by Melissa Hill
For some reason she felt vaguely disappointed. It had been ages since she’d had someone other than the girls around for dinner. OK, so it wasn’t dinner in the strictest sense but she was really enjoying the company.
“I’ll have a glass if you’re having one,” Ken said easily, as if reading her mind. He was busily open doors, and locating plates and cutlery as if he did it on a regular basis. To her surprise, Nicola found that she didn’t really mind. Ken had such an easygoing way about him that it wasn’t too out of place to see him rummaging around in her kitchen. It was a strange feeling.
They ate in comfortable silence for a while, chatting and joking about work until Ken eventually spoke.
“You know, it’s nice to see you having a laugh, Nicola.”
She looked at him, surprised. “What do you mean?” Was she that strait-laced at work?
“Well, if you don’t mind my saying so, you haven’t been yourself lately.” When she didn’t answer, he continued, watching her warily. “Is it Dan?”
Her fork paused in mid-air. “What makes you think that?”
“Come on, as I said we’ve known each other for a long time now. When you came to work with us first you were great, very positive, full of enthusiasm, not a bother on you. But lately, you’ve gotten quite touchy. The last time I saw you like that,” he reddened slightly, “well, you and Dan were going through a tough time. I just wondered if he’d been – I don’t know – hassling you or anything.”
Nicola was faintly touched. The way he said it, it was almost as though Ken was being protective of her. She slid pieces of green pepper around her plate. “Well, the divorce is due to come through shortly, and I suppose I’m feeling it a little.”
“That’s understandable of course but …” Ken was hesitant.
“What?”
“Look, tell me to mind my own business if you like, but you’re doing just fine without him. I mean, look at you – you’re completely independent, you live alone, you drive yourself wherever you want to go and of course,” he added grinning, “you’ve got a top job.”
“I know all that but …” Nicola gave him a watery smile, “that’s all well and good, but that’s exactly it.”
“Sorry?”
“That’s it. What you just said, my life in a nutshell. Sure I have a great life, considering, and I value my independence above everything else but – that’s it.”
“I don’t follow.”
“I mean, I know I have my friends and my family are great but …”
“Ah.” Ken seemed to understand. “The divorce is making you wonder where you’ll go from here.”
“Yes.” It was weird discussing something like this with him, and not with Laura or her mother – but he was so easy to talk to.
“I didn’t really care about anything like that before,” she explained. “When I was in London, I spent most of my time concentrating on getting my life back. When I came back, I was determined to prove to myself that I could live pretty much the way I had before the injury – well, within reason anyway,” she added with an easy smile. “But I’m not even thirty, my friends are only beginning to settle down, and I’m getting divorced.”
Ken sat back. “You’re wondering if this means you’re on your own from now on?”
“Well, yes. And I’m thinking things now that I’ve never really had to think about before – things I’ve never had time to consider, really.”
“Like?”
“Well, I don’t think I need to spell it out that I’m hardly the ideal person to go out on the town with, so how am I supposed to find someone else? Where do I start?”
Ken looked at her. “You think that no-one would be interested in you because of your disability?”
Nicola nodded and waited. Waited for him to tell her that of course people would be interested in her, that of course she wouldn’t spend the rest of her life on her own, not when she was so young, and with so much to offer and –
“You’re probably right,” he said, putting a forkful of food in his mouth. “I see it with Dad all the time,” he added. “When he’s out and about, people see his disability, and that’s all they see. Nicola, if you go out at night to a pub or a nightclub, the fact is that most guys won’t even consider you as a potential date,” he paused, “despite the fact that you are extremely cute.”
Nicola suspected the compliment was an attempt to boost her spirits and she gave a slight smile.
“But most people don’t look beyond that – they can’t look beyond it. People are afraid of what they don’t know. And let’s be honest, most people – inevitably the ones you wouldn’t want to be with anyway – don’t need the hassle.”
“Hassle?”
“Yeah. Before my dad got injured he was like yourself – had an extremely active life. He used to go rock-climbing, hill walking, the odd bit of golf, and he and Mum were part of a huge social circle in Lakeview. But when he got injured – ”
“People change,” Nicola knew the feeling well.
“It’s not that people change, it’s that you’ve changed, and they don’t know how to handle that. They’re afraid of it, and I suppose most people really don’t want to entertain that side of their personality. They’re possibly a little ashamed of themselves.”
Nicola nodded. She had had this conversation before with her mother. But sitting here now and listening to it from a male perspective Nicola felt rather dispirited.
Ken seemed to sense her mood change. “Hey, don’t look like that.”
“Like what?”
He shook his head. “Look, I’m not trying to make you feel bad. All I’m saying is that if you’re hoping to find someone new, it certainly won’t happen in anywhere as shallow as a bar or a nightclub. It’s hard enough for able-bodied people to do that.” He laughed out loud. “When I think of the fortune I’ve spent in Clancy’s buying drinks for all those good-time girls …”
Nicola raised a tiny smile. “I really can’t see you having problems with finding someone.”
“You’d be surprised,” he said, looking right at her.
Nicola’s heart skipped a beat and she quickly looked away.
“Oh, let’s not talk about this anymore,” she announced suddenly. “Anyway, even if I did find someone, why would he be bothered with me? It’s not as though I could re-enact the Karma Sutra with him.” Humour, she thought, the best form of defence.
Ken laughed. “There are ways, you know. I mean, where did my two younger sisters come from then?” he said, eyes twinkling.
She laughed, the discussion no longer quite so disheartening. “Can we change the subject now, please?”
But Ken wasn’t giving up. “You really think that you have nothing to offer a guy?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. But even you have to admit, I am at a bit of a disadvantage – not to mention a whole lot of hard work.”
Ken looked at directly at her, his expression unreadable. “Do you know something, Nicola?” he said then. “You have absolutely no idea how wrong you are.”
77
Thinking back on it now, Nicola smiled. She should have realised it then, she supposed – if not long before – that Ken had feelings for her, had always had feelings for her. Things had happened very quickly after that. Ken began spending more and more time at her place, and soon had confessed his interest in her, and his feelings that day in his office when Dan walked in. It was wonderful at the time and it had been wonderful ever since. Ken was honest, loving and gentle and she knew instinctively that he would never let her down as Dan had.
Nicola checked the time at the corner of her computer screen. It was almost eight – he should definitely be in by now. She picked up the handset and dialled his extension, eager to find out how things went with the partners No answer.
“Did you see Ken come in yet?” she asked, checking with reception. “I thought he was back today.”
“He was back yesterday evening actually – he called in last night befor
e closing. But he’s taken a day off today – didn’t he tell you?
Day off? Ken was so wrapped up in this place he hardly ever took days off – hell, he rarely even took sick days. Oh, well, he was the boss, after all, Nicola thought affectionately, dialling his home number and wondering if, despite the last few months’ encouraging figures, things hadn’t gone as well in Galway as he’d expected.
A groggy-sounding Ken answered on the second ring. “Hello?”
“Hi. You never told me you were planning on mitching off today. How was the meeting?”
There was a brief silence.
“Ken?”
“Why would I bother to tell you?” he answered brusquely. “You certainly don’t tell me everything.”
Nicola was taken aback. Ken sounded weird. “What?”
“Look, I can’t talk to you right now, okay? See you later.” With that he hung up, leaving Nicola staring open-mouthed at the receiver. What was the matter with him? Then she realised that it was just gone eight in the morning. If Ken needed a day off then he probably didn’t appreciate her interrupting his precious lie-in. She’d leave it a while and ring him again later, and, in the meantime, she’d input the wages and arrange next week’s roster.
But on her second attempt at conversation, Ken was equally grouchy.
“What’s the matter with you today?” she asked easily. It really wasn’t like Ken to be in bad form like this. “Didn’t things go well in Galway?”
“What’s the matter?” he repeated. “What’s the matter? I’ll tell you what the matter is, Nicola. The matter is that I can’t quite figure out how you managed to lead me on – so easily and for so long.”
“What? What do you mean?” she asked in shock.
“I mean, when were you going to tell me? That’s if you were going to bother telling me at all.”
“What? Ken … I really don’t – ” She was frightened now.
“What was the point, Nicola? Why spend all that time with me, leading me to believe that we were going somewhere, that we had a future together, when you never had any intention – why bother?”
His voice sounded strange, like he’d been drinking or something. “Ken – ”
“I mean, what’s the attraction? Do you like being messed around by him – is that it? Now Nicola was really confused. “By who?”
“Don’t play the innocent with me. Hunt, who do you think?”
“Dan? But I haven’t seen Dan in ages,” Immediately, Nicola was thrown off-guard. Stupidly, she hadn’t told Ken about her plans to invite Dan and Chloe to her house. It was a spur of the moment decision as it was, and she just didn’t think he’d agree with her interfering like that.
“I saw it, Nicola,” Ken said stonily, and her blood ran cold. “I saw the two of you together at your house. I can’t believe you would lie to me about it.”
Nicola was wrong-footed now. But how could he have seen? What would he have seen? Oh why hadn’t she told him about it beforehand? Look, love, I don’t know why I didn’t tell you before but, the thing is, the other night I invited –”
“I’ve no interest in hearing about it, Nicola. Just forget it. Forget the whole bloody thing. I thought the two of us had something, but all along you were just waiting, just hoping he would come back to you. Despite all your bull about wishing I had been the one you married. You’re full of it, and I don’t know why I was so stupid in the first place. After all, you went straight back to him the last time, didn’t you?”
With that Ken disconnected.
Nicola stared unseeingly at her desk, her mind reeling. This was unreal. Ken must have seen Dan come to the house the other night. But he’d told her he wouldn’t see her on Monday evening as he was going to Galway early the next morning, so how would he have … ?
Obviously he had seen something the other night but not enough to know that Dan wasn’t her only visitor. Now it looked as though she was keeping the visit a secret from him – she’d be annoyed herself, if he’d done the same. She’d have to talk to him, have to make him understand the situation from her point of view.
But if Ken wouldn’t talk to her, if he wouldn’t let her explain, then what was she going to do?
78
A few days later, and after a highly enjoyable meeting with Amanda Verveen, Laura was still walking on air.
Amanda had loved her designs and once Laura had seen samples of her collection, she knew instantly that she could rise to the occasion and produce jewellery that would be simply outstanding.
“It’s won’t be exactly ready-to-wear,” Amanda had said, indicating a missing breast panel that would have the models spilling out all over the place, “but when has that ever mattered? The main thing is that we use your jewellery to completely transform the look.”
From what Laura could gather from Jan, Amanda’s assistant, and Amanda herself, most of the catwalk fashion terminology meant little, and she wasn’t going to start describing her work as Jan had, namely “raw, wild and totally apocalyptic.” She’d like to see how many pairs of earrings she’d sell if she put that on her business cards, but nevertheless she had a definite feel for the look they wanted to convey. Even after that one meeting, Laura felt that she and Amanda were very much on the same wavelength. She didn’t know if Amanda wanted to work with her on a regular basis, and at that stage she didn’t care. By early spring of next year her work would be appearing on catwalks in London, Milan and Paris, something that she could never in a million years have anticipated.
Not long after the initial phone call from Amanda, Laura had called in on Brid at the boutique. She knew instantly from the bridal designer’s pleased expression that she had known about the call.
“I hope you didn’t mind my giving her your number,” Brid began, slightly apologetic. “I wasn’t sure how busy you were, but since that day she was going on and on at
me –”
“Are you mad?” Laura cried, enveloping her in a huge hug. “I couldn’t be more grateful to you. I had no idea who she was.”
“Amanda keeps a low profile,” Brid said. “She thinks it makes her that much more mysterious – like her clothes.” She laughed. “It’s her image, and to be honest, I find it all a little bit pretentious – but that’s why I chose to design wedding dresses instead of haute couture.”
Neil had been over the moon. “I knew it would happen for you,” he had said, the evening of Amanda’s call, when he had arrived home with a massive bunch of roses and a bottle of champagne. “OK, I didn’t quite imagine it this way but – wow.” He lifted her up and swung her around. “My wife a catwalk designer.”
“Ah not quite,” Laura corrected him. “I’m just providing the decoration.”
“Still, you wouldn’t know what this might lead to. Mention Amanda Verveen – whoever she is,” he added, not being overly familiar with the fashion world, “in the same sentence as Laura Connolly Design, and the business could take off.”
“I hope so,” Laura said, almost afraid to believe it.
The girls had been completely taken aback, Helen in particular.
“I have to hand it to you, Laura, even when the rest of us – well, me in particular,” she added slightly shamefaced, “thought you should pack it in, you kept on going. And of course, some of us didn’t make it easy for you.”
Nicola too had been delighted by her news but, for some reason, Laura sensed over the phone that her friend’s mind wasn’t quite focused.
“Ken’s gone,” Nicola had said worriedly.
“Gone?”
Nicola filled her in on the situation, and the details of her last conversation with Ken. “I tried going over to his house, but when I got there he was out. Then I found out from Sally that he’s taken a few days’ holidays from the centre.”
“Look, he probably just needs a little time to cool down, that’s all.”
Laura wasn’t unduly concerned. Things might be a little up in the air now, but Ken and Nicola would sort it out, she was sure o
f it. Still, trust good old Dan Hunt to be right in the middle of things – again.
“I’m so thrilled for you, though,” Nicola said, brightening a little. “I still can’t believe my best friend is going to be a famous jewellery designer.”
“Ah, let’s not go mad with ourselves just yet,” Laura had said, although secretly she was enjoying the attention and excitement.
She hadn’t yet said a word to her parents. She wasn’t ready to, not until she had met with Amanda and finally convinced herself that yes, this was real – this was actually going to happen. Laura would never live it down if she told her family, and then the entire thing fell through. But after the meeting with Amanda, she knew that this was definitely going to happen, and that Amanda was just as excited about working with her.
She and Neil were travelling down to Glengarrah that afternoon to tell them in person. Laura couldn’t wait for her mother’s reaction, partly because she wanted to prove her wrong, to let her know that her eldest daughter did have talent, that people did want her designs, but mostly because she wanted her mother, and indeed Joe, to share her happiness. How much better did it get than this? One of her daughters being asked to design jewellery for an international designer. Maureen would undoubtedly get great mileage out of that. They wouldn’t be able to shut her up down at the flower club. Now it was safe, her mother didn’t have to worry about failure anymore – Laura’s dreams had come true.
79
Later that evening, Neil parked the car outside the cottage and he and Laura made their way round towards the back door.
“What are you doing here?” Maureen looked as though she had just caught an intruder in her kitchen.
“Hi, Mam,” Laura ignored her mother’s typically unfriendly greeting, having long since got used to it.
“Just in time for dinner, I hope?” Neil looked longingly at the pots simmering on the stove.