Part 6 (1/2)

'I understand,' he said, rubbing her shoulders and making her purr. 'I'll ring her later and push her along a bit.'

'What if she starts playing ”not answering the phone” games?'

'Then I'll call round,' although he didn't want to.

'Maybe she'll be at the wedding tomorrowyou can ask her outright then.'

'The wedding?'

'Yes. Will and Pam's wedding,' said Jo.

'You are joking. I can't go to that now!' said Matthew, shaking his head.

'Whyever not?'

'Well, they're more Stevie's and your ex's friends than mine and yours for a start.'

'Don't be silly,' said Jo. 'I'm sure you and I were invited on our own merits and not just as ”plus ones”. Don't put yourself down like that. You knew Will from the gym, didn't you, before you even met Stevie . And I've met Pam and Will a couple of times and got on very well with them.'

'Well, I suppose,' conceded Matthew weakly.

'Plus I've bought a new suit I have every intention of wearing.'

He didn't look convinced so she came at him from another angle.

'Matthew, the sooner Stevie sees us as a couple, the sooner she'll realize it's over for you and her. She has to know.'

'Stevie won't go to the wedding. I'd put my life savings on her not going after all that's happened.'

He knew Stevie too well. She wouldn't want to face the world at the moment. At least he hoped he was right, because he didn't want her turning up, going all Glenn Close, and making a scene.

'So, what's the problem?'

'Well, I'm thinking about Adam.'

'Matthew,' began Jo with a dry laugh. 'I have no intention of hiding away. I'm not the one that wrecked my relations.h.i.+pI've got nothing to be ashamed of.'

'We don't have to go. I'm sure we wouldn't be missed if we didn't turn up. You and I could do something special together instead.'

'People have to know some time that we're an item, Matthew! Stevie will be far less hurt thinking tomorrow is our starting-point. We're both free agents now, aren't we? No one can say it's wrong for us to be a couple now.'

'Well...er...' started Matthew, who hadn't actually spelt it out to Stevie yet that he wasn't coming back, but Jo wasn't listening. Her brain had run on ahead.

'It's fairer on Stevie in the long run. Okay, it won't be very nice for her at the beginning, but as soon as she knows you have found someone else, the healing process will kick in for her.'

Matthew was more worried about what MacLean would 'kick in' when he heard that someone was moving in on his wife.

'Trust me, Adam will be less ”upset”,' said Jo, loading the word with meaning, 'to see us getting respectably together in front of him tomorrow than poking around to discover we've been having an affair behind his back for the past few months.'

'What if there's a fight?' said Matthew, thinking about his skull and Adam's fist connecting with it.

'Darling, William's family won't let anyone ruin his wedding day. If Adam starts any trouble at all then he'll be out on his ear. As for Stevie, well, I've been thinking, maybe we could find her somewhere ourselves. I've seen some lovely rentals out in p.e.n.i.stone.' She nibbled his ear on the final 'nnn'.

'Aaahhh! I think she'll want to stay in the area,' said Matthew. 'Danny's school and all that. But that is so kind of you for looking.'

'Come on, it's the least I could do. She's a nice person and little Danny is sweet too,' said Jo, and she smiled up at him through her long mascara-ed eyelashes. His legs felt weak, as if someone had taken all the bones out and replaced them with a Birds trifle.

'Look, let's talk about it on the way to work,' he said, kissing the tip of her little pointy nose. He picked up her briefcase for her and they walked out into the corridor to find the lift out of order and the prospect for Jo of four flights of steps in very high stilettos.

'b.l.o.o.d.y hotel!' she said. 'How much did you say you were paying for this per night?'

'Don't ask,' he sighed, following her fuming pa.s.sage down the stairs. He was just at the top of the second flight when he realized what she had actually said: 'How much did you say you were paying?'

Chapter 16.

The day of the wedding dawned. Danny woke up with a heart full of excitement for the hours to come. In the next bedroom, Stevie woke up with a heart full of dread for the hours to come. The day could take so many possible forms: 1) Matthew doesn't turn up 2) Matthew turns up and ignores her 3) Matthew turns up with Joanna 4) Matthew turns up with Joanna and announces his engagement 5) Adam MacLean murders everyone None of them was especially good.

Eddie bee-beeped outside at half past eleven and Danny moved as fast as if he had a nuclear rocket secreted down the back of his pants.

'Mummy, it's Uncle Eddie, it's Uncle Eddie!'

'Never!' said Stevie, smiling at his jubilation, which trebled when he looked out of the window and saw Boot's ma.s.sive and ugly profile in the back seat.

'Mummy, Boot's here! Quick!'

'They aren't going to drive off and leave you, Danny. Hang on, let me get some shoes on.'

'Come on,' he urged, dancing around like Michael Flatley with a bladder problem. Eddie wolf-whistled when Stevie came out to the car in her very long rainbow-striped dressing-gown and a pair of trainers.

'Oh, get stuffed!' said Stevie, knowing she was hardly wolf-whistley material in this, or at all. Only blind, insane or desperate builders from high-up scaffolding had ever whistled to her, and that was usually because of her generously proportioned chest.

'Stevie, what the b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l have you done to your conk?'

Stevie's hand shot up to her still-tender nose in horror. 'I fell at the gym. Oh G.o.d, can you see it? Is it really noticeable?'

Eddie waved it away with a flap of his hand. 'No, is it heck. Slap a bit of make-up on it, n.o.body'll notice.'

'I did that already.'

'Oh, sorry,' said Eddie, twisting round to the little boy as a means of escape. 'Ready, Suns.h.i.+ne?' Danny had already clambered in the back and was fighting off a very licky Boot.

'Boot!' reprimanded Eddie. 'Get down!' Boot immediately lay down with his chin on Danny's lap and the little boy's face registered heaven as he stroked the big black head that looked as if it should be guarding a gateway into h.e.l.l somewhere. It was part of a scenario Stevie had wished for him so many times: brothers and sisters, a house full of rough and tumble, everyone piling in a people-carrier with a big sloppy dog and a big sloppy dad. Except that it wasn't her kids or his big sloppy dog or his big sloppy dad but those of her best friend.

'Oy you, cheer up,' said Eddie, seeing the shadow of sadness suddenly cross Stevie's features. He reached through the window, took her hand and squeezed it in his bear-like paw. 'We'll look after you today and we're going to have a great time, and no one will notice your conk because the rest of you will be so gorgeous.'

He meant well.