What Rosie Found Next by Helen J. Rolfe Page A

inside the doorjamb as Rosie swam lap after lap. She was a good swimmer and those petite limbs were stronger than they looked. At the far end she hoisted herself out of the water, her face tilted to the sun as she scraped her long red hair away from it and sent water droplets flying around her body, stunning in an emerald bikini. He couldn’t take his eyes away from her.
    He pulled back in case she caught him looking, but when he looked out again she was making her way up to the house. Should he pretend he hadn’t seen her?
    Too late.
    ‘Owen?’
    ‘Hey.’ He stepped onto the deck casually as though he’d only just got there.
    Rosie grabbed the white towel from the back of an outdoor chair and wrapped it protectively around her torso. ‘You’re filthy. Where’ve you been?’ Her chest rose and fell slowly as she got her breath back.
    ‘Same place you’ll find me every Sunday morning when I’m around in Magnolia Creek.’ He was distracted by the glimpse of a tattoo kissing her right shoulder blade and poking out from the top of her towel. Her hair must’ve masked it when she’d climbed out of the water.
    ‘And where would that be?’
    ‘Training.’
    ‘Are you trying to take the Commando’s place on The Biggest Loser ?’ She giggled.
    ‘Something like that.’ He turned and went back through the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, ‘There’s something I want to show you. Come on.’
    Rosie looked down at her towel. ‘Can I at least get dressed first?’
    ‘Relax, I’ve seen girls in their swimmers before. I’m not going to jump you.’
    Rosie rubbed the towel over her hair to stop it dripping, and he tried not to look at the body she’d had to reveal in order to do so.
    He unlocked the study and Rosie followed him inside. She noticed the largest photo on the wall first. ‘It’s you.’
    He stood next to her as they looked at the shot taken of a whole CFA crew standing beside a truck, filthy post-call-out.
    ‘You’re a … firefighter?’ Her words caught in her throat.
    ‘You’re shocked,’ said Owen.
    She shook her head. ‘It’s not that.’ Her hand rested on her collarbone as though searching for the necklace she must’ve removed before the swim.
    ‘I’m a volunteer firefighter for the CFA – the Country Fire Authority. It’s pretty important around here.’
    ‘I’m sure it is.’ The colour still hadn’t returned to her cheeks. ‘And I know who the CFA are.’
    ‘I’m glad to hear it.’
    He watched her, frozen on the spot as she looked at the picture again.
    ‘Training sessions run on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights, so I go to as many as I can when I’m here. And then there’s this thing.’ He held up the pager he’d pulled from his pocket, ‘This allows Magnolia Creek CFA to get me whenever they want. I’m on call 24/7.’
    Her hand dropped to her side again and her top teeth bit down on her bottom lip.
    ‘What’s so funny?’ he asked. ‘Why are you smiling? Is it the bright yellow uniform, the hat?’
    ‘I thought it was a girl, or girls, summoning you at all hours when your pager went off.’
    He’d really kept her on her toes, hadn’t he?
    Rosie covered her face with her hands. ‘It makes perfect sense now.’
    ‘I’m impressed you thought women were so desperate for me that I needed a pager.’
    She grinned. ‘I wondered why you took so many showers at really odd times of the day.’
    It was his turn to smile. ‘I clean myself up at the fire station before I come home, unless it’s a training session like today, but nothing beats your own shower, especially in the summer and if I’ve been out on the bike.’
    ‘Oh God, you’ll never let me live this down now.’ She shook her head. ‘Why didn’t you tell me in the first place?’ she asked.
    ‘Honestly? I enjoyed watching you try to figure it out yourself. You don’t like to be surprised, do you Stevens?’
    She cast her eyes to the floor and pulled her towel tighter as Owen moved to