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Back The Cottage at Rosella Cove Save as PDF
Chapters (50)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Book
  3. Dedication
  4. One
  5. Two
  6. Three
  7. Four
  8. Five
  9. Six
  10. Seven
  11. Eight
  12. Nine
  13. Ten
  14. Eleven
  15. Twelve
  16. Thirteen
  17. Fourteen
  18. Fifteen
  19. Sixteen
  20. Seventeen
  21. Eighteen
  22. Nineteen
  23. Twenty
  24. Twenty-one
  25. Twenty-two
  26. Twenty-three
  27. Twenty-four
  28. Twenty-five
  29. Twenty-six
  30. Twenty-seven
  31. Twenty-eight
  32. Twenty-nine
  33. Thirty
  34. Thirty-one
  35. Thirty-two
  36. Thirty-three
  37. Thirty-four
  38. Thirty-five
  39. Thirty-six
  40. Thirty-seven
  41. Thirty-eight
  42. Thirty-nine
  43. Acknowledgements
  44. About the Author
  45. Also by Sandie Docker
  46. Book Club Questions
  47. Welcome to the Kookaburra Creek Café
  48. Prologue
  49. One
  50. Sign up to Read More and discover new favourites

She clicked on the next listing. ‘Unique property, available now.’ She read the post, her enthusiasm waning as the details emerged. Free rent. But there was a catch: ‘some renovation needed’. Damn.

Her shoulders slumped.

She sent an email to the agent anyway. It couldn’t hurt. From the pictures it looked like it only needed a lick of paint. She might be able to manage that.

They responded three days later, saying all the paperwork was ready and she could have the keys once she signed, but she told them she had to think about it. Who was she trying to kid, thinking she could renovate anything? The whole sorry situation she found herself in was already pathetic. She didn’t need to add ridiculous as well.

Two nights later Mark came home from work, a large bunch of roses in hand.

‘I think it’s time we reset the wedding date,’ he said. ‘What do you think about June?’ He kissed her on the top of the head and she frowned at him.

‘What now?’ He threw his hands up in defeat.

Nicky wondered if there was even the slightest chance of saving this relationship. ‘You still want to marry me?’

‘Of course I do.’

‘And children?’

He shook his head. ‘I’m going to bed. Let me know tomorrow if June works for you.’

In the morning Mark kissed her on the forehead as if nothing had happened, as if nothing had changed. For him it hadn’t.

But it had for her. She could not live like this anymore.

Nicky rang the number to see if the rent-free cottage at Rosella Cove was still available.

She packed a suitcase full of clothes and looked around the apartment. Other than her laptop, everything belonged to him. She grabbed a plate and some cutlery from the drawers and turned her back on home.

She swung by a solicitor’s office to pick up a key to the cottage and got into her old car and headed to Rosella Cove.

Back at Mark’s apartment, in the very middle of the clear dining table, she’d left her engagement ring with a simple note.

‘It’s over. Goodbye.’

Twenty-one

Nicole walked around the cottage, taking in the scope of what she’d already achieved. Everything was stripped back, plaster repaired or replaced, new cornice and skirtings, bookshelves, window frames ready. The fireplace was fully restored. Okay, she couldn’t take much credit for that. And the kitchen was complete – credit also not hers. The floors were fully sanded and polished – she was definitely going to take credit for that. All that remained to do in the other rooms to finish them off was a couple of coats of fresh paint.