‘Tea, please,’ he replied, as he settled onto one of the stools at her father’s kitchen bench.
Rose moved around the kitchen, feeling Dave’s gaze on her the entire time. ‘Well?’ she asked. ‘Are you going to get to the point? After all, you did want to talk.’
‘Not when you’re in this mood.’
‘David!’ Her exasperation was now at overload and bubbled over when he laughed.
‘All right. It’s just hard to talk whilst you’re flitting around the kitchen. Why don’t we get our cups of tea and go sit in the lounge room?’
‘What a good idea.’
‘See?’
‘See what?’
‘I have been known to have them once in a while.’
‘What?’
‘Good ideas.’
Rose sighed as she handed him his tea and carried her own through to the lounge room. Her next mistake was to sit down on the sofa, thereby leaving room for Dave to come and sit beside her. She tensed for a moment but breathed a sigh of relief when he sat in the armchair opposite her.
‘I’m listening,’ she said, growing increasingly impatient as well as apprehensive. What was he going to say?
‘Firstly, I wanted to apologise for my behaviour last night. I know yesterday evening was difficult for you to get through and you didn’t really need the added stress of me bawling you out like that. I still stand by what I said—as head of the retrieval team I must—but I could have waited to speak to you.’
‘Thank you.’
‘So I’m forgiven?’
Rose nodded. ‘For that, but as you said, you had every right to say what you did.’
‘Good.’ He settled back in his chair.
‘Why did you?’
‘Why did I what?’
‘Why did you bawl me out then and not leave it until today?’
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair and glanced away for a moment. ‘I was…well…’ he fumbled, and Rose was surprised. ‘I was angry with you,’ he finally said.
‘For causing you so much trouble? I gathered at the time that you weren’t that annoyed. You even said you were proud of what I’d done.’
‘I was—still am,’ he corrected. He leaned forward and placed his cup on the table before standing. ‘It’s just that…’ he started to pace ‘…before you started to climb up the ladder out of the hole, you seemed…well…receptive to me. Then the next minute—wham!’ He slammed one clenched fist into the palm of his other hand for effect. ‘I’m being given the cold shoulder. I tried to talk to you, to get you to tell me what was wrong, but, no, you just froze me out. What’s worse is you’ve been doing it ever since.’
Rose clenched her teeth at his words. Why was he talking about this? Surely he knew she must have seen Penny kissing him. He’d looked over at her directly afterwards and had seen her staring.
‘So your male ego has taken a hit, eh?’ Rose sipped her tea, trying to keep her cool. ‘Well, what a shame that is.’
‘There you go again. What have I done, Rosie? Tell me.’ He walked over and sat down beside her, relieving her of her cup. He placed it on the table and took her hands in his. ‘Come on, Rosie. Let’s stop playing games. We both know there’s this undeniable attraction between us. I know you feel it. The kisses we’ve shared have told me as much. I may be a little out of practice as far as women go, but I’m not completely immune to the signals.’
Rose wrenched her hands free of his. ‘Out of practice? Really? That’s not what it looked like to me.’
He frowned. ‘What are you talking about?’
Rose stood and walked away from him. She stared unseeingly out the window. ‘You and Penny.’
‘What?’
‘I saw you, Dave. I saw you kiss her when you both came out the hole.’
‘You saw what? I didn’t kiss Penny.’
‘Yes, you did. Ask anyone who was there last night. We all saw it.’
Dave frowned as he rose to his feet, then his face relaxed and he laughed. ‘Of course.’
‘I really don’t think this is funny.’
‘Penny kissed me when we got out of the hole. Of course!’ He hit his forehead as though he should have realised all of this earlier.
‘That’s right, and you kissed her back.’
‘No. I hugged her back. Rosie,’ he said laughingly, ‘You’ve definitely got the wrong end of the stick. I’m not involved with Penny.’
‘You’re not? But…Penny’s obviously interested in you.’
‘No. Believe me, she’s not. Penny is a very happily married woman.’
‘She’s married?’
‘Yes, has been for about ten years now. Her husband, Sam Chadwick, is Head of Orthopaedics at the Adelaide hospital. He’s a good friend of mine.’
‘Then why was—?’
‘Why was Penny kissing me?’
Rose nodded.
Dave shrugged nonchalantly. ‘She was thanking me for managing to get a certain piece of artwork Sam had fallen in love with on his last trip here. The artist didn’t want to part with it but I managed to persuade him. Penny wants to give it to Sam for his birthday as a surprise.’
‘Oh.’ Rose felt completely foolish. She knew Dave was a smart man and that he’d realise the jealousy she’d been exhibiting meant she had strong feelings for him—stronger than she’d wanted him to know about.
Dave crossed to her side and lifted her hands, drawing her closer. ‘Come here, you gorgeous woman. I’ve been dying to kiss you for weeks. I can’t wait any more, Rosie.’
His mouth was on hers within the next instant. It wasn’t a soft or exploratory kiss, as they’d previously shared, but was full of hunger and passion—from both sides. It was as though the last few weeks, working together, the misunderstanding, had all taken its toll and now they were free to hold each other in their arms and take pleasure in the kiss both of them craved.
Rose brought her hands up to his head, her fingers tangling in his hair as his mouth opened over hers once more. Her heart was starting to race out of control and the blood that was pumping at a furious rate around her body was now drumming in her ears.
‘Rosie,’ he whispered against her lips as he broke free, gasping for breath. ‘The real you is much better than any dream.’ As he pressed hot kisses on her neck, he savoured the taste of her. It was a delight he could quite easily become addicted to and he quickly pushed the knowledge to the back of his mind.
‘Mmm,’ Rose groaned with delight, her senses being swept away by the fresh, spicy scent that wound its way around her. As he nibbled at her earlobe, a wave of goose bumps shot down her body and she savoured the sensation.
The next time his mouth met hers, his tongue traced the inner part of her lip causing all the breath to whoosh out of her. The light-headedness made her feel faint and she clung to him as she felt her knees start to give way.
Dave held onto her firmly and she was grateful for his support. Although, Rose reflected, the hard contours of his chest which were now pressed firmly against her breasts didn’t do much to settle her racing heartbeat. She felt the warmth between them, the barrier of their clothes almost non-existent.
‘Rosie,’ he whispered against her mouth. She liked the way her name sounded on his lips. It was as though he really cared about her and it made her feel…treasured. Whether or not it was another illusion remained to be seen, but for this brief moment Rose decided she was going to enjoy it.
She smiled up at him.
‘Hmm? What’s funny?’
She shook her head. ‘Nothing. I’m just happy.’
‘Glad to hear it.’ Then, before she could say another word, he swept her off her feet and scooped her into his arms.
‘What? Oh!’ Rose blushed and took the opportunity to bury her head in his neck. ‘You smell so good,’ she murmured as he sat them down on the sofa, Rose now settled on his lap.
‘So do you, sweetheart.’
‘Stop it.’ She giggled.
‘Really?’ He lifted his lips away for a fleeting second.
‘No.’
He put them back. Rose closed her eyes, savouring the sensation, trying to recall whether Julian had ever taken the time to nibble at her neck. She couldn’t remember. Dave shifted and she leaned back in his embrace, turning her face upwards so their lips could meet.
She sighed, her eyes fluttering closed as the gentle pressure from his mouth relaxed her. She could have stayed here for ever, safe and secure in Dave’s arms.
From the sensual haze, a noise broke through. Her mind dismissed it, telling her to concentrate on nothing but Dave and the way he was making her feel.
There it was again! That noise! Her eyes snapped open and she pulled back.
‘Rosie?’ His voice was sluggish and filled with repressed desire. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Something’s outside.’
Dave listened and when the noise came again he nodded. ‘Probably just a bird or a possum.’
‘A possum? Here?’
He smiled as he eased her into a more upright position. ‘This is the outback, sweetheart.’ He looked at her startled expression. Her eyes, which had only moments ago been filled with passion, were now as wide as saucers. ‘Want to go take a look?’
‘Well…uh…I don’t know. Is it safe?’
‘It’s a possum, Rosie, not a drop bear!’
Her eyes grew even wider. ‘What’s a drop bear? They sound dangerous.’
Dave laughed and helped her to her feet. ‘Rosie.’ He shook his head sadly. ‘You’ve been living in the city far too long. A drop bear is a tall story that was fabricated to dupe American servicemen during the Second World War.’
‘What, killer koalas?’ Rose’s lips twitched as she saw the humour.
‘Something like that. They drop out of the trees onto the shoulders of unsuspecting tourists and hug them to death.’ Dave took her hand in his and led the way to the door. ‘So as you’re not an unsuspecting tourist, I think we’ll be safe from the drop bears.’ Once outside, Dave let go of her hand and Rose felt momentarily bereft. He walked into the garden and looked up at the roof.
‘Just as well it’s still daylight saving or we’d be out here with torches,’ Dave muttered as she joined him.
‘Speak for yourself. I’d be hibernating inside, hoping it came nowhere near me.’
‘Aha. Over there.’ Dave pointed to the drainpipe as the possum scuttled down it and onto the verandah. It looked at them as if to say, Go on, I dare you.
‘Cute, isn’t it?’ Dave whispered.
‘You think so?’ Rose wasn’t quite sure. Little furry creatures weren’t really her cup of tea.
‘We need to watch where it goes. If it gets into your roof, it can cause all kinds of havoc.’
‘What do we do? Call the fire brigade? The ranger or…or someone?’ Rose gripped tightly to Dave’s arm.
‘Rosie? It’s just a possum. Sure, it can damage property and be a pest but it’s a possum. That’s all.’
‘I’ll bet its claws are sharp.’
‘They are.’ He turned and headed over to his ute, keeping the noise down as he went.
‘Wh-what are you doing?’ Rose followed him, keeping a close eye on the possum.
‘We’ll distract it with some food and then I’ll grab it.’
‘We? Who’s this we? I’m not going near that thing.’
Dave frowned at her. ‘It’s a possum, Rosie.’
‘So? I don’t mind looking at pictures of them in a book but me and furry little things just don’t go together.’ There was a hint of indignation in Rose’s tone but she kept her gaze trained on the possum, glancing at Dave every few seconds. ‘What are you going to do with it once you’ve caught it?’
‘Let it go in the bush. I’ll put it in a cardboard box and set it free on my way home.’
‘I take it you’ve done this before.’
‘Sure,’ he replied matter-of-factly. He pulled out a pair of heavy-duty gloves. ‘Your dad should have a box I can use in his shed. You stay here and watch it and I’ll go and get the box and some food.’
‘No.’ Rose was by his side in an instant.
‘Rosie, we need to keep an eye on it in case it moves. We need to know where it goes or it’ll end up in your roof and that’s when the costs start mounting up. Possum removal is high in this neck of the woods. Look, you go inside and make some possum food and I’ll stay and watch it.’
‘Possum food? I don’t know what possums eat?’
‘Exactly, yet you have two eyes and can watch a possum. Can’t you?’ Dave took a deep breath and turned to face her. ‘You’ll be fine.’ He kissed the tip of her nose. ‘Trust me.’
Rose eyed him with suspicion. The smirk on his face told her he was enjoying this and she wasn’t one hundred per cent sure he wasn’t pulling her leg. ‘Well…what do I do if it moves?’
‘Just watch it, Rosie. Watch where it goes.’
‘And if it goes into the roof?’
‘Then it goes into the roof and we take it from there.’ Dave peeled her hand from his arm. ‘You’ll be fine. I’ll be back before you know it.’
Rose kept her gaze on the possum, watching in her peripheral vision as Dave walked slowly to the front door and opened it. The possum moved—only slightly—towards him and for a split second Rose thought it was going to follow him into the house. ‘Drop bear,’ she muttered. ‘More like feral furry things.’
She was growing more and more impatient with every passing second that Dave was gone. ‘Come on. Hurry up,’ she whispered to herself. The possum was keeping a close eye on her as well and Rose could almost see its little mouth curving into a grin. The cheeky thing was laughing at her.
‘You OK?’
‘Ah-h!’ Rose screamed at the sound of another woman’s voice. The possum moved, shooting up the drainpipe as fast as it could. Dave came bursting through the front door and raced onto the grass.
‘Rosie?’ he called, and then stopped dead in his tracks. ‘Evening, Mrs Fredrick.’ He nodded politely. He could see Rosie was trembling and walked over to pat her shoulder. ‘It’s all right,’ he murmured, his eyes lighting with laughter.
‘You OK?’ Mrs Fredrick repeated. ‘She all right, Dave?’ she asked when she received no reply from Rose.
‘Just trying to get a possum out. I think you scared poor Rosie.’
‘Oh, sorry, Rosie. Didn’t mean to be sneaking up on you like that.’
‘She’ll be fine, Mrs Fredrick.’ He patted Rose’s shoulder again. ‘Where did the possum go?’ he asked.
Rose shivered again and pointed to the drainpipe.
Dave walked to that part of the house, his expression concerned. It quickly cleared. ‘No. It’s all right. He’s not in the roof, I can see him.’ He dashed for the door. ‘Let me get the food. We’ll try and coax him down. Stay with Rosie, please, Mrs Fredrick.’ With that, he was gone again.
‘Nasty pests, these possums,’ Mrs Fredrick said. ‘Cute to look at and nice in their own environment but I’ll tell you, they can rip the inside of your roof to shreds in no time at all. Usually it’s just because they’re scared, poor things, and want to get out as much as you want them out.’
Rose shuddered. ‘Please, stop talking about them.’
‘You don’t like them?’ Mrs Fredrick’s eyebrows shot upwards in surprise.
‘Not particularly.’ Rose could feel herself calming down a fraction but she wouldn’t be completely calm until that possum was long gone from the house. It appeared that Dave was going to be her knight in shining armour yet again and she wasn’t going to dispute the fact one little bit. To own the truth, she rather liked it. He’d saved her from food poisoning and now a possum. A smile touched her lips as he came out of the house, holding a plate with something on it.
‘What’s he got?’ she asked Mrs Fredrick.
‘Probably some sort of fruit, soaked with wine or some other form of alcohol. Berries are the best—raspberries in vodka is one of the best ones.’
‘What? Doesn’t that hurt the poor animal?’
‘Ah, no. Just gets them a little drunk so we can take them back to the bush without them tearing us to shreds. Concerned about the native animals, eh? There’s hope for you yet.’
‘I’m a doctor, Mrs Fredrick. I care about life—even if it’s not human.’
‘Dave would never hurt an animal. Not unless he absolutely had to.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, out here, if you hit a roo, for example, the kindest thing you can do to the poor animal is put it out of its misery.’
‘Eww!’ Rose couldn’t believe she was hearing this. What on earth had possessed her to come to Broken Hill in the first place? She must have been out of her mind. She knew that spending time with her dad was paramount but he was off on his honeymoon and here she was, trying to make sure a possum didn’t get into the roof. Correction—here Dave was, making sure a possum didn’t get into the roof.
He was a good man and they were definitely hard to come by.
She watched as Dave held the plate up towards the possum and then placed it on the ground before heading in their direction.
‘What did you give it?’
‘Eh?’
‘The possum food. What is it?’
‘Banana and scotch.’
‘Oh.’
‘I take it by that reply that Mrs Fredrick has been doing some explaining?’ He watched as Mrs Fredrick nodded. ‘Thanks. Poor Rosie here isn’t used to all these non-city things that happen.’
‘Most city slickers aren’t.’ Mrs Fredrick shook her head sadly as she spoke.
‘Ah, but Dr Partridge here has told me she’s not really a city slicker. She’s apparently lived in the sticks.’
‘Really? Where?’ Mrs Fredrick asked.
‘Wagga Wagga,’ Rose supplied a little absent-mindedly, as the possum started to move down the drainpipe towards the food.
Dave and her neighbour laughed. ‘That’s not the outback, Rosie. This…’ He spread his arms out wide. ‘This is the outback.’
‘Look, he’s eating it!’ She said with surprise.
‘Of course he is. I make the best possum food.’
‘Perhaps you should think of opening a restaurant for them, then.’
‘Cute. Very cute, Rosie. All right, so now we watch him and wait.’
‘How long will it be before the alcohol takes effect?’
‘About ten minutes or so,’ he answered, and Mrs Fredrick nodded her agreement.
‘So we just stand here and wait?’
‘You’ve got it.’
‘Is the box all ready?’ Mrs Fredrick asked.
‘It’s around the back with the gloves. I’ll go through the house, around and out the back and then come along the side of the house, over here.’ He pointed to where the possum was now happily munching away on the banana.
‘Good boy,’ Mrs Fredrick replied. ‘You all right now, Rosie?’ she queried again.
Rose forced a smile. ‘I will be, Mrs Fredrick, as soon as that possum has gone.’
‘Just as well Dave was here to help out.’
Rose could tell by her neighbour’s tone that she was mightily interested in what was really going on between the two of them, and Rose wasn’t quite sure what she wanted people to know.
‘Just as well,’ she agreed mildly. ‘Has it finished yet?’
‘Yep. Cleaned up the plate.’ Dave preened. ‘Told you I make good possum food.’
Rose laughed softly. ‘I’m sure it looks good on your résumé.’
‘What—the possum food itself, or the fact that I can make it?’ Dave chuckled.
‘Well, as you’ve got the situation well in hand, I’ll go back inside out of the heat. Have a nice evening—the pair of you,’ Mrs Fredrick said with a knowing grin, before heading off towards her own home.
‘Gossip out here is more potent than any hospital I’ve ever worked in,’ Dave said quietly, as they both watched the possum.
‘So I’ve gathered,’ Rose replied.
They waited. Side by side, swatting flies, their arms brushing occasionally. Rose could feel the heat radiating from Dave and now that they were alone again she gave her senses permission to enjoy it. She shifted slightly and their hands brushed against each other. Dave didn’t move away but stayed where he was.
‘I’d like nothing better than to take you in my arms and kiss you goodnight, Rosie, but I think we need to protect your reputation for a little longer—at least until your father gets home.’
‘How chivalrous of you.’
‘Yes, I thought so.’
‘Modest, too.’
‘Absolutely.’ Dave chuckled. ‘Look.’ He pointed to where the possum was starting to slump a bit. ‘I think it’s almost time.’ He felt for her fingers and gave them a quick squeeze. ‘I’m glad I came.’
‘So am I.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes.’ Rose glanced up at him. ‘And not just because of the possum.’
He smiled down at her. ‘Are you free for dinner tomorrow night?’
‘Yes,’ she replied a little hesitantly.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘I just don’t know if I want to go out in public yet. Do you know what I mean?’
‘Yes. You could come out to the farm and I could rustle you up a plate of steak and egg.’
‘Mmm,’ she replied, pulling a sour face. ‘Sounds…appetising.’
Dave laughed but as he mentioned the farm, he remembered that Melody would be arriving in two days’ time. Tomorrow night would be the last time he could go out without having to worry about making babysitting arrangements. ‘Yes, we definitely need to see each other tomorrow night. We have a lot to…discuss.’
Rose was glad he wanted to see her again but was slightly puzzled by the underlying vehemence in his words. Still, he was right. They did have a lot to discuss and she wanted to make sure he understood that whatever this was brewing between them had to be taken at a snail’s pace. She wasn’t going to let her heart be swept away this time. She was going to guard it and move slowly—as she should have done previously.
‘Why don’t you come here for dinner?’
‘The neighbours will see my ute and know I’m here.’
‘They already know that much,’ Rose countered. ‘But at least this way we won’t be under a microscope.’
‘Good point. All right. I’ll call by after clinic. What time are you due to finish tomorrow?’
‘The urology list usually finishes on time so I should be home just after five-thirty.’
‘All right. Can I bring anything?’
‘Yes. Any other tools you might need in case the house is ridden with other furry creatures.’
He laughed. ‘You’re a good sport, Rosie Partridge. That’s what I like about you.’ He squeezed her hand once more before finally letting go. ‘Let me get this one out of here for you.’
The possum was now about to fall asleep but even so, Rose kept her distance. Dave went through the house and soon materialised around the side where the possum was, his heavy-duty gloves on his hands, the box standing by.
With little effort or struggle, he picked the dozing possum up and placed it carefully into the box. Folding the lid over, he made sure there was enough air circulating for the animal before carrying it towards his car.
Rose scooted out of the way and watched as he put the box on the front passenger seat. ‘Is that a good idea?’ she called.
He turned and gave her a slow but encompassing smile. She felt her insides warm at the sight. ‘Worried about me? Don’t be. This little fella will be asleep for the next hour at least. If I put him in the back and the box lid flies open, he might be attacked by a predator. I’ll take care of him, Rosie.’
‘Oh. OK. See you tomorrow.’
‘Sleep sweet, Rosie.’
‘You, too,’ she responded. Rose turned away and walked to the front door but couldn’t resist turning to watch him drive away. He tooted the horn and stuck his arm out the open window to wave. She waved back, a silly schoolgirl grin on her face.
Rose opened the door and, out of curiosity, glanced over to Mrs Fredrick’s house. As she did, she saw the lace curtains fall back into place. She shook her head, surprised to find that she didn’t really mind all that much. Dave made her happy and that was something she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
The instant she stepped inside, the phone rang. She reached for the receiver, hoping it wasn’t the hospital with an emergency.
‘Hello, princess,’ her father’s deep voice boomed down the line. ‘How are things going?’
‘Oh, fine, Dad. Just fine—now.’
‘What’s been going on, Rosie?’ She told him about the possum and how Dave had taken care of the situation. ‘Just as well he was there, then,’ her father said, and she noted a strangeness in his tone.
‘Yes, it was.’
‘Has he…you know…stopped by before?’
Rose frowned. ‘Only when I had food poisoning, but I’ve already told you about that. Why do you want to know?’
‘I think young Dave has taken a shine to you,’ her father said.
Her frown changed to a smile. ‘You think so?’
‘Rosie.’ His tone was even more curious. ‘What aren’t you telling me?’
‘A lot of things, Dad. How’s Beverley?’
‘Beautiful.’ Her father sighed like a man in love should. ‘Simply beautiful.’
Wanting to get him off the topic of Dave and herself, Rose asked, ‘So what have you been doing today? Lazing around a swimming pool, sipping cocktails?’
Reg chuckled. ‘Something like that.’ He then launched into a full-scale account of what they’d been doing since he’d last spoken to Rose, and while he was talking, she fixed herself some dinner, stretching the cord of the phone as far as she could. Over half an hour later, she rang off and sat down to eat her food. No sooner had she put the first forkful in her mouth than the phone rang again.
‘Dr Partridge.’
‘Rosie! Thank goodness.’ The sound of Dave’s voice warmed her right down to her toes and she forgot all about her dinner. ‘I was starting to get concerned when I couldn’t get through. Had you accidentally knocked the receiver off the hook?’
‘No. My father called.’
‘They’re enjoying themselves, I hope?’
‘Yes.’
‘Listen, I wanted to let you know that the possum in question is now safe and back in its natural habitat.’
‘And you made sure he was well hidden so he wouldn’t be attacked by a dingo or something?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘Good.’
Dave laughed. ‘You really are a mixture, aren’t you?’
‘A mixture of what?’ she asked cautiously.
‘You aren’t the adventurous type at all yet your natural concern shows that you care.’
‘So?’ She was defensive now.
‘I’m not criticising you, Rosie. I’m saying I like it. My ex-wife didn’t like to venture out of her comfort zone and couldn’t care less about anyone who did.’
Rose didn’t miss the bitterness in his tone. ‘I know what you mean,’ she replied, thinking of Julian.
‘Been there, experienced that?’ he queried lightly.
‘Yes.’ Her voice was soft.
‘Did he hurt you?’
‘If you mean did he break my heart? I thought he had but now I’m not so sure.’ If Dave had asked her that question one month ago, she would have answered in the affirmative. After tonight, with Dave’s kind and caring attitude, Rose knew Julian hadn’t broken her heart as she was still able to feel. ‘I think he dented my ego more,’ she acknowledged honestly.
‘I know how that feels.’ He laughed without humour.
‘How about you? Did your ex-wife break your heart?’
‘She gutted me from the inside, twisted me into knots and discarded me without a thought.’
‘Really? When? Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry, it’s just that you seem so…so…well, together.’
‘We divorced over six years ago, Rosie. Time is a great healer of wounds. I’m not so sure about anger but wounds—definitely.’
‘You don’t like her?’
‘No. I can’t say she’s one of my favourite people.’
‘Regrets?’
‘We all have them, sweetheart.’
‘No. I’ve forgiven Mags for hurting me and for the way she disrespected our marriage vows.’
Rose grasped his meaning quickly and as she knew Dave was bound to a life of chivalry, he’d also be bound to monogamy as well.
‘That doesn’t mean I like her or want to spend time with her,’ he added.
‘Do you see her often?’
‘No, but I speak to her a few times a year.’
‘Why?’ Rose wasn’t too sure whether she should have asked the question but felt if ever she was going to pry into Dave’s past, now was the time. He’d been the one to open the conversation of past relationships. Besides, if he didn’t want to answer, she was sure he’d say so.
‘Divorce is never easy when there’s a child involved.’ As Dave said the words, he held his breath. There, it was out. Rosie now knew he had a child. There was silence on the other end of the phone and he closed his eyes as he waited for her to speak. After seeing how she’d reacted with young Joe the other week, he wasn’t too sure how she’d receive this news. ‘Kids and I just don’t mix.’ That’s what she’d said.
‘You have a child?’ she said finally, unable to believe it. A divorced man with a family. Warning bells sounded. It was on her list—her list of what to avoid at all costs—yet she was finding it increasingly difficult to adhere to that list. Why hadn’t she heard anything about this at the hospital? Probably, she reminded herself, because she didn’t listen to gossip.
‘I have one child. Melody is her name and she’s six years old.’