The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (55 page)

  
‘So, what are you going
to do?’ she asked, sitting up with her back against the headboard, her knees
tucked up under her chin. Her hair had tumbled down over her shoulders giving
her the appearance of a vulnerable cherub who
Roy
wanted to protect with his life.

  
‘I don’t honestly know.
Do you mind if I have a fag?’ He climbed out of bed and went in search of his
jacket. He found it in the lounge, grabbed his cigarettes and lighter and made
his way back to the bedroom, smiling at the trail of clothes that lay around
the place.

  
‘Do you always smoke
after sex, Mr Cantello?’ Livvy giggled, looking at him.

  
‘I don’t know, Miss
Grant, I never look,’ he quipped, adding. ‘The old ones are always the
best.’
    

  
‘Give
me
a ciggie,
Roy
.’ He passed her the one he’d lit
and took another for himself.

  
‘Liv, I know that this
might sound a bit like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted, but
you
are
still taking the pill, aren’t you?’
   

  
‘Of course I am,’ she
said. ‘Don’t you trust me?’

  
‘I trust you implicitly.
I was just making sure, that’s all.’ His mind had wondered back to the
confrontation with Sammy when she’d asked if Livvy was on the pill. ‘The way we
are with one another you could get pregnant anytime and that’s one complication
I really don’t need at the moment.’

  
‘We’ll be fine,
Roy
,’ she said, staring up at the
ceiling. ‘Don’t worry about it. What you
do
need to worry about is what
you’re going to do now.’

  
He sighed. ‘Christ only
knows. Would you mind if I call Ed? I know I should be able to think things
through for myself, but Ed’s my other half in one respect and I always trust
his judgment.’

  
‘Feel free. He’s a really
nice man, isn’t he? How can someone like Eddie have a lovely son like Jon and a
bitch of a daughter like Jess?’

  
Roy
raised an ironical eyebrow and
grinned. ‘You’d be surprised how that happened, believe me. Jess’s not that bad
really. Ed and Jane spoiled her rotten. Jane’s ex kidnapped her as a baby. The
guy had lost the plot, thought Jane and Jess were his wife and daughter and did
a runner with Jess while
The Raiders
were in
France
on our first European tour. They
got her back safely, but you can see how they would want to give her everything
as they thought they’d lost her. She was a beautiful baby and that’s how
we
ended up with Nick. Sam got broody
and decided it was time we had one of our own.’

  
‘Were you and Sammy
married then?’

  
‘We were living together.
We got married after that European tour. Sammy was already pregnant, but Nick
was planned.’
 

  
‘There’s hardly any age
gap between Nick and Jason. Was
he
planned?’
 

  
Roy
grinned. ‘Nope. Sam read an
article that said you couldn’t conceive while breastfeeding. When she went to
the hospital for her six week check up they told her she was pregnant again.’

  
‘God, I bet she was
horrified.’

  
‘She went absolutely
ape-shit!’
Roy
sighed. ‘I got the blame of course. Sammy had insisted it was
safe and who am I to argue? I’d been away on tour; we hadn’t seen each other
for weeks. I missed Nick’s birth by fifteen minutes and was back on the road
the following day. We were all over one another like a rash after the tour and
that’s how Jason happened.’
 

  
Livvy smiled and patted
his arm. ‘Did it bother you? I mean Jason wasn’t unwanted, was he?’
  

  
‘It didn’t bother me in
the least,’ he said. ‘I don’t think any baby is unwanted, Livvy. Someti
mes
they come along at the wrong
bloody time, but they’re never really unwanted.’ He looked into her eyes. ‘Why
are you asking these questions?
 
Are you
wondering about yourself? I’m sure your parents wanted
you
,’ he
continued as she blushed slightly. ‘But felt they were doing the best for you
at the time by having you adopted. They probably think about you every single
day, you know.’ He smiled at her reassuringly.

  
Livvy nodded. ‘I’m sure
they do. But I could never give a baby away to strangers.’

  
‘There isn’t always a
choice. After Jason’s birth Sammy was sterilised; she said enough was enough.
But she’s regretted it ever since. When Ed and Jane had Katie she’d have loved
another. Sam’s one regret in life, up to discovering she has an adulterous
husband of course, is not having a daughter. We’ve even talked about trying to
adopt a baby girl in the past, but we’ve never got around to doing anything
about it.’
Roy
had a faraway look in his eyes. He was conscious of Livvy looking
thoughtfully at him.

  
‘I shouldn’t be telling
you all this, should I?’
 

  
She touched his arm
gently. ‘Go on home to Sammy. I can tell by the way you talk about her and your
life together that you still love her. You have a whole load of memories that
you’re not ready to walk away from. I’ll always be here for you if you need
me.’

  
‘I’ll always need you,
Livvy. I love you. I’ll tell Sam we’ve finished, but I’ll see you when I can.
We’ll have to be so careful though, we can’t take anymore chances.’
   

  
She nodded and kissed
him. ‘Do you realise you’ve reached a decision without speaking to Ed? That’s a
sure sign you’re growing up at last.’

  
He smiled and went in
search of his clothes. He kissed Livvy one last time, threw his jacket over his
shoulder and promised to call her as soon as he got back from
London
.

***

Livvy stepped under the shower and soaped her body. She smoothed
her hands over her flat stomach, stroking it gently.
 
No baby was unwanted. That’s what he’d told
her. And she still wasn’t sure anyway. But at least she knew that if there was
a baby,
Roy
would at least want it. He didn’t
even have to leave Sammy; she would manage on her own. All she’d need was his
support and for him to be a father. The panicky feelings she had every time she
contemplated the possibility of being pregnant didn’t seem so bad now. She’d
give it another couple of weeks and if nothing happened, she’d have to go and
see her doctor.

***

‘How do you feel?’ Jane asked Sammy as she sat beside her on the
sofa.

  
‘In a word, Jane,
gutted,’ Sammy sighed. ‘I just can’t believe it.’

  
Nick and Jess strolled in
and Nick put his arms around his mum and hugged her.

  
‘Have you seen your Dad?’
she asked.

  
He nodded. ‘The bastard’s
with Ed!’

  
‘Nick, there’s no need
for that. He
is
your dad after all and no matter what he’s done, he’s
always thought the world of you and Jason.’

  
Nick shrugged. ‘Doesn’t
excuse him for his behaviour with Livvy though, does it?’

  
‘I can’t blame him
totally,’ Sammy sighed. ‘I’ve neglected his needs when I shouldn’t have done.
He’s been unfaithful, but he’s admitted it and I hope he’s going to put an end
to it.’

  
Nick bristled. ‘For God’s
sake, Mum, you can’t just forgive him like that. He doesn’t deserve it.’

  
‘I bet it was all
her
fault,’ Jess retorted. ‘If it hadn’t been
Roy
she might have made a play for
Dad. She obviously likes older men as well as Nick.’

  
Sammy shook her head.
‘No, Jess, I doubt very much it was Livvy’s fault.
Roy
will have done the chasing. The
poor girl wouldn’t have stood a chance. It makes me wonder if he’s not done it
before. He’s had plenty of opportunity. Me at work all day and him, well he’s
been free as a bloody bird to do his own thing for years.’

  
‘You’re wrong there,
Sam,’ Jane said. ‘When they were touring they had all that freedom to play
around. Apart from Phil Jackson, they say they didn’t, and we really have to
believe them. Otherwise it’ll eat away at us and destroy any trust we have. I’d
rather not know to be honest.’

  
‘Well I’ve no trust in
Roy
at the moment,’ Sammy said. ‘How
could I after this? I should divorce him. I’ve got ample grounds.’

  
‘Don’t make decisions
like that yet, Sammy,’ Jane advised. ‘Your head’s all over the place at the
moment. One breath you’re willing to forgive him, next, you want a divorce. You
have to talk to him without shouting and screaming at one another.’

  
Sammy nodded tearfully.
‘Shall I phone him, ask him to come home so we can talk?’
 

  
‘That’s better.’ Jane
smiled encouragingly. ‘Yes, you should.’

  
Sammy turned to Nick.
‘Listen, I know you want to be here for me, and I really appreciate that, but I
would rather be alone if, and when, your dad co
mes
home. Take Jason back to the flat
with you and Jess. Let him stay for a couple of nights.’

  
Nick began to protest,
but Jess put her hand on his arm. ‘Your mum’s right, Nick. Let’s go home; she
can call us if she needs us.’

  
‘Okay.’ Nick put his arms
around his mum. ‘I’ll call you tomorrow. Are you sure you’ll be okay?’

  
Sammy nodded. ‘Go and
pack a bag, Jason. I’ll see you on Thursday.’

  
‘Call Nick’s flat if you
need us.’ Jason hugged her and followed Nick and Jess out of the room.

  
Jane picked up the phone,
dialled her home number and Jon answered. She asked to speak to
Roy
. Jon told her he wasn’t there.
‘Well, where is he then? A walk? Oh well, it’s a pleasant enough evening. Tell
Roy
to call Sammy as soon as they come
back. She feels ready to talk. Thanks, Jon, see you later.’ She hung up and
turned to Sammy. ‘Eddie and Roy have taken Lennon for a walk to clear their
heads. Jon said he’ll get
Roy
to call when they come back.’

  
Sammy smiled wearily.
‘Okay. Shall we have a coffee?’

  
Jane stood up and
stretched. ‘I’ll make it; you stay there in case he calls.’

***

Jon replaced the receiver and turned to Eddie. ‘I hate lying to
Mum.’

  
‘So do I; but thanks,
Jon, that was quick thinking. I bet
Roy
’s still at Livvy’s. I’ll drive
over there; see if I can hurry him along.’
   

  
‘Knowing Livvy, she’ll be
really upset. Maybe he’s comforting her, or something.’

  
Eddie raised an eyebrow.
‘And knowing
Roy
, it’ll be more like something!’

  
‘No, he wouldn’t,
would
he? He’s supposed to be finishing it.’

  
‘He’s besotted with
Livvy,’ Eddie replied. ‘He’ll be finding it really difficult. Right, I’ll see
you later.’

***

Eddie pulled onto the back of the car park. He checked his watch.
Roy
had left
Hanover
’s Lodge over an hour ago, so
surely he wouldn’t be much longer. He was certainly dragging out the goodbyes.
He lit a cigarette, looking up at the apartment block and wondering idly which
window was Livvy’s. From where he was sitting he could observe
Roy
’s car without
Roy
being immediately aware that he
was being watched. Eddie wished now that he’d asked Jon which number apartment
she lived in and then he could have pressed the intercom and ordered
Roy
to get a move on.

  
A young couple strolled
arm in arm past his car going towards the entrance door. He leapt out and
caught up with them. ‘Excuse me do you by any chance know Olivia Grant?’

  
‘Yes, she lives opposite
us,’ the young man replied, staring curiously at Eddie. ‘Flat number seven.
Hey, aren’t you Eddie Mellor?’

  
‘Not me, mate,’ Eddie
replied. ‘I’m told there’s a bit of a likeness though.’ He followed them in and
up the flight of stairs. The couple paused outside the door of number five and
pointed towards the end door on the opposite side of the landing.