Between Heaven and Rock (The Swallow Barn Cottage Series, Book 3)

Wifely Matters

Ulla woke up with a jerk. She looked at her watch, and realised that it was probably Viola coming back from her daily morning run that woke her up. The woman was inhumanly orderly. And Rhys Holyoake really wasn't. Ulla had stayed in their cottage for the past three days - and she had so many questions!

Half an hour later, after futilely trying to fall back asleep, she climbed off the divan-bed in the spare room she was staying in, and plodded to the kitchen. Viola was standing over a cezve on the stove. One thing for sure, Viola Holyoake made the best Turkish coffee Ulla had ever tried!

"Morning," Ulla said and yawned.

Viola gave her a warm smile. "Morning, Ulla."

How does she look like an underwear model at bloody five thirty in the morning?! And are those the Gisele Pyjamas made famous by the future Duchess of Sussex in her acting days - and in bespoke mauve colour no less?!

Everything in this cottage was distinctly either Viola's or Rhys' - and one could easily see whom the room 'belonged' to. If it was full of high-tech toys, the latest and best devices, tasteful but mismatched knick-knacks, and the most bizarre random curiosities - it was Rhys'. If it looked like a magazine spread, pristine clean and clutter free - it was Viola's. The kitchen definitely was Rhys' kingdom, he was the one who cooked. To think of it, Ulla had hardly ever seen Viola eat.

"I don't want to pry," Viola said softly, pouring coffee into a cup for Ulla, "but you don't seem to sleep well. It's understandable," she added and sat down at the table. "But perhaps you should consider sleep aid? I can prescribe you some."

Viola was Dr. Fenton's partner in the surgery.

"No, I'm good, ta," Ulla said, took a sip of coffee, and couldn't hold back a moan. "God, so good! How do you do this?"

"I was married to an Egyptian for five years," Viola said nonchalantly. "I had a lot of practice."

"Oh, I see," Ulla muttered, and couldn't help but ask, "Before Rhys?"

"Yes, before Rhys," Viola said. "And after." She laughed and threw Ulla a cheeky look over her cup. "Rhys was my first husband. And currently, he's my third one."

Blimey!

"Oh wow," Ulla said and laughed. "I bet there's a story here."

"There's always a story when it comes to the Holyoakes," Viola said and tucked a curl behind her ear.

Seriously, Ulla could never achieve such a perfect spiral when she styled her hair! Also, Ulla was a ginger too, a strawberry blonde as she once had told Oli - but compared to Viola Holyoake she looked properly chav. The woman's hair was pretty much rose gold! Hadn't she just come back from a jog?! And there was no way in hell she'd taken a shower and styled it to this perfection in half an hour!

"You should know," Viola said with a little smile. "Yours is a priest."

"Yeah," Ulla drew out. "And I used to be a lead singer in a punk band."

"I remember you from Will and Fiona's wedding," Viola said with a nod. "Perhaps, you could help Rhys and me with the music for our wedding?" Ulla stared at her, and Viola laughed softly. "It's a long story. We signed the papers in the Town Hall when we got back together, but I suspect he's going to propose again. The Holyoakes love weddings, and there has been quite a lot of whispering between him and Oliver." Viola got up and added more coffee to her cup. "Would you like some more? You aren't supposed to top up your coffee, but I think I made too much. I thought Rhys would be up by now."

Ulla pushed her cup closer to Viola, licking her lips. The drink was magical!

"He was helping the Reverend Phipps to move yesterday," Viola said. "I suspect Rhys decided to renovate the vicarage and move Oliver there right after he's released from the hospital." She sat down and wrapped her long fingers around the cup. Seriously, the woman's made of graceful delicate lines! Wait– what?! Ulla twitched, and Viola threw her an understanding look. "Since Will and Fiona had to return prematurely, Oliver will have nowhere to stay. And I don't know if you know, the Reverend Phipps is getting married in two months and he's retiring somewhere up North. I thought I'd bring it up, because I assume Rhys will want you to go with him to look at the vicarage."