Practically Perfect by Katie Fforde

Author:Katie Fforde
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-11-09T04:00:38+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Anna sank back in the bath with guilty pleasure. It was a much longer bath than Chloe's, in which you had to wet yourself in two halves. This bath was almost too long, Anna's feet only just touched the end. She got her hair wet, and then decided to go the whole hog and wash it. There was a bottle of baby shampoo on the side of the bath and she used it. She also found it rather touching that this should be the chosen brand of Rob Hunter, Dog and Building Police.

He was a bit of a softy, really. He pretended to be firm with his dogs, keeping them in their place, not spoiling them, but while Anna had been standing in the doorway of his bedroom, waiting while he found dry clothes for her, she'd seen dog-shaped indentations on the bed, and footprints on the duvet cover.

He'd handed her a pair of old corduroys, a shirt that was soft from years of washing, and a jumper. The jumper was cashmere, but it had a hole in it. Sartorially, she and Rob Hunter were perfectly suited, Anna had reflected, unlike her and Max. She'd brushed that thought away and taken the bundle and the clean towel.

‘I'm impressed you've got a clean towel,' she'd said, Airing the rather awkward pause.

‘I have a cleaning lady. She despairs of ever getting rid of the dog hair, so she consoles herself with keeping my linen cupboard in order. It's a great luxury.’

Anna had smiled. That would be a luxury. Her clean clothes and towels were currently kept in one black plasticsack and her dirty ones in another. She had a perfect design for a fitted wardrobe, but she hadn't got round to building it yet. 'I'll go and have my bath then.’

When she came down she found him in the kitchen. Her hair was tied up in the towel and the trousers were rolled up several times round the waist and several more times round her ankles. Her feet were bare.

He looked at them. They did look rather small and defenceless, Anna realised, curling up her toes. 'I'll get you some socks,' he said.

Anna noticed her coat on the back of a chair - it was obviously dry by now. She went to the Aga and leant on it, looking out of the window, wondering why Rob hadn't cut back the plant that was almost totally obscuring it. She asked him when he came back with the socks.

‘It's more than just a matter of cutting it,' he said. 'It's actually got inside the brickwork. It's on my list.'

‘There's so much to do on an old house, isn't there?' Anna said, putting on a pair of thick woollen socks, perfectly suited to padding about on cold floors. 'But I'd always have old rather than new if I possibly could.'

‘Would you like a look round?' Rob asked.

Anna nodded vigorously. She'd been dying to ask but hadn't wanted to seem too nosy.

‘Well, this is the kitchen, obviously,' he said.

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