The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (131 page)

  
‘Thanks, son. Your mum made the decision for me. I’m with Livvy and once
things are sorted with Danny, I’ll move me and Harley into the cottage. Danny
can’t prove there’s anything going on between us at the moment and she’s
paranoid about losing Courtney to him, so we’re treading very carefully for
now. How
is
your mum, Jason? I mean,
really.
She’s spending a lot of time
with you two, but she hardly talks to me at home, only when she has to and
mainly about Harley.’

  
Jason shrugged. ‘She seems to have accepted things. Unless it’s the
quiet before the storm. She said her decision to let you go is best all round
for Harley. She’s been helping us get the nursery ready for Daisy. She’s really
excited. It’s keeping her mind focused.’

  
‘Daisy?’

  
‘Your expected granddaughter.’ Jason grinned and Jules dug in his
pocket, producing a scan picture and gave it to Roy.
‘There she is, in all her glory,’ Jason said. ‘Bit different from ET a few
months ago, wouldn’t you say?’

  
Roy took the picture and
stared at the perfect little being that sucked her thumb and seemed to be
staring directly at him. The picture was 3D effect, in colour, and as clear as
an actual photo. Little chubby cheeks and a button nose. ‘A girl,’ he whispered
and felt the hairs on his neck prickle and his eyes fill. He looked at Jason
and shook his head. ‘She looks like Nick, you and Harley as babies, a real
Cantello. I’m so proud of you, son, of you both. I didn’t know you could get
such clear scans. It’s wonderful.’ He was tempted to tell them that he and
Livvy were trying for a baby, but decided it could wait until he knew for
certain. He couldn’t bear to have Jason looking on him with scorn, a
fifty-nine-year-old bringing more kids into the world.

  
‘We had the scan done privately in London,’
Jason said. ‘Expensive, but worth it. Actually, Dad, I’ve been thinking, we can
get Daisy’s stem cells checked after she arrives. They may be a match for
Harley. Let’s face it, anything’s worth a try, although I suppose the further
down the generations you go the less chance there is. Maybe you and Livvy
should get down to business and try and produce a full-blood sibling. Fuck
Daniel, Harley’s wellbeing is what counts now.’

  
Roy smiled. ‘We’ll see.
Right, let’s order some grub. I’m bloody starving. I must say, son, this place
is very classy,’ he said, indicating the gleaming black marble floors and the
cream chandeliers that cast a subtle light over everything. ‘It’s – it’s –
well, it’s fucking amazing.’
     

***

Livvy gripped the edge of the
sink, drew a deep breath and closed her eyes. The pregnancy testing stick was
sitting on the window sill with the inevitable blue line. Harley was sleeping
downstairs on the sofa and Roy was
waiting in their bedroom. She could hear him pacing anxiously. Keeping up the
pretence was almost over.
 
It had been
such a strain. She felt sick to the stomach at deceiving him and thought she
might throw up at any minute. She looked in the mirror, her cheeks were flushed
and she was sure he’d see the guilt in her eyes.

  
She splashed her face with cold water and told herself this was the best
thing that could have happened, for all of them. She had to hang on to that
belief, and give the best performance of her life. It was now or never. She
grabbed a towel and patted her face dry. The baby would probably arrive early
anyway, like the girls had, and that would be perfect. Roy
would never need to know about the deception. She just hoped and prayed now
that nothing would go wrong; that she wouldn’t miscarry, and that the child
would be Harley’s perfect match. Her hand shaking, she opened the bathroom
door.
 

  
‘Roy, you can come in now.’

  
He hurried to her side. ‘Is it?’

  
Livvy picked up the white stick. ‘Take a look.’

  
‘It’s blue,’ he said. ‘Does that mean?’

  
She nodded, tears in her eyes. Roy’s
face lit up as he stared at the stick. He let out a yell and swept her into his
arms, crying with her. He carried her to the bed, lowered her down and covered
her face with kisses.

  
‘I can’t believe it,’ he cried, shaking his head. ‘I just can’t believe
that we’ve been so lucky the first time we try. But thank God we have. Right,
that’s it, you’re doing nothing for the whole nine months except be waited on
hand and foot.’

  
She leant against him, feeling the tension slip away. She smiled through
her tears. ‘I’m not an invalid, Roy.’

  
‘I don’t care. This is it now, Liv,’ he said, his excitement mounting.
‘We can start to think of a future for Harley, a positive future.’
   

  
‘You’re happy then? About being a daddy again, I mean?’

  
‘Happy,’ he said, tears still streaming down his cheeks. ‘I’m bloody
ecstatic. I love you, woman.’
 

  
Her head started to spin. The feelings of guilt were diminishing as she
saw how excited he was. She found herself smiling and crying at the same time.
Her heart no longer pounded and she felt overwhelmed with love for him. ‘I love
you too, Mr Cantello, so, so much. Let’s just pray the baby’s a good
match.’
  

  
‘I’m sure it will be,’ he said, stroking her stomach. ‘Will we tell the
girls?’

  
She shook her head. ‘Let’s leave it for a few weeks. Give them time to
adjust to everything else first. I’d rather we waited a while before we told
anyone, actually. Certainly keep it to ourselves for the next few months. We
don’t want Danny finding out. It will only give him further ammunition.’

  
‘Okay,’ Roy nodded. ‘How do
you
feel?’

  
‘Very relieved, but nervous of course. It’s such a big age gap and a
life changer for us all.’

  
Roy nodded and hugged her so
tight she could hardly breathe. ‘We’ll be fine,’ he said. ‘All you need do is
take it easy and let me look after you.’

***

Livvy straightened the guest room
duvet and plumped up the pillows. She folded a set of towels, placed them at
the foot of the bed, threw open the window and leant on the sill, taking in the
view of rolling fields and the tip of White Nancy in the distance. Sheena was
coming to stay tomorrow. She already knew about the baby, as did Tina, but
Livvy knew she could trust them not to say anything to Roy.
She still felt uneasy about deceiving him, but it was done now and Harley’s
future seemed more positive. She wandered into the little spare room, which was
now clear of paint tins and clutter, drew a deep breath and began to plan the
nursery.
 

***

Sheena drove though Ashlea
Village, window open and singing
along to Jackson Browne’s
Everywhere I Go
,
blasting from the car stereo. The lovely words reminded her of Jon and her
feelings for him. She spotted a faded wooden sign to her right, declaring that
Apple Tree House was down the lane she was just passing.

  
‘Damn!’ She braked hard and backed up slowly along the main road,
praying that no one would come hurtling up behind her. She indicated right and
turned into the narrow lane. The tall, dense hedgerows of holly and hawthorn
bushes formed a tunnel almost, and she drove slowly, keeping her eyes open for
further signs or gateways. Livvy had told her the house was tucked away and not
easy to find. With her friend’s predicament, it was maybe as well.
  

  
About a quarter of a mile further on the hedges thinned out and Sheena
spotted another sign creaking back and forth on rusty hinges in the breeze. The
sign indicated that her destination was to the left and she turned into a
rutted private lane, bumping carefully over potholes and through puddles.
Several farm buildings came into view and to the left, standing alone, was a
large, detached stone built cottage. A tall, blonde-haired man stood with his
back to her. He appeared to be talking animatedly to someone hidden from
view.
  

  
As she slowed to a stop, the man turned and smiled. Livvy’s head popped
around the doorframe and she waved enthusiastically. Sheena leapt from the car
and ran towards them. The blonde man stepped to one side and grinned in a
friendly manner. He looked familiar.

  
‘Sheena!’ Livvy shrieked, and threw her arms around her. ‘Glad you found
us okay. It’s so lovely to see you.’ Then, as if remembering, she turned and
introduced the blonde man. ‘This is Phil Jackson, my landlord, and
The Raiders
rhythm guitarist.’
          

  
Sheena smiled and held out her hand. Phil clasped it, raising it to his
lips.

  
‘How very nice to meet you, Sheena. I’ve heard a lot about you.’

  
Sheena felt her cheeks warming and hoped that Livvy hadn’t mentioned her
fling with Jon.

  
‘I’ve only told him nice things,’ Livvy said pointedly.

  
‘Thank goodness for that,’ Sheena said and grinned. ‘It’s lovely to meet
you too, Phil. I’ve seen you many times on TV, but it’s nice to see you in the
flesh, so to speak.’

  
‘And there’s plenty of that these days,’ he laughed, patting the
beginnings of a beer belly. ‘Mind you, I don’t do too badly when you look at other
chaps in their late fifties.’

  
‘You look wonderful, Phil,’ Livvy said. ‘
And
you know it. This one’s always had an eye for the ladies,’ she
told Sheena.

  
‘Not anymore,’ Phil said then lowered his voice, although there was no
one around to hear. ‘Not until the next tour, anyway! And you know what they
say.’

  
‘What happens on tour stays on tour!’ Livvy echoed with him. ‘That’s
strictly a man mantra,’ she said, laughing.

  
‘I’ll leave you girls to catch up and I’ll see you soon,’ Phil said.

  
‘Bye, Phil,’ they chorused.

  
‘Come on in,’ Livvy said and Sheena followed her into the spacious
kitchen.

  
‘Wow, Phil’s fit.’

  
‘Just a bit,’ Livvy nodded. ‘But randy as they come,
and
he’s married with six kids!’
    

  
‘No way! I’ll steer clear of him then and stick to Jon Mellor.’

  
‘You’d be as well to stay clear of him, too,’ Livvy said. ‘It’ll all
blow up in your face if you’re not careful.’

  
‘I know. I promised I’d meet him tomorrow night. Just a one off.’ Sheena
changed the subject. ‘So, how are you feeling today, Livvy? You look pale.’

  
‘A bit grim,’ Livvy replied. ‘I can’t understand why I feel sick so
early on. I didn’t feel like this with Harley and Courtney at first. It took a
few weeks for it to kick in.’
    

  
‘No two pregnancies are the same. And maybe it’s to do with you being
older this time.’

  
‘Maybe,’ Livvy agreed.
  

  
‘Where are the girls?’ Sheena glanced around the empty kitchen.

  
‘Courtney’s at school and Harley’s at the doctor’s with Roy.
They shouldn’t be too long now. Let’s get your bags out of the car and I’ll
show you to your room. Then we’ll put our feet up and have a coffee. You did
really well for time.’

  
‘I left Glasgow at seven,’
Sheena said, following Livvy outside. She handed her a small holdall. ‘I’ll get
the heavy bag. I brought extra clothes in case we go out anywhere posh. I’ll
call Jon in a minute; let him know I’ve arrived.’

***

Livvy dropped the phone onto its
cradle. Her hands were shaking and she clasped them together on her knee. She
was alone in the lounge. Sheena was out with Jon for a meal, Roy and Harley
were at Jasmine House and Courtney had just gone up to bed.
 

  
Livvy had called Jodie on her cell-phone and Daniel answered. Courtney
had spoken to Daniel only ten minutes earlier and he’d been at home. So that
could only mean one thing, Jodie was at the ranch. Daniel wouldn’t have
realised it was Livvy calling as the land-line number wouldn’t have appeared on
Jodie’s screen, maybe
number unavailable
,
or something like that. As soon as she’d realised it was Daniel saying
hello, hello
she’d hung up. But why
hadn’t Jodie taken the call herself? And why was she with Dan? And then it
dawned. She thought back to the afternoon in Flanagan and Grey’s when he’d gone
pink at the mention of Jodie’s name. Could she be his bit on the side? Well,
there was one sure way of finding out.

  
She grabbed her cell phone off the coffee table, texted “You Bitch” and
sent it to Jodie’s number. A call came within minutes.

  
‘
Livvy?
’ Jodie’s voice
wavered.
 

  
‘You know damn well it’s me!’ Livvy yelled. ‘What the hell are you doing
in my home and why did my husband answer your cell?’

  
She heard Jodie gasp and then Daniel’s voice came next. ‘Livvy, I didn’t
realise it was you calling. Jodie was expecting a call from her mother and she
was in the bathroom. I guess –,’ he paused and then continued. ‘Well, I guess
it’s time for the truth.’ There was silence for a minute. ‘Me and Jodie, we’re
in love. She’s moved in with me. We’re making a home together here for Courtney.’