Read Online The Silver Rose by Rowena May O'Sullivan - Free Book Online Page A

who am I to complain? The cottage is occupied, and I get a necklace as a bonus. I’m a happy witch.”
    â€œShhhh.” Rosa leaned in close to Alanna. “Enough with the witch talk.” Then, realizing she was, as Alanna called it, being bossy, she added, “I’m happy if you’re happy,” and realized her statement was, in part, truthful. It would have been better if Alanna were living in the cottage instead of a stranger.
    Rosa returned her attention to Aden as he worked alongside Beth. A gorgeous, handsome, talented stranger with more potential than any male in a hundred-mile radius.
    Passing room in the kitchen was minimal, and Beth squeezed by Aden. To give her more room, he pressed himself up against the stove but knocked a pot handle. The pot spun and wobbled. He let go of the spoon to steady the pot and it fell with a splat at his feet.
    Alanna choked on a pistachio and howled with laughter. Rosa concentrated on patting her sister’s back. Goddess knows it was good to see he was not so perfect after all.
    â€œI’ll get it.” Beth picked up a large platter from the bench and shoved it into his hands. “Take this out to the table instead. I’m right behind you.”
    â€œThank heaven one of us can cook,” Alanna declared, her eyes alight with mischief as she shoved two placemats together to accommodate the platter. “I can’t boil an egg without turning it to a sulphuric mess and Rosa’s kitchen — well, the less said about it the better.”
    â€œNo need for explanations,” Aden told them. “I’ve already seen the devastation.”
    â€œDevastation!” Rosa protested, a hand going to her chest, her eyes wide in pretended dismay.
    â€œYou have?” Alanna eyed her sister suspiciously. “When?”
    â€œThis afternoon.”
    Rosa prayed he wouldn’t say anything more. “I know exactly where everything is.”
    Beth rolled her eyes. “Riiiight!”
    â€œSo what were you doing in Rosa’s kitchen?” Alanna probed.
    Rosa rushed in, hoping to avoid any mention of the cut on her shin. It would lead to her scrying bowl, and there was no way she wanted to go there tonight. “Aden came over to invite me to see his body of work.” Talking about the loss of her bowl would cause tears, and then she’d have even more explaining to do.
    A naughty glint flashed in Alanna’s eyes. “Oh, we checked Aden’s body already. And it definitely
is
a piece of work!”
    Rosa gaped at her sister’s audacity and Beth blushed but laughed as well. Aden was speechless for a fraction of a second before the corner of his mouth twitched into a macho smile, and she swore she saw his chest swell. She didn’t think he needed any more confidence than what he already possessed.
    Alanna clinked her glass with Aden’s and shrugged. “I’m only stating the obvious.”
    â€œI’m lost for words.” Rosa grabbed another handful of pistachios and stuffed them into her mouth.
    â€œI’m flattered.” Aden reached to top up his glass with more wine. “I think.”
    â€œYou should be.” Alanna batted her eyelashes and waved a hand in front of her face as if to ward off heat.
    Beth lit the candle centerpiece on the table. “Ignore her. She thrives on shocking people.”
    â€œYes. Ignore her,” Rosa concurred. “She’s sleep deprived.”
    Alanna huffed. “Me? Impossible!”
    â€œGet real!” Rosa elaborated for Aden’s benefit. “Alanna’s working on a new piece. When that happens, she works round the clock until it’s completed.”
    Alanna huffed. “I’m here, aren’t I?” It was clear this conversation wasn’t going in the direction she liked, so she switched to food and plucked a salad leaf from a bowl to munch on. “We’d all starve if Beth wasn’t so taken with