The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (63 page)

  
‘Come in, Jon,
you’re
early. Where’s Mum got to?’

  
‘She was getting changed
out of her wet clothes when Dad pounced on her. That’s the last you’ll see of
her tonight I shouldn’t wonder. So I
offered
to dry your hair instead.’

  
She laughed. ‘They’re
worse than teenagers. But at least they’re happy. You’ll have to brush the
tangles out of my hair first. How’s Helen?’

  
Jon picked up the
hairbrush and sighed. ‘We’ve had a falling out. She’s annoyed with me for
leaving her early again. I told her she’s being selfish. I meet her every night
just after six and don’t usually leave ’til nine. So what’s the difference
between doing that or meeting her at eight and dropping her off at eleven?’

  
‘Well there isn’t,’ Jess
said. ‘It’s the same length of time when all’s said and done.’

  
‘Exactly. Anyway, she
didn’t even say goodnight. Just got out of the car, slammed the door and
flounced off, so I drove home. I’ll call her later.’

  
‘She’s very silly.
Supposing something had happened to you on the way home? She’d find it hard to
forgive herself for not saying goodnight.’

  
He put his hands on her
shoulders and smiled at her reflection. He longed to hold her close and took a
deep breath. He couldn’t care less if he never saw Helen again. Just to spend
time with Jess, to have her needing his company, was magic. ‘I know. I think
she’s a bit too young for me. She’s lovely, but she can be very immature and it
winds me up. She’s as petulant as Katie someti
mes
.’

  
‘Talking of immature
how’s the marriage wrecker?’

  
‘She’s not that bad,
Jess. I know you never really hit it off, but she’s alright is Livvy.’

  
‘She’s a little cow. How
can you say she’s alright? First she makes a play for Nick and when she can’t
have him she goes for his dad.’

  
‘She
didn’t
make a
play for Nick. She was sitting close to him while they were listening to the
tape playing back, and it was
Roy
that made the pass at
her.’
   

  
‘But she knew he was
married. She could have said no.’

  
‘How easy is it to say no
and mean it?’ Jon raised an eyebrow. ‘I reckon
Roy
’s a very persuasive man when he
gets a notion in his head. Anyway, what’s done is done. Let’s get this hair
dried. Then I’ll make us some hot chocolate and tell you about the conversation
I had today with my Grandma, Angie’s mother.’

  
‘You spoke to her? Oh
wow, Jon. It’s a deal.’

  
He switched on the
hairdryer and smiled. At least tonight, and in spite of the mention of Nick –
so far, Jess wasn’t in tears.

***

Lying in bed with Roy
snoring softly beside her, Sammy thought back to the Monday night in August,
before she discovered his affair. She’d traced her fingertips around his face
after making love, wanting to treasure the moment for always. How could so much
have happened in so short a space of time? Why had it all gone wrong? A break
was the best thing. They could meet up, have meals out; date one another like
they used to do. They’d both changed over the years; they needed to rediscover
what they’d lost. She still loved and wanted him and she knew he still loved
her. But the trust she’d had in him was buried beneath a mountain of pain and
betrayal.

  
She sighed and turned her back to him. There was a time when that never
would have happened and they’d lain in one another’s arms all night, spent from
passionate lovemaking. She closed her eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come. She turned
on her back, stared up at the ceiling and made up her mind to go and see Livvy
on Wednesday morning before work. She wasn’t after a confrontation with the
girl, more to let her know that although she and Roy would be living apart, it
didn’t mean he was available. Livvy mustn’t get any ideas that Roy
was free for her benefit. Decision made, Sammy drifted off to sleep.
   

***

CHAPTER
NINETEEN

Roy
tossed clothes and toiletries into
a small suitcase. He’d booked a week in The Grand Hotel in Westlow and once he
found a place to rent he’d collect the rest of his stuff.

  
Sammy had left for the
factory just before eight. She’d told him she planned to leave work early to
get the spare rooms ready for Pat, Tim and their daughters, who were due to
arrive on Saturday. The original plan that they stay with Eddie and Jane had
changed now that Jess was back home.

It wouldn’t be much of a homecoming for his in-laws,
Roy
thought, not with he and Sammy’s
problems, but their presence would create a welcome diversion.

  
He dropped his suitcase
by the front door, picked up the post and glanced through it. A Visa bill for
Sammy, a guitar catalogue for him and a bank statement for their joint account.
He put the mail on the kitchen table. Jason appeared behind him, immaculate as
always.

  
‘So, you’re moving out?’

  
Roy
nodded. ‘Just for a while to give
Mum and me space. Would you like a lift into college?’

  
‘No thanks. I’ll get the
bus to Jules’s place and we’ll take the train into
Manchester
.’

  
‘Okay, whatever.’

  
Jason hitched his college
bag onto his shoulder. ‘Bye then, Dad. No doubt I’ll see you around.’

  
‘No doubt you will, son,’
Roy
replied, blinking back tears. The
last thing he needed was to break down in front of Jason. The lad had little
respect for him these days as it was.

***

‘Katie, Dom, come on down for breakfast,’ Jon called up the
stairs.

  
‘Where’s Mummy and
Daddy?’ Katie demanded, plonking herself down at the table as Dominic slid onto
the chair opposite.

  
‘Having a lie in,’ Jon
said and handed them each a glass of orange juice.

  
‘Shall I go and wake
them?’ Katie said.

  
‘No, leave them in peace.
What do you want for breakfast, cereal, toast or both?’

  
‘
Cocoa
Pops please,’ Dominic replied.

  
‘Rice Krispies for me,’
Katie nodded.

  
Jon served up their
cereal and made Jess toast and coffee while they tucked in.

  
‘I’ll drive you into
school today. Let Mum and Dad have a rest,’ he told them. ‘Mum’s not working
until lunchtime. Finish your breakfast while I take Jess’s up to her.’

  
‘I’ll need my bobbles
putting in my hair,’ Katie said. ‘I can’t do it by myself. Daddy usually does
it for me.’

  
‘I’ll do your hair,’ Jon
called over his shoulder.
    

  
Katie finished her
breakfast and went to clean her teeth. She came downstairs with the hairbrush
and bobbles. Jon carefully brushed her long hair and divided it into two
sections as he’d seen Dad do. ‘I can’t do plaits, Katie, you’ll have to have
pigs-tails or whatever they’re called.’ He wound the coloured elastic bands
three ti
mes
around the divided sections and
stood back to admire his handiwork. Not bad for a first time, he thought. The
two bright pink plastic balls of each bobble were sat in the right place and
there were no loose strands of hair hanging down. Ready to leave, the threesome
knocked on their parents’ bedroom door.

  
‘Thanks, Jon. We haven’t
had a lie-in for ages,’ Eddie said as he and Jane hugged Katie and Dom.’

  
‘You’re welcome, Dad.
Will you be free tonight? I need to talk with you, it’s important.’

  
‘Yes, son, of course.
What’s wrong; have you got a problem?’

  
‘Not really, but we
do
need to talk. Jess’s got her
breakfast by the way, so have fun.’ He shepherded his siblings out of the room
and closed the door.

***

Jane smiled. ‘Jon’s such a sweetheart.’

  
‘Yeah, he is, and he
certainly didn’t inherit
that
from his mother,’ Eddie replied.

  
‘Maybe Richard was a nice
guy, who knows,’ Jane mused.

  
‘Or maybe it’s that a
little of you has rubbed off on him,’ he teased, tickling her ribs.

  
‘Stop it, Ed.’ She
squirmed away. ‘You know how much I hate being tickled.’

  
‘I’ll stop on one
condition,’ he bargained.

  
‘What’s that?’ She leant
up on one elbow and smiled.

  
‘That you make mad,
passionate love to me again,’ he said.

  
‘What about, Jess?’
    

  
‘She’ll be fine. She’s
got her breakfast. She’s hardly likely to walk in on us, is she?’

  
‘Go and check she’s okay
first then I can relax.’

  
Eddie leapt out of bed
and pulled on his towelling robe. He popped his head around Jess’s bedroom
door. ‘Alright, love?’

  
‘Fine thanks, Dad,’ she
said. ‘How come you’re not up yet?’

  
‘Jon’s taken the kids to
school. Mum’s not in work until lunchtime. We thought we’d have a lie in. Will
you be okay for a while?’

  
‘Yeah. Jon helped me to
the loo and brought me breakfast, so I’m fine. Go on, back to Mum, and hey,
Dad,’ she winked at him, ‘have fun!’

  
He grinned and went back
to Jane. ‘She’s alright; I told you she would be. She seems to be getting a
bit, I don’t know, I suppose the word’s calmer.’

  
‘Yeah, she does,’ Jane
nodded. ‘Jon’s been a tower of strength. I don’t think she’d have got through
the last few weeks without him.’

  
‘He’s always had time for
her. He adored her from the moment he first set eyes on her and
she’s
looked up to
him
all her life,’ Eddie replied.

  
‘So do Katie and Dom,
he’s a smashing big brother. I know you had a miserable time when he was a
baby, Ed, but he’s been worth all of that.’

  
He nodded. ‘I just wish
to God he was my own flesh and blood. I don’t mean that my feelings towards him
would be any different. It’s just to protect him.’

  
‘I know you’re worrying
about him getting in touch with Angie’s family,’ Jane said. ‘Maybe that’s what
he wants to talk about tonight. He’s probably arranged a visit and he’s
bothered about telling you.’

  
Eddie nodded. ‘We’ve gone
all these years without the boat being rocked. I suppose we’ve been lucky. It’s
been a crap year so far, what with Pat’s cancer, the accident, Nick’s death and
Roy
’s affair. I hope nothing else goes
wrong, especially when you consider the implications of Jon meeting up with
Angie’s family.’

  
‘Let’s put everything out
of our minds for at least an hour,’ Jane said, snuggling up to him.

***

Sammy parked her Porsche around the corner from Livvy’s apartment
and put on her shades. She sank low into the driving seat so she could observe
the car park entrance without being seen. Fifteen minutes later her patience
was rewarded when she saw Livvy pull out and turn in the opposite direction.
Good, if she arrived around the same time tomorrow morning, she would be sure
to catch the girl before she left for work. Satisfied, Sammy started up the
engine and drove across town to the factory.

  
When Jane came in later
that day she planned to go home. She hoped
Roy
would be gone by then. She
couldn’t face seeing him with that hangdog expression. If she really looked
into his eyes she’d be lost. But that would mean giving in and he didn’t
deserve it. She’d continue to support him through his grief as much as she
could, but his affair with Livvy was something else. She felt so betrayed for
one thing. If only he’d listened to her and not gone to Livvy’s flat that night,
it would have made all the difference in the world.

***

Jon arrived in the staff car park at the same time as Livvy. He
clambered out of his car and greeted her with a hug. ‘You okay, Liv? You look a
bit pale.’
 

  
‘I’m alright, Jon,’ she
said, smiling at him.

  
Sean nodded as they ran
up the stairs. ‘Get that kettle on, Liv and
you
, Jon, phone Helen. She
called a couple of minutes ago sounding really miffed.’

  
‘Oh fuck, I meant to call
her last night. I was talking to Jess for ages and I forgot.’ He picked up the
phone and dialled Helen’s number.

  
‘Helen, it’s me.’

  
‘
Oh, hi.’
Her tone was clipped
‘Why didn’t you call me?’

  
‘I was going to, but Jess
needed me.’

  
‘
You’re always with Jess. I need you too, Jon. What are we doing tonight
?’

  
‘I can’t see you tonight.
I need to talk to my dad about something important.’

  
‘
That sounds like an excuse to me.’

  
‘It’s not an excuse at
all,’ Jon said. He raised an eyebrow at Sean and shook his head.

  
‘
Well I’m fed up of hanging around waiting for you to spend time with me
instead of Jess.
’

  
‘If that’s the way you
feel, Helen, then we might as well call it a day. Jess needs me. I’ll spend as
much time with her as I can. Why can’t you be a bit more thoughtful and think
about what my sister has been through, instead of thinking about yourself all
the time?’

  
‘
I’ve been very tolerant these last few weeks. You’re
my
boyfriend, but you’re not acting
like one anymore. You’re so wrapped up in your sister anyone would think you
fancied her.’

  
Jon sucked in his breath.
‘Right, that’s enough. I’ve had a lot on my plate lately. I don’t need this. I
expected more support from you, not all this nagging. We should cool it until
you grow up a bit.’

  
Obviously stung by this
remark, Helen’s reply was furious and Jon held the phone away from his ear as
she shrieked, ‘
I’m grown up enough when
you want to sleep with me. Well fine, if that’s how you feel, then there’s
nothing more to say, goodbye.’
She slammed down the phone leaving Jon
sighing.

  
‘Bloody women!’ He
replaced the receiver and shrugged his shoulders.

  
‘Trouble?’ Sean asked.

  
‘Why do women think they
own you once you sleep with them? Helen was fun to be with at first, before she
started getting clingy and serious. Now she’s telling me I spend too much time
with Jess. She’s just accused me of
fancying
my own sister. Anyway, she
can stew for a while. I’ll be glad of the break. I haven’t been home from work
for dinner for ages.’

  
Livvy appeared behind
them with a tray and handed them both a coffee.

  
‘That’s a bit of a sexist
remark,’ she said.

  
‘What is?’

  
‘About women thinking
they own a man once they’ve slept with him. More often than not it’s the other
way round.’

  
‘Sorry, Livvy, I’m not
pointing fingers.’

  
‘I know. But the remark
is out of character for you. Isn’t it, Sean?’

  
Sean nodded and ruffled
her hair. ‘What about you, young Liv, have you decided what you’re doing about
this baby?’

  
‘I’m having it,’ she
replied.

  
Jon saw the challenge in
Livvy’s eyes as Sean replied. ‘Are you sure?’

  
‘Dead sure!’

  
Sean tapped his fingers
on the side of his mug and gave a low whistle. ‘You do realise you’ll be
starting world war three when Sammy finds out?’

  
Livvy nodded. ‘Yes. But
this is
my
baby. It doesn’t matter who fathered it,
I’m
the one
carrying it. No one has a right to force me into any decision I don’t want to
take.’

  
Sean held up his hand.
‘Okay, being a good Catholic, I agree with you and you’ll have my support. But
Sammy’s been my friend for many years and she’s gone through hell recently, so
don’t expect an easy ride. Being pregnant and single’s one thing, but to be
pregnant by Roy Cantello will attract all sorts of unwanted attention. I hope
you’ll be able to cope with it. When are you going to tell him?’