Chapter 53

Roman came back from his early morning run. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and went upstairs. As expected the bathroom was engaged so he went into his bedroom to check on El. She was sitting back against the pillows with her laptop open. He pressed a quick kiss to her lips before walking around the bed and sitting next to her and looking at the screen.
She held her hand out and he passed the bottle of water. She took a long drink before handing it back to him.
"Thanks." She told him with a smile.
"What have you found?" he asked.
She clicked on the screen and displayed the properties she was looking at.
"This one has a bit of land with it but needs some work doing. I was thinking that we could get the kitchen and bathroom sorted and leave them to do the rest of the house in their own time."
He kissed her again.
"That sounds good. But is it within our budget?" he looked at her.
She smiled.
"Yes it is, even with doing the kitchen and bathroom." She told him.
He nodded.
"I will be going over the figures you know." He grinned.
She nodded.
"I know." She told him. "Then there is this. It's an apartment. It has fully fitted kitchen but only two bedrooms."
He looked carefully at the pictures.
"Think you'll be up to going and seeing them later?" he asked.
She nodded.
"I feel ok." she told him. "I might even be up to a little breakfast."
"Is that a hint that you want me to cook for you?" he asked.
"No. I just want some toast." She stroked him arm. "I might even get some for you too if you want to take your shower."
He leaned over and kissed her.
She reached up and stroked his face.
"You need a shave." She told him.
He grinned.
"Was that a subtle way of telling me to stop kissing you?" He asked.
"Nope, just a comment." She laughed.
He bent down and kissed her some more. Only stopping when he heard the bathroom door open. He jumped off the bed and raced for possession of the bathroom before another girl could get it!
Ella laughed and stood up from the bed. She went over and shut the door before calling the real estate agents. She made an appointment to view the properties that afternoon. Ringing off she phoned Irene to see if she were available to join them.
"Hay Dawl!" Irene said. "How are you?"
"Seriously, most of the time I feel like crap and the rest of it I'm asleep." Ella said with a laugh.
"Well what can I do for you?" she asked.
"I have a couple of places to look at this afternoon for Geoff and Nic and I wondered if you would like to come see them with us and give us your opinion." She told the other woman.
"I would love too. What time?"
Ella told her the time and made arrangements to pick her up before ringing off.
She pulled on her bathrobe and went downstairs to see Ruby standing on the coffee table and Nic pinning together on the other girl a cotton cut out of what the bridesmaid dress would be.
"Wow Nic. Were you up all night?" Ella asked her.
Nic blushed.
"No." she said quickly.
Ella looked at the other girl.
"I take it from that expression Geoff stay last night?" she asked her.
Nic giggled.
"He did stay for part of the night yes. He went home around midnight. I couldn't sleep until I'd drawn up my designs and then this morning I wanted to get a start on them."
Ruby grimaced.
"I was minding my own business eating my breakfast when she attacked me with pins."
Ella laughed.
"Well it looks very nice even in white cotton. I take it you've worked out the pattern?"
Nic smiled.
"I have the template worked out I'm just checking to see if I have to make any changes by working it out with cotton first." Nic told them.
"Oh, is that what this is? I thought I was a giant voodoo doll." Ruby grinned at her.
"Ruby I have a lot more pins I can use you know." Nic threatened her.
Ella laughed at them and went into the kitchen she made a pate of toast and took it through to the back. Roman joined her minutes later and sat next to her. She curled up on the seat and lifted her legs up beside her, He put his arm around her. She rested the toast on the table in front of them and lifted her hand to his face.
"That is better." She commented with a grin.
He kissed her slowly.
"Really?" he asked.
She nodded.
He reached for a slice of toast and bit into it chewing slowly.
"I phoned and made arrangements to look at them this afternoon. I gave Irene a quick call too and she'll come with us."
"You have been busy." He said to her.
She smiled at him before picking up the toast and eating it trying to ignore his grin at seeing her eat.