Second Time Around (21 page)

‘Yeah?’

She adopted a concerned expression. ‘Douglas, I don’t want to interfere—’

‘Rubbish, you love interfering,’ he retorted.

She smiled and shrugged, acknowledging that. ‘True and, as you may have noticed, Suzie is nothing like me.’

He nodded, his lips twitching, but whatever witty retort he’d been about to make died on his lips when he noticed her serious expression. Good, she finally had his attention. Mandy wrung
her hands as if she were having trouble finding the words. ‘Suzie’s quite the innocent, to be honest. As I told you, there hasn’t been anyone in her life since her husband passed
away. That devastated her. She adored John.’

‘She did?’ Douglas’s eyebrow shot up in disbelief.

Feck, so she’d told him all about John? Mandy pulled a face and nodded. ‘Yes. Not that he deserved it. The thing is, everything is happening so fast you may actually scare her
off.’

‘Forget the daisies?’ he asked.

She smiled. ‘I think so. A polite text would work better and then in a week or so you could ask her out again.’

‘A week or so?’ His eyes narrowed and she couldn’t quite read his expression.

‘It’s just a suggestion. I don’t know if Suzie told you but she has a lot on her plate. Her eldest daughter’s going through a high-risk pregnancy and Suzie will be
looking after her grandson over the next few months. He’s quite a handful and it’s going to be very tiring, physically and mentally.’ Well, that bit was definitely true. Mandy
thought her sister needed her head examined, taking on that kid. She adopted a concerned look, like the loving sister she wasn’t. ‘I just hope it’s not going to prove too much for
her.’

‘So, are you saying that I should let Suzie set the pace?’

‘It would probably be best. She likes to feel in control and, since the accident, she’s quite easily overwhelmed.’

‘The last thing I want to do is upset her in any way.’

He wore a deep frown and Mandy congratulated herself on a job well done. ‘That’s what I thought, Douglas, and I’m sure it will all work out fine.’

‘Did she say if she enjoyed our evening together?’ he asked.

Mandy was able to answer this honestly. ‘I haven’t been talking to her. As I said, there’s a lot going on in the Connors family at the moment. I’ll probably drop by
later. Would you like me to give her a message?’ she offered.

‘Tell her I had fun.’

Suzie collapsed onto her bed, exhausted. Had it really been only three days? Thank God it was Friday and Keith would be taking over for the weekend, because she was ready to
scream. In fact she
had
screamed at one stage, along with Bobby, when he’d sent a pot plant crashing in the hall and water, soil and ceramic shards had flown all
over the place. Despite Jess and Noel’s help, Suzie had never known time to pass so slowly as when she was solely responsible for her grandson. She’d tried everything to distract Bobby
but it was impossible to hold his attention for more than a couple of minutes, and teatime was a complete nightmare. She had tossed Sharon’s folder in a corner, snorting in disgust.
She’d raised three children and her daughter thought she needed a manual in order to feckin’ babysit for a few hours? But now all three of them were beginning to realise that, not only
was Bobby a full-time job, he was an extremely complicated child. Desperate, Suzie swallowed her pride and took a look through Sharon’s notes but, right now, all she wanted was dinner and a
long, hot bath. There was a tap on the door. ‘Come in,’ she called, and Jess appeared with a cup of tea.

‘I thought you might need this.’

Suzie sat up and smiled. ‘I do. Thanks, love.’

Jess sat on the end of the bed and yawned. ‘Noel’s gone out to get curry.’

‘Good, because I haven’t the energy to cook.’

‘It’s been one hell of a long week.’

‘You can say that again. I don’t know what I’d have done without you two. Noel has the patience of a saint, hasn’t he?’

Jess grinned. ‘It’s not much of a stretch for him to be Bobby’s playmate.’

‘I suppose. I can cope with most of it but I wish I didn’t have to feed him. It’s a nightmare.’

‘Sharon said there’s some recipes in the folder.’

‘Fuck the recipes.’ Suzie shook her head impatiently. ‘I made him a lovely spaghetti Bolognese yesterday and he literally spread it all over the table, picking out all the
pieces of carrot, and, when I gave out to him, he started screaming blue murder. From now on it will be sausages, fish fingers or chicken nuggets, and, if he doesn’t like it, he can starve
for all I care.’

‘I know it’s hard, Mum, but if we send him home upset then Sharon will be anxious that it’s not working out and that’s defeating the purpose.’

Suzie groaned, knowing she was right. ‘We may keep her blood pressure under control but I’m not so sure about mine.’ She glared as she sipped her tea. ‘Get that damn
folder, will you?’

‘This is unbelievable,’ Jess said, leafing through the ring binder as her brother unpacked the cartons.

‘I’ve only had a quick look but I thought it was mad.’ Suzie got a plate and set the naan bread in the centre of the table, before fetching water for herself and Jess and a
beer for her son. ‘The sooner Sharon has this baby the better. Then she won’t have so much time to obsess over her son.’

‘Give her a break, Mum,’ Noel said, turning the folder round so he could read it. ‘Bobby’s no average kid.’

Suzie snorted. ‘Huh. You can say that again.’

‘Why isn’t he talking more?’ Jess asked. ‘The teachers must have said something to Sharon about that.’

Noel skimmed through the pages as he ate. ‘If they did, she didn’t put it in the folder.’

‘She says that he doesn’t make friends easily,’ Jess said. ‘I can understand him being quiet with us – kids are often shy around adults – but I noticed, when
we were at the playground, he keeps away from the other children. Is he always like that?’

Suzie nodded. ‘He’s a loner all right. He’s more interested in Percy than people, although’ – she grinned – ‘that’s understandable.’

‘Has he any friends at school?’ Jess asked.

‘He’s only in Junior Infants, love. I doubt any of them make real friends at that age. I’ve certainly never seen him with any one child. In fact, he usually comes out from
school alone.’

Jess frowned. ‘That’s a bit sad.’

Noel wiped his mouth and stretched back in the chair, the folder in his lap. ‘You know, she may not be admitting it to us or even herself, but Shaz knows damn well that Bobby’s got a
problem.’

Suzie felt a pang of guilt. She should have known that without having it spelt out for her, but, even when she’d cast an eye over the folder earlier, all she’d seen was an obsessive
and over-protective mother. ‘What do we do?’ she asked her children, because she felt completely out of her depth.

Noel closed the folder and patted it. ‘Exactly what it says in the instruction manual. Sharon knows him better than anyone. Also, I was saying to Jess, we need to get Cal on board. This is
more his area of expertise.’

‘I’ll happily take his advice if he’s got any,’ Suzie said wearily.

‘The first few days were bound to be hard, Mum,’ Jess said.

‘Of course they were,’ Noel agreed. ‘I’ll nip into town tomorrow and pick up a few bits and pieces to keep him amused.’

She smiled fondly at her youngest. ‘Thanks, love.’

‘Now, to much more exciting stuff.’ Jess leaned forward on the table, smiling. ‘Have you heard from your date?’

Suzie suppressed a grin. It was ridiculous how much fun she and Doug were getting from acting out the lovesick-couple routine – until he’d told her Mandy’s comments, which had
put a darker slant on things. Her sister was really doing her damnedest to come between them. So much for blood being thicker than water. ‘I thought we got on well, but all I’ve had is
a one-line text thanking me for my company,’ she said, truthfully, not mentioning the hours they’d spent on the phone since. Susie’s first day with Bobby had been a shock to the
system and the first person she’d thought to call was Doug. Perhaps it was because he had been such a support when she was nineteen, pregnant and terrified. He had a great way of diverting
her and making her laugh. They’d talked each night since and, as a result, she’d gone to sleep a calmer woman. But minding Bobby had still taken its toll.

‘Perhaps he’s away on business,’ Jess said.

‘Or maybe he’s just not that into you.’

‘Noel!’ Jess glared at him.

‘Sorry but I’ve always wanted to use that line.’ He grinned at his mother. ‘I’m sure that you’ll hear from him. He’s probably afraid of looking too
eager.’

Despite trying to keep up the charade, Suzie couldn’t help smiling. ‘How long would you leave it if you were playing it cool?’

‘Five days,’ Noel said.

‘Three days,’ Jess said at the same time.

‘You see? That’s just desperate,’ her brother said, and Jess chucked a dishcloth at him.

‘But we’re not kids,’ Suzie said. ‘We’re too old for silly games.’

‘Tell Mandy that.’ Jess laughed. ‘She seems to thrive on games.’

When she was ready for bed, Suzie went out to refill Percy’s water bowl and give him a last cuddle. ‘Goodnight, sweetheart,’ she said, closing the door and
turning off the lights. Halfway up the stairs her phone beeped and she stopped to pull it out of the pocket in her jeans. It was a text from Doug.

Her tiredness forgotten, Suzie carried on up to her room, grinning and feeling ridiculously happy.

Jess found a parking spot near to the flat and was walking up the path when she heard her name being called. She turned round to see Louis coming towards her, his face grim.
‘What are you doing here, Louis?’ she hissed when he reached her.

‘Hey, don’t be like that,’ he said, looking upset. ‘You didn’t reply to my texts or drop by the office.’

‘I emailed you my article – didn’t you get it?’

‘I did, and it was great, but’ – he brushed his knuckles along her arm and smiled down at her – ‘I wanted to apologise.’

She looked up at him, surprised to see remorse in his eyes. ‘Apologise?’

‘Yeah, I came on a bit strong the last time. I was out of line. I’m sorry, Jess.’

She gave a small smile, relieved that he was ready to be reasonable. ‘Apology accepted.’

‘Can I come in for a minute?’

She started to shake her head. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea—’

‘I won’t stay long,’ he promised. ‘I just wanted to explain. I’ve really missed you, Jess.’

She felt her resolve weaken. When he was nice, he was very nice and right now he was looking at her with such love and regret. ‘Five minutes, that’s all, Louis.’

His face broke into a wide smile. ‘Thank you.’

Jess led the way upstairs, thinking Cal would murder her and she could only imagine her mother’s reaction. But Jess wasn’t going to fall back into old ways. He’d apologised
and, hopefully, if they talked it would clear the air and make working together easier. She opened the door to the flat and immediately he slammed it closed and pressed her up against the wall.

‘Louis!’

He covered her mouth with his in a hard, punishing kiss as his hands pushed up her skirt.

Jess put both of her hands on his chest and tried to push him away. ‘Louis, no, what are you doing? What’s got into you?’

‘I told you, I’ve missed you.’ He ran a finger along the line of her panties and licked his lips, his eyes dark with lust.

‘This is some apology.’ Jess glared at him, her heart racing. ‘Stop it, stop it now!’

‘You are so fucking sexy when you’re angry.’ He slid a hand under her top and squeezed her breast, hurting her.

‘Louis, no.’ She tried to push him off but he was too strong for her and seemed turned on by her resistance. Her skirt was around her waist now, and he was prising her legs apart
with his knee, his upper body pinning her in place and he held her wrists above her head in one hand, rendering her helpless. Jess squeezed her eyes closed. This couldn’t be happening. And
then she felt his breath on her neck and cried out when he bit it and then did the same to her breasts through her top. She’d never known him like this before and she felt real fear as his
hand left her to fumble with his trousers. His hand roughly tugged her panties to one side and she opened her mouth to scream but immediately he covered it with his own, effectively silencing
her.

Just do it, get it over with, she pleaded silently, tears rolling down her cheeks. If he noticed, it didn’t bother him. He was beyond reason, pushing into her hard and fast like a crazed
animal.

Within minutes it was all over and Louis had pulled out and gone into the bathroom to clean himself up. She stood there for a moment, shocked and trembling, before stumbling into the bedroom.
Wrapping the duvet round her, Jess sat on the edge of the bed, her teeth chattering.

She heard the toilet flush and the sound of him going into the kitchen and opening the fridge.

‘What’s wrong with you?’

He stood in the doorway, clean and tidy and drinking a beer as if nothing had happened. Jess stared at him in shock. ‘You hurt me!’

‘Oh, come on, you know that you enjoyed it. You are so hot.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Pity I’ve got to go. Maeve’s invited a gang over for a barbecue. I told her I
was just nipping out to stock up on beer and wine.’ He winked. ‘I’ll call you.’

As the door closed behind him, Jess curled up in a ball waiting for the tears to come but she just felt empty and cold. Dragging her aching body into the bathroom she turned on the shower,
praying that, for once, there was hot water and sighed as steam started to rise. Stepping in, she flinched at the scalding water on her skin but made no move to lower the temperature, just stood
there. She winced as the pressured jets of water found the bruising on her neck, breasts and tail bone where it had been pounded against the wall. As Jess gently soaped the soft flesh of her inner
thighs, which stung from the friction of his trousers rubbing against her, she suppressed the four-letter word that pulsated in her brain. This wasn’t a stranger: it was Louis. They’d
been seeing each other for months and he’d never behaved like that before. It must be like he said: he’d missed her and been rougher than he realised. So why did she feel dirty and
used? She wound a towel tightly around her and went back into the bedroom. Sitting down in front of her dressing table, she stared at her reflection. There were marks on her neck and chest. She let
the towel drop to her waist and saw the same on her breasts. Opening the top drawer, Jess pulled out underwear, jogging pants and a warm sweatshirt. Despite the hot shower, she was still shivering.
Her phone beeped.