Three Minutes to Happiness (12 page)

“Yeah, I like the sound of that.” She unsnapped her seatbelt, and opened the door. “I’ll get ice cream on the way home.”

*****

A family came in for photographs that morning. Val tried to close off her emotions as the mother smoothed over her oldest daughter’s hair, positioned her younger daughter in front of her, and smiled indulgently at the toddler in her husband’s arms.

Once upon a time, she’d thought she would have a family like theirs. Had imagined loving someone forever, and having children with them. Michael’s betrayal had sent her down a different path. Forged her a different future. Her mother kept telling her that she was young, that she’d have another bite at the cherry.

Truth was, Val didn’t want it. Didn’t want to love someone so much they had the power to devastate her. Couldn’t let herself be that needy, that vulnerable, ever again.

“Okay, one more time,” she said to the family before her. And as they smiled, pressed the shutter, recording their happiness for posterity.

The afternoon was free from clients, so she settled down and prepared the photographic submission for Logan & O’Donoghue, addressed it to Anna, and sent it by courier. There was nothing more she could do now, except hope her work was good enough to win the contract.

Her cell phone rang. She glanced at the display—
Mother
.

“Hey, Mum.”

“Hello, Darling!” Her mother’s warm tones made Val feel homesick even though she wasn’t the one who had left the country. “How are you? Long time no hear!”

“Good.” There wasn’t any point in worrying her mother about the loss of her job at the bookstore, Belle Jones floated in an alternate rom-com universe where money worries didn’t exist, and love was always happy ever after. “What’s new with you? Still in Gran Canaria?”

“Actually, no.” There was an awkward silence for a moment. “I’m in Tenerife. Raoul and I are here for a few days, visiting his parents.”

Oh no.

“That’s why I’m calling, actually, Darling. Raoul and I…well, he proposed, and I’ve accepted.”

How old is Raoul anyway?
Val’s eyebrows pulled together in a frown as she wracked her memory. “Don’t you think that’s a bit quick?”

“We’ve been dating for six months.” As anticipated, her mother sounded defensive. “I know he’s younger than me, but he loves me. This time it’s the real deal, Val. I want you to meet him.”

The last thing Val wanted was to meet yet another man who would break her mother’s heart. “I’m very busy at work at the moment…”

“I knew you’d say that,” Belle said. “But he’s going to be your stepfather, and you should meet. He’s dying to meet you. We’ll be back in Gran Canaria next week, I’d like you to fly out and stay.”

“Mum, maybe you should think about this. Give it a little more time.”

“No.” Belle sounded definite. “I know you’re not romantic, Val, despite the fact that I named you Valentine. But I am. They say love makes the world go around, and it certainly makes mine rotate. It’s understandable that you’re wary, you’ve never met Raoul. I appreciate your concern, but it’s my life, baby. And I have to live it.”

There was no talking to her mother in this mood, but the fight wasn’t over, not by a long shot. Face to face was the only way to go. “Okay, Mum. I’m pretty busy at the moment, but I’ll look at the diary and see if I can fly out for a weekend soon.”

*****

“So just how old is he?” Maggie said later that night. The double cheese pizza had been dispatched in pretty short order, and they were both armed with individual pints of ice cream with caramel chunks. If you were going to pig-out, you might as well go the whole hog.

“I think he’s thirty.” Val had been thinking about Raoul’s age all afternoon. She remembered that he was a few years older than her, and at least a decade younger than Mum. “Old enough to shave, anyway.”

“So, your mum is what, forty-eight?”

“Forty-seven.” She poured herself another glass of wine. Everything was better with wine.

“So. Hang on, I’ll work it out.” Maggie put her tub down on the sofa next to her, and held up her fingers. “Half her age makes twenty-three and a half, plus seven…”

“What are you on about?” Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was just Maggie, but Val had no clue why her friend had resorted to mathematics.

“Cougar age. It’s okay if they are half your age plus seven years. So your mum can legitimately date someone who’s thirty and a half.” She picked up her ice cream again, and chased a lump of caramel around with a spoon. “It’s legal.”

“Legal.”

“Yep. In the cougar dating manual, anyway.” She licked the last trace of ice cream from the spoon. “Maybe you should give young Raoul a chance.”

“Well, I would, and I’m all for love, but—”

“You’re not all for love,” Maggie interrupted. “You’re scared stiff of it.” She put her hand over her mouth, and stared at Val, wide-eyed. “Oops. Too much?”

“A tad.”

“It’s the wine.” Maggie poured herself another glass. “I always say what I mean rather than what I should after too much wine.”

“So you think I’m too hard on her, is that it?”

“Hon.” Maggie scooted closer to Val on the sofa. “I love you. You’re the greatest. You’re brave, and feisty, and I admire the way you’ve put yourself back together after that shit of a husband did the dirty on you. But you have a problem. A legitimate problem,” she added hastily after one look at Val’s face. “I understand it, but you aren’t right in this instance. Your mother deserves a chance at happiness. I know this is her third marriage—”

“Fourth.”

“Okay, I know this is her fourth marriage, but maybe she’s right. Maybe this time it will be for keeps. And while I’m talking frankly, maybe you should just go with the flow and take a chance on love yourself. After all, what’s the worst that can happen?” She chewed her lip. “And talking about love, I have something else I have to talk to you about.”

Maggie was twisting her hands together, a familiar tell for when she was feeling strain.

“What is it, Maggie?” Val’s stomach clenched. “You can tell me anything.”

“I know. Well. The thing is…Phillip has asked me to move in with him.”

Shock struck Val dumb. She loved the flat. It was her sanctuary, her refuge. But she couldn’t consider keeping it without someone else splitting the rent.
Pushing her selfish thoughts aside, Val breathed in, and forced a smile. “And you’d like to?”

“I would.” She smiled the dreamy smile of those speared by love. “I know it’s crazy. I know I should wait, should get to know him better, but being with him is so great, I miss him when he’s not around.” Maggie stared into Val’s eyes. “But I won’t leave you in the lurch. I’ll stay till the end of the month, and find someone else to take over my room.”

Val placed her hand on her friend’s. Friendship meant more than money. The last thing she wanted was for Maggie to find a replacement. Living with someone was difficult enough even when you knew them. “Don’t worry about getting someone else, Maggie, I’m sure I’ll find someone.” She lifted the bottle of wine, and poured the remaining liquid into their glasses. “I’m happy for you.”

She drowned her fears with the last mouthful of wine.

Chapter Twelve

Finn was going through his emails when Anna buzzed him. “You have a visitor, your brother Matthew.”

Matthew?
“Send him in please, Anna.” He got to his feet.

The door opened, and Matthew walked in. “Surprise.”

“Damn right!” Finn strode over and engulfed his brother in a hug. “When did you get in to town?”

“Last night.” Matthew grinned. “Ma was hassling us to visit, so…”

“You had to give in. I get it.” He pressed the intercom on his desk. “Anna, could you bring us a couple of coffees?”

At her affirmative response, he pointed at the sofas arranged in the corner of the room. “Take a load off. How’s everything?”

“Work is good. And you’re not doing too badly either, from what I hear.”

“Ma again.”

“Yeah.” Matthew rubbed his hands over his jean-clad thighs. “She’s the all-seeing eye. I left April getting the third degree and hot-footed it out to see you.”

“Coward.”

“Ma’s determined we should have a wedding in Brookbridge, which for obvious reasons, neither April or I want.”

Matthew had been engaged to April’s sister June a lifetime ago, and as both families lived in the village, Finn could understand their point. “So, getting married.” He never thought he’d see Matthew tie the knot. Not after what had happened last time around. “What’s your plan?”

“We’re getting hitched quietly in the registry office in London. Needless to say, Ma and April’s mother have banded together to try and change our minds. April’s not for turning on this one though. Neither am I. Getting married is something we both want to do, but it’s for us. Not for anyone else. They’ll just have to accept it.”

“So my invite isn’t in the mail,” Finn teased.

“We can’t invite one family member without putting everyone else’s nose out of joint, so no.”

Ma would be devastated. So far, she hadn’t managed to successfully marry off any of her children. Her desire for a wedding was only exceeded by the urge to become a grandmother. “I pity April, Ma’s difficult to say no to.”

Anna came in with a tray of coffees, and put them on the table.

“Thanks, Anna.”

She nodded. “I’ve received the last submission from the photographers. I’ll give them to Connor, will I?”

“Yes, I’ll look at them later.”

When she left, Finn turned to Matthew again. “So, how long are you over for?”

“We’d planned on just being here three or four days, but Ma’s throwing us a party. It will be on Saturday week, so we’re flying out the day after.”

“A party?” Ma’s parties were legendary affairs.

“She had Sorcha taking notes.” Matthew spooned four spoonfuls of sugar into his coffee.

“How is Sorcha holding up?” He hadn’t spoken to his cousin since he deposited her at their parents’ house. “I guess Mum explained everything?”

“She’s doing okay. Ma has been doing the whole mother hen thing. Apparently Steven had been calling, and she didn’t want to talk to him, but Ma encouraged her to come clean about the whole thing. They’re trying to work through it.”

“He’s a nice guy.” Admiration for Steven filled Finn. “It takes a big man to stay the course.”

“An even more courageous one to come to the party, and he’s coming,” Matthew said. “Ma told me to tell you that it will be Saturday night, seven till late, and you have to come in costume.” Matthew pulled a face. “I told her we didn’t want fancy dress, but you know Ma.”

If Steven could go… “Tell her I’ll be there.”

God, it was good to see his brother again. Matthew lived in London, and they had precious little chance of getting together. Finn wouldn’t miss the opportunity to meet April again either. “I haven’t seen April since she was a kid.”

Matthew wiggled his eyebrows. “She’s grown up.”

“I still can’t believe you’re settling down.” Matthew had seemed wedded to his work up until April had come back into his life, and their families tangled histories had been a huge barrier to romance.

“I’ll have to live vicariously through you, bro,” Matthew said. “Still playing the field?”

“Not so much.” Any of his other brothers would tease him for going soft on a woman. heck, Matthew would have a year ago. “I’ve started seeing someone.”

“You’re always seeing someone.” Matthew crossed his arms. “Usually more than one someone.”

“Yes, well this time, I’m just seeing one.”

“You retired the harem?” Matthew’s eyes widened. “Bro, you’re shattering all my illusions.” His grin stretched. “Have you been hit by love’s arrow? Finally been hooked?”

Have I?
All he knew was he hadn’t been able to put Val out of his mind since he met her.

“Earth to Finn.” Matthew clicked his fingers in front of Finn’s nose. “You have to bring her to the party. I can’t wait to see the woman who’s put that look on your face.”

“She’s special.”

Matthew sobered. “I’m glad. I was beginning to wonder if my experiences with love had totally soured you on the whole thing.”

Matthew had been in his teens when he’d proposed to June. Not many people knew the whole story of how that had played out, but he and Finn had always been close, and Finn had known exactly what happened. He hadn’t consciously made the decision never to get serious about a woman as a result, but unconsciously the fear of being used as his brother had been had made him avoid commitment like the plague.

“I never thought I’d say this,” Matthew said, “but love is possible, with the right woman.”

*****

Val had to hand it to Susan McDonald of Love Shots. She knew what she was doing when it came to dudeoir photography. It was a field that Simon had shied away from, and with good reason.

Val stood in the client’s basement, which had been transformed by acres of red satin drapes and the careful placement of props. The client, Ken, sat in a swivel chair in the corner, having make-up smoothed over his chest.

“Okay, Val,” Susan said. “Ken has never done this before, and he’s nervous. I’ve talked through a number of poses with him, and I’ll be directing the photo-shoot so as to get the best possible angles.”

“Right,” Val said.

“Now, some of these might seem a little unusual…” She waved a hand at an exercise bike set up in the corner. “But the thing here is that he knows what turns his fiancée on, and our job is to make sure he looks sexy in every pose.”

Val nodded.

“There won’t be full nudity, but Ken is keen to show off his bottom.”

How Susan kept her face straight, Val didn’t know. She was struggling not to surrender to terminal lip-twitch. “His bottom. Right.”

“Just the top. Not the full globes.”

Val pressed her lips together. “What shot are we starting with?”

“This one.” Susan walked across the room to a chaise longue. “Ken is going to lie face down and look sultry. He’ll just be wearing jeans in this shot, and would like to make sure that his feet get in shot too, his fiancée has a thing about his feet.”