Two For Joy (45 page)

‘This way, madam,' the bellhop indicated as they exited on the 42nd and he led her to the pool area. Lorna sighed with pleasure as she saw the sparkling pool, and the bare-branched trees of Central Park in the distance. Luxurious loungers lay poolside and potted ferns gave an exotic air. The sky was deepening to pink and mauve as dusk stole westwards, and a man sliced powerfully through the blue water, his broad shoulders deeply tanned. Probably a millionaire, she thought wistfully, wishing she was draped in her turquoise bikini on one of the plump-cushioned loungers.

‘Thank you.' She smiled at the bellhop and reluctantly tipped him one of her precious dollars. This was definitely the hotel for her mother, only she wasn't going to come until May at the earliest. And that seemed ages away. She'd love to spend a weekend in this fabulous place, she thought as the elevator descended to the foyer. Another couple entered as she exited and she observed them enviously. Why couldn't she find a man who would bring her to this Nirvana? Neil Brennan would, she had no doubt about that, but she'd been hoping that she would have met a far richer, successful man by now.

Still, Neil would do for a weekend, she thought excitedly as she peered in at Norma's, one of
the
places to go for brunch in NYC. She was tempted to have coffee and a muffin but it would probably cost an arm and a leg. Let Neil treat her to brunch when he came. It was the least he could do.

Heartened at the idea of a luxurious weekend in a classy hotel, minutes away from Tiffany's and Saks, Lorna smiled charmingly at the doorman as he held the heavy doors open for her. The next time she came to Le Parker Meridian, it would be as a guest.

36

‘You've been through the mill.' Anne Jensen frowned as she studied Heather's palm and then glanced at the cards that were laid out on the table. ‘You suffered a double betrayal. Your partner's been with a woman who's related to you in some way. She's blonde.'

Heather nearly fell off the chair. ‘My boyfriend slept with my cousin,' she said faintly.

‘Hmm. He's not the one for you anyway. You're far better off without
him.
' Anne said briskly. Heather's heart sank.

‘Isn't he?' she asked forlornly, her heart plummeting at the words she'd dreaded.

The psychic looked at her in surprise. ‘Why would you want him? After what he's done to you? He's shallow and selfish and only interested in what's best for him. There's a far better man waiting for you, Heather.'

‘I don't think I'll ever fall in love and trust anyone again,' Heather retorted, angry that she wasn't hearing what she wanted to hear. Who was this man waiting for her? Any fortune-teller would tell you that there was a man for you. That's why women went to them. What a swizz, she scowled, raging with Ruth for bringing her.

‘Stop that nonsense,' Anne instructed sternly. ‘Of course you will! And sooner than you think, you listen to your Auntie Anne. That man you were with only wanted you because you were of use to him. And your cousin is so jealous of you—'

‘Jealous of
me
?' Heather was astonished.

‘Yes,
you
!' Anne smiled as she threw out another card. She had beautiful hands, and a lovely slender figure. Heather would give anything to be able to wear a polo tucked into her jeans the way the other woman did.

‘Your cousin is a very unhappy, confused young woman. She thinks material things will make her happy; she'll never have what you have. She never has. She's jealous of your relationship with your family, especially with your sister. She was jealous of you when you got together with that Neil and she wasn't happy until she broke you up, but she'll never get the chance to do that again. The man that's coming into your life will see through her right away. You are going to have a relationship that will sustain you all your life. It will be a friendship first. Then it will become deeper and sustaining. That gift will never be hers.'

‘Is she going to see Neil again?' Heather willed the psychic to say no.

‘Heather, I know you would love me to tell you that Neil is the man for you and that he'll realize that he's made a mistake. But I don't give people false hope. I don't say things that they want to hear just to suit them. I tell them the truth. I don't abuse my gift. When you see what's waiting for you, you'll realize that there is no comparison with what you had. Neil and your cousin will use each other as it suits them but their relationship will never be from the heart … Yours will. Pick out another few cards there.'

Heather reluctantly did as she was told.

‘I see a key of a door, a new job and a new man.' Anne flicked the cards on to the table in front of her.

Heather looked sceptical. ‘What's this man like? Where will I meet him?'

‘You already know him. He's someone on the periphery of your life at the moment. Soon he'll be ready for you to come into his life. It will be a great friendship first. You'll be the first woman he's ever fallen “in” love with. I'm not saying that he hasn't loved, we all love, but you'll be the first he's fallen “in” love with,' she emphasized again. ‘And the relationship will be for life. Look,' she pointed to a card. ‘It's Divinely ordained.'

‘And what's the new job?' Heather felt she might as well go along with the charade.

‘It's like a job you did before. The skills that you learned in that job will help you.'

‘Will I leave Kilronan?'

Anne gazed down at the array of cards in front of her. ‘I don't see a move from your area, just a key of a door. It's all going to work out, you know, and I know you don't believe a word of it but you'll see. And you're going to be very happy. That Neil fella was very shocked but impressed by what you did to get your own back,' she added slyly.

Heather blushed to the roots of her hair. ‘How did you know that? Were you talking to Ruth?'

‘No I wasn't. I can see it. Just as I can see that he will be going over water to see that woman and you are not to give it one second of energy. Don't waste time on them, they're not worth it. Close the door on it and let it go and open yourself to the new energy that's coming in to your life. You're a very lucky woman. Not many women will know the love that you'll know. It will be a deep and lifelong bond.'

She smiled at Heather. ‘Keep in touch and let me know what's happening.'

‘OK,' Heather agreed, privately feeling that it had been a complete waste of time. A man on the periphery of her life indeed. Ruth had no sense, dragging her to a psychic. Mind, the woman had known about Heather's revenge and according to her Neil was going to go to see Lorna over water. Heather hadn't even mentioned that Lorna was in New York.

‘Trust your Auntie Anne,' Anne exhorted as she opened the front door for Heather. ‘Tell your sister I was asking for her.'

‘Well?' demanded Ruth as Heather got into the car.

‘There's a man on the periphery of my life, and it's going to be a deep and lifelong bond,' Heather said sarcastically.

‘Great, and what did she say about Neil and that other wagon?'

Ruth ignored her sister's obvious scepticism.

‘Well, she did say he was going to visit her over water and she did seem to know I'd done something to get my own back on him,' Heather admitted. ‘Did you tell her about the files?'

‘No I didn't,' Ruth retorted indignantly. ‘I'm telling you, she sees things.'

‘Yeah, well, we'll see,' Heather said glumly. She was sorry she'd come. According to Anne Jensen, Neil was going to visit Lorna and that was a dagger to the heart no matter how shallow he was.

The few hours they spent in Avoca Handweavers took her mind off her troubles but the heartache was never far away and the journey home to Kilronan left her as troubled as when she'd left. It didn't help that she saw Neil driving past, laughing as he spoke to someone on his mobile. How dare he laugh, she thought irrationally. How dare he be happy when she was as miserable as hell. So much for psychics.

Tom did his best to cheer her up the following evening at work, but she was glad when he went on his tea break so she could be miserable in comfort. She was puffing up bags when Oliver Flynn pushed open the door. He looked grey and tired. ‘A cod and chips, please,' he said and then gave her a look of surprised recognition.

‘Doing a nixer, Heather?' he asked.

‘Em … not really, Oliver. Neil and I split up. I left the garage … and the flat,' she added wryly, remembering how he'd wished her the best in her new home.

‘Oh, oh, sorry to hear that,' he said awkwardly.

‘That's OK,' she murmured unhappily.

‘You wouldn't go back to live in Dublin?' he ventured.

‘Not really. I don't want to go back there. I like Kilronan.'

‘Me too,' Oliver sighed.

Two young lads came in and ordered burgers and chips so she applied herself to her tasks, thinking that she really should start looking for a job that paid more and challenged her more. It was time to get on with things again. She remembered Anne Jensen's words that the skills that she'd learned in her previous job would help her. She could always drop in to the local auctioneer's and see if they had any vacancies, she supposed. Or maybe she should try the accountant's, maybe she was referring to that. It could be anything, she thought crossly as she wrapped Oliver's cod and chips for him and gave him his change.

*   *   *

Oliver took his fish and chips and drove out to the lake. He didn't want to go home. It was strange how empty the house was without Noreen. It was lonely. He missed her. He'd told Cora that she was in London looking after a friend who was sick, but he was going to have to tell her the truth, sooner rather than later.

The birds sang all around him as he sat on a bench and unwrapped his meal. The days were getting longer. He'd be able to put in a couple of extra hours on the new site he was developing. Twenty-two apartments with lake views would give him plenty to do and plenty to think about. The first phase was well under way. He wouldn't have time to be lonely. One thing he was good at was his job, even if he was a failure at everything else. He'd spoken to Noreen a couple of times on the phone, stilted, awkward conversations that he was glad to end. She was going to go back to nursing, she'd told him. That sounded pretty final. She'd left him, and why wouldn't she? he brooded. He couldn't give her a child, he couldn't even make love to her properly. Why would she stay with a failure like him? Why would any woman ever want to be with him? He'd be on his own for the rest of his life, he'd better start getting used to it.

*   *   *

Neil's heart leapt in his chest when he saw Lorna's email address in his inbox. It was about time. Eagerly he clicked on the icon.

Hi Neil,

Can I possibly be missing you?????!!!!!! When are you going to spend a sexy weekend with me? I found us a fabulous hotel, see attachment. Just let me know when you're booking the room so that I can make sure to take the weekend off? New York is a dream. You'll love it. They have a chain of lingerie stores called Victoria's Secret, should I splash out?????

Lorna xxxxxxx

‘Yes! Yes! Yes!' he punched his fist in the air. A weekend in bed with Lorna Morgan wearing a see-through creation was just what he needed. He couldn't wait. He opened the attachment and read the details she had sent about the hotel. It sounded fine. He couldn't care less where he stayed. She probably wanted to stay in a hotel so that they could have some privacy. She hadn't given him a telephone number, which was frustrating. He'd far prefer to talk to her, it was much more intimate than sitting at a computer. He flicked through his diary. He could organize a few days off without too much difficulty. So what if he had to pay Vince a bit extra to keep an eye on the showrooms on the Saturday. He deserved a holiday, he'd worked bloody hard for it. Lorna could have booked the hotel instead of leaving it to him, she was living in the damn city. He'd book it over the phone. Fiddling on the Internet drove him nutty. Heather was far superior at doing things like that. She'd probably be very hurt if she found out that he'd gone to see Lorna for the weekend. But it was time for him to move on, and her too, he thought irritably, annoyed at his feelings of guilt.

She was really letting herself go to the dogs, working in a chipper, putting on weight. She must have been crazy about him. It was reassuring to know he had that effect on women. Neil hoped that he'd have the same effect on Lorna, eventually. That would be something to aspire to. He smiled to himself as he rooted in his pocket for his credit card and dialled the hotel number she had emailed him.

Ten minutes later the hotel was booked. He sat down at his keyboard and logged on.

Hi Lorna,

Hotel booked from Thurs to Sun the weekend after next. Black suspenders would be something else on a sexy woman like you. Can't wait. Will book the flight tomorrow and let you know the details. Just thinking about you makes me as horny as hell, wish I was with you now,

See you soon beautiful woman,

Love Neil

He pressed send and heard the musical ping as his email went winging its way to Lorna. It was great that she was making all the moves. It meant she wanted to be involved. He was so used to Heather's giving nature, it was like being on a rollercoaster with Lorna, but it sure as hell wasn't boring. Whistling, he shut down the computer and went up to the flat to get his gym gear. He had less than two weeks to tone up and look his best. With Heather it hadn't mattered, he'd never felt worried about his body, but Lorna was a different kettle of fish. She was so perfect herself, he didn't want to feel flabby and unfit in front of her. And he must buy himself some new boxers, the ones he had really didn't enhance his image. Image was everything, he assured himself, wishing his stomach wasn't rumbling and that he didn't feel so hungry.