Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 117740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117740 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
“He was just following orders. It was him or the cat.”
“I should count myself lucky, then.” I eyed the cat. “Is he another one of your minions?”
“Perhaps. Every girl has her secrets, you know.”
The cat wriggled, and she loosened her hold, allowing him to pounce out of her arms onto the edge of her vegetable bed. He walked across it like a tightrope and bounded into the plot next door, using the shared fence as a springboard.
“What a hussy,” she muttered. “Shauna shows up, and he dumps me, just like that.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
Rose sighed dramatically. “Shauna keeps freeze-dried chicken in her shed. I just can’t compete with that.”
“I don’t know, you were looking for a home for your chickens just now…”
“You—!” She thumped her fist against my shoulder.
“Ow, ow.” I laughed, moving out of her line of fire. “Okay, okay, that was too far.”
“At least you know it.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “Why are you here?”
I blinked at her. Was she being serious?
Of course, she was.
This was Rose.
I had no doubt she’d forgotten that she’d called me here only an hour ago.
“You called me and said, and I quote, ‘get your stupid upper-class arse to the allotments within the next hour if you have any desire to see your next birthday.’ I would like to see my birthday, and as there’s little doubt in my mind that you’ll actually follow through on that threat, here I am.”
She scratched behind her ear. “Huh. I did say that, didn’t I?”
“It’s also in our messages if you don’t remember, since you decided to also put it in writing to emphasize your point.”
“No, no, it’s fine, that sounds like something I’d say. Especially to you.” She dropped her hand and shrugged. “Oh, that’s right. There’s an empty plot that needs the shed and greenhouse to be taken down. Big Benny died last year, and his kids have tried and failed to keep up with his plot—got black thumbs, apparently. We were going to have someone else take it over, but, well. You know.” She waved her hand towards me dismissively. “So, you need to take them down for me.”
I cleared my throat. “Why do I have to do it?”
“Because we wouldn’t have to take them down if it weren’t for you, so suck it up.”
That was a very fair argument.
But… “No can do. I didn’t know you were roping me into physical labour, so I’m not exactly dressed for it.” I motioned to my shirt. “I’ll come back another day.”
“That wasn’t our deal. You still owe me your time. And you’re the idiot for showing up here not appropriately dressed. Why would I be calling you to the allotments for something other than physical labour?”
Yet another very fair point.
“Yes, yes. Also, you’re supposed to give me more notice than an hour.” I leant against the gate, folding my arms across my chest. “You’re the one who broke the terms.”
“Well, you’re breaking my heart by closing the allotments, so get over it.”
You’re breaking my heart.
Her words hit me right in mine. It wasn’t even a sucker punch, but a crushing weight, one that threatened to make me choke under it.
Fuck.
“What if I—”
“One more word, George, and I will beat you with my hosepipe!” Susan snapped, stomping towards her plot.
George was rushing along behind her, hobbling slightly. “I was just—”
“I don’t want to hear it today! I’ve had one heck of a bloody morning, and I don’t have it in me to listen to your codswallop!”
Rose jerked around. “Crikey, Susan’s bringing out the naughty words today. She must be angry.”
Were the naughty words in the room with us?
“Susan, I’m just trying to tell you that I—oh, good morning,” George said when he noticed me. “Rose, will you stop flirting and sort her out?”
“Who’s flirting?” she shot back before I could return his greeting. “I’m here to put him to work, but he’s overdressed. Give him something to do since he’s here, would you? And what did you do to Susan?”
“Why do you assume I did anythin’?”
“Because it’s usually your fault.”
George opened his mouth to argue, then quickly dipped his head, grumbling under his breath about, “That little menace.”
“What did you just call me?” Rose asked.
“Christ, girl, you got four ears or somethin’?” the old man retorted, straightening his hat. “Just go and see to that woman before she explodes.”
Rose huffed, then looked at me pointedly. “If it wasn’t George, was it you?”
I pointed to myself. “Me? What could I possibly have done to Susan this morning? I came straight here after your threat. I haven’t even spoken to her yet.”
“Lucky her,” she muttered. “Just checking. It’s usually one of you two doing something, after all.”
Like George, I was about to protest but quickly gave up.
She was on the ball today. There was no arguing with her.