Foreign Affairs (79 page)

Paula glanced at Jenny, who knew exactly what she was thinking. ‘I don’t think you can ever say that about anyone,’ Paula said sadly.

‘Oh, who cares about green grass when you can have Häagen-Dazs?’ Beth was missing all the undercurrents. ‘Is there any more?’

‘Sure,’ laughed Paula, banishing her moment of sadness. ‘It’s in the fridge, help yourself. Now who’d like an Irish coffee?’

Hollers greeted this proposal. ‘I take it it’s unanimous.’ Paula took the bottle of whiskey from the drinks cabinet and headed out to the kitchen followed by Beth in search of
more ice cream.

They were sitting laughing and chatting when the doorbell chimed. They looked at each other. It was ten to twelve. Who on earth would be ringing a doorbell at that time of night? Paula went over
to the video intercom and pressed the switch.

‘Good God! It’s Brenda!’ she exclaimed. ‘Top floor, first door on the right,’ she said, pressing the buzzer to open the front door. A minute later Brenda stood at
the door.

‘What’s wrong?’ Jennifer was concerned.

‘Oh, nothing,’ Brenda said airily. ‘Shay and Ronan arrived home so I just thought I’d come over and join the fun. Seeing as you’re having an all-night party, I
brought a bottle.’ She waved a bottle of Bacardi in the air. ‘You don’t mind, do you?’ She turned to Paula with an air of bravado. Paula glanced at Jennifer, who was sitting
with her mouth open. Paula was amused at Brenda’s cheek. There were times when the other girl hardly spoke to her and yet here she was as cool as you like gatecrashing her dinner party. Paula
supposed if she was stuck at home with three young toddlers she might well be tempted to do something as outrageous.

‘Of course I don’t mind, Brenda, come in, sit down, make yourself at home,’ she said politely. ‘I’ll just go and get you a drink.’

‘Sorry about that,’ Jennifer murmured as she followed Paula into the kitchen.

‘Forget it,’ Paula said. ‘Brenda probably heard us all shrieking laughing when you were on the phone and felt a bit out of it. She doesn’t get much of a chance to do
anything these days. It just goes to show how desperate she is for her to show up at
my
place.’

‘But she drove over, she can’t start drinking if she’s got to get back home,’ Jennifer said anxiously.

‘We’ll order a taxi for her, stop panicking,’ Paula retorted, pouring Brenda a stiff Bacardi.

Brenda took the proffered drink gratefully. ‘This is just what I needed, girls,’ she declared. ‘Tell me all your news. I need to know there’s a world out there besides
nappies and teething rings and potty-training and so on. What’s new in the travel world? By the way . . .’ She turned to Jennifer and Beth. ‘Did you hear about Cora
Delahunty?’

‘No . . .’

‘What?’

‘Cora’s left her husband and she’s supposed to be having an affair with her father-in-law. The husband caught them in bed together.’

‘You’re not serious!’ Jennifer was agog.

‘Who’s Cora Delahunty?’ chorused Paula and Rachel.

‘Oh, she was this awful sly show-off I went to school with.’ Brenda snorted.

‘Remember I showed you her once. She was wearing about ten inches of make-up and a mini up to her eyebrows. She’s real tarty-looking,’ Jennifer explained.

‘There’s a girl living on the floor below me and she’s having an affair with a well-known barrister who’s about forty years older than she is. He’s an awful
sleazeball,’ shuddered Paula. ‘And one day the wife arrived and caught him there. Someone must have told her. He drives a Merc and she knew he was there. Talk about uproar!’

‘But look at Jolly Johnson going off with a divorced horse-breeder twice her age, to live in Bolivia,’ chuckled Jennifer. ‘You should have seen Kieran’s face when she
handed him her resignation.’

‘The age of miracles is not yet past,’ Paula said wickedly and the others laughed.

It was four in the morning before Brenda left, giggling, in a taxi, and the others got to bed. Paula lay in bed feeling pleasantly weary and somewhat intoxicated. It had been a fun-filled
evening. Not even Brenda’s unexpected arrival had marred it. Brenda had thoroughly enjoyed herself. And for once had not made one sarcastic comment. Rachel really came out of her shell and
Jenny and Beth were in top form. She must do something like this on a regular basis, Paula decided. It was nice to get together with the girls. Her lifestyle was so hectic that she didn’t get
the chance to do it as much as she used to.

Paula yawned and snuggled down in bed. Jenny and Rachel were in the guest room and Beth was on the couch. None of them intended getting up early in the morning. They were all looking forward to
a lie-in. She was going to do absolutely nothing tomorrow, Paula decided. She was meeting Kieran for dinner on Sunday night. Her treat. He was going to collect her on the motorbike and they were
going to go to Howth. She was looking forward to it. She loved discussing business with Kieran. They were always plotting new schemes. She was trying to get him interested in extending Holiday
Villa to the Caribbean and the Cayman Islands. Jennifer was full of enthusiasm about the Caymans. A lot of wealthy Irish people took holidays there now, weary of the European hot spots. It could be
another avenue to explore.

Paula wondered what Kieran’s proposition was. What great plan had her entrepreneurial boss got now? All would be revealed on Sunday.

Chapter Seventy-Eight

‘How would you like to be a director of the company?’ Kieran asked.

Paula looked at him in amazement. This was unexpected.

‘It’s no more than you deserve, Paula.’ Kieran poured her another cup of coffee and poured one for himself. ‘You’ve worked like a Trojan to make a go of Holiday
Villa. It’s established now and making a profit. We’re a good team. And I want you on the board of directors. I want you to have shares in the company. That way you’ll think twice
about leaving if someone headhunts you,’ he added lightly.

‘I’m not going to leave,’ Paula said. ‘You don’t have to make me a director because you think I’m going to leave.’ Her voice held a trace of irritation.
She didn’t want to be made a director because Kieran was afraid she’d take off to some other company. She wanted him to make her a director because he knew she was capable of being one.
And because he knew it was for the overall good of TransCon.

‘Haven’t you been listening to me at all? You’ve earned your place on the board,’ he insisted.

‘I know,’ Paula said calmly. ‘It’s about time you made the offer.’

Kieran laughed. ‘You’re a tough nut, you know.’

‘You’ve got to be in this world,’ she said.

‘You’re cynical for one so young,’ he remarked.

‘You make me sound like a teenager,’ she scoffed. ‘I’m twenty-six. I’ve been around. I know life is what you make it. And you have to work for what you want.
That’s not being cynical, it’s facing facts. And do you hear who’s talking? You’re only thirty-five. You talk as if you’re Methuselah.’

‘Sometimes I feel like him.’ He sighed.

‘What’s wrong?’ Paula asked. It wasn’t like Kieran to make comments like that.

‘Nothing, really.’

‘Come off it,’ Paula said quietly. ‘Is it the Scully thing?’

‘Oh, no, nothing like that.’ Kieran shook his head.

‘What, then?’ she demanded.

Kieran sighed and looked Paula straight in the eye. ‘Tina wants to get married. She’s told me it’s either marriage or it’s all off. She’s gone to the States for a
month. She wants my decision when she gets back.’

‘Oh,’ Paula murmured. She’d met Tina on several occasions. She was gorgeous-looking, tall, slim, vivacious. But a bit of a clinging vine, in Paula’s opinion. So now Tina
was putting her foot down. It had been coming for a long time but Kieran had chosen not to see it.

‘What are you going to do?’ she asked.

‘I don’t know.’

‘Do you love her?’ Paula met his gaze squarely.

Kieran gave her the strangest look. ‘I thought I did,’ he said quietly. ‘Now I don’t know.’

Paula sighed. She was an expert on love. Either you loved someone or you didn’t. There were no half measures.

‘Have you ever been in love?’ he asked suddenly.

Paula’s eyes grew sad. ‘Yes I have.’

‘You still love him.’ It was a statement rather than a question.

‘I love him. I always will. But I don’t think I’m
in
love with him any more.’ Pierre had seen to that, Paula told herself firmly.

‘How come some people fall in love and it’s a joy and lasts for ever? I’m thinking of Jennifer and Ronan, for example. And people like you and me don’t find it easy at
all.’ He scowled.

‘I don’t know, Kieran. All I can say to you is do what your heart tells you is right.’

‘I wish I could.’ Kieran sighed enigmatically. ‘I wish I could.’

She’d never thought of Kieran as being troubled in love, Paula thought that night as she pressed her blouse for work the next morning. He was usually so confident and positive. Tonight
she’d seen a very human side to him. It was endearing. She and Kieran had a lot in common. That was probably why they got on so well. She hoped things would work out for him.

The following evening, Paula collected Nicola’s presents from the apartment and drove up to Cremore. Nick’s car wasn’t outside the house. She was half relieved. Not, of course,
that it mattered any more, she told herself crossly. She was over Nick. She’d slept with Pierre and enjoyed it and hoped to see him again. It had been two months since she’d seen Nick.
He’d been away on business when she’d visited. Perhaps she wouldn’t see him tonight either. She would be just as glad.

Helen opened the door and smiled widely at the sight of Paula. She hugged her.

‘Darling, come in. Did you have a nice time in France? We had a lovely ten days in Waterford,’ she exclaimed.

‘France was a dream,’ Paula enthused. ‘Where’s Nicola?’

‘She’s outside on her swing. Come on out. We’ll have coffee on the patio. Isn’t it a beautiful evening? There’s a real hint of summer in the air.’

It was unseasonably warm. One of those warm fine weeks that sometimes happens in April. Through the kitchen window, Paula could see her goddaughter swinging happily on the swing. Her heart
lifted at the sight of her.

‘Hi Nicola,’ she called as she stepped out onto the terracotta-tiled patio that was ablaze with spring flowers. A huge flowering cherry blossom, its branches heavy with blossoms,
dominated the back garden. It was beautiful.

‘Paula! Paula!’ The little girl scrambled off her swing and ran excitedly to her, her arms outstretched.

‘Oh my little precious.’ Paula swung her up in her arms and covered her with kisses. Nicola was the most adorable little girl. She had Helen’s dark curly hair, but her eyes
were Nick’s, Paula thought with a little pang.

‘My nose was leaking,’ Nicola informed her.

‘What!’ Paula pretended amazement.

‘She had a cold,’ Helen murmured, hiding a smile.

‘An’ I had a cough. Do you want to hear it?’

‘Yes.’ Paula nodded, smiling into the little girl’s big blue eyes.

Nicola gave a bloodcurdling cough. ‘Hear the whistles?’ she asked, making herself wheeze.

‘My poor little pet,’ Paula sympathized.

‘An’ I had to take mesadin.’

‘You had to take mesadin! You poor little mutton,’ she declared, hugging the little girl tightly.

‘But I’m better now,’ Nicola said brightly. ‘Will you give me a push?’

‘Of course I will,’ Paula agreed.

Later, Nicola sat engrossed in the Lego Paula had bought. Helen had been delighted with the outfits.

‘You’re too generous, Paula.’ Helen poured the coffee. She looked well. She had a great colour in her face from walking on the beach.

‘How could you be too generous to Nicola? I just keep seeing things and I want to buy them for her,’ Paula said matter-of-factly.

‘Tell me about the Riviera.’ Helen passed her a plate of chocolate rings. ‘Did you meet Pierre again?’

Paula took one and dunked it in her coffee and enjoyed the taste of melting chocolate.

‘I did. And we spent the night together.’

‘Is this
IT
, do you think?’ Helen asked excitedly. She was dying for Paula to meet the man of her dreams and settle down.

‘It might be,’ Paula was non-committal.

‘Well this is a treat,’ she heard a much-loved voice say and her heart leapt.

‘Hi Helen.’ Nick bent down and kissed her aunt. And then Paula was looking into his smiling deep blue eyes as his arms came around her and she felt Nick’s kiss on her cheek.
Felt the hardness of his jaw momentarily against hers. Savoured the smell of his familiar aftershave and wanted to weep in despair.

What a fool she’d been to think she’d ever stopped loving or wanting Nick Russell.

Chapter Seventy-Nine

Rachel zipped along the dual carriageway. She’d been looking forward to this for weeks. It was as if she was going on holidays. Jennifer had suggested that she spend a
few days in her house over Easter while she and Ronan were on holiday, and she’d jumped at the offer with alacrity. She loved Jennifer and Ronan’s house in Drumcondra. She knew
Drumcondra well. St Pat’s was only down the road. Not that she would know anyone there, except the lecturers. It was four years since she’d left college.

Rachel sighed as she passed the big mast outside RTE. It was a terrible thing to admit but the trip to Dublin was a big event in her year. The last four years had been uneventful. She had got
her diploma and was confident and relaxed as a teacher. She enjoyed it. The days slipped by like the beads on a rosary as the rhythm of school terms ruled her life. She’d saved hard. Half-way
through her second year the longed-for moment came and she bought her precious Ford Escort.

It was a liberation. To be able to get behind the wheel and drive where she wanted to without having to wait for buses was wonderful. It had been a huge relief to consign her bike to the garden
shed for good. Cycling in and out to school on wet windy days had been a nightmare. The car had been worth denying herself spending money that first year she’d been teaching.