The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (88 page)

  
Their wedding portrait was in
pride of place, with Sammy looking stunning in her cream silk wedding dress.
Pictures of them both as proud new parents, holding their tiny babies.

  
Roy
’s eyes filled with sudden tears as he
thought of his wife and his precious boys. What a fool he was to lose
everything. He shook his head and muttered, ‘Snap out of it, Cantello. You’ve
got a lovely new bird and a baby on the way.
The Raiders
might make it big again. Count your bloody blessings.’
He stood up and stretched. Might as well have a kip in readiness for the
drinking session tonight’s meeting would probably turn into.

***

‘Penny for them!’ Sammy sat herself on the desk in front of Jane who was
staring into space.

  
‘What? Oh sorry, Sam, they’re
not worth a penny.’

  
‘You’ve been miles away all day.
What’s bothering you?’

  
Jane shook her head. ‘Nothing,
well - not really. It’s that overactive imagination at work again.’

  
Sammy frowned. ‘Jon and Jess?’

  
‘Yeah, but I’m probably worrying
over nothing as usual.’

  
‘What’s happened to add fuel to
the fires of your imagination
this
time?’

  
Jane took a deep breath. ‘I
always empty the waste-paper bins in the bedrooms before the cleaner co
mes
in.’

  
‘And?’ Sammy prompted.

  
‘Jess’s bin had two empty condom
wrappers in it. They weren’t even hidden, just sitting on top for me to see.’

  
‘Did you say anything to her?’

  
‘No. It would have looked as
though I was prying.’
 

  
‘Are you absolutely sure Jess
isn’t seeing someone?’

  
‘Who and when? She never goes
out anywhere without Jon. As far as
I
know she doesn’t have anyone round during the day, and anyway, Ed’s at home
with her most of the time. She was alone with Jon for hours on Saturday night
while we were at yours. There was an empty wine bottle in the kitchen. Ed had
left a joint rolled for when we got home, but it had gone. Ed laughed it off.
Called them a pair of rum buggers, but I was thinking they’d be all chilled and
relaxed and well, you know.’
 

  
‘I do. It was one thing when you
thought they’d been kissing, but now you’ve reason to think they’re sleeping
together. You need to discuss this with Ed, and pronto.’

  
‘How can I tell him? He’ll go
crazy.’

  
‘Well then,
you’ll
have to say something. You can’t let it go on, Jane.’

  
Jane put her head in her hands
and muttered, ‘What if I’m wrong?’

  
‘Well,
someone’s
using
condoms and unless they’ve been blown up to amuse Katie and Dom, I can think of
only one other use.’

  
‘You’re right, of course,’ Jane
replied. ‘Any idea how I should broach the subject?’

  
‘God, I don’t know, Jane. I
really don’t.’

  
‘Oh well,’ Jane shrugged. ‘I
guess I’ll just play it by ear for now. Oh, by the way, have Pat and Tim been
to view The Old Vicarage yet?’

  
‘They were going this afternoon.
I’ll call and see if they’re back. Do you fancy coming over tonight and having
a drink with us? Tim and Ed will be at the band meeting.’

  
‘Yeah, that will be nice. It
means leaving Jess and Jon alone though.’

  
‘Well it’s up to you,’ Sammy
said. ‘I’ll give Jason and Jules the money for a taxi; they can go and join
them. That’ll keep them
all
out of
mischief.’

  
‘Good idea,’ Jane laughed. ‘Ed
said
Roy
’s going to the meeting tonight. Have you
spoken with him yet?’

  
‘No,’ Sammy replied. ‘I’ve
nothing to say. The solicitor can do all my talking for me. That’s what I’m
paying him for.
Roy
’s mum called last night. She told me they met Livvy on Sunday and
weren’t very impressed. Irene thinks she’s tarty and out to trap
Roy
for his money. She told me I should fight
for my rights and get him back. I told her I didn’t want him back. She made him
out to be a right little angel and Livvy the seducer. Can you believe it? She’s
never really known her son, has she?’

  
Jane smiled. ‘Not really. But
then, do I know
my
kids?’

  
Sammy shook her head and picked
up the phone. ‘Let’s have a change of subject. Take that design I’ve just
finished through to the pattern cutters and I’ll call Pat.’

***

Pat ran across the kitchen and grabbed the phone. ‘Hello. -
 
Hi, Sam, I was about to call you. We’ve just
walked in from the viewing. – We loved it. It’s brilliant, needs a bit of an
overhaul, but otherwise it’s fantastic. -
 
Yeah, six bedrooms, so Tim can have his all important music room.
Similar layout to yours downstairs and the gardens are fabulous, absolutely
huge in fact, and there’s the paddock so the kids can have ponies. Tim’s really
keen to put a cash offer in today. With the money we made on the ranch we could
buy the place twice over, but of course we need new cars, and furniture, too.’

  
‘
Well make them a much lower offer than they’re asking and then you can
go up a bit if they refuse. The market’s slow at the moment and a cash offer on
a house that price is unusual, so they should bite your hands off!’

  
‘We will,’ Pat said. ‘I feel
happy and positive about the future now. The house feels so right, I can
picture us living there already.’

  
‘Go for it then. Call the agent now, put in the offer and good luck
.’

  
‘Will do, I’ll see you later.’

***

Sammy smiled as she hung up. Pat’s excitement had rubbed off on her.
Having her stepsister around had definitely taken the edge off
Roy
’s departure, and Sammy was also enjoying the
attention she was receiving from Stuart. The two of them had been out for a
meal on Monday night and on the way back Stuart had parked the car on a quiet
country lane and taken her into his arms.

  
‘We never got the chance to do
this as teenagers,’ he’d told her, kissing her. She’d responded to his kisses
and caresses with more enthusiasm than she ever imagined she could do. They’d
talked about the planned trip to
London
and although Sammy was slightly
apprehensive, deep down she was also excited. She knew that if Stuart got his
way, they’d end up spending the night together, even though he’d told her he’d
booked two rooms. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to spend the night with him;
she was worried about disappointing him.
Roy
going off with Livvy had dented her
confidence and she was convinced that her performance in bed was to blame. Why
else would he have had an affair? Every other aspect of their married life had
been good and she’d always assumed she was everything
Roy
wanted in a woman. But she’d obviously been
mistaken.

  
‘Did she like the house?’ Jane’s
voice broke through Sammy’s thoughts as she strolled back into the office.

  
‘Yes, they both loved it. Tim
wants to put an offer in today. It’ll be handy to have her close by, especially
when Tim’s away with the lads.’

  
‘When are you seeing Stuart
again?’

  
‘Friday, I think. He suggested
we all go out for dinner. Is that okay with you, Jane?’

  
‘Yeah, great,’ Jane replied. ‘
Roy
’s going to feel so left out of everything,
isn’t he?’

  
‘Well it’s tough. He’s made his
bed. I wonder how he went on moving into his flat yesterday. I promised to sort
him out some linen and towels. I forgot, what with that performance on Saturday
morning. He won’t have a clue what to buy. He thinks you just open a cupboard
and everything’s magically there.’

  
‘See, you’re still worrying
about him. You still care.’

  
Sammy rolled her eyes. ‘Of
course I care. I told you, I love the stupid fool to bits, but I
can’t
forgive him. Last Saturday morning
just finished it for me. You can’t blame me, Jane, I was willing to give him
that one last chance and I was so sure it was what
he
wanted, too. But
no,
Roy
had to have his bloody cake. Like I said,
once that baby arrives he’ll be besotted whether he wanted it or not and
I
won’t
stand a chance.’ She took a sip of coffee and grimaced. ‘Ugh, it’s gone cold;
I’ll make us a fresh one. Anyway, I have to admit that I’m rather enjoying
Stuart’s attentions.’

  
‘Are you now?’ Jane raised an
amused eyebrow.

  
‘We were like teenagers on heat
the other night,’ Sammy grinned. ‘Stuart parked up. I haven’t snogged like that
for years. He’s got wandering hands like
Roy
, too.’

  
Jane laughed. ‘You sound like
the girls from the factory floor. Next thing you’ll be coming in with Pan-stick
on your love bites.’

  
‘Well, I reckon I’m due some fun
after the last couple of crappy months, don’t you?’

  
‘You are, Sam,’ Jane agreed. ‘If
anyone deserves it, you do. Stuart’s lovely and he thinks the world of you.’

***

Eddie and Tim were first in the
Royal Oak
. They were shortly joined by Phil and Carl
and there was much hand shaking and backslapping.

  
‘I think Phil shares your
aversion to barbers, Tim,’ Eddie laughed as he admired Phil’s lengthy blonde
locks. ‘Mind you, he always had the longest hair of us all in the sixties.’

  
‘He did,’ Carl said, laughing.
‘I hated him for it. My awful ginger thatch was an embarrassment compared to
his flowing mane.’

  
Tim went to the bar and they’d
downed their first pints when
Roy
strolled in.
      

  
‘Same again, lads?’ he called.

  
‘Please,
Roy
. Lager all round,’ Eddie replied.

  
Roy
strode across to the alcove and placed a
laden tray on the table. He shook hands with Phil and Carl and sat down,
beaming from ear to ear.

  
‘What’s up with you?’ Eddie
asked.
 

  
‘I just feel happy, that’s all.’
Roy
took a drink of his lager and offered his
cigarettes round.

  
‘Have you just come from Livvy’s
place?’ Tim asked, narrowing his eyes.

  
‘Might have,’
Roy
said and held out his lighter.

  
‘The poor kid’s been at work all
day and you go jumping her bones as soon as she gets home,’ Eddie laughed.

  
Phil looked from one to the
other, puzzled. ‘Would somebody mind telling me what’s going on? Who the hell’s
Livvy?’

  
‘Yeah,’ nodded Carl. ‘Who’s
Livvy?’

  
‘
Roy
’s new bird,’ Tim informed them. ‘You’d
better tell them what’s happened in the last few weeks,
Roy
.’

  
‘I will. But first of all, a
toast.’ He lifted his glass. ‘Here’s to the return of
The Raiders.’

  
‘Here, here,’ said Tim.

  
‘And all who sail in her!’ Eddie
grinned.

  
‘Right, come on,
Roy
, tell us what you’ve been up to before we
get down to any serious band talk,’ Phil insisted.

  
‘Well, briefly, I had an affair
and me and Sam have split up,’
Roy
began. ‘We’re getting divorced. I’ve moved
into a flat for now until I buy a house for Livvy, me and the sprog.’

  
Phil spluttered into his lager
and Carl almost dropped his pint. They stared at
Roy
.
    

  
‘Fucking hell! I thought you and
Sam were for life?’ Phil exclaimed. ‘You
neve
r
played away from home. What went wrong?’