The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (99 page)

  
‘So, she’s eating better,’ Jane said.

  
‘No, I don’t mean that sort of weight. I mean - she’s putting weight on.
You know!’

  
Jane suppressed a giggle. ‘What
do
you mean, Mum?’

  
‘Jane, do I have to spell it out? I thought you of all people would have
spotted it.’ Her mother was getting agitated now and her straw hat wobbled
indignantly.

  
‘Spotted what?’ Jane teased.

  
‘I think our Jess is, well…’ Her eyes went down to her stomach and up
again. ‘You know, in a bit of trouble!’

  
‘Ah - I see. You think Jess is pregnant?’

  
‘Shhhh. Don’t let Ed hear you. It’ll give him the shock of his life.’

  
Mum, Jess
is
pregnant and Ed already knows. We’ve both known for
a while.’

  
‘Well why hasn’t anyone had the decency to tell me and your father?’

  
‘Because it’s complicated, that’s why.’
    

  
‘Is something wrong with the baby? Was it damaged during the accident?’

  
‘What? Oh, Mum, you think it’s Nick’s baby?’

  
‘Well of course I do.’

  
Jane shook her head. ‘There’s nothing wrong with the baby, or Jess, but
it’s not Nick’s. That’s where the complication comes
in. I don’t think now is the time and place to be discussing this.’

  
‘Okay, Jane. But I have a very strange feeling that I know what you’re
going to tell me.’

  
‘You do?’

  
‘I’m not daft. I’ve seen the way he looks at her. He worships her.
Always has done.’ She inclined her head towards Jon and Jess who were talking
animatedly, his hand on the small of her back. ‘So, how on earth will you cope
with this little lot?’

  
‘Same way I always cope. With Ed’s help,’ Jane replied. ‘It’s not as bad
as you think. I’ll tell you everything tomorrow, I promise.’

  
‘Okay, love.’ Mum smiled, patted her on the shoulder and signalled to
Molly, who came to stand beside her.

  
‘Problems?’ Molly whispered.
 

  
Jane stifled another giggle as she overheard her mother mutter, ‘Isn’t
there always with this lot?’

***

The wedding planner made his
presence known and invited the guests to take their places at the tables.

  
Roy waited until everyone
was seated and then clapped his hands to gain their attention. ‘Welcome. This
little speech is out of the normal order of things, but before we begin our
meal, I want to thank you all for your love and support over the trying times
of the last few months. If you’ve all got a glass of champagne, I’m going to
ask you to raise a toast to my darling wife for standing by me. To Sammy, the
most understanding woman in the world.’

  
‘To Sammy!’ Everyone in the room took up the toast as Sammy smiled at Roy
with adoring eyes.

***

Leaving their guests still
celebrating, Sammy and Roy left the hotel in a taxi and headed home.
  

  
‘Are you sure you’re okay to drive to the airport, Roy,’
Sammy asked anxiously as he dragged the suitcases onto the landing.

  
‘I’m fine. I only had a couple of glasses of champagne and the mulled
wine.’

  
‘Well you can relax on the flight to Paris
and have as much to drink as you like,’ she said.

  
He pulled her back into the bedroom and took her hand. ‘Actually, Sam, I
don’t quite know how to tell you this, but there’s been a slight change of
plan. I forgot to pay the balance of the flights and the travel agent cancelled
the booking.’

  
She stared at him. ‘Oh, Roy,
how could you forget? Why on earth didn’t you just pay for the flights in full
when you booked?’
  

  
‘I booked on impulse and didn’t have my cards or chequebook with me. I
only had enough cash for the deposit and I completely forgot about the balance.
I’m sorry, sweetheart, really I am. But they offered us an alternative to make
up for the disappointment.’ He threw a packet down on the bed.

  
She sighed and picked it up. ‘So where are we off to then, Blackpool?’
She opened the envelope, pulled out the contents and squealed. ‘Oh my God!
 
Two weeks in Mauritius.
Roy Cantello, you sneaky, lying bastard!’

  
‘That’s no way to speak to your husband when he’s just given you the
trip of your dreams.’

  
She flung her arms around him. ‘I love you, Roy.’

  
‘I know you do,’ he grinned, ‘and I can’t say I blame you!’

  
She giggled and punched him playfully on the chest. ‘What about clothes?
I’ve only packed warm things for Paris.’

  
‘All sorted. Your case is in the car boot, courtesy of Jane and Pat.
They’ve packed bikinis, sarongs and shorts. What you haven’t got you can buy
when you get there. Mauritius
here we come!’

***

‘Didn’t I always say Jon could be
the milkman’s?’ Enid said as Eddie
and Jane finished telling her and Ben their tale.
 

  
‘You did.’ Eddie smiled and helped himself to a bacon roll. ‘Well he was
the head stylist’s actually!’

  
‘You poor lad, and what a way for our Jon to find out. Bless him. The
shock must have been awful, and for Jess, too.’

  
Eddie nodded. ‘He’s taken it far better than I ever thought he would do
and I wish now we’d told him years ago.’

  
‘Well, with what’s going on between him and Jess, it’s a bloody good job
he
isn’t
your natural son!’ Enid
said.
  

  
‘Isn’t it just,’ Ben nodded, offering Eddie a cigarette. ‘So, what do they
want to do?’
      

  
‘Ed’s having the barn at the back of our place converted to a bungalow
like yours,’ Jane replied. ‘The plans are drawn up and we’re waiting to hear if
they’ve been accepted. Then we’ll get the builders in and Jess and Jon will make
it their home. They want to get married, but we’re not sure how that can be
arranged. Both birth certificates state that Ed’s their father. That in itself
will cause complications. I’m not even sure where to start making enquiries.’

  
‘The Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths, I suppose,’ Enid
suggested.
 

  
‘Probably,’ Jane agreed. ‘Anyway, we’ll see. They’ve all the time in the
world. Jess needs to relax and rest properly. Her nerves are shot to pieces and
her ankle keeps giving way with the extra weight she’s carrying.’

  
‘How are you going to explain things to Katie and Dom?’ Enid
asked.

  
‘As truthfully and simply as we can,’ Eddie replied. ‘There’ll never be
secrets again in our household. If we’d been completely honest with Jon, he and
Jess wouldn’t have had all that worry.’

  
‘True, but you might have lost him ages ago,’ Enid
said. ‘He may have wanted to trace his natural father’s family. You did the
right thing. Don’t have doubts about that. He’s a smashing lad and a credit to
you both.’

  
‘Thanks, Enid and you too, Ben, for being so understanding, I mean,’
Eddie said.

  
‘Very little shocks us these days,’ Enid
smiled. ‘That’s what comes of being surrounded
by you young Rock’n’Rollers!’

  
Jane grinned and stood up. ‘Thanks for breakfast, Mum. We’ll go and tell
Jon and Jess they can relax now. No doubt they’ll come and see you later.’

  
Strolling back up the garden, Jane grabbed Eddie by the hand.

  
‘Come here, you young Rock’n’Roller!’ She kissed him.

  
‘Are you looking forward to being a Grandma?’ he asked.

  
‘Yeah. What about you, Grandpa?’

  
He nodded. ‘It’s bloody ironic though. The Italian Stallion’s about to
become a father again. I’m going to be a grandpa and
he’s
older than me.’

  
‘Ah, but
he’ll
have the sleepless nights and bags under his eyes,
we won’t,’ Jane replied. ‘Mind you, two weeks in Mauritius
should set him up nicely for all of that.’

***

‘You enjoyed yourselves, then?’
Jane asked as she and Sammy sat in the office with the first mug of coffee of
the new-year.

  
‘It was the most wonderful, blissful time I’ve ever had,’ Sammy sighed
dreamily. ‘You’ve got to get Ed to take you there, it’s so beautiful.’

  
‘When the tour finishes and I can be sure that Jess and the baby are
okay, I think Ed and I will be ready for a holiday ourselves.’

  
Sammy stretched out her slender tanned legs and grinned. ‘I feel really
happy.’

  
‘After everything that’s happened it’s good to hear you saying that.’

  
‘I’m so excited about the baby, too,’ Sammy said. ‘I just can’t stop
talking and thinking about it. I’m really hoping it’s a girl. I’m praying that
Livvy won’t change her mind.’

  
‘Have you spoken to her since you came home?’
 

  
‘Roy has. He called her
yesterday and she’s fine. She can’t wait to get it over with. She asked him to
be at the birth.’

  
‘You’re joking! How do
you
feel about that?’ Jane frowned and
took a sip of coffee.

  
‘I’m not too keen if I’m honest. But since he was at the conception, he
might as well be at the finishing post.’

  
‘How does
Roy
feel, though? He missed Nick’s birth by minutes and passed out at Jason’s,’
Jane said. ‘He’s never actually seen a delivery.’

  
‘
He’s
not too keen, either. He’s very squeamish at the best of times
and he’ll be more of a hindrance than a help. He’s actually suggested we both
be there. Chances are he’ll be touring when she goes into labour. Unless the
group is somewhere reasonably close it’ll be impossible for him to get home in
time. Anyway, we said we’d play it by ear. Livvy told Roy
that Sean and Tina have been marvellous with her, really looking after her,
which we’re very grateful for.’

  
Jane smiled and nodded. ‘They’re a smashing couple. I hope Livvy will be
okay. I mean, giving your baby away is a very brave thing to do. I just hope it
doesn’t send her over the edge.’

  
‘I’m sure she’s thought it all through. We’ve decided to stick with the
names they’ve already chosen, but I’m going to
add Nicholas or Nicola as a second name in memory of our Nick.’

  
Jane blinked away sudden tears and put down her mug. ‘Sammy, that’s
lovely. Oh, I’ve gone all goosy.’

  
‘Don’t start, Jane, please. I had Roy
in tears when I suggested it and then
I
started bawling too. We were lying on a beautiful beach, sobbing our hearts
out. People must have wondered what on earth was going on. Can you imagine
having to explain all that to a stranger?’

  
‘Bit complicated,’ Jane agreed. ‘Was Roy
recognised while you were away?’

  
‘Funnily enough he was. By people our own age, who must have been fans
in the sixties. We had a meal one night with a lovely couple who live just
outside London. Roy
told them the band had reformed and were set to tour this year. They said
they’d catch the show when it’s in their area. Roy
took their phone number and he’s promised to call them and send them a
backstage pass.’

  
Jane rolled her eyes. ‘Well, they’re off to London
next Wednesday to record the new album. Eddie said they’d be releasing a single
from it to coincide with the start of the tour. He’s earmarked
I’m Gonna
Change the World
as his favourite.’

  
‘Roy loves that one. He was
singing it all the time we were away.’

  
‘Right, do you want to go through the diary now, see what we’ve got on
this week?’ Jane said. ‘There’s not many appointments with it being early New
Year, but I
have
got a confession to make.’

  
‘What have you done now?’ Sammy grinned, draining her coffee mug.

  
‘Stuart phoned while you were away. He’s got some new samples for you to
look at. How do you feel about seeing him again?’

  
‘Oh God!’ Sammy blushed. ‘I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since I slept
with him. I’ve only spoken to him the once to tell him Roy and I were back
together. But I know I can’t avoid him forever.’

  
‘I’m sure he’s got over that night. He’s no doubt put it down to too
much wine and the heat of the moment. It happens. Anyway, Ed saw him in the pub
just before Christmas with a young blonde hanging off his arm. So I wouldn’t
worry about him if I were you.’

  
‘Young blonde, eh? Another Livvy, maybe?’

  
‘Probably,’ Jane laughed.

  
‘Okay then,’ Sammy said. ‘Arrange an appointment, but promise me you’ll
stay with me. Dare I tell Roy?’

  
‘We’ll arrange it for when the groups in London
and Roy will be none the wiser.’

  
‘That’s a good idea,’ Sammy replied. ‘Roy
doesn’t hold Stuart a grudge or anything, but he would feel a bit insecure if
he thought I was meeting him alone for whatever reason.’