‘Oh yes. It’s always good to double-check these things.’
My mouth opened, about to ask what “these things” were, when she spun around and glided down the hall, leaving me staring after her.
Okay…I hovered awkwardly outside until she popped her head around the corner she had disappeared around. ‘Do come in, dear. You’re letting all the cold air in.’
‘Right, sorry.’ I sprung into action. I considered myself someone who could roll with the things life threw at me. And usually, it was tough to render me speechless. But this woman had done it in less than thirty seconds of knowing her.
I swallowed past the sudden nerves that crept up my spine and followed her to the kitchen… actually, was it a kitchen? Dried leaves and flowers hung from most corners of the room. Old books with fraying edges were splayed open on the counter. Decorating the white-washed walls were detailed drawings of things I had never seen in my life. Animals with three heads, pentagrams, and several other images I couldn’t make out. It looked more like a witches’ potion room than a suburban townhouse.
‘Tea, dear?’
Rosie’s mum gazed at me with the same expression as before, as if she could read my thoughts and was patiently waiting like a loving parent for me to work it out on my own.
‘Sorry, no thanks. I’m just here to pick up Rosie. Is she here?’ I glanced nervously around the room.
‘She’s just getting dressed. She’ll be down in a minute.Plenty of time for a cup of tea.’ Age-worn hands clasped together in glee. She filled up a black kettle and set it down on the stove.
Feeling that arguing with this woman was an exercise in futility, I kept my mouth shut.
‘You’re Oliver’s brother.’ It wasn’t a question, but I answered anyway.
‘Yes, ma’am.’
She took two mugs down from a cupboard and chuckled softly. ‘Call me Louise.’
I nodded, shoving my hands deep into my pockets.
‘I’m so happy that Fallon has found someone like him. She deserves it.’ Louise’s voice had a soft lyrical lilt, making every word she spoke sound like a song. I smiled at the fondness in her tone.
‘They both do,’ I said.
We lapsed into awkward silence, the only sound being the soft bubbling of hot water on the stove. I did my best not to avoid her eye contact entirely, a difficult feat when she leaned against the counter, her gaze observing me intensely.
Before I could reduce the awkwardness by asking a dumb question, the sound of something thundering down the stairs at an alarming pace broke the silence. I had two seconds to react before a giant brown ball of fur pounced into the kitchen, rearing up on its hindquarters and placing two paws on my chest, causing me to topple backwards.
I quickly regained my footing as the German Shepherd started trying to lick my face.
‘Bloody hell,’ I cursed. The dog panted, its cheeks stretched in a broad grin. I answered the obvious plea, burying my hands into its fur and scratching behind its ears.
‘She’s not the most well-trained dog in the world.’ Louise said casually, pouring hot water into the waiting mugs.
Another set of footsteps travelled down the stairs before a sharp voice scolded,‘Roxy! Down!’
As if pulled by a metaphorical leash, Roxy’s paws dropped from my chest, and she plopped her fluffy butt at my feet—tongue out, staring at her owner.
‘Sorry, I’m working on training her not to jump. It’s a work in progress.’ Rosie flashed apologetic eyes at me.
I barely heard a word she said. My attention was consumed by the vision that stood in the doorway. A long black dress that hugged her curves so tightly it looked painted on had every thought in my head turning to smoke.
There weren’t enough words in the English language to describe how beautiful Rosie looked, but I’d do my damn fucking best to try.
‘You look—’ my voice was nothing more than a husk.Fucking hell. The one time I want to sound verbose, my words vanish.
Rosie arched a perfectly plucked eyebrow. ‘Beautiful? Gorgeous? Or did you want to go for something with fewer syllables? Hot? Sexy?’
She never gave me a break. I huffed out a laugh and wiped a hand down my face.
Shoving my hands into my pockets, I said, ‘I was going to go with something less obvious.’
