The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (77 page)

  
‘Why? Jane told me their
meeting was purely business.’

  
Roy
nodded. ‘Yeah, so she says. I was
hoping she’d spend the night with
me
.
It’s the last night she’ll have free before Pat and Tim arrive. Tomorrow she’ll
be busy getting sorted and grocery shopping. Oh well, maybe she’ll find time
for me next week’

  
‘You can live in hope,
mate.’ Eddie patted his shoulder. ‘Eat with us tonight, if you like.’

  
‘Thanks, I will,’
Roy
said. ‘It’ll help keep my mind off
things.’

***

Jon grinned when he saw
Roy
’s car on the drive and he wondered
what he’d been up to this afternoon. ‘Hi, folks.’ He walked into the warm
kitchen where his dad was slaving away over the AGA, making what smelt
suspiciously like his special Bolognese sauce.
Roy
, Jane and Jess were seated around
the table knocking back red wine. Jon took a seat next to Jess and let his knee
touch her leg. She responded with gentle pressure and smiled at him.

  
‘Hi, love,’ Jane said.
‘Would you like a glass of wine?’

  
‘Please, Mum.’

  
Jane pushed a glass and
the bottle across the table. ‘Help yourself. Had a good day?’

  
‘Fine thanks. Did Dad
tell you Sally rang for Cathy’s number?’

  
‘He did.’ Jane caught
Roy
’s raised eyebrow. ‘Did Sally say
why
she wanted to speak to Cathy?’

  
‘Yeah. Grandma wants to
see her before she goes home.’

  
‘I see. I believe you and
Jess are going out with Jason later.’

  
Jon nodded. ‘We haven’t
seen him socially for weeks now and it’ll be good to get out.’

  
‘Hmm. You’ve been cooped
up in Jess’s bedroom for so long you’ll take root,’ Jane said.

  
‘I’ll go and get changed
before we eat, save me doing it later.’ Jess struggled off the chair.

  
Jon sprang immediately to
her aid. ‘I’ll carry you.’ He scooped her up in his arms and walked out of the
kitchen.

***

Jane stared after them, biting her lower lip.

  
‘Something wrong, Jane?’
Roy
asked.

  
She shook her head. ‘I
hope Jon doesn’t give himself a hernia, carrying Jess upstairs like that.’

  
Eddie turned from the
AGA. ‘She’s light as a feather and a big lad like Jon won’t strain himself.’

  
‘You’re right, of
course.’ Jane swallowed the last of her wine and opened another bottle, pushing
unbidden thoughts away.

***

Puffing slightly, Jon made his way into Jess’s room, kicked the
door shut with his foot and sat her on the bed. ‘Good job that door was open,’
he said and knelt in front of her. Taking her face in his hands he kissed her.
She put her arms around his neck, returning his kisses with fervour. He looked
at her, eyes burning deep into hers. ‘You tell me that didn’t feel right and
I’ll never do it again.’

  
Jess smiled and stroked
his cheek. ‘It was perfect, so
very
right in fact. Oh God, but it’s not, is it?’

 
‘I’m falling in love with
you, Jess.’ Before Jon could say more a knock at the door made them jump apart.

  
Jane popped her head in
and frowned at their flushed faces. ‘Are you two okay?’

  
‘Fine, Mum thanks. I
banged my wrist on the headboard when Jon put me down and he was rubbing it
better for me. It’s made me feel sick and it’s upset Jon ’cos he thinks it was
his fault.’
   

  
Jess plucked the lie from
somewhere and Jon hoped she sounded convincing.

  
‘Oh dear, let me have a
look. Do you want a couple of your pain killers?’

  
‘No I’m okay, Mum,
really,’ Jess insisted. ‘You can help me get changed if you will, save me
struggling alone.’ She smiled at Jon. ‘Thanks for carrying me upstairs.’

  
He took the hint. ‘I’ll
take a shower.’

***

‘What do you fancy wearing?’ Jane opened the wardrobe and looked
at the vast array of clothes.
   

  
‘I’ve got new sweaters in
that bag over there,’ Jess said.

  
Jane rummaged in the bag
and pulled out a short, blue and grey striped cotton sweater with long sleeves.
‘This one’s nice? What else did you buy?’

  
‘A couple of tops,
underwear and perfume,’ Jess replied. ‘Dad bought you some Chanel No 5. It’s a
surprise, so don’t let on I told you.’

  
Jane smiled. ‘He must
have noticed I’m almost out, bless him. What are you going to wear with this
sweater?’

  
Jess frowned. ‘Well
normally blue jeans, but I can’t get them over my plaster. It’ll have to be a
skirt. The denim one maybe; or what about that pale grey leather one Nick
bought me earlier this year. I’ve hardly worn it.’

  
Jane removed the skirt
from the wardrobe, taking into account that Jess had mentioned Nick without
even flinching. She helped her into the skirt and pulled the sweater on. The
blue set off her eyes perfectly and the pale grey stripes were an exact match
for the leather skirt. Jane brushed her long hair until it shone and Jess
applied a sweep of blusher and kohl rimmed her eyes.

  
‘What about your legs?’
Jane said. ‘You’ll be cold after living in jogging bottoms for weeks.’

  
‘Well I can’t put tights
on and I’m not wearing socks for goodness sake. I’ll be okay. We’ll be in the
car and the pub most of the time and my legs are still quite brown from the
summer.’

  
‘Okay, well I’ll go down
and see if Dad needs a hand with dinner. I’ll ask Jon to carry you back
downstairs.’

  
Jane knocked on Jon’s
bedroom door. He called come in and she found him lying on the bed, an
unfathomable expression on his face. ‘Are you all right, Jon?’

  
‘I’m fine.’

  
‘Will you carry Jess
downstairs please?’

  
‘Of course.’

***

Jon breathed a sigh of relief as Mum left the room. He was so sure
she’d been suspicious of him and Jess. He told himself it must be guilt. She’d
no reason to be suspicious at all. He jumped up and went back to Jess.

  
‘That was a close shave,’
she said as he shut the door.

  
‘I know. I meant what I
said before she interrupted. I’m falling in love with you, Jess.’

  
Jess swallowed hard.
‘What the hell do we do now?’

  
He shook his head. ‘I
don’t know. How do
you
feel?’

  
‘I’m falling for you too,
Jon. Do you think it’s too soon after Nick to feel like this?’

  
He kissed her and swung
her up into his arms. ‘I don’t think time has anything to do with it. We’ll
talk later when we’re out, either before or after we’ve spent time with Jason.
I like the sweater by the way. Is it one of the new ones?’

  
She nodded. ‘It is.’

  
‘I don’t suppose you’ve
got that black lacy thing on underneath?’

  
‘No, I’m saving it for a
special occasion.’

  
‘What special occasion?’

  
‘The one where you take
me out for a meal after I’ve had my ankle plaster off and I can dress up
properly.’

  
His eyes lit up. ‘I’ll
look forward to that.’

***

Sammy lay on her bed. She was supposed to be getting ready to go
out with Stuart, but the last thing she felt like doing was dressing up and
putting on fresh makeup. Her hair needed a wash after the ravages of being with
Roy
. She smiled as she thought back to
lunchtime. He never changed, still thought he was twenty-one. Mind you, he had
the body and stamina of a much younger man.
 

  
Jason knocked on the door
and strolled in, carrying a china cup and saucer. ‘Thought you might fancy a
cup of Earl Grey, Mum; you still going out with Stuart tonight? You look fit
for nothing.’

  
She sat up and took the
cup. ‘Thank you, love; I
am
going out with Stuart, but I feel really
tired. It’s been a funny week all round. Everything that’s happened has left me
drained.’

  
‘I’m not surprised. Did
you see Dad today?’

  
‘Yes, I had lunch with
him at The Grand.’

  
‘Was he okay?’

  
‘He’s fine, Jason. He’ll
want to talk to you over the weekend. Make some time for him, will you? He’s
sorry for what happened with Jules. How is he, by the way?’

  
‘He’s a bit of a
mes
s. His eyes are going black, but
he’ll be okay. Mum, what happened with Dad and Livvy last night? Did he sort
things out?’

  
‘Yes, he’s offered her
help.’

  
‘Will he want to see the
baby? I mean, it’ll be my half-brother or sister.’

  
Sammy sighed and sipped
her tea. ‘It will. I don’t know if he’ll want contact, I hope he doesn’t, but
that will be up to him.’

  
‘I suppose we’ll have to
wait and see then,’ Jason nodded.
 

  
Sammy drained her cup and
handed it back. ‘What time are Jess and Jon coming over?’

  
‘About eight. I’m looking
forward to seeing them. It’s been weird, them not being around. I’ve felt very
lonely.’

  
‘Do you think that’s
maybe why you’ve turned to Jules?’ she asked gently.

  
Jason shrugged. ‘No, Mum,
and don’t get the wrong idea. Jules isn’t around because I’m lonely. Jules is
around because I want him to be.’

  
‘Of course he is.’ She
patted his arm affectionately. ‘I’d better get in the shower and wake myself up
a bit. If Stuart arrives early, show him into the lounge and offer him a drink.
There’s a bottle of your dad’s single malt in the drinks cupboard. I remember
Stuart being rather partial to a drop of that.’

***

Stuart’s eyes lit up as Sammy walked into the room and he gave a
low whistle. He placed his empty tumbler on the table next to the sofa and
stood up to greet her. ‘Wow! You look absolutely stunning, Sam.’ He admired her
cream silk shift and navy jacket with the padded shoulders. ‘Very Alexis Colby!
One of your own designs?’

  
‘Jacques Vert, actually,’
she said, blushing slightly, a fact that didn’t go unobserved by Jason, Jon and
Jess who exchanged knowing looks. ‘Thank you, Stuart. I’ll see you kids later.’

  
‘Have a nice meal, Mum.’
Jason kissed her cheek as she and Stuart left the room.

  
‘Enjoy yourself, Sammy,’
Jess called after her.

***

‘New car, Stu?’ Sammy asked as he helped into his silver Honda
Accord and shut the door.

  
‘Yes,’ he replied,
sliding in beside her. ‘Not as up-market as yours, but it’s new all the same.
Are you all right, Sammy? You seem a bit preoccupied.’

  
Sammy smiled as he swung
off the drive onto

  
Stuart chuckled. ‘Say no
more. I know
Roy
of old. I warned you about him years ago and what did you say at
the time?’

  
‘I want some fun!’ they
chorused, laughing together.

  
‘Well you’ve certainly
had plenty of that, haven’t you?’

  
‘I have. It’s just lately
everything’s fallen apart; Nick’s death,
Roy
’s affair and now this baby.’ She
remembered too late that Stuart didn’t know about the baby.

  
‘What baby?’ He frowned.
‘He’s never put Livvy in the club?’

  
‘Unfortunately, yes.’

  
‘Shit! How do you feel
about that?’