Sweetly Isolated (The Swallow Barn Cottage Series, Book 1)

You'll Be the Death of Me

Happy Holidays, my darlings! Whatever - and if or if not - you celebrate, may this season bring you joy and peace! 

Stay safe! Stay kind!

Love you all ardently,

Katya Kolmakov xx

***

Tina slammed the door behind her and started jerking off her jacket. She shoved into the closet and then kicked a boot off her foot. It flew and landed with a loud thud. She considered kicking it again, but she'd been hurt enough the past few days. She shoved the second one inside as well, and stomped to the bathroom. Holyoake was nowhere to be seen. Which suits her just fine! Whatever! It's not like she expected him to greet her, and be happy to see her, or– Whatever!

She jerked the bathroom door open - and stared at naked Holyoake who was drying his hair with a towel.

"Sorry!" she squeaked and shut the door.

"Did you just–" He started laughing behind the door. "Did you just freak out from seeing me starkers?"

"I– I–" Tina started mumbling, and then realised that she indeed had.

She snorted, then snorted again, and a few seconds later she was roaring with laughter. She pressed her forehead to the door. Suddenly she forgot what she was so cheesed off about.

"You can come in if you want," he said pointedly, and Tina giggled.

"Alright." She opened the door. "I just need to wash my hands."

Ooh, he's put on his pants. That's disappointing. And hot. God, how is he so hot? Black boxer briefs? On those thighs and that backside? Tina needs an ambulance!

He was pulling on his tee, and Tina washed her hands, throwing appreciative looks at him. Yum.

"We still have some of those steak and mushroom pies," he said. "Do you want them for dinner?"

Mushrooms. Right. That's what she was cheesed off about.

"Sure," Tina grumbled, deflating.

She dried her hands and headed for the door.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Tina stopped by the door, staring at it.

"Why?"

"Because that's the first time I see you so unenthusiastic about food," he said with a chuckle. She didn't answer, and after a second he asked in a less jolly tone, "Clementine?"

"I'm– I'm not alright. I'm– He dumped me."

She twirled on one spot. Holyoake was frozen standing on one foot, the other half-pushed into a leg of his bottoms. His eyes were widened, but of course his face expressed nothing. Tina, repeat after me, he doesn't care. And if you elaborate, you'll make it very, very awkward.

"Edwin. He dumped me. He said I was too– cosmopolitan!" She flailed her hands in the air. Liv called these gestures of hers 'Jack Sparrow Hands.' "Cosmopolitan! What the bloody hell is this even supposed to mean?! Apparently I work too much! And I earn too much! And I'm urbane and worldly! And confident! I'm too confident!" She was shrieky now. "What the sodding hell?! And I of course have loose morals, because I live with you and you're a publishing mogul! I assume there was some sort of a risqué scenario in the Shroom Doctor's mind of what it is we're doing here! And he said he couldn't possibly go to galas and book launches with me! Well, tough tits, Dr. Mount of Joy! That's what I'm planning to do from now on! I'm going to own my fame and fortune, go to bloody galas, and make out with hot publishers in closets even without drinking! Knobhead!" she hollered in the direction of her entrance door, turned around, and marched out of the bathroom.