Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
“I hope this rain eases up before I go home.” Rosie stared through the bookshop window at grey skies and a steady downpour. She’d sat there for the last few minutes, her fingers tapping on the arm of her wheelchair.
Charlotte was on her knees dusting shelves near the front of the shop. Books were piled beside her, ready to return to their allocated space. The whole day had been about cleaning and tidying rather than serving non-existent customers. Not that she blamed people wanting to stay home on such a dreary day.
“Don’t like your chances. You’ll be soaked before you reach the corner so why not take Lewis up on his offer to collect you?”
“Well, he has something on this evening and I would prefer he doesn’t worry about me when he needs time to get ready.”
From Rosie’s demeanour, Charlotte knew she was concerned about whatever her fiancé was doing later on. After returning the books to the shelf, Charlotte stood and stretched. She longed to go for a run or a swim but Kingfisher Falls in the dead of winter wasn’t offering much in the way of options to do either. She joined Rosie at the window, waving as Mr Lee strode past with his golden retriever.
“Good thing they both have raincoats!” Rosie said.
“I’m feeling a bit at a loose end with Trev away. How about I be super cheeky and drive you home and invite myself to stay for dinner? I’ll order home delivery.”
Rosie gazed up at her. “You are stressing about nothing.”
“Sorry?”
“Trev is fine. Staying in the city during the trial rather than driving up and down the freeway in this weather day after day was a better option.”
“I agree. And I know he is okay. But I’d like some company and if Lewis is busy…”
“We shall have a girl’s night in.” Rosie grinned. “I have a new bottle of Macedon Ranges gin waiting to open.”
“Not one to say no, but I do have to drive home.” Charlotte followed Rosie back to the counter.
“Better idea. You grab whatever you need for overnight and stay. Just use Trev’s room which is freshly made up. Deal?”
“Deal. What shall I order for dinner?”
“Haven’t had Italian for a while.”
“Um…last Saturday night at Italia? Two couples. Table near the fireplace?” Such a lovely evening with Trev and Lewis.
“I meant at home. But it was a nice night, wasn’t it? Seeing you and my son all lovey dovey makes me happy.”
Lowering her head to cover her burning cheeks Charlotte busied herself shutting down the computer she used. Lovey dovey was an exaggeration, but they had held hands a few times during the dinner.
“Do you mind if I run upstairs to get an overnight bag?”
“You’ll need to run if you are to avoid being drenched.”
Rosie was right. Even between the back door of the bookshop and her landing at the top of the flight of stairs, the rain was heavy enough to soak her hair. She’d move her car to outside the bookshop so getting Rosie from her wheelchair into the passenger seat would be under cover for all but the last bit.
After packing a small overnight bag, she hesitated at the kitchen counter, her hand hovering over a large envelope and her brow furrowed. No harm taking it. She could decide later whether to ask Rosie for her thoughts. The envelope went into the bag.
Rosie’s car was in the garage so Charlotte pulled as far up the driveway as possible. By the time they got inside the house, both were soaked through but laughing. Rosie was expert at moving between a car and her wheelchair but the rain made everything so slippery she’d nearly ended up on the ground.
“Drunk even before one drink.” She unlocked the front door with water dripping down her face, her glasses in a pocket and hair loose from its bun. “I’ll head to my bathroom to dry off and let you use the other one. You know where Trev’s bedroom is.”
Charlotte did. She’d stayed overnight once before, when there’d been a break-in and she’d wanted to remain close to Rosie. Trev still lived hours away at River’s End then, but now he’d reclaimed his old bedroom until he found his own place. This week he’d spent as a key witness in a trial from his previous posting. Charlotte had gone down to the court on the first day as a witness as she’d been living in River’s End during the events.
A few minutes later, dry and changed into warmer clothing, Charlotte searched for Rosie. She found her in the living room at the small bar, staring at a range of options. Rosie’s two cats, Mellow and Mayhem, lifted their heads from food bowls outside the sliding door then returned to their dinner.
“Should we start with a gin and tonic, or straight into the cocktails?”
“If we start with cocktails I’ll be sunk before dinner.” Charlotte flopped onto an armchair. “Which is about an hour away.”
As Rosie made drinks, the cats slipped back through the cat door. Mellow jumped onto the arm of Charlotte’s chair to say hello but Mayhem didn’t bother with as much as a glance in her direction. He stalked to Rosie, meowed once, then took himself off again.
“One day, Mr Mayhem, you will come for a cuddle.” Charlotte said as he disappeared in the direction of Rosie’s bedroom. “Does he like Lewis? I’ve not noticed.”
“No more than anyone else. Trev is the only one apart from me to get the time of day from him, and then it is usually followed by a growl. But Lewis doesn’t take it personally.” Rosie handed Charlotte a drink and wheeled to the sofa. In a moment, she’d slid across to make herself more comfortable, lifting the footrest and holding her drink aloft. “Cheers, darling.”
“Cheers.”
The rain got heavier, if that was even possible, thundering on the roof. Mellow moved onto Charlotte’s lap and made herself comfortable.
“You mentioned Lewis was doing something tonight. I hope not out in this?” Charlotte glanced at the window.
“No. He’s at home but there is a real estate agent meeting with him.” Rosie’s lips tightened. “Cecil, you know, from the corner up from the bookshop.”
“To talk about selling his house?”
Rosie nodded. “I can’t imagine how it feels. He lived there with his lovely wife for so long. All their history is there. A lifetime together.”
“I guess only Lewis knows how he feels, and it may bring up some bittersweet memories, but he loves you, Rosie. He proposed because he wants to spend the rest of his life as part of your life. And you both deserve to retire in comfort after all the years of hard work.”
The sheen in Rosie’s eyes gave away a lot more than she’d said, but she nodded.
“You’ll be there to support him if he finds it a bit overwhelming. Houses are filled with memories, aren’t they?”
Even bad ones.
She’d put her mother’s house on the market last week.
“Charlie, are you thinking about your mother?”
“Yes.” She sighed. “Not that it is the same as Lewis’. Mum’s house will be bulldozed and replaced with a trendy new one but at least the proceeds mean her future is paid for. Her care is expensive so selling is the best option and besides, nobody would ever live there in such a rundown place.” Charlotte took a larger than normal mouthful of her drink to force her feelings about the whole thing back into the mental box she’d made for them.
“I’m sorry, darling. I didn’t mean to raise something upsetting.”
“Actually, I’m glad you did. There’s a lot I’ve never told you about my past and I thought…well, I hoped, you might let me show you some of the things I have from Mum. I’d value your opinion.”
Rosie’s face lit up. “I should love to help out. Before or after dinner?”