CHAPTER 45
Jess and Holly were the first to arrive at Emily’s apartment for the party that evening. They shouldered their way carefully through the front door carrying wine, beer and snacks – all of which Jess had made sure to buy at Ted’s store.
Sinéad had said nothing as she scanned through the items, and Jess wondered if Ted was still annoyed that the residents had voted to drop the lawsuit against Linford Castle. They’d never please everyone, she knew, but it’d be better to have the residents’ association chairperson onside.
“So, Sinéad,” she’d ventured, “Emily O’Brien, one of the receptionists at Linford, just moved here recently. She’s living up in the –”
“I know where she lives,” Sinéad had said, with a little sniff. “Linford’s a small place and word gets around pretty quickly if anyone new moves in.”
“Right.” Jess had offered her warmest smile. “The thing is, she’s having a housewarming and she’d love for you and Ted to come.”
Sinéad had fumbled with a bag of peanuts. “Well, we don’t know her. Sure, she hardly shows her face in here.”
“Only because she has breakfast and lunch at the hotel and she often just gets a pizza in the evening.” Jess had crossed her fingers behind her back. “Which is why she asked me to make sure that I got everything for the party from you and Ted.”
Sinéad had softened slightly. “Well, that’s nice. But look, she doesn’t want people our age there. It’ll be for kids like Holly Doyle and her gang.”
“It won’t be.” Jess had been firm. “She’d love as many locals as possible to come along, so she can get to know people.” She’d packed up the last of the groceries. “I’ll have to come back for the drink.”
“Don’t worry about that.” Sinéad had produced a roll of stickers from under the counter and started to write Jess’s name on them. “I’ll get Ted to deliver to your place later.”
As Jess had turned to leave, Sinéad had added, “If I’m not busy, I’ll come along for a while. But don’t expect Ted. He’s not one for parties.”
Emily looked remarkably relaxed as Jess and Holly left the drinks and snacks in the kitchen. Jess noticed there was an almost empty bottle of wine on the counter. Which might explain Emily’s current state, she thought.
“Catch up, girls!” Emily grabbed a couple of glasses and emptied the bottle before opening another.
“We should chill some of this wine.” Jess opened the box she’d put down on the kitchen counter. “Er, you might want to pace yourself a bit, Em.”
“But what if nobody comes?” Emily wailed. “Like, we’ve invited all these people but say if they decide they’ve way better things to do on a Friday night than hang out with me? This is why I hate parties – the pressure is too much!”
Jess and Holly exchanged glances. “Okay, you didn’t tell me you hate parties.”
“I hate having them,” Emily said. “They’re totally stressy.”
Holly gave her an impromptu hug. “Agreed.”
Jess should have given them separate pep talks. “Okay, listen, it’s still really early and nobody’s going to come until about nine o’clock anyway. Which gives us loads of time to set everything out and choose the music. Um, is Dermot coming?”
Emily sighed and shook her head. “He’s out on Achill Island with the rest of the crew.” She peeked into one of the bags Jess had brought. “I’ll get some more bowls and plates.”
Jess walked over to the sofa and sat down. After everything they’d done, tonight had to be a success. She’d text a few people to see if they’d come a bit early – starting with Robert.
Jess caught Emily’s eye shortly after ten o’clock, and the two women exchanged a grin across the crowded living room. There were at least forty people crammed into the apartment, including residents from the two other apartments on Emily’s floor.
Robert had arrived late, explaining that he’d had a project to finish and, as Jess handed him a beer, it struck her that she hadn’t missed him once the other guests had started to arrive. Still, they’d spent some time together earlier, she thought, suppressing a niggle of guilt.
He and Jess were standing chatting to a young couple who lived in the apartment opposite, when Robert pulled her away.
“Let’s not stay too late,” he said, slipping his hand behind her neck.
Jess blinked. “Robert, you’ve only been here about a minute. And I’ve helped organise this for Emily. I want to make sure it goes well for her – it’s really important.”
“Come on, Jess, it’s going great. We won’t even be missed if we just slip away early.”
“Except that if everyone did that, it’d be a disaster.” Jess tried to make a joke of it, but she felt herself tensing. “Look, if you need to go early Emily will understand. But I can’t bail!”
He took his hand away and grabbed another beer off the table beside him, snapping open the lid. “I don’t need Emily to understand anything. But I wish you would.”
Jess stared at him. “Understand what? What am I missing here?”
“Nothing, okay?” He drank some beer. “I probably just need some fresh air.”
Should she offer to go with him? No, he was a grown man. She wasn’t going to babysit him, especially when he was being selfish and annoying!
As he left, Jess noticed Holly watching her closely. How much had she overheard, she wondered wearily.
“I wasn’t listening or anything, Jess,” Holly began, her words slightly slurred.
Which meant she’d probably heard everything.
“But you totally shouldn’t take what Robert says personally.” She gulped back what looked like a vodka and Coke, before almost missing the countertop as she put down the empty glass.
“I’m not,” Jess said quickly. “You probably took things out of context. If you happened to overhear.”
Holly leaned closer. “Robert doesn’t like Emily so he’s always a total dick to her.” She belched loudly. “Sorry, I feel mank.”
“Yeah, I think we should get you to the bathroom, Holly. Come on.” Jess took her by the arm and steered her back towards the front door. The guest loo in the tiny entrance way was locked. She banged on the door. “Can you hurry up? It’s an emergency.”
Holly’s eyes were unfocussed as she looked at her. “I’m wasted, aren’t I?”
Jess nodded sympathetically.
“Jess, I don’t think Emily remembers –” Holly belched again.
She’d gone a bit green, Jess thought.
“Holly, don’t try to talk.”
“When she arrived down last year a group of us brought her out to The Tin Whistle, and Robert and some of his mates were there.” Holly took a breath.
“He made a move on her and she, like, laughed it off. The way you do, like, because you don’t want to be hurting a lad’s feelings.
” She belched again, gagging slightly this time.
“Later on in the evening she told me he was way too old for her, and I think he heard.”
The bathroom door opened abruptly and a woman Jess didn’t recognise came out and slipped back to the party.
“Go on.” Jess gave her a gentle push. “Don’t lock the door, I’ll stand here.
” She closed the door behind her and leaned against it.
If Holly was telling the truth, wouldn’t she have noticed Robert’s behaviour around Emily?
Although maybe he had acted a bit strangely the first time she’d introduced them.
Still, as far as she could remember, he’d never said or done anything awful.
Holly emerged a short while later. “I got sick,” she mumbled.
“Do you feel any better?” asked Jess.
“Yeah.” She sighed. “I’m gonna get some water and just veg for a while.”
“Good idea.” Jess wondered if she should try to find Robert but figured he might need some space. Maybe if she’d had a really long day, she mightn’t feel like going to a party either.
The door opened and she looked up, expecting to see him.
Instead, Adam stepped into the hall, holding a bouquet of sunflowers in a flower reservoir.
“Hi.” She hugged her arms around her as her tummy did some treacherous flips. “Nice flowers.”
He nodded. “I figured Emily might have enough drink by now, and I thought of her when I saw these.”
It was a faultless gesture. She pushed away the comparison that slipped unwillingly to mind. “She’ll love them. Um, I think she’s over there, near the kitchen area.”
He glanced over but didn’t move. “Are you here by yourself?”
“Are you?” Heat flashed to her face.
“Yes.”
She wet her lips. “I’m here with Robert. He’s just gone out for some air.”
“Look, Jess, can we talk?”
“You should really put those flowers in water, you know. In a proper vase. Sunflowers wilt very quickly.”
“Jess?” Adam shoved a hand through his hair. “I wish you’d listen to me about this. I don’t trust this guy and he’s definitely not good enough for you.”
Indignation surged through her. “You don’t even know Robert! And it’s none of your business who I date. I don’t go around giving you my opinion about your girlfriend, do I?”
Behind Adam, the door opened again, and Robert stepped into the tiny entrance way.
“Everything okay, Jess?” He shoved past Adam and came to stand beside her. “This guy bothering you?”
Jess noticed Adam’s jaw tighten, but his tone was coolly polite. “We’re talking. Privately.”
Robert folded his arms. “I don’t think so. Why don’t you go get yourself a drink or something? Or better still, leave.”
Oh great – a pissing contest. Exactly what Emily needed at her housewarming. Jess made a quick decision. “Robert, will you give us one minute? Please?”
“What?” He turned to her, his eyes narrowing. “Who the fuck does he think he is? And why are you letting him bulldoze his way in?”
Jess felt a flare of irritation. All Robert knew was that Adam worked for the group. But she knew he should respect her right to talk to anyone she wanted.
When she said nothing, he shot Adam a look of derision. “I’m going to get a drink. Do what you want!”
He stalked off and Jess exhaled.
Adam raised an eyebrow but, before he could say anything, Jess stepped closer and poked him in the chest. “Don’t think for a moment I did that for you, I just didn’t want the situation to descend into a fist fight.
Emily deserves better. Now, whatever it is you have to say, make it quick. After that, you can leave me alone.”
Her phone buzzed loudly in the pocket of her jeans and she pulled it out, not bothering to check the screen before she swiped.
“Hello? Mam? No, I’m grand.” She glared at Adam before pushing past him to open the door and slip into the hallway where she could hear herself.
“Sorry, Mam, I’m at a party. Is everything okay? ”
Her mother’s voice crackled indistinctly at the other end and Jess glanced up to see Adam outside, closing Emily’s front door behind him. She put her hand over the phone. “This is private.”
“I’m leaving,” he said. “You’re right – this isn’t the place to talk.”
At that moment, Robert came out. “Changed my mind.” He threw Adam a filthy look. “I don’t know what’s going on here but you need to leave my girlfriend alone.”
“Robert, he’s not bothering me.” Jess tried to stay calm. “He’s just leaving.”
Adam glowered at Robert. “Actually, I’ve changed my mind too, I think I’ll stay.”
“Shut up, both of you.” Jess glared at the two men and took her hand away from the phone. “Mam? What did you say? I can’t hear you properly. Hang on, I’m going to put you on speaker for one second.”
“Why are you always hanging around? Can’t you see you’re upsetting Jess?” Robert stepped closer to Adam.
“I wouldn’t do that,” Adam said quietly.
“Bollix!” Suddenly, Robert’s fist shot forward, aiming for Adam’s face.
With split-second timing, Adam pushed Jess out of the way while in the same movement deflecting the punch.
“Adam!” Jess’s heart pounded in the back of her throat. “Just go!”
But as Robert raised his fist again, Adam punched him square in the face.
Robert let out an angry shout as blood spurted from his nose.
As Jess looked on in horror, her mother’s voice rang out loud and clear on speaker. “Jess, are you there?”
Jess swallowed hard, raising her voice above Robert’s, who was clutching his nose and swearing loudly at Adam. “I’m here, Mam.”
Carmel’s voice broke a little. “Sweetheart, your nana just died.”