AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I have decided to make a cottage pie as I know I make a good one. It’s my mum’s recipe and it’s easy and quick, which is what I need. My day at work is busy. I have boring clients who don’t want to talk to me so I make mental notes on what I need to do when I finish work, where I need to go and what I need to get.
“Delivery for Bella White?” There’s a guy at the door of the salon shouting over Mike. Mike is trying to take the parcel from the delivery guy but he doesn’t want to give it to him. Mike must breathe in or something because his shoulders go up about 5 inches and his body gets wider. He says something else to the guy, which I can’t make out as it just sounds like a growl. The guy lets go of the parcel and quickly disappears.
“I’ll just put this away in the staffroom for you Bella,” Mike says with a wink as he walks past me. I really like Mike. He’s like a big lovable grizzly bear. He’s in his late 40s I’d guess. I suddenly realise I don’t know much about him really. I make a mental note to get to know him better.
I finally finish my last client and I go to the staffroom and collect my things. I look around for my parcel. “Hey Mike? Where did you put my parcel?” Mike walks in the staffroom looking a bit sheepish.
“Well Bella, I’m very sorry to tell you this but Damien had sent you a cake and I was hungry, so I ate it. Sorry.”
“Oh, Mike what are you like” I say with a laugh, and slap his chest playfully. “Well, I’ve got to go- I’ve loads to do so I need to get going. I’ll see you tomorrow though Mike and I’d better have another cake!” Mike laughs and I’m out of there. There’s a lovely little farm shop around the corner I want to get my ingredients from before it closes.
I get into Damien’s apartment and have look round. It’s huge. I look out of the floor to ceiling windows; the view is breathtaking. I carry my bags into the kitchen area and put them on the island. I smile to myself as I remember my first encounter with it. I have a root through the many cupboards to find the equipment I need. This kitchen has absolutely everything and it all looks brand new. I find a frying pan, a large pan for the potatoes and a large glass Pyrex dish. I wash my hands and get started. I begin by peeling and cutting the potatoes then dicing the onion and carrots. I brown off the mince beef and add the diced carrot and onion. I add the beef stock and season with salt and pepper. I leave it to simmer and the potatoes to boil.
I decide to run myself a bath. Damien’s not due home for a while so a relax in Damien’s huge jacuzzi bath sounds like a perfect idea. Plus, I want to smell all fresh just in case Damien is hungry for a little more than cottage pie. I laugh to myself- he’s turning me into a sex maniac. Never before have I had these thoughts but I’m not complaining. I mash and whisk the potatoes with salted butter. I add the mince etc into the casserole dish and place the potatoes on top. A large sprinkle of cheddar cheese on the top and it’s in the oven on a medium heat. Perfect. I quickly wash up and get in the bath.
Chapter 14
Damien
My phone rings as I step off the plane.
“Mike. What’s happened now?!” I demand.
“Bella received a flower delivery yesterday, but the flowers were dead. Tiffany brought them up saying she had meant to bring them up earlier but had been too busy. When Bella opened them, we assumed they were from you, and that Tiffany had them weeks. But last night I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It just felt odd. I asked Tiff and she said they’d only been delivered that day, but earlier in the morning.”
I have a bad feeling about this.
“Have you rung the company that sent the flowers?” I ask.
“Yeah, I rang the flower company, and they said the order was ‘specifically’ for dead roses. They were paid for in cash by a male, but no description.”
“Ok, can you pass this information on to Josh, see if he can find out more and anything else then ring me straight away.”
“Well actually boss, another parcel arrived at the salon today. Bella was busy and I made sure I took it from the delivery guy. He apparently, had been given strict instructions to only give it to Bella. Obviously, I didn’t let that happen. Anyway, inside the parcel was a heart.”
What?
“A heart? what sort of heart? a heart shaped cushion?” I ask.
“No, a real heart boss. A pig’s heart actually. I traced it back to a butcher downtown. Someone went in and paid over the odds for it to be delivered to Bella. They paid cash but no one could give me a description. Sorry boss.”
“Did Bella see any of this?”
“Well, that’s the other thing boss- she saw me accepting the parcel and then asked where it was. I told her it was cake from you and I ate it,” he explains.
“A cake from me?”
“Yeah boss, she thinks the flowers were from you so it was the first thing I thought of.”
“Ok Mike. I appreciate everything you’ve done. Ring Josh for me now and tell him everything you’ve just told me.”
“Will do boss.”
The smell as I walk into my apartment back in England takes my breath away. It’s a mixture of Bella, her sweet and fresh aroma and home cooked food. I can’t remember the last time I came home to such a welcoming. I walk into the kitchen and see Bella dancing about while dishing out dinner. She’s wearing her pjs, little pink shorts and a white vest top. Her hips are moving to the time of the music. Her back is to me, and her wavy golden blonde hair is swishing along with her body. This, here, is what I want to come home to every day. I feel the strangest tightness and heaviness in my chest. Is this what home is? Is this what love feels like?
Bella turns and looks at me with those beautiful blue eyes- her smile is big and genuine when she sees me. The alpha in me wants to walk over there, pick her up and carry her straight into my bedroom. I don’t though, as it looks like she has gone to a lot of trouble. The food smells amazing and my stomach growls in anticipation. The man in my trousers will have to wait. But not for long.
I put down my coat and case and go to my Bella. Without saying a word, we wrap our arms around each other and kiss like our lives depended on it. Through our lips we pass feelings of longing and appreciation of finally being together again. Bella breaks the kiss.
