Summer of Love (13 page)

‘Lissa tells me she’s hoping to buy this cottage,’ said Gus.

Sian forced a smile as she gave Melissa her mug. ‘And I’m hoping Luella doesn’t want to sell it. I love it here.’

‘But you could find somewhere else to rent, surely?’ said Melissa.

‘I’m unlikely to find somewhere with enough garden to grow my own vegetables, convenient for Rory’s playgroup, and later on, his school.’

‘Oh,’ said Melissa. ‘I want to be near my parents.’

Not wanting to start an argument, or even a discussion about who had the greater need to live in her current home, Sian offered Gus a biscuit.

‘I came round to see if I could have the full guided tour,’ Melissa went on, while Gus crunched on his Hob Nob. ‘If it’s convenient.’ She smiled prettily. ‘Although of course, you’re entertaining.’

‘Just a bit,’ said Sian, smiling weakly.

‘But I’m sure Angus wouldn’t mind, would you? By the way, your mother’s dinner party was amazing! So elegant!’

There was just enough surprise in her voice to make Sian feel offended on Fiona’s behalf.

‘I know, I was there,’ said Gus, smiling.

‘Oh yes, so you were. Talk about arriving with a bang!’ Melissa held his gaze and Sian looked away so she couldn’t see how long they looked into each other’s eyes.

‘More tea, anyone?’ she said after a few seconds.

‘I’m cool, thank you,’ said Melissa. ‘So would it be OK to see round? I’m sure Angus would like to, too.’

‘I’m sure he wouldn’t! Why would he?’ said Sian, looking at Gus, hoping he’d confirm what she’d said.

‘Actually, that’d be interesting,’ he said. ‘I’ve always wondered about this little cottage.’

‘Great!’ said Melissa, getting up. ‘Shall we go now?’

‘Give me two minutes upstairs,’ said Sian, giving in to the inevitable. ‘You can show yourselves round down here.’

Sian barely had time to put yesterday’s underwear in the linen basket and resettle her duvet on her bed before she heard them coming up the stairs.

‘Of course I’d gut the place,’ Melissa was saying. ‘That kitchen is horrible and I’d probably want to extend out the back quite a lot. But with work and money it could be rather darling.’

‘I think it’s rather darling now,’ said Sian, meeting them on the landing, although she did agree about the kitchen.

‘Of course it is,’ said Melissa. ‘It just could be so much better. So, is this the master?’ She went into Sian’s bedroom. ‘No en suite? Still, you could knock through and make this single into quite a good one, I think.’ Melissa peered into the room next door and then back again, obviously imagining herself already living here in style.

‘That’s Rory’s bedroom. I’ll just clear the floor so you can go in. You stay there!’

She scooped up some toys and stuffed a pile of clean clothes behind the curtained cupboard that was his wardrobe. She was just straightening the Thomas the Tank Engine duvet when Melissa and Gus came in.

‘Yes! Perfect as an en suite-cum-dressing room!’ said Melissa.

‘But you’d be losing a bedroom,’ said Sian, not wanting to think about Rory’s bedroom being turned into a bathroom. ‘Always a bad idea. It would reduce the value.’

‘But you’ve got another bedroom,’ said Melissa from the passage, pushing open the door. ‘Oh.’

‘Wow!’ said Gus, over her shoulder. ‘That’s amazing!’

The room was bare apart from the chest of drawers that Fiona had given her, which stood on a piece of newspaper, drying. She joined the other two in her workroom.

‘Please don’t anyone touch it,’ she said, feeling protective but also pleased by their reaction to her work in progress.

She’d sanded it back and painted it white. On top of the white were flowers, strongly reminiscent of Van Gogh’s
Irises
. The top was plain, but it made a little artwork all on its own, Sian felt. She planned to offer it to Fiona as a thank you for making her so welcome.

‘So this is what you do?’ said Gus. ‘It’s amazing.’

‘It is!’ said Melissa. ‘I’m really impressed! You can do art, not just decorating.’

‘I try,’ said Sian, also trying not to smile. ‘I did go to art school.’

‘Would you do something for me?’ said Melissa, turning to her enthusiastically. ‘I have some vile fitted wardrobes. You could paint them for me.’

‘Not if you’re planning to sell your house.’

‘It’s all right, I live with my parents!’

Sian smiled. ‘Better check with them, then. It’s quite a lot of money to spend on a room you’re going to move out of.’ Sian didn’t want to do herself out of a commission but she always gave this caveat if she was asked to paint built-in furniture.

‘Of course I’d check, but I think you should do something quite tasteful, like roses growing up or something. Mummy would
love
that,’ said Melissa.

Sian glanced at her watch. ‘Um, is there anywhere else you’d like to see? Only I’ve got to go and pick up Rory in a minute.’

This was a lie, but it would make them leave.

‘I think I’ve seen enough for now,’ said Melissa. ‘The upstairs is bigger than I imagined. It is a sweet house.’

‘Yes,’ said Sian, forbearing to add, ‘and possession is nine-tenths of the law.’

‘Tell you what, come up for a drink later,’ said Gus, who had been looking out of the window. ‘And bring Rory. I’d love to meet him.’

‘I’m not sure—’ said Sian.

‘You too, Lissa,’ he said with the lazy smile any woman would find hard to resist.

‘That would be lovely,’ said Melissa with a little sigh. She hooked her hand through Gus’s arm. ‘What time would you like us?’

‘About six?’ said Gus. ‘Sian? Would that be OK for Rory’s bedtime, things like that?’

‘Um, maybe. Can I get back to you on that?’ No way was Sian going to be bringing Rory round for drinks with Gus if she could possibly help it – and certainly not if Melissa was going to be there too. On the other hand, Rory and Gus would have to meet sometime. She’d see what sort of mood her son was in when she picked him up. She wanted him to be feeling very sunny the first time he met his father, even if neither of them knew what was happening.

Later that day, when it really was time to pick him up, Rory emerged from playgroup with his arm round Annabelle. ‘Mum!’ he said. ‘Can Annabelle come and play?’

‘I should think so, darling,’ said Sian and turned to Jody. ‘Would that suit you? Rory’s been to you so often.’

‘Oh that’s fine,’ said Jody. ‘It’s as easy to have two as it is one, I often find.’

Once again Sian mentally thanked Fiona for introducing her to Jody. Not only because she helped out with Rory but because she was proving a very good friend. She was fun and it was good to have a friend her own age.

The two women walked back towards the car park chatting. ‘So, have you got anything exciting planned for later?’ asked Sian.

‘Not really. There’s footie on the box which means I not only have to put up with spending all evening in the dining room, but with the yells and swearing as well,’ said Jody. ‘Men, eh. You’re better off on your own. What about you?’

Sian suddenly felt it would be nice to have someone around, even to get irritated by. ‘Oh, we’ve been invited out to drinks but I don’t want to go really,’ she said. ‘It makes it so late for Rory.’

‘Tell you what,’ said Jody, ‘why don’t I come over and babysit?’

‘I couldn’t ask you to do that!’

‘Yes you could. I’d love it. Home alone with the remote control all mine.’

‘But it’s early. Six o’clock.’

‘Well, if you feed Annabelle with Rory, and then drop her off for me, at about five thirty, I can deal with the others and be with you by six. John can do bedtime before the match starts.’

‘It seems a huge imposition …’

‘No, really. It would be an escape for me.’

‘OK,’ said Sian, having thought for a bit, ‘as long as you’ll tell me if you want me to babysit in return. Rory could sleep on the sofa. We’ve taken advantage of your kindness often enough.’

‘Deal! Although just having Annabelle to stay over would do. I can farm the boys out to other friends if we need a night out.’

‘I could do a weekend if you wanted to go away.’

‘You’re a doll, thank you!’

As Sian wrangled the children into the back of the car and into their seatbelts, she wondered if she could confide in Jody about Gus, and then thought not. Much as she liked her, they hadn’t been friends that long. It would be more sensible to keep her thoughts and worries to herself. That way they wouldn’t grow legs. And, after all, she hadn’t even told her mother everything.

With Jody happily ensconced in front of the television with the remote, a cup of tea and cupcakes made by the children, Sian walked up the road a few hours later, trying to pretend she was just going for a glass of wine with Fiona, and not that she was going to see the father of her child and if she was honest with herself, which she wasn’t, a man she still found desperately attractive. She was also trying not to admit to herself that she was excited at the thought of seeing Gus again, because that made her feel guilty about Richard. Oh, she had to get her emotions under control.

Fiona met her at the door. ‘No Rory?’

‘No, Jody is babysitting. She wanted to get away from the football. It’s very kind of her. Rory was a bit tired so better for him, really.’

‘Sorry to miss him, but come on through. We’re having champagne in the conservatory. You can stay for something to eat if you haven’t got to rush back.’

She arrived just as Gus removed the cork from a bottle of champagne with a promising hiss. She gestured to him in greeting.

‘Hi, Sian. Sit down, let me bring you a drink. You didn’t bring your son?’

‘No, he’s in bed. He was tired after playgroup. A friend is babysitting.’ She sank into one of the comfy chairs that had been brought back in from the garden. ‘This is nice. I’m quite tired myself.’

‘Here, have this.’ He handed her a glass of champagne and smiled into her eyes. She looked away. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

Fiona came in, taking off her apron. ‘Give us a drink, darling, there’s a dear.’ She sat next to Sian. ‘Have you been busy?’

‘Mm, I’ve managed to get quite a lot done though. Rory had Annabelle to play and after we’d made cakes, they got on so well I could really crack on. In fact’ – she smiled, feeling a little smug – ‘I’ve got something to show you I think you might like.’

‘Oh, how nice! Have an olive.’ Fiona handed Sian the bowl and then took a full glass from her son. She took a long sip.

The three of them were just settling into a companionable silence when there was a call.

‘Hello! Anyone at home! I’ve been ringing but no one heard me.’ Melissa came into the conservatory, smiling brightly.

Fiona jumped to her feet. ‘Melissa! How lovely to see you.’ Sian could tell this was the last thing she felt and wondered if Gus had forgotten to tell her he’d invited her. ‘Do have a drink.’

Gus got up and handed Melissa a glass of champagne. ‘Hey, you,’ she said to him, kissing him. He kissed her back.

He hadn’t kissed her, Sian realised, with a pang. The fact that she’d been sitting down and was hard to reach was no excuse. Then she reprimanded herself. He could kiss or not kiss whomever he liked.

‘Hey, Lissa,’ he said. ‘What’s up?’

‘No one but you calls me Lissa any more, I love that you do that,’ Melissa said delightedly and coiled her arm round his waist.

‘So, Melissa,’ said Fiona, ‘how are your parents?’

‘Oh, fine! Mum’s organising something or other as usual.’ She laughed charmingly. ‘After all the lovely food you cooked the other night, she might rope you in!’

Sian sensed she wasn’t alone in wanting to kick Melissa, who was clutching on to Gus like a drunk to a lamppost. She quite wanted to kick Gus too.

‘You flatter me, Melissa. Your mother is a much better cook than I am.’

‘Well, we won’t fall out over it,’ said Melissa. ‘Anyway, I’ve come to issue an invitation of my own. I feel so grown up!’

She would have jumped up and down and clapped her hands had it not meant letting go of Angus, Sian could just tell.

‘So what is it?’ Gus disentangled himself and pushed Melissa gently into a chair.

‘A picnic! Such fun. There’s a fund-raiser for the local hospice, sort of like a gymkhana for adults, only with stuff for the littlies too, of course. I want you all to come. You too,’ she said to Sian.

‘Oh no, my mother might be staying,’ said Sian, realising too late that as Melissa hadn’t given a date, her excuse might not hold water. Although her mother was coming to stay, and very soon.

‘You could bring your mum. She and Fiona can chat. I’m not sure if my parents are going to be around for chatting. They’ll be running round like blue-arsed flies organising everything. We’ve got to get people to come so I thought it would be fun to get up a gang.’ She looked at Gus in a way that told the world she would have preferred it to be a gang of two.

‘It might not be suitable for Rory,’ said Sian. She wasn’t at all sure what a gymkhana involved, nor at all keen to find out.

‘Oh no, it would be brilliant for Rory,’ said Gus. ‘Unless he hates horses.’

‘He hasn’t really met any,’ Sian confessed.

‘I’m sure he’d love it,’ said Fiona. ‘I’d have thought there’ll be lots of things to do.’

‘Oh, there will be,’ said Melissa. ‘My parents have been arranging it for months.’

‘I’m surprised I haven’t heard about it before,’ said Fiona, a smile lifting the corner of her mouth.

‘I don’t think Mum and Dad thought you’d be able to do anything to help. But of course we need punters as well as helpers!’

‘There’s bound to be some sort of retail opportunity, isn’t there, Melissa?’ said Fiona.

‘Oh, loads! Cashmere, crafts, jewellery – loads of stuff. Mum’s pulled in all sorts of favours. It’s at the castle.’

‘Oh,’ said Fiona, suddenly a lot more interested. ‘It won’t be open to the public, will it?’

‘’Fraid not. We tried, but they wouldn’t do it. Can’t blame them. Don’t want civilians snooping around, even for a good cause.’

‘I think it’ll be fun,’ said Gus determinedly. ‘I think we should all go.’

‘Sweetie!’ said Melissa, jumping up from her seat and kissing him again. ‘You’re a doll.’