Part 32 (1/2)

He pushed the door open to his houseonly a house, never his home. It was so chilled and without heart, warmth, laughter or little boy's mess. There was no Mr Greengra.s.s Head on the windowsill, no comfy clutter of pens or books with clocks-and-moons motifs on the covers. There were no clouds of flour billowing from the kitchen and no monster pans of chilli on the hob. He had never liked this house, but now he hated it. It was big and bare and echoey, and the memories stored within its walls were cold and hollow. He would ring the estate agent that afternoon and get it on the market. Then he would award himself some time off work so he didn't b.u.mp into Stevie.

Stevie.

Adam MacLean dropped himself on the cold leather sofa and thought of the softness of her face as he held it, remembered how she had gulped as he stared into her eyes and how his heart had trembled when her lips had touched his. He had never loved anyone in this way before, with a depth that made cheap parodies of all the other times he thought he had been in love. Stevie deserved to be happy, and he so much wanted her to be happywith him or without him. And it looked as if it was going to be without him.

At that thought, big fierce boxer-faced Adam MacLean's head fell forwards into his hands. He didn't stop the tears when they came.

Chapter 54.

Jo sat in her bedroom in the Queens Hotel staring into her compact mirror as she applied a slick smear of lipstick. Was that a line appearing under her eye? she wondered. It was becoming more and more urgent to hook a rich fish who would be able to finance her fight against the ravages of time. Beauty was a talent on a timer.

Suddenly Jo lauched the compact across the room, smas.h.i.+ng it against the wall. She didn't even think of clearing it up. Any mess outside the boundary of Jo's clothes was of no consequence. She was interested in nothing but the fulfilment of her own needs.

'd.a.m.n you, Stevie f.u.c.king Honeywell,' she snarled. Had it not been for that short, fat cow she would be in Colin's lovely oak-panelled house now, being petted and fussed over, and not in the cheapest room in a glory-faded hotel paid for by p.a.w.ned jewellery. Or better still, she would be with Adam. He wasn't as rich as Colin, by far, and no one was more surprised than her to realize that it didn't seem to matter. Jo MacLean's mantra had always been, 'Happiness doesn't bring you money.'

There was a two-day Porsche business convention going in the hotel, and a wealth of suits spilled into the large reception area, the wine garden, the bars and restaurant. Jo slipped on a plain black dress that emphasized her long, slim body, the cut of it adding the illusion of curves. She had never failed to 'pull' in that dress.

But before she explored the potential downstairs, there was one final thing she needed to do. She couldn't just leave it there with Adam and Stevie. If she couldn't have what she wanted, then why the f.u.c.k should they?

Jo MacLean picked up her pen.

Chapter 55.

On the last day at work before his self-imposed break, Adam's hand stilled on the envelope in the middle of the pile of post in his office at Well Life. There was no stamp on it, so it had obviously been hand-delivered for maximum effect. He knew the beautiful precise writing with the artistic loops well. He should have thrown it out, but curiosity got the better of him. It was Jo at her manipulative best.

Dearest Adam, whatever you think about receiving this from me, grant me one final kindness and read it to the end, I beg you.

They were iron words, cus.h.i.+oned in a velvet glove of girly curls. I'm so sorry I hurt you...I will always care for you...I have to say this...He didn't want to read it, but the m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.tic part of him couldn't rip his eyes away from the hypnotic soft swirls of ink.

She put it oh so beautifully, how he could never be right for Stevie because he would never conform to her dull, vain type...and you deserve to find someone who will love you for the strong, selfless, unique, big personality that you are. She said that playing happy families with Stevie and Danny was a mere illusion, because Stevie's own horrid experiences with step-parents would never allow him to be really accepted unless he were perfect. She was saying this to be kind, of course. Darling Adam, you were the best thing that ever happened to me and I shall always regret my stupid mistake at falling for the lies of another. I still love you and if you ever change your mind, I will drop everything and come to you. Be happy, you wonderful man. Jo x.

He read the letter through to the end and the words continued to sting him long after he had ripped it up and thrown it into the bin. Adam MacLean might have known his basic psychology well, but Jo MacLean was a past master.

Stevie found the letter on the welcome mat. It had been hand-delivered and bore her name in extravagant script on the front. There was a friendly little smiling face drawn in the final 'e' to lend it affection. Stevie didn't want to open it, but its very presence gave her no choice.

Dearest Stevie, I know you will never forgive me but please allow me this one act of genuine friends.h.i.+p and read this letter to the end...

The words were exquisitely put, needles embedded in cotton wool. She knew this, but still she read on. Adam is using you...he never stopped loving me...He invited me to the gym to talk about a reconciliation...He told me evil things you had said about me...I so regret believing him and scratching your car in temper...

Stevie gasped. She remembered the day well. Why else would Jo have been at the gym, if not to talk to Adam?

Be careful of little Danny's heart...as you know only too well, dear friend, step-families are doomed to fail. Jo told her how Adam's 'type' would always be tall, beautiful, thin, dark-haired women, and how Stevie needed to find someone to love her for the wonderful curvy suns.h.i.+ney woman that she was. You deserve so much more than any of us. You were the best friend I ever had and I shall always think of you with a smile. I so much regret that you will never be able to do the same for me. Be happy, darling Stevie. Kindest regards and loveJo x.

Stevie ripped the letter up, but the words left a poison deep in her heart and there was no one on hand to suck it out for her.

Chapter 56.

Catherine snuggled up to Eddie's big body under the thin cotton sheet. There was a light breeze ruffling the curtain, blowing cool and gentle onto their skin. They only needed a cheesecake and it would have been heaven.

'Can't believe after all these years you're still that good in bed,' said Catherine.

'Is that a compliment or not?' laughed Eddie, slapping her on the backside.

Catherine sighed. If she could, she would have split her bliss and given half to Stevie. She was functioning day to day but Catherine wasn't fooled. Her friend was an automaton, an empty sh.e.l.l bravely guarding the remnants of a heart that was smashed to pieces.

As if reading her thoughts, Eddie asked her, 'How's Stevie getting on?'

'You know Stevie,' said Catherine. 'She's stuck a smile on for the outside world and says she's fine, but I can tell she's not good. Not good at all.'

'I reckon Matt will try and get back with her.'

'Probably,' said Catherine. She didn't voice it, but that's what she was afraid of. Stevie and Adam MacLean might have been the world's unlikeliest couple but there was something sparking between them that she doubted they even knew was there. She didn't want Matt to slip weakly back into her best friend's life. She wanted that big, strong Gaelic man to confess his undying love and live happily ever after with Stevie and Danny in that beautiful cottage.

'I wish there was something I could do,' she said absently.

'You keep out of it,' said Eddie with as stern a voice as he could muster.

'I'm not the keeping-out-of-it type.'

'Force yourself,' said Eddie.

'I wish Stevie could find what we've got,' said Catherine with a heavy sigh. 'Well, maybe not all seven kids.'

'Talking of kids, I saw Rip Van Winkle today,' said Eddie. 'I said ”By heck, James, it's Sat.u.r.day afternoon, what are you doing up?” And by the way, we've only got six.'

'Aye, well, remember the night of Pam's wedding, when you got all frisky dancing your big meaty legs off to that Birds and Bees dance and then came home and gave me what-for...'

'Yes, I most certainly do,' said Eddie with a big beam. 'I wasn't bad, was I, if I say so myself.'

'Well, you left a bit of you in here.'

Eddie sat up in bed. 'You're never!'

'I flaming am!'

He threw his arms around his wife and squashed her to bits.

'b.l.o.o.d.y fantastic,' he said with a grin that stretched so far across his face, his lips nearly joined around the back of his head. He took her hand and kissed the back of it tenderly. 'Mrs Flanagan, I love you. You're chuffing magic.'