Page 92 of Love At First Fright
Rosemary’s persimmon pie went down a treat, with Dinagroaning over it in the corner—causing Scott to whisper something no doubt entirely filthy in her ear. Annie even told Rosemary that she would like the recipe to add to her collection.
“You bake?” Rosemary asked.
“Not at all. I like to collect things, though. You would be surprised how many recipes are entirely oral, and can get lost if they aren’t written down through generations.”
After lunch, Eric, Ellis, and Scott took charge of clearing up, and Ellis had promised them a tour of the garden, so while the men went outside in the cold, Rosemary took Dina and Immy to the home office Ellis had set up for her. Annie, who appeared a little tired of the intense socialisation, said she wanted a minute to look through Ellis’s books to borrow a few things.
“Can you believe this? Isn’t it amazing?” Rosemary said, showing Dina and Immy the framed posters of her favourite horror movies that Ellis had mounted on the walls. “He even put a bird feeder outside so I can bird-watch as I work.”
Dina and Immy gave each other a knowing glance.
“What?” Rosemary said.
“That man is in love with you.”
Rosemary plonked herself down on her beanbag chair. “No, it’s too soon, he can’t be.”
“Trust me,” Immy said, “I recognise the signs. I saw them last year with Scott. Ellis Finch is smitten.”
“But he knows I’m moving back.”
“Didn’t you hear him?” Immy said. “He’ll follow you anywhere in the world. If you said you wanted to move in with him, I reckon he’d have a courier booked to fly the rest of your stuff over within the hour.”
“You’re both being dramatic,” Rosemary said half-heartedly. “Love can’t happenthatquickly, can it?”
“It absolutely can,” Dina said. “I was in love with Scott within days of meeting him, even if it took me longer to realise it.”
Immy leant back against the desk looking very pleased with herself. “You both know this makes me two for two now.”
“What on Earth are you talking about?”
“My matchmaking. I put you and Scott together and now Ellis and Rosemary.”
Dina rolled her eyes. “Please explain to me how you were responsible for Ellis and Rosemary getting together when you weren’t even on the film set?”
“I sent that video to the group chat of him kissing a bunch of actresses in movies, or don’t you remember?”
“Andthatis your classification for matchmaking? Honestly, woman, you’re off your rocker.” Dina laughed, earning herself a punch in the arm from Immy.
Dina turned to Rosemary. “How did he take the ghost thing? Was he weird about it?”
“Well, he had a lot of questions, but he took it better than I expected. We actually have a remnant here. The house used to be a bakery and there’s an old baker spirit.”
“I didn’t think this house could be any cooler, but now you’re telling me there’s a bakery ghost? Obsessed,” Immy said.
“It is a lovely house. I—I like it here,” Rosemary said tentatively. It wasn’t that she was nervous talking about these things with her friends, it was just that they tended to discuss the others’ romantic lives, since Rosemary hadn’t really dated all that seriously until now.
“Do you want to move back? To England, I mean,” Dina asked. “I read your cards last night at home, and I drew the upright Fool.”
“That seems like a good sign,” Rosemary said drily.
“No, it is. Much like Death or the Devil, the Fool has a bad rap, but it stands for new beginnings, new adventure, unlimited potential. It’s not something to be worried about, but it got me wondering about you. I hope you don’t mind me saying this, because you know I mean it with love: you’re clearly not happy in America. Whenever we have calls, you’re always saying how busy it is near your apartment, and how annoying it is to be far from us and your dad.”
“I hadn’t realised I complained about it so much, but you’re right. And it’s true. I just keeping thinking how much further this would be from my dad, though, from Blossom Ridge. And he isn’t getting younger. But being here, it feels right.” Rosemary exhaled.
“What do I say to Ellis, though? Oh, I love living with you and being with you and I think I might have really big feelings about you? There’s no way I can say I’m moving here without Ellis thinking I am really serious about him. I don’t want to scare him, it’s all been so whirlwind. What if he thinks I’m just doing it for fame?”
Dina took Rosemary’s hand in hers. “He won’t think that. I am telling you, that man has some ‘big feelings’ about you, too, as you put it. If he didn’t run when you told him about being able to see ghosts, then there’s nothing you can do that will scare him off now.”
