Page 102 of Rough Around the Hedges

“What have you said to her?” I ground out.

Mum flinched. “Nothing.”

“Perhaps you should consider your own lies before you call me on mine, Mother.” I rubbed my fingers across my forehead and put my glasses back on, pulling myself back towards the desk. “Whatever you’ve said to her, don’t do it again. Just drop it.”

“But, you—”

“I am a grown man who can handle his own relationships,” I reminded her quietly, staring at her. “No matter how well you mean, do not interfere with my personal life. I love you, but if I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it.”

She sighed, lowering her head. “I’m sorry, dear.”

I nodded to acknowledge her apology and turned my attention fully back to my computer, effectively dismissing her. She got the memo after a minute and got up, slowly walking back to the door. She paused, glancing over her shoulder.

I pretended not to notice.

It didn’t matter.

“Son, have you ever had a conversation with someone and hours later, realised there was something you should have said?”

I paused, peeling my gaze over to her. “Yes,” I replied slowly. “Why?”

“Ah.” A ghost of a smile passed over her face. “I was just thinking that sometimes, we really do end up regretting the things we never said. The things we should have said. And that’s a shame.”

This bloody woman. Did she always have to have the last word?

Stupid question.

Of course, she did.

She was a woman.

Had I learnt nothing in my life?

“I’ll keep your words in mind,” I said. “Close the door on your way out.”

Mum nodded, doing as I asked as she left.

I groaned, pulling my glasses off again. Honestly, I was just going to leave the fucking things off the way things were going this morning. All I wanted to do was my work, but how was I supposed to focus when all I could think about was Rose?

Taking her to the garden centre had been one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I would never forget the sheer, unbridledhappiness or the range of excited expressions she showed as we walked around.

Well, I walked around.

Rose… She skipped. Hopped. Bounced. Danced.

She was crazy.

Crazy beautiful.

I hadn’t been able to take my eyes off her. It was a place she’d surely been a thousand times, yet her eyes had lit up with almost every aisle we walked down. Excitement had practically buzzed off her when she was selecting the things for the nursery, and I’d had the brief thought that I’d buy her the whole garden centre if that was what she wanted.

I sighed, slumping forwards, touching my finger to the spot on my neck where the mark she’d left had all but disappeared. I was one lovesick little fucker.

The worst thing was that I had no idea when I’d fallen so hard for her. I didn’t even know how it was possible I’d done such a thing. All she’d done over the past few weeks was piss me off. She’d done everything possible to get under my skin, and it’d worked.

Except she wasn’t just under my skin.

She was soul-deep. Practically a part of my DNA, a part of the fabric of the cells that made up my very being.

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