Page 45 of Jillaroo from Jacaranda

Rose thought it best to come clean. ‘Yes, Ty is easy on the eye, so that’s a given,’ she admitted. ‘But I’m not looking for a relationship, and from what he’s told me, neither is he.’

‘I know he says that, but he’s lying to himself. Ty wants nothing more than to fall in love, settle down, and have a family, which is why he rushed into marrying Kelly.’ Leah shook her head. ‘We all warned him it was a mistake, but he had rose-coloured glasses on and saw nothing but a happily ever after.’ Leah sucked in a breath, pausing as if trying to weigh up what to say. ‘Even though you are both extremely hurt from past relationships, that doesn’t mean things between you two won’t just happen organically if you just … go with the flow.’

Rose blew out a breath. ‘I know you’re just trying to help, but honestly, Ty and I are very aware our relationship is purely platonic.’

‘Righto.’ Leah waved her comment away. ‘Well, instead of trying to control everything, how about you do you, and let him do him, and leave everything else up to the powers that be?’

Rose had to take a moment to mull this over. ‘Sounds like a plan.’

‘Excellent.’ Leah bobbed on the spot. ‘So, are you coming along to the bachelors and spinsters ball on Saturday?’

‘Oh yeah, Ty mentioned it was coming up, but I’d forgotten all about it. Are you going?’

Leah grabbed Rose’s hand. ‘I will if you do.’

Rose gave Leah’s hand a friendly squeeze. ‘Okay, then. Count me in.’

‘Yay! It will be fun to go together.’ Leah grinned as she took a hearty sip of her juice, finishing it off. ‘I’m going to head off and leave you to enjoy the rest of the arvo.’

Rising, Rose walked Leah to the door.

‘Catch you on the morrow, Rose.’

Rose thought she’d give it one more go. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to have dinner here?’

‘No, thanks. Enjoy your night. And please don’t say anything about our little chat to Ty.’ With a twinkle in her eyes, Leah toddled off.

Rose shut the door, amused by Leah’s tactics. She was honoured Leah felt her worthy of her brother, but anything beyond a friendship with Ty Parker, no matter how handsome and charming he was, just wasn’t going to happen.

A couple of hours later, having reached the end of her mind-blowing book and swapped it for a wooden spoon, Rose’s heart felt that little bit lighter. So much of what the author had said, made sense – she was going to make sure to take heed of all the advice, starting with taking a brick of her wall down each day. Her past was behind her; there was no use looking back. She needed to move forward if she was to find her happy place, and her person to love.

The afternoon sunshine was slanting through the kitchen window, igniting the sun catcher dangling from the curtain rod and sending a plethora of colours dancing around the room. She felt like Martha Stewart crossed with Nigella as she flurried around the kitchen in the apron her mum had gifted her for Christmas. The timer rang out, diverting her attention from the beginnings of the self-saucing lemon pudding she was busy whisking. As she opened the oven door, a gush of hot air smacked her in the face. Oven mitts on, she retrieved the tray of bread rolls from the depths and dumped it on the sink beside the bowl of hand-cut potatoes.

Heading back to the frypan, she flipped the beef patties and poured another splash of beer on the onions, taking a little swig for herself, before getting back to finishing the dessert preparations. Ty had mentioned last night that he was craving a burger and fries, and that’s what he was going to get, homestyle, with her little twist of a creamy mushroom sauce that would send the burger to a whole other dimension of culinary pleasure.

She was so focused, she lost track of time and before she knew it, Ty’s voice was carrying from the front of the cottage. ‘Knock knock.’

‘Come in,’ she called back.

Ty stepped inside and joined her in the kitchen. ‘Holy cow, dinner smells bloody amazing, again.’

Turning from where she’d just popped the sliced potatoes into the deep-fryer, Rose offered him a smile. ‘I hope it tastes as good as it smells.’ She loved the way Ty’s presence dominated the room – the man was a force of nature.

‘I’m sure it will.’ He ran his gaze over the kitchen. ‘What are we having?’

‘Homemade burgers and chips.’ Rose worked her gaze up the faded denim of his jeans, over his belt buckle, up to where the muscular curves of his chest poked out of the open three buttons of his shirt, and to his face. He was just so … real.

Damn, she had it bad for him.

‘Looks like you’ve gone above and beyond for tonight’s feast, Jonesy.’ He scanned her face, as if reading her private thoughts. ‘Anyone would think you’re trying to win me over with your culinary talents.’

His gaze felt almost invasive, even though she knew he hadn’t intended it to be. ‘Stop it.’

‘Stop what?’

She waved a hand at him. ‘That, this. Whatever it is you’re doing.’

His expression turned wickedly playful. ‘What am I doing?’