worked and was pretty much the home she’d always dreamed of.

Trips to town had resulted in meeting a handful of locals, full of character and charm. The old women who organised jumble sales, the old men who stood around waiting for the women to scour the secondhand shops on a Wednesday morning and then on to the church coffee morning. Young mothers with toddlers and babies who frequented the parent groups. Kids going to and from the local schools who loved to hang out in town on lunch hour. The general locals who worked in every shop and stall and always greeted her with a huge smile and chit-chat. Rose had done more socialising in less than two weeks here than her six years in London and Abby was fast becoming the friend she’d longed for since leaving home.

It was on a morning trip to town that Rose stopped at the bakery to pick up cakes for Abby coming over. Lost in thought after placing her order at the counter, she was rummaging in her bag for her purse; head down and humming to herself on another gloriously sunny day, full of summer joys.

‘What’s got you so happy, Penelope?’ Rob’s voice infiltrated her thoughts and the sudden haze of sexy aftershave swept over her as his body heat came dangerously close behind her.

‘I’m in my favourite bakery, buying cakes. Do I need any other reason?’ she answered immediately, half smiling before reminding herself how much she didn’t like this guy. She glanced back to see he was adorned in a white shirt and jeans and looking his usual dapper self; which only made her annoyed with the way it made her feel like sighing.

‘Sweet tooth, much like Abby. I can see why you two get on and spend so much time together.’ He smiled with a dazzling, almost sexy, grin, but Rose just frowned and turned back to the counter to try to ignore his presence.

Easier said than done.

‘It’s partly for Abby, we’re meeting later,’ Rose answered tonelessly then smiled graciously when the counter girl appeared with a large white paper bag, fit to bursting.

‘How the hell you two stay so thin with an order that size is beyond me.’ He observed with another smiley tone, Rose just sighed.

‘Lucky I guess. Good genes.’ She paid for her purchase and turned to leave but he didn’t move to let her pass. She frowned up at him towering over her, a little impatiently and sighed when he still didn’t move.

‘Look, Penny. Maybe we could have a do-over? You and my sister are practically inseparable, and I think we got off on the wrong foot. Would be nice if we could put it in the past.’ He pushed his hands casually into his back pockets, emphasising his muscular frame, making it clear he wasn’t moving, and Rose had to avert her eyes, pretending to check her cake bag contents.

‘Mmmmm hmmmm,’ she said distractedly, trying hard not to let her eyes wander back up or betray the sudden hot flush he was causing.

Okay, so maybe he was a little too attractive.

‘You could sound a little more enthusiastic about it.’ He jested, a hint of that Abby mischief tone caught her a little off guard.

‘Sure, whatever.’ She sighed and straightened up, meeting his intense grey gaze which was firmly locked on her face in a disturbing way. Knowing that this was the mature and sensible way to behave, she thrust her hand towards him reluctantly. ‘Rose … Not Penny, Rose Turner and I guess your new neighbour.’ She smiled with all the effort of warmth and friendliness she could muster.

‘Rob, as you know. Rob Munro, and yeah, kinda figured you were in Olivia’s old place, seeing as you’re her niece.’ He smiled knowingly. ‘Town grapevine was talking about you for weeks before you showed face.’ He smiled again, having an effect on Rose’s heart rate and making her suddenly feel awkward.

‘I guess that’s the curse of a small town. Everyone knows everything.’ She moved to get around him, but he turned as she did so.

‘I guess I’ll be seeing you around a lot more with Abby, the dance too?’ He wasn’t smiling anymore but his tone was still friendly, and Rose felt herself soften a little. He was trying to be the gentleman, trying to be nice, and she guessed she could cut him a little slack. For Abby’s sake, it would be a lot easier if she tried to get on with him.

‘I guess you will; Abs keeps trying to talk me into coming up to yours for a tea and cake fest.’ She softened her tone and gave a genuine soft smile his way, catching his eye which still seemed locked on her a little too intensely.

‘You should; our housekeeper makes some of the best. You’re welcome anytime, Penny. Would be nice to see Abby with someone; she spends too much time alone for a girl her age.’ The paternal tone in his voice pretty much killed the last traces of hostility in her, she was a sucker for some genuine affection between siblings and he seemed like a protective brother. She loved Abby dearly, so he was only cementing a slight like for him now.

‘She’s amazing, I’m lucky to have met her and we have so much in common.’ Rose beamed, smiling at the mention of her new best friend. Rob smiled too, obviously pleased.

‘She had a rough time when our mother passed, I like seeing her smile again, it’s been a long time since she was this happy. I guess I have you to thank for that.’ Rob was distracted by the counter assistant bringing him a large box, smiling his way with doe eyes.

‘There you go, Mr Munro, sorry it took a while. Aggy had’nae set up the regular orders yet.’ The girl blushed his way and fumbled with the box a little as he took it in one hand. Nodding down with a casual gesture, oblivious of the girl’s blushing and obvious crush on him, he smiled back at Rose.

‘Better get these up to the church, the old biddies will eat me alive if their book club meeting is biscuitless.’ He waved at the girl behind the counter, causing another wave of furious blushing and placed a hand on the small of Rose’s back unexpectedly. ‘I’ll walk you out, Penny.’

Rose was too stunned to resist and too homed in on just how many tingles his touch caused to refuse. He guided her out of the already open door into the blinding sun before he removed his hand as he went into his pocket for car keys; it was then that Rose spotted the familiar black car parked across from them.

‘Where are you parked?’ he asked absent-mindedly as he pressed his key, the car beeped and flashed before making a telltale unlocking noise. Rose looked around for a moment, mind blanked and taking a second to think of the response.

‘I’m not … I walked here for some exercise and a change of scenery after a morning of sketching over my desk.’ She moved to walk off and leave him to get to his car, but that hot firm hand came straight back to the small of her back.

‘I’ll drop you home if you want? It’s hardly out of my way seeing as the church is practically in the manor drive.’ He smiled her way, giving her no choice as he was manhandling her and as much as she wanted to refuse, she found her feet following him to his car and standing politely back while he deposited the box in the boot. He ushered her around to the other side and opened her door for her, guiding her in effortlessly before closing it after she slid in.

Rose suddenly felt awkward, confined in the small space as he got in, and realised she’d rather have walked but had stupidly allowed him to coerce her without any resistance. She had no clue how to behave around him and until ten minutes ago, had only felt hostility towards him. Now she was somewhere between shyness and well, nervousness. It was too late to refuse a lift now, she was sitting in his over-priced man-machine and already scared to touch any of the arrays of buttons and levers littering the dash.

‘That’s a pretty dress.’ He cut into her thoughts, making her blush as she skimmed her hands over her lap nervously to smooth out the floral summer dress; it was knee-length and a little floaty. He was putting on his seat belt and she followed suit, aware that his eyes did a small skim over her legs.

‘Umm, thanks, I like vintage looking clothes I guess, girly clothes.’ She couldn’t look at him as he started the car, a hand coming behind her seat as he turned to look out the back window and reverse out of the parking space; he felt a little too close for comfort and her heart rate was elevated.

‘It suits you. I wish Abs would dress less like a homeless kid and a bit more like you; she has a severe weakness for ripped jeans and T-shirts with offensive logos. Maybe you will rub off on her in time.’ He winked at Rose and this time she knew for sure she blushed, annoyingly so. She couldn’t help but smile though, he was right about Abby, she did have a weakness for T-shirts with tongue-in-cheek and slightly rude prints. She was a student and she definitely dressed the part.

‘Abby is a rebel, give her time to find her own style and she will eventually outgrow all her cannabis leaf tops.’ She watched the road go by, the passing scenery as he got them out of town and knew this trip would be brief. It was only two miles to the manor opening, and hers was less than fifty yards further.

‘Yeah, I guess. She’s a lot like my mum was. Feisty and stubborn and loves to get a reaction from people.’ He smiled again, only it didn’t reach his eyes and Rose felt a little tug of sadness for him, she couldn’t imagine what losing your mother would be like; the thought didn’t bear thinking about as her own sweet mother’s face flitted across her mind’s eye.

‘She is that.’ Rose giggled softly, trying to avoid the topic of death, which was still a sensitive area for her too. ‘I’ve yet to see her dressed up for the dance though, I’ve no idea what to expect.’ Rose tried to relax back in her seat, but it was proving difficult when a muscular arm was stretched beside her as he tensed it on his steering wheel and rolled up his sleeve, exposing tanned skin and well-defined forearms. He obviously worked out and Rose’s instant reaction was to inhale quickly and look away.

‘Knowing her, something revealing or outrageous.’ He frowned and looked in his rear-view mirror, a serious look on his face. ‘Like I said … Abby likes a reaction.’

‘In general, or does she just like winding you up?’ Rose laughed, looking back at the perfect profile and square jaw. He was clean-shaven but there was a hint of five o’clock shadow that gave him a rugged look.

‘Oh, it’s definitely to wind me up. She loves nothing more than sending me into heart failure. Payback for being a shitty brother when she was tiny.’ He smiled Rose’s way and then nodded as the opening to her cottage loomed before them too quickly. ‘Home sweet home.’

Rose smiled and felt a tad disappointed that it was over already; from disliking him she was warming to him and wouldn’t have minded a longer car ride to continue this chit-chat. He pulled up in front of the cottage and jumped out as she was unclipping her belt. Coming around to open her door and giving her a helping hand to get out of the low car. She felt another blush creeping up when her hand hit his and was enveloped by it as he pulled her up and out. He took the bag of confectioneries from her and walked her to her door.

Rose almost grinned at the sheer old-fashioned chivalry that was completely unexpected. Surprised with his gentlemanly manners. He waited on her unlocking her door before handing her back her bag and stooping to scoop up a suddenly appearing Muffin, who came running out of the door like a bat out of hell.

‘Whoa there, tiny.’ He smiled and ruffled Muffin’s fur. ‘Cute and somehow you.’ He smiled lazily back at Rose and then held Muffin out to her. Accepting her little bundle of fur, who immediately went into licking overdrive, she smiled back.

‘Yes, I guess he is. Thank you for the lift.’ She hesitated, unsure why this felt awkward, and then held her smile frozen on her face as he made to leave.

‘My pleasure, Penny. Guess I’ll see you around.’ He turned on his heel and walked casually towards his car, the confident stride of a man with a lot of sex appeal. He turned when he got to his side of the car and waved, standing as she moved inside with a small wave of her own as she cuddled in her wriggly fluffball and shut the door to block him out, stretching at the spyhole to watch him slide into his car and expertly pull away.

Rose turned and sunk back against the door, only too aware of how her face was flushed and her breathing shallow. Her body was a little too much on high alert for her liking.

Okay, so he had an effect on her. She would have to be dead from the waist down not to appreciate his gorgeousness.