Page 35 of Jillaroo from Jacaranda

While avoiding the odd enquiry about who the woman in the cottage really was, Ty whipped up an early dinner of scotch fillet steak, steamed veggies, a pile of creamy, buttery mashed potatoes with a homemade Diane sauce to top it off. Then they retired to the settee on the back verandah, hot chocolates in hand, to watch the day give way to night. The sun had sunk fast, as if weighted down, leaving them with a star-scattered sky and the nocturnal noises of native animals.

The hours passed as they talked about her time in Bali, and he touched on things that were happening, both good and bad, but he made sure to keep veering the conversation away from Rose. Leah might think she was privy to the goings-on, but he didn’t want her cottoning on to just how keen he was on Miss Jones. Leah being a lover of love, she’d be playing Cupid in no time, and that was the last thing he and Rose needed.

It was nearing nine when a yawn snuck up on him, and he unsuccessfully tried to cover it with his hand.

‘Oh sorry, bro, am I boring you?’ Leah’s smile was soft as she offered him a sideways glance.

‘Ha, no, of course not. I’m just shattered, that’s all. It’s been a long-arse kind of day.’

She nudged him with her elbow. ‘You’d best hit the sack then.’

‘I reckon you’re right, and so should you.’ He stood and held his hand out to help her up.

After a little bit of a struggle, she straightened. ‘I seriously can’t wait to fall into bed and sleep all night long.’ She patted her belly. ‘That’s if this little creature is going to let me. He or she has been kicking goals like a soccer star the minute my head hits the pillow lately.’

‘Sounds like he or she is going to have a bit of the Parker oomph.’

‘Oh, if they turn out anything like you or me, lord help me,’ she said, with a laugh.

Both still chuckling, they headed inside, but not before Ty took one last fleeting glance towards where warm light spilled from the direction of the cottage. Even though Rose was only out of bounds for the next two days while she tackled her structural edits, he already missed her like crazy. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what it was going to feel like when she left here for good.

CHAPTER

11

With Wizard purring in her lap, Rose read the same sentence three times then huffed. The ticking of the clock above the desk was so loud and so distracting, as was the tiny drip from the kitchen tap that she’d tried fruitlessly to fix. She knew her growing irritation to noises that wouldn’t usually bother her was her cue to have a break. Even though it couldn’t be for long, her body, and mind, would thank her for a reprieve, no matter how short. After a solid eight hours basically tied to her laptop, she was starting to feel woozy, and unnecessarily irritated with her editor. Stepping away was going to do her wonders, then she could return to the edit with fresh eyes.

She shifted her reading glasses from her nose to the top of her head, sat back, clasped her hands behind her head and sighed wearily. Wizard stirred and hopped down to the floor, where three empty cans of Red Bull and two demolished packets of peanut M&Ms lay scattered. Turning, Rose sniffed her armpits and grimaced – she could really do with a shower. With her hair in an untidy bun, and still in her pyjamas from yesterday, she gathered she looked a right mess. Thank goodness she’d warned Ty to stay away for forty-eight-ish hours. There was no way in hell she’d want him to bear witness to a writer’s mayhem when chasing an editing deadline. The entire cottage had every curtain pulled, and the air-conditioner on – a writer’s den if she’d ever seen one. Now, three-quarters of her way through her structural revision lockdown, she was starting to dream of bathing her body in glorious sunlight while skipping through a field of wildflowers. Mind you, a wander through a cow-patted paddock in the pouring rain would be heaven right about now too. Rising to her fluffy slipper–clad feet, she went in search of another coffee, then she was going to drag herself beneath the stream of a hot shower and lather up with her favourite sandalwood soap.

In a world of her own, a knock had her tensing, her eyes flitting to the door, back to the two heaped teaspoons of coffee she’d just shovelled into a mug, then to the door again. The knock rapped again, firmer and much more persistent. Far out, she’d told Ty she was off the grid, but it wasn’t like she could ignore it. Besides, Ty wouldn’t come for no reason; what if it was important, like a life-or-death situation?

‘I’m coming,’ she called, almost tripping over her own feet while kicking off her slippers. ‘Hang on a minute.’ She quickly tried to flatten her hair, straightened her skew-whiff PJs and grabbed the can of room deodoriser off the entrance table, squirting some beneath her arms. Then, planting a massive smile on her face, she swung the timber door open to come face to face with an unfamiliar woman.

‘Oh. Hi.’ Her smile fading, Rose remained behind the flyscreen door.

‘Hi! Sorry, not who you expected?’ The woman’s shock of curly blonde hair swished as she tipped her head.

‘Oh, sorry. I just thought it would be Ty.’ Rose cleared her throat. ‘How can I help you?’

‘I’m Leah, Ty’s sister. I just wanted to pop my head in and say g’day. I hope you don’t mind.’ The pretty-faced woman held up a tea towel–covered basket. ‘I’ve come bearing gifts of mind-blowing pleasure.’

Rose’s mouth watered as she remembered she hadn’t eaten since last night. ‘Whatever it is smells absolutely delicious.’

‘These bad boys are my famous pumpkin scones, and I brought jam and cream too.’ Leah pressed her face up against the flyscreen door, making her nose appear patchworked. ‘So, bearing all this in mind, and that I’m not some lunatic that’s going to bludgeon you to death with my basket of goodies, can I come in?’

‘Oh, god, how rude of me. Sure you can.’ Rose flung the door open and stepped aside.

‘Ahh, it’s so much cooler inside.’ Leah kicked off her thongs and gave the place the once over. ‘Why’s it so bloody dark in here?’

‘Oh, I’m on a tight deadline, so I’ve shut the outside world out.’ Other than her blonde hair, Leah looked so much like Ty that Rose found herself staring.

‘Uh-huh. Ty mentioned you’re a writer.’ Leah grinned. ‘What’s up? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’

Rose blinked. ‘Oh, sorry. It’s just, you and Ty could pass as twins.’

‘Yeah, we’ve been told that many times, but I like to think I’m the hottie and he’s the nottie of the twinship.’ She cackled with laughter. ‘Just joking, of course. We’re not twins and my brother’s drop-dead bloody hot.’

‘Yeah, he is,’ Rose replied before even realising what had just flown from her mouth.