Page 158 of Rough Around the Hedges

As long as he didn’t expect me to be nice.

He was no longer ‘Oliver.’ And I would no longer allow him to call me ‘princess.’

It was Your Grace and Miss Matthews.

He’d made it so.

Anything personal between us had died the moment he’d signed his name on the dotted line, and this time, I meant it.

I would not fold. I would not give in. I would not let that man seduce his way into my knickers again.

My knickers were off-limits.

With that resolve in mind, I got up and got dressed. I threw on a t-shirt and pair of cycle shorts—I needed to be able to jump a fence without flashing everyone if necessary.

I, Rose Matthews, was prepared for anything today.

I sorted my hair, snapped a hairband on my wrist to shove it up later, and grabbed all my shit.

I can do this.

I can do this.

I repeated the words with every step, almost like a mantra. That was my motto today.I can do this. No matter what was going to be thrown my way, I could handle it. I could deal with it.

Broken heart be damned.

“Rose? That you, darlin’?”

I paused at the sound of my dad’s voice. “What are you doing home?”

“It’s nice to see you, too, daughter,” he replied, his green eyes twinkling. “Are you going to the allotments?”

I leant against the door frame and nodded. “Need to get everything sorted.”

“Want me to come with you? I can lend a hand if anything needs moving.”

That was true. The man was built like a brick shithouse.

Ten of them, actually.

Yet I hadn’t seen him work out in three years. The only hint of it was the occasional weight moving in the garage.

It was one of life’s mysteries.

“Nah, it’s fine. We just need to coordinate more than anything.”

“All right, love. Will that man show up today?”

I held my hand out and wobble it side to side.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come? I’ll beat him up for you.”

I smiled. That was my dad. Anyone who hurt me was in line for a beating. It didn’t matter who they were—brother, boyfriend, even the duke.

“Please,” I said dryly. “As if I can’t beat him up myself. If he pisses me off, I’ll give him a swift kick and punch to the nose, just like you taught me.”

He nodded. “Atta girl. Don’t forget, if anyone grabs you from behind—”

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