Page 98 of Love like the (Real) Reel Thing
Zoe yawned. “That was nice of them. They’re not the worst, are they?”
Jess shook her head, remembering the conversation she’d overheard earlier between Kate and Simon. Did Úna and Edward know yet that they were going to be grandparents? Or was it too early to tell them? She wondered if Kate was past the ‘danger’ stage of her pregnancy. Although she herself had beenalmost past the danger stage when … She took a deep breath and pushed it out of her mind. She wouldn’t think about it, not today.
“I was talking to Adam,” Zoe said.
Despite everything, it had felt completely right that he’d been at the funeral, Jess thought. If she’d broken down when he’d come over, he would have wrapped his arms around her and let her bawl into his chest. He’d have conjured up packets of tissues and a bottle of water. Only she knew how much practice he’d had at that in the weeks before they broke up. But at least she’d been brave enough to end things. Sooner or later, he’d have realised it wasn’t what he’d signed up for. Despite what he’d tried to tell himself. And her.
“He was there when I got the phone call from Mam, so I suppose he felt he had to come.”
Zoe looked at her. “What about this guy you’ve been seeing? Did you tell him?”
“Uh huh.” After Adam had hit him at Emily’s party, Robert had left. Jess had texted him just before she’d left for Dublin and he’d replied, saying he was sorry about her grandmother. He’d made no reference to Adam or the party – and Jess had been too caught up in her grief to even notice.
“So what’s he like?”
She hesitated, wondering if she should tell her what had happened between him and Adam. But it felt too weird. Anyway, that wasn’t the real him. Robert was a perfectly nice guy when Adam wasn’t around – he just felt threatened by him. And that was largely her fault for not telling him that Adam was not just some stray interloper. Nor could she take Holly’s revelations completely to heart – she tended to exaggerate and she’d been vomity-drunk.
“He’s nice, I like him.”
Zoe raised an eyebrow. “That took you way too long to answer. You sleeping with him?”
Jess sighed but said nothing.
“Actually, scrap that – I don’t care,” Zoe said. “What I really want to know is if you and Adam have talked properly since you guys split?”
“What’s the point?” Jess glanced down. “There’s nothing to say.” How many times had she told people this? Maybe the more she said it, the easier it would be to believe it herself. “Is Finn still helping Mam in the kitchen?”
“Yep. I think he just likes being in a real kitchen again. Leo gave us a small suite in his hotel but we don’t really cook there. It’s easier to eat downstairs.”
“Is it not expensive?” Jess asked.
“Not for us.”
Jess tried to read her expression. “So when are you guys going back?”
“We’ve to leave the day after tomorrow. Well, Finn does.”
“Okay.” Jess waited.
“He’s coming to the end of his contract in a few weeks, and I think that’ll be it for now. Leo’s talking about a lot of new acts.”
“So you could come home, right?” Jess thought for a moment. “Is that teaching job still there for Finn?”
“I think so.” Zoe stretched. “To be honest, I’ve had enough of Vegas. We’re paying a mortgage on the cottage in Limerick. Not much, but it’d be good to come back and have a normal life.”
“I miss not seeing you.”
Zoe nodded. “You going to take a couple of days off now?”
“I wish I could, but I have to get back down to Linford tomorrow. Have you seen what’s been happening?” When Zoe looked at her blankly, Jess added, “The cast went out to Achill Island for a couple of days, and Afric didn’t return with them.”
“So what? She’s still on the island?”
“No. She’s disappeared apparently.” Jess leaned back against the sofa. “Why do famous people do this? Why can’t they just marry the guy or make their movie and then go home?”
“Why areyoustressing about it?”
Jess sighed. “While our events manager Ian is away, it’s part of my job. The only reason they haven’t been hassling me is because Anthony knows I was taking a couple of days off for the funeral.”
