The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (140 page)

  
‘Tell you what, Jack,’ Roy
said. ‘We’ll invite your mum and dad over tomorrow night for a meal. Get a few
drinks down them and discuss it then.’

  
Livvy nodded and smiled. ‘Good idea. And if anything, Jack, Roy
can be very persuasive when the fancy takes him. You might just get a positive
response.’

  
‘Thanks,’ Jack said, looking relieved. ‘We thought the end of April
would be nice and then I’m only a couple of months off being seventeen.’
   

***

Meanwhile, in
Portugal
:
 
Sammy stepped onto the
deck, leant against the rail and stared out across the vineyards. The day was
clear and the late April sun was warm on her lightly tanned legs. She turned as
Stuart came up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist.

  
‘You okay, hon?’
  

  
She kissed him, looking into his
kindly green eyes. ‘Yeah, just getting my head together to call Harley and wish
her good luck for today. Then I’ll sort out the bedroom for her and Jack. I
can’t wait to see her again. Can’t believe my little girl is getting married.
Doesn’t seem five minutes since she learned to walk and talk.’ She tried to
keep her voice bright, but it cracked and she could feel tears welling. She
choked on her next words. ‘I’d love to see her taking her vows.’

  
Stuart wiped her eyes with
gentle fingers. He held her close. ‘We could have gone to the wedding. After
all, they
did
invite us. It was you
that refused.’

  
She shook her head. ‘I couldn’t
do it. It’s
Roy
’s wedding day,
too. Don’t want to freak Livvy out. Better I keep away. But we’ll make sure
Harley and Jack have the best honeymoon ever.’
 

     
‘And they will,’ he said.

  
The newly-weds were arriving on
Monday.
 

  
‘I’ll pop out and get the
flowers and bubbly while you make the place all fancy for them. See you later.
Love you.’ He kissed the tip of her nose and ruffled her hair.

  
‘Love you, too.’ She went back
inside and poured herself a glass of wine. Bit early, but still, it would help
relax her. She ran her finger over the bottle label and smiled. Vila Nova
Tinto, from Cliff Richard’s own estate. She remembered going to see
Cliff and The Shadows
play the ABC Ardwick
with Jane and Pat whilst they were all still at school. Who’d have thought that
forty years later she’d be his near neighbour on The Algarve? Life was
certainly strange. She sat at the kitchen table and flipped open her mobile
phone. Damn, a missed call. She hadn’t heard it ring. Must have been while she
was taking a shower and Stuart was out for his morning run.

  
The call had come from
Roy
’s landline. No
doubt Harley, but she hadn’t left a message. Sammy dialled the number her heart
drumming so loud, she felt her ears might explode. ‘Please let Harley answer,’
she muttered. She didn’t want to speak to
Roy
. Not today,
anyway. She couldn’t bear it. She was finding it so hard to accept that their
marriage really was over and that after everything they’d meant to each other,
they could be no more than civil at family get-togethers.

  
It hadn’t been easy at Daisy’s
recent christening, which she’d hosted at her new cottage. But she’d done her
best to smile, be pleasant to Livvy and make a fuss of baby Daniel. It hadn’t
been too difficult; he was a gorgeous baby with his big blue eyes and sunny
smile. Whenever she’d tried to speak to
Roy
alone, Livvy
had loomed into view and stuck to his arm like Velcro. Sammy had given up in
the end and kept her distance for the rest of the afternoon. She’d caught
Roy
staring at her
a few times, but she’d ignored him and thrown herself into Hostess with the
Mostess mode.

  
She loved Stuart, but it wasn’t
with the fierce intensity and passion that she loved
Roy
. Stuart had
been thoughtful and loving since their marriage, leaving her alone when he
sensed she needed it, being there and strong for her when she’d cried. They
were fairly compatible between the sheets, but he wasn’t her soul-mate and she
knew deep down that she shouldn’t have married him. She wished he’d argue with
her now and again; disagree occasionally, instead of hanging onto her every
word.
Anything
to arouse a bit of
full-on lusty sex when making-up. She was going to have to try very hard to
make things work and she didn’t really know that she’d got it in her. She’d
even faked an orgasm the other night for the first time in her life. She was
about to hang up when the phone line clicked and she caught her breath.

  
‘
Ashlea Grange, Roy Cantello
.’

  
‘It’s me,’ she said, her stomach
flipping as she heard
Roy
’s deep voice.
There was an awkward silence for a minute before he responded.

  
‘Hi, you. Tried to get hold of you earlier.
’
 

  
His voice had a friendly edge
and she relaxed. ‘I saw the missed call. Thought it might have been Harley.
Didn’t hear the phone ring. What – err – what did you want me for?’ Was he
going to tell her it was all a mistake with Livvy and he wanted her to come
home and start again? Her head was a in a whirl. She shouldn’t be thinking like
this. She held her breath, waiting for those life-changing words. Get a grip,
stupid mare, her inner voice mocked.
You
gave
Roy
his marching orders in
the first place. Now you’re married to Stuart, who loves you, and
Roy
’s marrying
Livvy – today – so get used to it.

  
‘You need to be
sitting down, Sam.’
 

  
He
had
changed his mind. She knew he would. He wanted them to try
again. Her heart thudded louder still, deafening her, and she almost missed his
next words.

  
‘
The hospital called earlier. It’s fantastic news. Harley’s last tests
show that she’s in remission
.’
Roy
’s voice
wavered as he spoke. ‘
It’s the best news
we could have hoped for, especially today. - Sam, are you there? Sam?’

  
She swallowed hard. ‘It’s
wonderful news,
Roy
.’ Tears tumbled
down her cheeks.
 

  
‘
She may still need a transplant, but it’s a huge weight lifted from our
shoulders. She and Jack can get on with enjoying their day now. Look after her
while she’s with you, Sam. Make sure she doesn’t exhaust herself. It’s really good
of you to have them stay. I’d have been worried to death if they’d gone off
somewhere on their own.’

  
‘It’s our pleasure,
Roy
. She
is
my daughter, and of course we’ll look
after her.’ She drew a deep breath and forced a half-smile. ‘I’m not quite sure
what to say to you now. Will Happy Wedding Day do?’

  
‘
It’ll do just fine. I’ll call you Monday when we’ve seen their flight
off.’

  
‘Okay.’ She forced herself out
of courtesy to ask, but not really wanting to know: ‘You and Livvy jetting off
anywhere yourselves?’
  

  
‘
Not until after the tour. No time before that and then there’s Daniel to
consider. Livvy’s parents said they’ll come and stay whenever we’re ready to
take a break. They’re off to
Paris
for their honeymoon.’

  
‘Of course, I forgot that her
parents are getting married today as well. Blimey, it must be some sort of
record! Have a good day then… and
Roy
?’

  
‘
Yeah?’

  
‘Congratulations. I’ll see you
when we bring Harley and Jack home.’

  
‘
Thanks, Sam
.
Are you staying
in
Cheshire
long enough to see a gig or two?
’

  
‘Definitely. Stu’s looking
forward to reliving his youth.’
 

  
‘And what about you? Are you looking forward to re-living yours?’

  
He caught her off guard
and a loud sob choked her next words. ‘Maybe, but it won’t be the same.’

  
‘I’ll
c
atch up with you then
.
I’ll get Harley for you. I’m keeping out
of the way. I’m not allowed to see anything until they’re all ready.’

  
‘I’m surprised you’re even
allowed in the house. It’s bad luck to see the bride.’

  
‘
I’ll clear off to the music room in a minute, but
I have to be here. I’m travelling to church
with Harley, and Livvy’s dad’s travelling with her to give her away, so he’s
dodging around as well, to avoid seeing Gina
.’

  
Sammy smiled, picturing the two
of them getting under feet. ‘Who’s giving Gina away?’

  
‘
Livvy’s brother, Peter.
’

  
‘It’s quite a feat to pull it
all off and have everything go smoothly. Well - goodbye,
Roy
, and good luck
to you all.’

  
Roy
said goodbye
and she heard him calling for Harley and the sound of running footsteps and
then Harley’s breathless voice.

  
‘
Mum, hi. How are you? Oh, Mum, I so wish you were here
.’ Harley’s
voice broke and it took all of Sammy’s strength not to cry and upset her
daughter further.

  
‘It’s best I’m not, darling. It’s
Livvy’s special day too, and I don’t want to spoil it. I’ll see you and Jack on
Monday. I’m really looking forward to your visit.’

  
‘
Me too, Mum. I can’t wait to see you. Did Dad tell you the good news?’

  
‘He did. I’m thrilled to
bits, sweetheart.’

 
 
‘And
me. I can’t wait to tell Jack. I’m saving it as the best wedding present of
all. You should see my dress, Mum. It’s white silk and long and floaty and
Courtney’s bridesmaid’s dress is blue and matches her eyes. The hairdressers
are here at the moment, and the lady to do our makeup and nails.’

  
Sammy smiled as she
pictured Harley, excited, cheeks flushed and waving her hand in the air to
describe things, just as she’d done as a little girl. ‘Make sure there are lots
of photos.’

  
‘Oh, we will. Dad’s having it
all filmed so you’ll be able to see it when we get copies done.’

  
Sammy grimaced as she thought
about the likelihood of press invasion, or maybe not, if they’d kept things as
secret as she and Stuart had. But a triple wedding would be impossible to keep
quiet. Especially with Roy and Livvy being front page news and splashed all
over Hello last month with young Daniel and the girls. That would be Livvy’s
doing no doubt. Showing the world they were now officially an item.
Roy
had always
hated that sort of celebrity stuff. ‘Well, you have a great day and we’ll see
you Monday. Bye, darling, love to Jack. And, Harley, I love you so much.’

  
‘
I love you, too, Mum.
’

  
Sammy ended the call. She’d give
her right arm to be at her girl’s wedding, but knew for a fact that she’d be
unable to stop herself shouting out during
Roy
and Livvy’s
vows, like Benjamin Braddock during Elaine’s marriage in the film The Graduate.
She looked up as Stuart walked into the kitchen, arms laden with tightly furled
pink and red rose buds.
     

  
‘Those are lovely,’ she said as
he placed them on the table. ‘Right, I’d better get on with things. The roses
can sit in the bathroom in buckets until tomorrow. We’ll transfer them to the
vases tomorrow night.’

  
‘Did you speak to Harley?’ he
asked, following her into the utility room where she rummaged in a cupboard for
buckets.

  
‘I did.
And
I spoke to
Roy
. And guess
what? Harley’s in remission. They got the call from the hospital this morning.
How wonderful is that? On her wedding day, too. ’
  

  
Stuart’s face broke into a wide
smile and he took the buckets from her and waltzed her round the room. ‘Bloody
marvellous,’ he said. ‘What a relief. I’m so pleased. I bet
Roy
’s relieved
too. It can’t have been easy for him this last twelve months.’