8. Rosie
8
ROSIE
D id Daniel just follow me? I stare down at my new follower DanielDuPontArt. Then my phone buzzes, and it’s a message from him. What is going on?
Daniel: Promise I wasn’t creeping. You’ve popped up as a suggestion and I was curious.
Daniel: You sure do like your cocktails, there are so many photos of you and cocktails.
Rosie: Is there a point to these messages?
Daniel: Yes, to make sure you know I’m not creeping.
Rosie: Okay, noted.
Daniel: And to say that I saw photos of some of your projects and I really liked them. Especially the Sussex cottage project.
Rosie: Thank you, I think.
Daniel: I’m being serious. I loved it. I like the dark moody vibes.
Rosie: It was a great project and I’m proud of it.
Daniel: You should be. I didn’t realize how talented you were.
Rosie: Think that’s a compliment.
Daniel: It is. You know English isn’t my first language?
Rosie: Sorry.
Daniel: I’m only joking. Went to an English boarding school.
Daniel: Probably the red wine talking for me instead. I’m in an Uber on my way home.
Rosie: Red wine will do that.
Rosie: Guessing your date didn’t go well if you’re on your way home this early.
Daniel: Why did you go straight to date?
Rosie: *Shrug emoji*
Daniel: I was with friends.
Daniel: Stuck at my friend’s and it was all couples and needed the wine to make it through the evening.
Daniel: My friends are nauseatingly in love.
Rosie: That’s sweet.
Rosie: Let me guess, were one of the couples Ivy & Alex?
Daniel: Yep.
Rosie: Then I understand the wine.
Rosie: Shit. I shouldn’t have said that. Please delete that text.
Daniel: No.
Rosie: What do you mean no?
Daniel: I’ll delete it if you say yes to my next question.
Rosie: No, I won’t go out with you.
Daniel: That wasn’t my question.
Rosie: We’re not sleeping together.
Daniel: Again, wasn’t going to ask that. Bet you feel awkward now.
Rosie: I do.
Daniel: Good. How about if I ask those questions now?
Rosie: You can’t help yourself, can you?
Why am I smiling at my phone? This man is annoying.
Daniel: I have a better idea and if you say yes, I promise to never hit on you again.
Rosie: YES!!!!!!!!!!
Daniel: Harsh.
Rosie: I’m sure your ego is big enough to deal with that.
Daniel: It’s not the only big thing.
Rosie: I walked right into that.
Daniel: Yeah, you did.
Rosie: What was the question?
Daniel: Fine. I have a cottage in Kent that I need furniture for. I bought it renovated but it’s empty and I haven’t had time to fit it out, except for art on the walls.
Rosie: That wasn’t at all what I thought you were going to ask.
Daniel: Ivy is busy planning her wedding, and after seeing your work, I think you’d be the right person for the job.
Rosie: Wow. Thanks, I really appreciate that.
Rosie: You really mean it? This isn’t a joke.
Daniel: I don’t joke about business. I promise I won’t cross the line with you. It may not look like it, but I try not to mix business and pleasure.
Daniel: Can we start over, again, again?
Rosie: Like we did at lunch?
Daniel: Yes.
Rosie: Fine.
Rosie: Do you have any pictures of the house? So, I can get an idea of the scale of the project for my calendar.
Daniel: *inserts real estate link*
I open the link and I’m speechless. This is the cottage he bought as a weekender. It is a six-bedroom, six-bathroom, 5000-square-foot, contemporary updated arts and craft style home, the outside is black and white with bricks. It’s stunning. There’s a pool, tennis court, gym, spa, and extensive gardens on five acres. Inside has a masculine palette with black and white tones mixed with stone, wood, and glass. I’m dying, this house is a dream.
Rosie: Are you serious? This is the cottage you bought as a weekender?
Daniel: You don’t like it?
Rosie: No. I love it.
Rosie: Love it!
Daniel: I’m glad you like it. I do too. I needed something close to the city but far enough to escape.
Rosie: I totally understand. It’s stunning. Breathtaking.
Daniel: Love the enthusiasm.
Daniel: Knew you would be the right person for the job.
Rosie: Oh, I’m one hundred percent the right person for the job.
Daniel: Did you want to catch up this week and talk about it?
Rosie: Sure. Let me check my schedule and get back to you. Is that okay?
Daniel: Of course.
Rosie: Thank you so much for trusting me with this.
Rosie: I take back all the things I said about you.
Daniel: You said things about me?
Rosie: I said most of the things to your face.
Daniel: That you did.
Rosie: I’ll be in touch when I get back from my trip.
Daniel: You’re going away.
Rosie: Yes.
Daniel: Where?
Rosie: Seeing family for the weekend.
I don’t know why I lied to him. Guess I didn’t want to explain the girl’s trip to Paris.
Daniel: Have fun. I’ll be away, too, checking in on the Paris office.
He’s going to Paris, too. Shit. Hope I don’t run into him. No. There’s no way in this world I will.
Rosie: Have fun, night.
Daniel: You too, night, Rosie.
My stomach should not be fluttering talking to this man. He is now a client. I don’t date clients. But that country cottage. It’s just a house and something that is going to look good in my portfolio. I slide through the pictures again of the home.