Written in the Scars (The Estate Series Book 4) by Mel Sherratt Page A

relaxed back on her arms, legs out in front of her, and looked across at Owen. ‘Thanks, this is lovely.’
    ‘As are you,’ he whispered, passing her a glass.
    She held it up and studied his face as he filled the glass with wine, wondering again why it was that Owen was with her. What did he see in her to treat her to a picnic in the middle of her working day?
    He smiled at her again and, shutting the thoughts from her mind, she decided that she wasn’t really bothered in the whys any more. All she was concerned about was the here and now.
    ‘Do you have the day off work?’ she asked.
    Owen wiped his mouth with a napkin before speaking. ‘I run my own company. I’m into IT and all that dull geeky stuff that is boring to talk about. So I kindof snuck off early.’
    ‘Do you work from home or do you have an office?’
    ‘I work from home.’ He stretched out a hand. ‘This could be my office if I had brought along my laptop.’ He patted his trouser pocket. ‘I have my phone, so all I need is on there too. Very portable. But switched off for the duration of our picnic.’
    ‘I wish I could do something exciting.’ Donna sighed, thinking of how she used to dream of doing more with her life when she was younger, before Joe left and the children were small. ‘All I do is go to work and visit my mum. How boring am I?’
    ‘And Sam – is he your only child?’
    ‘No, I have a daughter too; Keera. She’s nineteen and, thankfully, looks after herself.’
    ‘Is she as beautiful as her mum?’
    Donna felt her skin redden. He couldn’t mean it, could he? He was being coy, surely.
    ‘She’s a lovely girl,’ she said, eventually. ‘She’s a hard worker, unlike her brother.’
    ‘So you get on quite well?’
    Donna paused. ‘Well, we’re not the kind of mother and daughter who go shopping together, or even spend a night in watching a movie, but, yes, I suppose we do.’
    ‘But you worry about her?’
    Donna wondered whether to confide in Owen about what had happened to Keera and her friend, Marley while they’d been in Ibiza, but decided against it. ‘I worry about them both. And my mum – family is very important to me.’
    ‘You seem to have so much to do.’
    ‘I don’t mind.’
    ‘You should certainly take more time for yourself.’
    Donna dipped her eyes momentarily but met his stare eventually. ‘How about you? Do you have family?’
    Owen shook his head. ‘No, my parents died years ago, and I was an only child.’
    ‘Have you ever been married?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘I’m divorced.’ Donna posed the question to get him to open up about his past, but Owen didn’t respond. They sat in silence as he took out two cream cakes from their packaging.
    He handed one to her. ‘It’s a bit warm for this too, but we can share it.’ He bit into the other one, the cream spurting out all over the plate.
    He looked at Donna with such innocence that she laughed. Another scene reminiscent of 50 Shades of Grey buffered into her mind.
    All too soon, it was time to head back to work. With a sigh, he dropped her off outside Shop&Save.
    ‘I’m so glad we finally got to spend some time together,’ he said, kissing her lightly on the cheek.
    Donna could only nod her agreement. She was still sinking deep into his eyes, wanting to pull him into her arms. Should she lean forward and kiss him back, so she could feel his lips on hers?
    ‘I know what you’re thinking,’ he said. ‘Again.’
    Donna raised her eyebrows.
    ‘Proper kisses – full, passionate, breathless kisses – are saved for first dates.’
    ‘But we’ve already had a first date, technically speaking.’
    Owen smiled. ‘Technically speaking, we’re on our second date right now.’
    Donna nodded. As he leaned closer, she parted her lips in eagerness. But he stopped an inch away from her.
    ‘Hold that thought until next time,’ he teased and planted a kiss on her nose.
    As Donna got out of the car, she couldn’t help but smile. She tried not to