Page 43 of Love like the (Real) Reel Thing
There was a slight pause. “Oh, she wants to have some friends to it, and this probably suits them better. Anyway, when you get to Nana’s age, you can have a birthday party whenever you want.”
“What about Zoe?” Jess said. “It’s a bit last minute to ask her to get back from Vegas.”
“I know.” Carmel cleared her throat. “Ididcheck with her but she won’t make it. She’ll do some Facetime with your nana instead.”
Moira was getting more eccentric by the day, Jess thought, smiling. Still, it’d be a perfect opportunity to get home for a weekend and see her family. “Can I do anything?”
“Not a thing, love! I’m hiring a cleaner beforehand and caterers on the day. Sometimes you have to throw a bit of money at things. Now, I want to hear how things are with you. Have you met any nice people down there?”
Jess immediately thought of Robert. She knew her mother had worried when she and Simon had called off their wedding. And she’d stood by her when Jess had announced she was pregnant with Adam’s baby and was going to give their relationship a chance. But she didn’t think she was ready to hear she’d met someone else.
“Everyone’s lovely, Mam,” Jess said. “One of the girls who used to work in head office is working here now, so we’ve been hanging out a lot.”
“Oh, that’s great, Jess.” Carmel sounded relieved. “Girlfriends are so important, and I know you must be missing Kate. Did I tell you I bumped into Úna the other day?”
“No, you didn’t.” Úna was Simon’s mother, and Jess hadn’t seen her since their aborted wedding day. They had never really seen eye to eye, but Jess knew her heart had been in the right place. She also knew that Kate loved her and would be a far better daughter-in-law than Jess would have been.
“We had a little chat. We’ve been getting on much better since you and Simon decided not to go through with things. I asked her how the wedding plans were going, and she said that she and Kate are planning everything together.”
Jess took a moment to digest this. “I’m really glad. Simon deserves to be happy.”
“I know he does.”
There was a pause and Jess got the impression Carmel wanted to say something else.
When she didn’t, Jess said, “I’d better go, but I’m having a great time down here. It’s a bit like a holiday. I’ll see you at the weekend.”
“That’s great. Bye, love. Bye, bye, bye!” Carmel hung up.
Jess frowned. What had her mother wanted to say? That she wished Jess could have been happy with Simon? That she hadn’t slept with Adam on her hen weekend? Or that she hadn’t messed up her life so spectacularly?
She sighed and sent Kate a quick text.Hey, back in Dublin for the w/end. Fancy Sunday lunch in Bewley’s? Xx
A few minutes later, Kate repliedGrt, c u 12.30?
It’d be good to catch up with Kate too. Phone calls were great but she hadn’t found the right time to tell her about Robert. Until now it had felt too soon.
But after a goodnight kiss that had almost become something else, they’d definitely shifted out of the friend zone. And she wasn’t quite sure how she felt about that.
CHAPTER 22
Goss.ie Spencer Torres – who celebrates his 35thbirthday today – pictured with co-star Afric Brooks on the set ofAn Irish Inheritancewhich is being filmed in Linford Castle, County Mayo, in the West of Ireland.
Jess looked at a rather cryptic message as she walked up the driveway to the front entrance of Linford Castle:Just a heads-up, Afric is going ape-shit.
She wondered if she’d have time for a coffee before having to deal with her. If it had anything to do with the tunnels, she might have to come clean and admit that she couldn’t face going into them either.
As she reached the double doors, the biggest German Shepherd she’d ever seen ran skidding across the tiled floor of the foyer, heading directly for her.
“Shit!” She turned and bolted back out, her heart racing as she banged the heavy oak doors shut behind her. How had that thinggot in? Only someone with a pass could get into the grounds and she was certain the bars of the gates were too narrow for an animal that size to slip through.
She leaned back and tried to picture the high walls that ran around the periphery. Could it have jumped them? Maybe. If it was on steroids!
There was a loud thump on the other side of the doors, and she let out a small shriek. Oh crap, it was trying to get out. Her mouth dried – she’d be torn limb from limb.
What was she thinking? She couldn’t leave it in there – everyone would be in danger. Right, she’d open one door really fast and when the dog ran out she’d have time to get in and close the door behind her. Then they could call the local guards, or the nearest animal shelter.
She took a step back and turned the handle quickly, preparing to make her move.
