The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (46 page)

  
‘I can’t stay away from her, Ed. I really love her,’ Roy
confessed.

  
‘Fucking hell! You love Sammy.’

  
‘Yes, I do. Christ, what a bloody mess.’
Roy shook his head.

  
‘What are you two looking so guilty about?’ Jane asked, walking silently
into the lounge, taking them by surprise.

  
‘Nothing, Jane. We’re discussing the new song-writing contract we’re due
to sign next week and whether or not we
should
sign it if we’re planning
on reforming
The Raiders
,’ Eddie
fibbed.

  
‘Well you can do both, surely?’ Jane said, frowning. ‘You did before the
band split up.’

  
‘Yes, but look how exhausted I was,’ Eddie replied, glad of the
diversion.

  
‘Well the answer to that is don’t do too many tours, pace yourselves.
Anyway, Ed, come on, the taxi’s waiting at the front door. Jon and Helen are
already in it. Nick and Jess have disappeared upstairs and Sammy’s on her way
to the marquee to look for you, Roy.’

  
Roy smiled and nodded. ‘Well
in that case I’d better go and find her. Wouldn’t want to disappoint her now,
would I? See you both on Monday when we bring the lads and their baggage over
for France.’

  
‘Jon wants a
7:00 AM
start,’
Jane said. ‘So make sure you crack the whip as early as possible.’

  
‘We’ll be there. Goodnight.’ Roy
patted Eddie on the shoulder, kissed Jane on the cheek and waved them off.

***

Jon and Nick shared the long drive
to Portsmouth. They’d borrowed
Eddie and Jane’s imported Cherokee Jeep, and loaded it to the gills with bags
and guitars. Jess, Helen and Jason were in high spirits, all looking forward to
their two week holiday.

  
Following Jess’s visit to Helen’s home, her mother had agreed she could
go with them. Jess had reassured her that Helen would be sharing a room with
her and that she would personally vouch for her daughter’s safety.

  
Jon had been overjoyed when Jess returned home with the good news.

  
‘Get her up the stick, Jon and I’ll never forgive you,’ she warned.
‘That woman was so trusting. I felt awful lying to her about the room sharing.’

  
‘I promise you, Jess, I won’t.’

  
Jane, overhearing their conversation, pursed her lips and started to
lecture Jess that it was very wrong to deceive Helen’s mother in that way. She
caught sight of Eddie’s raised eyebrows and blushed.

  
‘Like mother, like daughter!’ he muttered, referring to the time she and
Sammy had done exactly the same thing, lying to their parents about room
sharing in Brighton.

  
‘Okay, I’ll keep my mouth shut. Be very careful, Jon, that’s all we ask.
You don’t want to ruin Helen’s future, or yours come to that.’
 

  
‘I will, Mum, don’t worry,’ he’d replied, laughing at Jane’s crimson
face. ‘I promise not to make you a granny before you’re forty!’

***

Jon manoeuvred the Jeep off the
ferry in St Malo and, slightly less tired than Nick, drove the three hours to
La Croix Hellean where the farmhouse was situated.

  
Jess stepped from the vehicle into pitch-blackness and switched on the
flash lamp that her dad had advised her to bring.
   

  
‘Jon, you’re amazing. How on earth did you remember the way?’ she said
as he took the key from his pocket and unlocked the solid front door.

  
He smiled down at her tired face and put his arm around her shoulders.
‘Dad’s directions were pretty good, and I’m also dead smart!’

  
‘Yeah,’ she said, laughing, ‘and don’t you bloody know it.’ She switched
on the lights and looked around, sniffing the air appreciatively. The whole
place smelt pine fresh and clean.

  
The flagstone floors gleamed and the old stripped furniture showed signs
of being recently waxed. Jess ran lightly upstairs and peeped in the bedrooms
where the beds were made up, a welcome sight, ready and waiting. The elderly
caretakers had obviously been very busy the previous day.
 

  
‘Take a look in the fridge,’ Jon said as she rejoined him in the
kitchen. ‘It’s positively groaning with cheese and ham and salads and stuff.
There’s a big bowl of fruit on the table, fresh bread and six bottles of wine.’

  
‘Well we certainly won’t starve for a few days,’ Jess said. ‘Oh look,
this is for Nick.’ She picked up an envelope from the table, addressed in a
spidery hand to Nicholas. ‘It’s probably a birthday card from Madame and
Monsieur Delabres. You’d better go and wake the others, Jon or they’ll stay in
the Jeep all night. Which bedroom would you and Helen like, Mum and Dad’s or
Roy and Sammy’s?’

  
‘Roy and Sammy’s please. I won’t feel quite so guilty in their bed!’

  
‘So I’ve got to feel guilty in my parents’ bed, have I?’ she laughed as
Jon put his arms around her and stared into her eyes for a long moment. He
gently stroked her cheek.

  
‘You never feel guilty, Jess,’ he said softly. ‘But I tell you one
thing, I wish to God I was Nick tonight.’ He bent to kiss her lips, but she
moved her head as Jason staggered into the kitchen, rubbing his sleepy eyes,
and the kiss brushed her cheek.

  
‘Helen and Nick are awake. We wondered where you two were. Point me in
the direction of my bed, Jess, I can hardly stand up.’

  
Jess nodded, her head reeling from Jon’s statement. ‘Either of the two
singles, Jase,’ she said. ‘Take your pick.’

  
Nick and Helen strolled in, yawning loudly. ‘Why didn’t you wake us?’
Nick frowned at Jon who still had his arm draped around Jess’s shoulders. ‘How
long have we been here? What are you two doing, coming in on your own? Why are
you blushing, Jess?’

  
Jess sighed and extricated herself from Jon’s arm. Nick’s jealousy was
rearing its head, and with good reason, she thought. ‘I’m not blushing. I’ve a
headache starting and I feel hot. We were just debating which rooms to have.
There’s a card for you on the table over there.’ Jess distracted Nick and shot
a warning glance at Jon.

  
Nick picked up the envelope and opened it. ‘It’s a birthday card from
Madame and Monsieur Delabres,’ he said. ‘That’s kind of them. Your mum must
have told them about my birthday, Jess.’

***

‘Right, I’m off to bed, I’m so
tired I could sleep for a week.’ Jason yawned loudly. ‘G’night you lot.’ He
left the others standing in the kitchen and made his way upstairs to the front
single bedroom.

  
He switched on the bedside lamp and collapsed wearily onto the bed. He
kicked off his boots, wriggled out of his jeans and lay back against the
pillows. He was missing Jules already. Pity he couldn’t have come with them
then he wouldn’t feel such a gooseberry. But with five adults, the mountain of
luggage and guitars, there hadn’t been the room to squeeze him safely in. Jason
had never met anyone like Jules before and they’d immediately hit it off the
day they met and enrolled at college.

  
Jules wasn’t from a privileged background like he was. He’d gone to a
state school, his mum was divorced and he was an only child. But there was a
connection, yeah, that was the word, Jason thought, he was like the other half,
always knowing how he felt and what he was thinking. Nick was always saying
that Jess was his soul mate. Well, if it was okay to have a male soul mate,
then that’s exactly what Jules was to him. Jason turned on his side, pulled the
quilt up to his chin and flicked off the bedside lamp.

***

‘Come on, Helen, let’s hit the
sack.’ Giving Jess a last glance over his shoulder, Jon led Helen upstairs. He
threw open the bedroom door, scooped her up in his arms and carried her over
the threshold. She squealed with laughter as he bounced her down onto the old
brass bedstead, the springs protesting noisily.

  
‘It’s lovely in here,’ Helen said, running her hand over the white lace
bedspread. ‘Very rural France.’

  
‘Yeah, it’s really nice. Mum and Sammy worked hard, shopping at local
flea markets and antique shops to get the look.’ Jon glanced around the
attractive room. The windows were shuttered against the dark night, but in a
few hours the early morning sun would be filtering through the cracks, throwing
subdued light on the white painted walls and stripped wooden floors.

  
Jon kicked off his shoes and clothes and chucked them onto the floor. He
lay naked on the bed next to Helen. ‘You leaving your clothes on all night
then?’ he teased.

  
She smiled shyly and slipped out of her jeans and T-shirt. Jon peeled
off her underwear and gazed at her body. Although they’d had sex, he’d never
seen her naked as their love making so far had been conducted in his car in the
dark. He leant up on one elbow, tracing her face with his fingers. She was a
decent looking bird with an amazing body and alright, she wasn’t Jess, but he
knew he was lucky that she was there.
   

  
‘I’m so glad your mum agreed to let you come with us,’ he said.

  
‘So am I. Although she would lay an egg if she could see us now. I’d
have hated you being away for two weeks without me. You’d have found someone
else.’

  
‘I wouldn’t. I’m not like that.’

  
‘Well both you and Jess told me that you’ve had hundreds of
girlfriends.’

  
‘I have, but nothing serious.’

  
‘Good.’ She kissed him.

  
‘Are you too tired to make love?’ he asked.

  
‘No, are you?’

  
‘I’m never too tired. I’ll make love to you properly tonight.’ He turned
off the light; took her in his arms and kissed her ‘This is so much better than
being squashed up in my car,’ he said, trying to block out the thoughts of Jess
with Nick in the bedroom next door.

***

Jess was sitting alone on the
doorstep in the early morning sun, smoking a joint when Jon came downstairs.

  
‘All alone, Sis? Where’s Nick?’

  
‘Asleep,’ she replied. ‘There’s fresh coffee in the pot on the stove if
you want it.’

  
‘Thanks.’ He poured himself a mug and joined her. ‘Nick been raiding his
dad’s tobacco tin again?’ he said as she handed the joint over. He took a long
toke and handed it back.
 

  
‘Jon,’ she began, ‘about last night and what you said.’

  
‘Sorry, Jess, I was out of order. I shouldn’t have said it. Forget it,
please.’ He put his arm around her and pulled her close, kissing the top of her
head. ‘What’s wrong, Sis?’ he said as she shivered.

  
‘I don’t know. I had that “falling” dream again and I keep having
strange feelings that this can’t all last. I shouldn’t be so happy. Things are
going too smoothly.’

  
‘That’s an odd thing to say.’ Her serious expression told him she wasn’t
joking. She looked genuinely worried. ‘Is it because of me? I know Nick’s
jealous of our closeness. Or is something wrong between you and Nick?’

  
‘Everything’s fine, most of the time anyway. I’m just being silly. How’s
Helen?’

  
‘Sleeping, she’s knackered after that long journey.’

  
‘And you, dear brother wouldn’t be partly responsible for her tiredness,
would you?’ She handed him the remains of the joint.

  
‘Moi?’ He raised an innocent eyebrow. ‘Not me, Sis.’

  
Jason appeared in the doorway behind them. ‘Bloody hell, I’m tired!’

  
‘Didn’t you sleep well, Jason?’ Jess frowned.

  
‘Not really,’ he mumbled.

  
‘But you were shattered when you went to bed.’

  
‘Creaky bedsprings,’ he said. ‘Stereo creaky bedsprings at that!’

  
‘Oh, I’m sorry, Jase.’ Jess blushed slightly and ruffled his hair
affectionately.

  
‘Yeah, I’m sorry, too,’ Jon apologised. ‘Promise not to do it again.’

***

CHAPTER ELEVEN

‘For you.’ Sean handed the phone
to Livvy and busied himself serving a young man who was clutching the sleeve of
a
Smiths
album.

  
Livvy spoke into the receiver and then replaced it, a smile playing at
the corners of her mouth. She looked up as Sean’s customer left. ‘Did you say
something?’

  
‘Bloody hell, cloth ears! I said was that Roy Cantello on the phone?’

  
‘Yeah. He invited me to lunch so we can talk about my rehearsing while
Jon and the gang are away. He wants to take a demo tape to

  
‘I see.’ Sean nodded, unconvinced. The animation on Livvy’s face spoke
volumes, and quite obviously had more to do
with her seeing Roy than recording
songs.

  
Sean had had his suspicions for weeks now that something was going on
between the pair. There’d been numerous phone calls and meetings and she was
walking around as though the lights were on but there was no one home. Mind
you, Sean thought, she was always what Tina called,
a bit fey
, whatever that meant, but it sounded kinder than Jon’s
choice of
not a full shilling
.

  
Sean hoped his suspicions would prove to be unfounded. Roy
surely wouldn’t cheat on Sammy after all this time and not with a kid like
Livvy, no matter how heart-stoppingly beautiful she was.

  
‘Why do you keep staring at me like that, Sean?’ Livvy’s voice broke his
reverie.

  
He looked at her for a long moment and then said, ‘Is something going on
between you and Roy Cantello? Something other than the music, I mean?’

  
‘Of course not. What on earth makes you think that?’

  
‘Call it intuition.’

  
‘Well you’re wrong, very wrong.’

  
‘Okay. So why bite my head off?’

  
There was a welcome diversion as a delivery driver came up the stairs
with the days’ order of new stock. Livvy busied herself opening the box while
Sean chatted with the man and signed for the goods.

  
Sean sensed he’d get no further with his questioning and left her to it.
She filed the records on the shelves and disposed of the box in the stockroom.

  
Roy arrived and had a brief
chat with Sean while Livvy collected her jacket and handbag.

  
‘See you later,’ she called to Sean whose shrewd gaze followed the pair
downstairs.

  
The way Roy stared at Livvy
as she’d walked towards him and the look that passed between them had further
fuelled his suspicions. He’d bet his life on it that Roy
was shagging her. Oh well, he thought, it wasn’t his place to interfere. Though
God help him if he and Livvy
were
having an affair and Sammy discovered his indiscretions. She’d have his bloody
balls on a skewer and serve them up to Jane’s dog Lennon faster than you could
blink.

***

Out in the street, Roy
openly took Livvy’s hand as they walked towards Tommy Duck’s public house. ‘You
okay, Liv?’

  
‘All the better for seeing you.’ She grinned at him and he bent to plant
a kiss on her lips.

  
‘Same here,’ he said, pulling her close as they walked into the pub.

  
‘I’ve never been in here before.’ She looked around the famous old pub
and Roy grinned as she stared in
amazement at the knickers-strewn ceiling.

  
‘This place is quite famous for its knickers,’ he said. ‘Some have been
up there since the year dot. We used to come in here regularly in the sixties
to meet up with our dealer mate, Mac. In fact,’ he looked around, ‘I was hoping
to see him today. That sod Nick’s helped himself to my dope supply. I had an
empty tin this morning. Ah well, I’ll call Mac later. We can have a drink here
and then I’ll take you to a restaurant to eat if you prefer.’

  
‘No, here’s fine. I only get an hour for lunch, so we don’t have too
much time. I’ll have a sandwich and a glass of lager, nothing fancy. It’s just
so nice to be with you.’

  
‘I know.’ He held her hand as they waited to be served at the bar. He
placed their order and carried the drinks to a quiet corner at the back. ‘Sorry
I couldn’t get over on Sunday night, but with the kids going to France
the following day it was a bit difficult. Can I see you tomorrow morning?’

  
Livvy nodded. ‘I’ve got to work in the afternoon. With Jon being on
holiday we’re short of staff. But we can have all morning together.’

  
‘Shall we spend it in bed then?’ he teased, grinning as she blushed.

  
‘Roy, what are you like?
Everyone will hear you.’

  
‘So, they’ll all be envious of an old fella like me, in-between the
sheets with a pretty young lady like you.’ He stroked her cheek. ‘I don’t mean
to embarrass you. You’re so shy at times.’

  
‘I’m not. Not anymore.’

  
‘Hmm. You’re getting to be an insatiable wee Madam. I’m having
difficulty keeping up with your demands on my poor old body.’

  
‘Oh yeah, I don’t think so.’ She smiled as the barmaid brought their
order of sandwiches to the table. ‘So, what’s happening with the other new
song? Have you finished it yet?’ She took a sip of lager and picked up a
sandwich.

  
Roy bit into his and nodded,
cheeks bulging.

  
‘You look like a hamster.’

  
He swallowed and laughed. ‘I’m starving. I only had black coffee and a
couple of fags for breakfast. I was hoping we could try the song tomorrow
afternoon, but if you’re working it’s going to have to wait. Leave it with me.
I’ll speak to Ed. Maybe we’ll make it one evening instead. I could pick you up
from your flat after work and then take you back later. That way we get to
spend a bit of time together afterwards.’

  
‘Sounds good to me. Have you heard from Jon and the others?’

  
‘Yeah, Jon called Ed last night to let them know they’d arrived safely.
They’ll have a wonderful time. Just a pity Jason hasn’t got a girl. He’ll
probably be feeing a bit left out. I was hoping he’d get it together with that
Ronnie bird he met in Brighton when Jon met Helen, but
nothing came of it.’

  
‘He seems very shy.’

  
‘To a point,’ Roy said.
‘He’s comfortable around people he knows. Nick’s a chip off the old Cantello
block, a real Jack the Lad. But Jason’s nothing like him. You can’t even say he
takes after Sammy, because she’s like Nick and me, calls a spade a spade,
although Jason gets his arty ways from her. He spends a lot of time in his room
playing his keyboard or with that mate of his, Jules. Nick says Jules is gay,
but I don’t know. I can’t make him out sometimes.
He dresses a bit poncey, but then again, it’s all this New Romantics
influence.’
   

  
‘Jason’s a lovely lad, Roy. I don’t think you’ve any problems with him.’

  
‘You’re probably right. At least he doesn’t bring trouble home. Anyway,
get stuck into your sandwich. ’

  
They finished their lunch and Roy
walked Livvy back to work. Outside the store he swept her into his arms and
kissed her.

  
‘Until tomorrow,’ he whispered. He waved goodbye as she sauntered away
with a dreamy expression on her face.

***

‘I can’t believe we’ve been here
over a week.’ Jess lay back on the tartan travel rug, squinting up at the
patches of brilliant blue sky just visible between the dense green needles of
the pine trees.

  
She and Nick had decided on an afternoon alone and had driven to Le
Foret de Lanouee. They’d parked the Jeep and carried the rug and laden picnic
basket through the forest until they found a perfect spot to settle down.
Although the day was hot and sticky, Jess hoped it would be cooler under the
trees. They’d tucked into crusty bread, cheese, ham and fresh fruit and then
washed it all down with a chilled bottle of white wine.

  
‘This is pure bliss, Jess. I could stay here forever with you.’ Nick
leant over to kiss her.

  
‘I’d like to live here if
The Zoo
doesn’t take off soon,’ she said. ‘But seeing as we both flunked French we’d
have to re-learn it. Good job Jon and Helen speaks it fluently or we’d be
really stuck.’

  
‘What would we do for work if we came here?’

  
‘We could sing in bars and clubs. We’d easily make a living.’
   

  
‘I suppose we could,’ Nick said. ‘But if we decide to live abroad at
all, we should go to the States. It’s a pity in a way that Tim and Pat are coming
home. We could have stayed with them and tried to get singing jobs.’

  
‘We could go under our own steam. Work as a duo. Pat and Tim have loads
of musical contacts and people they know who might offer us accommodation. Why
don’t we do it, next year?’

 
 
‘Would
you, Jess? Would you really come with me?’

  
She nodded and sat up. The last few days had been wonderful, but there
had been times when she’d felt an undercurrent
of tension between Nick and Jon. It would probably be the best thing all round
if she and Nick went away for a while. Put some space between them all.

  
‘If that’s what you want, then yes, I’ll come with you and give it a
whirl.’

  
He knelt in front of her, eyes shining with love. He rested his hands on
her shoulders and looked deep into
her
eyes. ‘There’s one more thing, Jess, one more thing I’d like us to do.’

  
‘What?’ His face was serious now. ‘What’s on your mind?’

  
‘Will you marry me?’

  
Her jaw dropped. ‘Nick,’ she spluttered, ‘you always said marriage isn’t
necessary if we love one another. Why have you changed your mind?’

  
He smiled and held her face between his hands. ‘Because living with you
has made me realise that I want to be with you for ever. I want to make a
commitment to you, to our relationship. Don’t you
want
to marry me,
Jess?’

  
Her eyes filled with tears and she blinked them away. ‘Of course I do.
You’ve taken me completely by surprise. I didn’t think it was what
you
wanted at all.’

  
‘Well it is, more than anything in the world.’

  
‘They’ll all say we’re too young. You know that, don’t you?’

  
‘But we’re not, are we? I’m eighteen; you’re almost nineteen.
We
know we’re right for one another. I
don’t want anyone else. I’ve only ever wanted you. Since we first started
dating there’s only ever been you for me.’
   

  
Nick spoke with such conviction that Jess knew he was being serious.

  
‘And we’re so compatible,’ he finished, slipping down the shoulder
straps of her blue sundress and giving her that special look. He pushed her
down onto the rug and lay beside her, kissing her passionately.

  
‘What if someone comes?’

  
‘Well, that’s the general idea,’ he quipped, pulling up her dress to
reveal her lightly tanned legs and skimpy white knickers.

  
‘Nick! You’re so rude at times. I don’t
know why I put up with you. You know full well what I mean. What if someone comes
by?’

  
‘They won’t. There’s no one around. We’ve been here ages and not seen a
soul. Come on, Jess,’ he coaxed. ‘I want to make love to you. You never bother
when we’re doing it in Norman’s Woods
back home.’

  
‘That’s because we know no one ever goes to our favourite spot. We don’t
know these woods. The world and his mother could come charging through on
horseback at any minute!’

  
‘It’s highly unlikely,’ Nick said, grinning at her rationalising. ‘Stop
playing hard to get. You never refuse me as a rule. What’s the matter with
you?’

  
Jess smiled at his impatience. ‘Nothing.’ She kissed him, running her
hands down his front. She unzipped him, freeing his erection.
 

  
‘I need you, Jess, can’t you tell?’ He groaned at her gentle touch.

  
‘Yes, and I want you too, but I’m keeping my dress on, just in case.’

  
‘Okay,’ he agreed and quietened her protests with a kiss as she
responded to his touch in her usual wild fashion. Later, lying side-by-side,
totally satiated, Nick turned his face to hers. ‘Still want to marry me?’

  
‘You bet, more than anything.’

  
‘How about a Christmas wedding?’

  
‘What,
this
Christmas? Isn’t
that rushing things a bit?’
  

  
‘Well there’s no reason to wait. We’ve got a home, money in the bank.’

  
She stared up at the sky for a long moment. What would Jon say? But then
again, he seemed to be enjoying spending time with Helen, in spite of what he’d
said the other night. ‘Yeah, okay. Why not?’ She leant over and kissed him.

  
‘Christmas it is then,’ he said. ‘We can go somewhere wonderfully hot
for our honeymoon. Let’s go back and tell the others. We could all eat out
tonight to celebrate. I’ll buy you an engagement ring tomorrow.’