The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (91 page)

  
Jane placed the broken pieces of
china in the kitchen bin and yawned loudly.
 

  
‘One more glass of wine and then
I’ll bath these two and take a shower. I need an early night. We’ll be out late
tomorrow and
you
woke me up last
night when you came in drunk, stumbling all over the place.’ She glared
accusingly at Eddie.

  
‘I couldn’t get my jeans off,’
he said. ‘They were stuck on my feet.’

  
‘That’s because you didn’t take
your boots off first, you idiot!’

  
‘I realised that this morning
when I fell flat on my face as I tried to stand up. How come
you
didn’t
help me take them off?’

  
‘You fell asleep as soon as you
landed backwards on the bed. I just threw the duvet over you. I was too tired
to help you.’

  
‘See how she neglects me someti
mes
,’ Eddie said to Jess as Jon strolled back
into the kitchen, frowning. ‘What’s up, son, problems?’

  
‘Not really. Grandma has to go
into hospital for a hip replacement at the end of November. She’d like Jess and
me to visit next week, a bit earlier than planned. I’ll ask Sean for time off.
Will you be okay, Jess? I mean, you only get your ankle plaster off tomorrow
and you’ll miss your physiotherapy.’

  
‘What time are you planning on
going? My physio’s at ten on Tuesday. We could go straight after, spend some
time with your Gran then go to
Brighton
for
a couple of days like Dad suggested.’
 

 
 
‘Okay, that sounds fine,’ Jon nodded. ‘Sort
out the papers and keys for Celia’s house, Dad and we’ll attend to that while
we’re down there.’

  
‘I’ve decided to take it off the
market for the time being,’ Eddie said. ‘I’ll give you a letter of authority to
hand to the agent so that you can sign any paperwork.’

  
‘All right! Top of the Pops is
due to start. Shall we go through to the lounge?’ Jon swept Jess up into his
arms as she shrieked with laughter. ‘She wants to ogle Ja
mes
Perry, don’t you?’

  
‘Leave bathing the kids for now,
Jane. Come and see this new band. Tell me what you think of them,’ Eddie
suggested.

  
‘Can we have some more ice cream
then?’ Dominic asked hopefully.

  
Jane smiled. ‘Don’t you two want
to watch the band sing Daddy and Roy’s new song?’

  
Katie shook her head, wrinkling
her pert little nose. ‘They’re always singing Daddy’s songs on the TV. I’d
rather have more ice cream please.’

***

Eddie strolled into the lounge and joined Jon and Jess on one of the
sofas. ‘Katie’s not the least bit impressed by my fame. She prefers ice
cream.’
  

  
‘Does
Roy
know they’re on tonight?’ Jon asked.

  
‘I forgot to mention it. I’ll
ring him now. Shout me if they come on.’ He dashed back to the kitchen.
  

  
Livvy answered his call. ‘
He’s in the shower, Ed. Would you like him
to call you back later?’

  
‘No, it’s okay. Just tell him
Perry’s Dream’s
on Top of the Pops
tonight.’

  
‘
He knows. I told him earlier. I’m just cooking him something special
for supper to cheer him up a bit.’

  
‘Have you made up then?’

  
He heard her suppress a giggle.
‘
We have. Well you know
Roy
.
There’s only one way
he
knows
to make up a disagreement!’

  
‘Yes I
do
know
Roy
, only too well.’ Eddie said goodbye and hung
up as Jane raised an enquiring eyebrow. ‘Don’t ask. Come on; let’s watch Top of
the Pops before we miss it.’

  
Back in the lounge, Simon Bates
was introducing
Perry’s Dream
. Jess
gazed lustfully at the tall, blonde, good-looking Ja
mes
Perry. ‘God, he looks so sexy in that cream
suit.’

  
Jon dug her playfully in the
ribs. ‘He’s all right, I suppose. Bit of a poofter if you ask me.’

  
‘Jon, that’s enough. Comments
like that are forbidden in this house. Think how Jason would feel if he heard
you,’ Jane scolded.

  
‘Sorry, Mum, wasn’t thinking, as
usual.’

  
As the song came to an end,
Eddie turned to his family. ‘Well?’

  
‘Brilliant, Ed, as always.’ Jane
hugged him tightly. ‘You’re so clever.’

  
‘And
Roy
,’ he reminded her.

  
‘Yeah, and
Roy
. What was all that about on the phone
earlier? You looked a bit angry.’

  
‘I’m not angry, what’s the
point? Livvy answered the phone. Said they’d made up and she was cooking him
supper. He was in the shower.’

  
‘It didn’t take
him
long to get over his upset about
Sammy. Mind you, if Livvy went round offering it on a plate he’s not going to
refuse.’ Jane stood up and stretched her arms above her head. ‘Come and help me
bath the kids, Ed. I’m really tired tonight.’

  
‘He stood up and put his arms
around her. ‘Come on then,
I’ll
load
the dishwasher while you run the bath and then I’ll join you.’

***

Alone at last, Jon turned to Jess, eyes shining. ‘Two whole nights
together in a hotel, I can’t wait.’

  
‘Shhh, they’ll here you. It’ll
be wonderful. The only problem is I’m due on, on Monday, but it’s someti
mes
a day or two late. Why don’t we go to
Brighton
first, spend Tuesday and Wednesday night
there. Go and see your Grandma Thursday and Friday then come home on Saturday?’

  
‘I was hoping we could spend
some of the weekend in
Brighton
,
too,’ Jon said. ‘Anyway, it doesn’t matter just this once and let’s face it, we
should be welcoming it with open arms, rather than complaining about the
inconvenience.’

  
Jess nodded. ‘Once we know for
sure I’ll start taking the pill again, no more worrying.’

***

‘What’s on your mind, sweetheart?’ Eddie asked as Jane lay stiffly beside
him. ‘You’ve been prickly on and off all night.’

  
‘Oh it’s nothing.’ She turned to
face him. ‘I suppose I’m worrying about Sammy and what’s going to happen there.
She and Roy shouldn’t be apart, it’s ridiculous.’

  
‘I know it is, but what can we
do? Sam’s adamant she doesn’t want him back and you told me she likes Stuart a
lot. By the way, and don’t bite my head off for asking this, has she slept with
him?’

  
‘That’s
Roy
wanting to know, not you, isn’t it?’

  
‘Of course it is,’ he replied.

  
‘No, she hasn’t. But I think she
may do soon. They had a steamy-windows session in the car on Monday night.’

  
‘Did they now?’

  
‘Well, you can’t blame her, can
you?’

  
‘Not at all. But I know how
Roy
feels. I used to feel sick at the thought of
you with Mark Fisher.’

  
She smiled at him. ‘And
I
felt exactly the same when you were with Angie, and Sammy feels like that about
Livvy. It’s a horrible feeling.’

  
‘It is, but apart from worrying
about Roy and Sammy, is everything else okay? Are you concerned about me being
away when we go on tour next year?’

  
‘I haven’t even given it a
thought to be honest,’ she replied. ‘I won’t be able to tour with you like I’ve
done before.’

  
‘You will, occasionally. You can
join me for the odd night, surely?’

  
Jane sighed. ‘We’ll see; it’s
not as easy as it used to be, when we packed Jon off with your parents and took
baby Jess with us. Katie and Dom are too much for Mum and Dad for any length of
time and Jon and Jess will be working. Well I hope she’ll be back at work by
then.’

  
‘She will be, she seems fine
most of the time and going away next week with Jon will do them both good.’

  
‘Hmm, maybe,’ Jane said quietly.

  
He frowned and tilted her chin.
‘What?’

  
‘Nothing,’ she replied, looking
away.

  
He sat up and pulled her with
him. ‘Out with it, come on! Something’s been bothering you all night.’
 

  
‘I don’t know how to tell you,’
she replied, lips trembling.

  
‘Try the beginning.’

  
‘I’m probably making a mountain
out of a molehill and you’ll be really annoyed with me.’

  
‘Jane, for heaven’s sake, what
is it?’

  
‘It’s Jon and Jess.’

  
‘What about them?’

  
‘Well, don’t you think they’re a
bit too close for brother and sister?’

  
‘What do you mean?’
 

  
‘Well, they’re together all the
time, like they’re very close, if you know what I mean?’

  
He shook his head. ‘
You
think Jon fancies Jess? Jane, what
bloody planet are you on? She’s his sister.’

  
Her eyes filled with tears.
‘It’s not a joke, Ed. And Jess is
not
Jon’s sister, in case you’ve forgotten. Haven’t you noticed how lovey-dovey
they are with each other?’

  
He could see she was serious by
the set of her mouth. ‘I’m sorry, Jane, I’m not joking, and no, I haven’t
noticed anything untoward between them. But then again, I haven’t been looking
either. It’s perfectly natural for brothers and sisters to be close, isn’t it?
You
should know about closeness between
siblings, you’ve got Peter, I’m an only child. Jess was telling Jon that she
loved him only the other day. She told me it’s what brothers and sisters say.
Am I being naïve here, Jane believing that to be true?’

  
Jane shook her head. ‘No, you’re
not.
I
love our Peter, of course I do.’

  
‘Then don’t you think you might
be overreacting where Jon and Jess are concerned? He’s given her the strength
to carry on after Nick’s death. You saw the state she was in last Friday. She
still loves Nick; Jon’s a big support to her. She needs him. It would set her
back weeks if she thought for one minute that you were having doubts about her
relationship with him.’

  
Jane nodded. ‘There’s something
else. I found condom wrappers in Jess’s bin the other day.’

  
‘She’s probably been clearing
out her handbag. They’ll be from when she was with Nick, before she went on the
pill. Stop worrying about everyone else and worry about me instead. I feel
neglected!’

  
She smiled. ‘You want to make
love?’

  
‘Don’t you?’ He pulled her down
beside him and caressed her through the silk of her nightdress.
 

  
‘Oh, Ed,’ she sighed. ‘I missed
your cuddles last night, you drunken lump!’

  
‘Sorry. It was a good lads’
night out, but I can’t drink like that anymore. I’m getting too bloody old.’ He
rolled on top and kissed her. ‘I just hope I never get too old for this.’
  

***

CHAPTER
THIRTY-ONE

Eddie lit a cigarette and called
Lennon to heel.

  
‘Walkies, fella,’ he said as they entered the lane. He’d just waved Jess
and Jon off on their trip to Brighton. Since last week’s
conversation with Jane he’d secretly observed the pair, but had seen nothing
untoward. They were comfortable together, but then they’d always been that way.
He shook his head and smiled. Jane’s imagination was more than fertile at times.

  
Back indoors he slapped ham and tomato between two slices of bread and
made a pot of coffee. He checked his watch. Roy
would be arriving soon to work on songs for the proposed stage set. If all went
according to plan, the first gig of the tour would be scheduled for next March.

  
The meeting with Frank James yesterday
had gone well.
The Raiders
had been
the most successful band on Frank’s books and he’d told them he was looking
forward to working with the group again. He’d suggested they play the main
theatres and auditoriums in the UK
followed by a European tour.

  
Roy said he was keen to tour
the States, Tim and Phil fancied Oz. Frank had sprung into action immediately
and booked a new studio in an old Pickford factory. Tomorrow afternoon they
were having their first full-blown rehearsal since the mid-seventies.

  
Roy arrived, finished
Eddie’s sandwich and helped himself to a mug of coffee.
  

  
‘Would you like me to make you a sandwich of your own?’ Eddie asked.

  
‘No thanks, yours was very nice,’ Roy
quipped.

  
‘You’re a bit more cheerful today.’ Eddie offered him a cigarette.

  
Roy lit up and blew a wobbly
circle of smoke above his head. ‘Hey look, a crooked halo!’

  
‘I wonder why that would be.’
 

  
‘Who knows? Anyway, yeah, I
am
feeling happier. I made a big effort with Livvy at the weekend. She stayed
over, did all the cleaning and my laundry.’

  
‘Sounds like
she’s
the one making the effort.’

  
Roy ignored the jibe and
continued. ‘We’ve chosen names for the sprog.
She bought one of those books last week but we couldn’t agree. Anyway, we
narrowed it down to two of each and she picked Joshua for a boy and I picked
Harley for a girl.’

  
‘Nice,’ Eddie nodded. ‘Our favourite bikes.’

  
‘That’s why I chose it. She’s certain it’s a girl, but who knows?’

  
‘Jane was the same when she was carrying Jess,
and
she was right.’

  
‘Oh well, maybe Livvy’s right, too. Women have a sixth sense about these
things,’ Roy said and swigged the
last of his coffee.

  
‘Talking of sixth sense, Jane’s got a bee in her bonnet that Jess and
Jon are getting a bit too close for comfort.’

  
‘Actually, mate,’ Roy said,
‘Jane mentioned to Sammy a while ago that she thinks Jon’s got the hots for
Jess.’

  
‘You’re joking? Fuck! I’ve just waved them off on a trip to Brighton.
I’ve booked them into The Ship for a couple of nights before they visit Angie’s
mum.’

  
‘Don’t worry, Ed. Like you say, Jane’s probably got it all wrong. It
hasn’t been an easy ride for Jess recently. Jon’s being supportive from what I
can see.’

  
‘That’s what
I
said. Right,
let’s get to work. We’ve a busy few months in front of us.’

***

 
In spite of heavy traffic, Jon and Jess
arrived in Brighton just before six and checked into the
hotel. Jess held onto Jon’s arm as they followed the porter with the cases down
a plush carpeted hallway to their adjacent rooms.
  

  
‘Dad could have saved some money if he’d known we’ll be sharing the same
bed,’ she said quietly as they went into her room.

  
‘What he doesn’t know won’t hurt,’ Jon said, slipping the porter a
couple of pounds. ‘We’ll unpack first then call home. Come to my room when
you’re ready.’

  
As Jon left, Jess gazed out of the window. It was dusk and the
fairground lights from the Palace Pier were reflected on the sea. Directly
opposite was the stretch of beach she’d walked on in April, following the
argument with her dad. She swallowed the lump that rose in her throat as she
remembered sitting with Nick on the pebbles. She drew the curtains and sighed.
Then she thought of Jon, waiting next door, and smiled.
   

  
She unpacked a short black dress, hung it in the wardrobe and put the
rest of her clothes in the drawers. Jon had promised to take her for a special
meal in The Lanes tomorrow night and she planned to wear the dress over her new
lacy underwear. Her case empty, she pushed it under the bed and went to Jon’s
room.

  
‘You okay?’ he asked.

  
She nodded. ‘I felt a bit sad when I looked out the window. I remembered
sitting with Nick on the beach.’

  
‘Come here,’ he said, taking her in his arms. He kissed her and held her
close. ‘Feel better now?’ he whispered into her hair.

  
‘Much.’

  
‘I’ll call home,’ he said. ‘Let them know we’ve arrived.’

  
Jess checked her watch. ‘Mum should be home from work now.’

  
‘Have a bounce on the bed, it’s very comfy,’ he said, grinning. ‘The
bathroom’s really nice, too. Have you got a bath or a shower cubicle?’

  
‘A shower cubicle. Why, what have you got?’

  
‘Both. We could take a bath together later, if you like.’

  
Jess smiled. ‘I
would
. Ring
home then it’s done and we can relax properly.

***

Eddie popped his head around the
lounge door and smiled at Jane who was lying on the sofa. ‘They’ve arrived. The
rooms are nice and they’ve got sea views.’

  
‘Good. But I still feel anxious about them,’ she said as he strolled
into the room.

  
‘Well there’s absolutely no need. Stop worrying. Here, have another
drink.’ He topped up her glass with Chardonnay and sat down, lifting her legs
across his knee. ‘It’s nice to have the lounge to ourselves.’ Katie and Dominic
were in bed and Lennon was snoring softly on the rug in front of the fire.

  
‘Oh, that’s lovely, ‘Jane said as he massaged her feet. ‘How was your
afternoon with Roy?’

  
‘Great, we got loads done. Three new songs are ready for Friday’s
rehearsal. I’ll play them for you later.’

  
‘That’ll be nice. Are they ballads?’

  
‘Two are rockers, right up Roy’s
street. He absolutely belted them out, and the other has a waltz rhythm. How
was Sam today?’

  
‘Fine, she was out with Stuart again last night.’

  
‘Getting to be a regular thing, dates with Stuart.’

  
‘She’s seen him every night since we went out on Saturday. He seems
really smitten. She’s going to his place for a meal tonight and he’s promised
to cook for her.’
    

  
‘Bit cosy, isn’t it?’ Eddie frowned.

  
‘What do you mean cosy? Why shouldn’t he cook her a meal?’

  
‘Not so much the meal, but
her
going to
his
place. Things
might move forward.’
   

  
‘I hope they do. Sammy needs to feel loved again.’

  
‘Hmm.’ He wasn’t convinced and switched on the TV. ‘We’ll watch this
film then listen to the songs.’

  
‘Sounds good to me,’ she said, snuggling up to him.

***

Sammy stirred in her sleep and
turned over. There was an arm lying around her waist and for a moment she
wasn’t sure where she was. She opened her eyes and looked around. It definitely
wasn’t her bedroom and the arm wasn’t Roy’s.
She inclined her head to see Stuart’s gentle green eyes looking into hers.

  
‘Hello.’
    

  
‘Hi!’ he said. ‘You look kind of puzzled.’

  
She smiled and reached to stroke his cheek. ‘I thought I was dreaming for
a moment.’

  
‘I’m sure
I
am. I’ll wake up soon and find out that this is
all
just a dream.’

  
‘You won’t, because
I’m
here
and it wasn’t,’ Sammy said, thoughts returning to the previous night. They’d
eaten the Chilli Stuart had made and shared a bottle of wine, sitting side by
side on the rug in front of the fire. They’d held hands, reminisced about the
sixties, and listened to music.
 

  
Stuart made coffee accompanied by brandy and by the time Sammy stood up
to drive home, although not feeling drunk, she realised she’d had more than she
should.
   

  
Stuart had drunk as much, if not more, than she, so
he
wasn’t capable of driving either. He suggested calling her a
taxi and picked up the phone while Sammy flopped back down beside him. They
were locked in one another’s arms in seconds, kissing passionately, the phone
back on its cradle.

  
Sammy looked into his eyes, willing him to ask her to stay. When he did
he offered her his bed, telling her he’d sleep on the sofa. She kissed him and
unbuttoned his shirt, saying she was happy to share his bed. Stuart hauled her
to her feet, asked if she was sure and when she nodded, he led her
upstairs.
 

  
They tumbled onto the bed and he slowly undressed her and she him. She
felt no shyness as he looked at her and told her how beautiful she was. She
admired his physique, and his body felt good under her hands.

  
He was a skilful and passionate lover and she was amazed how easily and
often he brought her to orgasm. Being used to Roy
and his ways she never expected another man’s touch to have quite that effect.
They made love most of the night and eventually lay spent in each others arms.

  
She sat up and yawned. ‘What time is it, Stu?’

  
‘About six. Surely you don’t want to get up yet? You’ve only had an
hour’s sleep.’

  
‘Of course not, but I’ll need to leave about seven-thirty. I have to go
home and get ready for work. I haven’t even got a toothbrush or clean knickers
with me. I bet Pat will be wondering where I am. I should have called her last
night.’

  
‘She’ll have guessed you stayed over. I’ve a spare toothbrush, but I
can’t help you in the knickers department. Anyway,’ he said, pulling her back
into his arms, ‘I’d rather have you without.’
 

  
‘Men,’ she said, kissing him on the nose. ‘You’re all the same!’

  
‘Well can you blame me when you are so deliciously irresistible? Can I
make love to you again?’ He circled her nipples lightly with his fingertips,
his mouth seeking hers.

  
She sighed as he nibbled her ears and ran his hand over her stomach.
‘You don’t have to ask,’ she said. His politeness was so refreshing after Roy
expecting sex as his rights. Sammy pushed the sudden image of Roy’s
face away as Stuart’s hand slipped between her thighs. Why on earth had she
thought about him? She closed her mind and concentrated instead on the
wonderful feelings she was experiencing as Stuart’s fingers explored.

***

Pat was at the kitchen table
reading a newspaper as Sammy sloped in and sat down opposite.

  
‘No need to ask what you’ve been up to!’ Pat raised a neatly plucked
eyebrow.
 
‘So?’

  
‘So!’ Sammy replied, flicking her hair back and pouting. ‘Did you know
I’m deliciously irresistible?’

  
‘Are you now? I didn’t realise you were going to spend the night with
him.’

  
‘Neither did I. It kind of took us by surprise. But I’m glad I did. He
was wonderful and
I’m
feeling on top
of the world.’

  
Tim sauntered barefoot into the kitchen, put his hands on Sammy’s
shoulders and kissed the top of her head. ‘The wanderer returns.’

  
‘She spent the night at Stuart’s,’ Pat told him.

  
‘As in “spent the night”?’

  
Sammy nodded. ‘Same as.’

  
‘And?’ Tim said, taking a seat.

  
‘It was a wonderful night, of course.’

  
‘Good for you, girl. Play Roy
at his own game, eh?’

  
‘Oh, Tim, trust you.’ Pat glared at her tactless husband who shrugged.
‘She didn’t do it to get back at Roy.
She did it because she wanted to. Didn’t you, Sam?’

  
Sammy nodded. ‘That’s right. No strings, no hang-ups and no false
promises. You can stick love as far as I’m concerned. If last night was pure
lustful sex, then I want more. It causes no pain, no hurt, just pleasure.’ She
stood up and stretched. ‘Right, I’m off to have a soak before I get ready for
work. I’ll call Jane first and let her know I’m going to be a bit late in.’

***

‘Sorry, love, didn’t mean to put
my foot in it,’ Tim said.
 
‘I’m glad she
enjoyed herself. It kinda worries me though, this
no love
thing. I suspect Stuart’s more than a
little
in love with our Sam, and at the end of the day,
she’s
still very much in love with Roy.’