Chapter 2 #5
‘That’ll be Rachel’s friend, Karen. She’s allergic to every edible substance known to man, apparently.’
‘Didn’t stop her scoffing her dinner and hoovering up everyone else’s leftovers. She kept referring to “down there.” I pretended I thought she was talking about Australia.’
‘Good save!’
‘Until I went too far and said I’d spent some of the happiest times of my life “down there.” Let’s just say she looked at me with renewed interest.’
Kate giggled.
‘Your dotty aunt got the best seat in the house.’ Iris was now engaged in a fiercely competitive drinking contest with Owen.
‘I wouldn’t like to put money on who’ll win that one,’ Kate said.
‘And there’s our boy.’ Freddie nodded to where Will was emerging from the dance floor. ‘If you really don’t want him, do you mind if I have a go?’
‘I really think the lad’s not for turning, but feel free to try – he’s all yours.’
‘Ooh, if only!’
Kate watched anxiously as Freddie bounded over to Will like an overgrown puppy.
Straight men could find him a bit intimidating, especially if he obviously fancied them.
However, she experienced a pang of jealousy as Will rested a hand casually on his shoulder and they were soon guffawing together like old chums.
‘Well, of course he’d like Freddie,’ she told herself crossly. ‘Who wouldn’t? He’s adorable.’
‘Hello, Kate.’ Mary, one of her gin-soaked Cork aunts, wove up to her. ‘What have you been doing with yourself lately?’
‘Working in Africa for the past three months.’
‘Oh, how lovely.’ Mary beamed. ‘Did you meet anyone nice?’
Kate recalled all the people she had met on the trip – the cheerful, capable drivers; the passengers of all ages and nationalities, some of whom had become good friends; the tantalisingly fleeting encounters with friendly locals in the towns and villages – but she knew that none of these were what Mary meant by ‘anyone nice.’ In her book, ‘anyone nice’ was code for ‘any eligible young man who might be interested in marrying you’. ‘No, Mary. I didn’t meet anyone nice.’
‘Oh dear,’ Mary said, not sounding in the least surprised. ‘What a pity.’
‘My bloody relatives,’ Kate fumed to Freddie when he returned to her.
‘I could scale Mount Everest and they’d only want to know if I’d “met anyone nice” up there!
’ She was beginning to find the wedding seriously depressing.
As the DJ launched into another slow set, couples melted into each other’s arms all around her, swaying slowly to the music, snogging for Ireland.
‘That Will of yours is a seriously good bloke,’ Freddie told her.
‘So I hear.’ Kate watched miserably as he pulled Tina onto the floor and into his arms. Seconds later they were devouring each other.
‘Kate, are you okay?’
She was aware that her eyes were full of tears. ‘I’m just so sick of being a wallflower, Freddie. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Everyone says a wedding’s a good place to meet men, but it’s not.’
‘All the romance getting to you, is it?’
‘Don’t mind me, I’ve just had too much to drink and too little sleep.’ She sniffed. ‘I need my bed and my own clothes.’
‘Anyway, do you want to meet men?’ Freddie asked cautiously. ‘What about Brian?’
‘Yes, what about Brian? Where the fuck is he when I need him? I mean he hasn’t seen me in three months and instead of racing over at the first opportunity, he’s made a bloody date.’
‘So, when are you seeing him?’
‘Tomorrow evening.’ She sighed heavily.
‘You don’t sound too happy about it.’
‘I am, it’s just—’
‘Feeling guilty about the long dong from Down Under, are you?’
‘No, not at all. I’m totally off the hook on that one. Before I went away, Brian and I agreed we were on a break and we could see other people.’
‘His idea, I suppose?’
‘Of course. I think he had someone in mind when he said it. Probably one of his groupies.’
‘He’s got groupies?’
‘Oh yes, lots. You’d be surprised.’
‘I’d be absolutely gobsmacked.’ At least it had backfired on the little toerag, Freddie thought gleefully. ‘So, if it’s not that, what’s bothering you about seeing him?’
‘It’s just that I know he’ll start a serious discussion about “the relationship” – where we are, where we’re going, blah, blah, blah – but I just want a nice dinner, a bottle of wine and a welcome-back shag.
I was supposed to be giving some thought to “the relationship” while I was away.
I just wish he didn’t make me feel like tomorrow’s the exam and I haven’t done any revision. ’
‘Never mind. Monday we’ll have a quiet night in on the sofa. I can’t offer the shag, I’m afraid, but I could stretch to a bottle of wine and a pizza. And we can have a Dr McDreamy marathon – I’ve got three months’ worth of Grey’s Anatomy recorded for you.’
‘God, Freddie, if you could just give me that shag I’d dump Brian in a second.’
Just then, the DJ started playing ‘Dancing Queen’ and Freddie jumped up, extending a hand to Kate. ‘Come on,’ he said, ‘they’re playing my song.’
* * *
‘And I thought we could move that painting of your mother’s from the hall.’ On the dance floor, Tina was outlining to Will her plans for inviting Hello! magazine to interview her in his ‘gracious home’.
‘I love that painting.’
‘It’s so dark and gloomy!’
‘Well, she did it not long before she died.’
‘Oh.’ Tina made a sympathetic face. ‘Well, we can discuss it later,’ she said soothingly.
‘Anyway, in the living room, I thought I could pose in front of the fireplace, and we could hang your mother’s drawing of you over it – that little pencil sketch.
I love that. And since you refuse to be in any of the pictures, I thought it would be nice if you were present in some way. ’
Will looked down at her. ‘I don’t refuse to be in any of the pictures.’
‘You don’t?’ Tina’s face lit up in delight.
‘No. You can put my urn on top of the mantelpiece and get a picture of that. Or you can scatter my ashes in the living room and they can get a shot of me sprinkled over the carpet.’
‘What?’
‘You can even invite them to my wake, if you like,’ he said cheerfully, ‘and you could pose with my corpse.’
‘What the hell are you—’
‘Because that’s the only way Hello! is getting into my house,’ he said. ‘Over my dead body.’
‘God, you’re so bloody selfish!’ Tina’s eyes sparked fury.
‘You don’t need that,’ he said.
‘It’s what I want. I can’t believe you won’t help me move on in my career!’
‘You don’t need my help. You can do your own thing.’
‘Well, it’s just as well I have some friends. Tessa’s put me in touch with her publicist – Dev Tennant, no less – and he’s agreed to take me on.’
Oh, great! Will thought. With the notorious Dev Tennant on the case, he’d never know another moment’s privacy.
* * *
When Will turned up for his duty dance, Kate was grateful the DJ was starting another slow set.
She and Freddie regularly burned up the floors of the hottest clubs in town, but if years of school debs’ dances had taught her anything it was that no one looked cool shaking their booty in a ballgown and, besides, right now she didn’t have the energy for anything more than a desultory shuffle around the floor propped up by her partner.
When she stood up she realised she was seriously drunk. The room was spinning sickeningly and she closed her eyes, putting her head on Will’s chest as they swayed to the throbbing music. The warmth from his body and the steady beat of his heart were comforting.
‘Kate, are you all right?’ Will frowned.
‘I’m fine. Just knackered. I was travelling all day yesterday.’ She shivered.
‘You’re shaking.’
‘I’m a bit cold – it’s just sleep deprivation.’
‘Here.’ Will whisked off his jacket and put it around her shoulders, then took her in his arms again.
Next she felt his fingers in her hair. He was slowly and gently removing the pins. What about the woodstain? Kate thought, panicking. I’ll look like a scarecrow. It took an enormous effort to lift her head to protest.
‘It’s okay.’ Will soothed her. ‘I’ll fluff it out – you won’t look weird, I promise.’
‘Mmm.’ Kate settled back happily. As the pins came out, he massaged her scalp and she felt the tension seeping away. God, this is sexy, she thought, if only I was properly awake to enjoy it.
The next thing she knew, Will was shaking her gently. ‘Kate?’
‘Hmm?’ She opened her eyes lazily, then realised she’d been asleep, and the only thing keeping her upright was Will’s arms, vice-like around her. ‘God, sorry.’
‘You poor thing, you’re completely exhausted.’ He peered down at her in concern. ‘Come on.’ He pulled her off the dance floor, ‘I’m taking you home.’
‘There’s no need. I can get a taxi.’
‘Don’t be silly. It’s no trouble. Anyway, we can’t have you taking a taxi on your own in this state. And I don’t think anyone else is quite ready to leave yet,’ he added drily, as Grace hopped past, leading a long, snaking conga.
‘But what about you?’
‘I wouldn’t mind getting out of here for a while. When you don’t drink, these things pall after the first ten hours or so.’ Tina was happily holed up in a corner with Summer and Phoenix and he’d be back before she missed him.
‘Well, thanks, it’s really nice of you. I’d love to get to bed. I’m staying with Mum and Dad tonight.’ Kate was almost tearful with gratitude.
‘I’ll go and tell your father I’m driving you home.’
When he was gone, Kate sank into a chair and laid her head on the table. A moment later, she felt a hand on the back of her neck.
‘Okay, I’m ready.’
She sat up with effort and turned around. ‘Oh! It’s you.’
* * *
While Kate had been dancing with Will, Freddie had lost no time in bounding off in search of Jack O’Neill.
‘Mr O, I bring glad tidings of great joy,’ he announced gleefully and proceeded to regale Jack with what Kate had said about Brian. ‘I think his character might be getting written out of the series,’ he concluded triumphantly.
Just then, Will came up to them. ‘Jack, I’m going to drive Kate home. She’s completely played out.’
Way to go, Kate, Freddie thought, delighted.