A Jersey Kiss (Jersey Romance Series)

by Georgina Troy

  Shani was right. “Yes, look at you and Harry. How is he by the way? I still haven’t met him, as far as I know,” Bea said.

  Shani groaned. “He’s hot and sexy and driving me nuts.”

  “Why?” Bea couldn’t help smile. Shani was always so in charge of her men; she only wished she was as tough on hers.

  “Nothing much, just a little disagreement we’re having at the moment.”

  Bea could tell something wasn’t quite right. “You’re always so in control of your men. You are okay, aren’t you?”

  Shani sighed. “When have you known me not to be? Tell you what, I’m booked up for a few extra classes this evening, but I’ll give you a call tomorrow. Maybe, if you’re not already busy, we can take a walk on the beach with Flea.”

  The thought appealed to Bea. If only she could discuss what Tom had told her with Shani, but she’d signed a confidentiality agreement when she joined Malory’s and couldn’t divulge any information about a client, even if it was about Luke. “Lovely, and Shani?”

  “Yes?”

  “Why don’t you bring Harry along sometime? It would be good to get to know the man in your life. It feels weird not knowing him at all. A bit too mysterious, if you ask me.”

  “Bea?”

  “Yes?” Bea replied hopefully.

  “Shut the hell up. You and Paul will meet him when I’m good and ready, and not before.”

  Bea laughed. She knew when she was beaten, and replaced the receiver feeling sure Shani was behaving a little too secretly; then again, thought Bea, I’m probably being over-anxious about everything. Shani was nothing if not tough and never had a problem admitting if something was wrong in her life and then, mused Bea, sorting it out without needing anyone’s approval or assistance.

  ****

  Shani and Bea drove straight to L’Etacq. As soon as he was allowed off his lead, Flea ran onto the beach and immediately turned his attentions to killing strands of black seaweed.

  “So, Shan, how are things going with Harry?”

  “You’re not going to let this drop, are you?” Bea smiled and shook her head. “Not so good. In fact I haven’t heard from him for about a month.” She kicked a lump of sand with the toe of her worn, white trainer.

  “A month? Why, what happened?”

  “No idea,” Shani said, looking away from Bea.

  Something wasn’t right. “Are you okay? You would tell me if there was something wrong, wouldn’t you?”

  Shani picked up Flea's ball and threw it towards the edge of the tide for him. “Of course. Now stop going on. When have you known me to have a problem I couldn’t cope with?”

  Bea couldn’t think of one solitary occasion where Shani was unable to deal with something troubling her. “True. Maybe it’s just me.”

  “It is, now shut up.”

  Bea picked up a piece of pale green glass, frosted by the sand and tide, and brushed the dried sand from it before dropping it again. “Did I tell you the bank manager has called me in for another meeting?”

  “No, when?”

  “Next week. I’m hoping Simon’s estate agent did a decent enough valuation so that I’ll be able to get the full loan, but I’m not feeling all that confident.”

  “What will you do if you don’t get enough money to pay Simon off?”

  Bea shivered and breathed in the salty air. “I’ve had sleepless nights over this, Shan. If I don’t come up with the money then I’m going to have to sell the house. He’s entitled to half.”

  “But that’s unfair. Annabel loathed him ever since she found him with Claire that night, and she left the house to you, not him.”

  Bea picked up Flea’s ball and threw it again for him, watching as his ears bounced up and down behind him as he raced off like a little grey gazelle after it. “I know, it seems bloody unfair to me too, but I inherited it while we were still together and so it’s considered a matrimonial asset, according to Simon.”

  “But you’ve signed separation papers now.”

  “Yes, after Aunt Annabel had died, not before. So, if I do sell,” she continued, the frequent nausea flooding through her as it did every time she tried to contemplate the chance of an unsatisfactory outcome, “I suppose I’ll have to move in with Dad and Joyce until I sort something out.”

  “You’d go mad having to move in with that old bag.” Shani grimaced. “You always hated being in the same house with her whenever your dad insisted you go and stay with them, even when you were small.”

  “I think she found it harder having me there, it messed up their little family somehow, which is why Dad agreed to let me spend most of my childhood with Aunt Annabel.”

  “I don’t know why they ever made you go back home again.”

  Bea had spent many miserable nights wishing they hadn’t. “Me neither and it never lasted very long, but I suppose it would have looked bad at her charity lunches if her husband’s dead first wife’s daughter was sent to live somewhere else.”

  Shani picked up a piece of driftwood and threw it for Flea. “Despite his inability to stand up to Joyce, your dad does love you, don’t forget that.”

  Bea smiled. “I know he does. He’s just too under her thumb to be able to show it very much. Poor man has spent most of his life doing things he doesn’t want to so that she’ll be kept in a good mood.”

  Shani whistled for Flea to bring back the piece of wood. “What’s wrong with that dog, he doesn’t understand he’s supposed to bring the thing back if he wants me to throw it for him again.” She shook her head. “It’s a shame that Joyce always stirred you and Mel up. You’re always so competitive towards each other.” Bea nodded. “Do you think that’s why she chose Liberation Day to hold her wedding?”

  Bea didn’t doubt it for a second. “More than likely, but the date’s set now, so I have to deal with it.” She didn’t add that she also had to try and find a way to get through the day without falling apart. “I’ve no idea what she was thinking.”

  Shani folded the front of her jacked over her stomach. “I can’t believe we all liked Simon once, little shit.”

  Bea smiled. “I know. It makes me wonder if I can really trust my judgement in people,” she said, thinking again about Luke. “I’m not sure if he was the one who fooled everyone with his charm, or if we’re all, and I mean me in particular, simply gullible. Getting back to Harry though, you do know if you need any help you can come to me.” Bea stroked Shani’s arm nearest to her, before calling Flea back from the edge of the sea. “However, I do think if Harry won’t speak to you, then maybe you should go to his surgery. He’ll have to talk to you then.”

  “Don’t worry, I will. Now,” Shani said, “Although how I ended up sleeping with a dentist, I’ll never know. Tell me all about you and that delicious man you slept with the other night.”

  Bea cringed. “What’s there to say? I thought we had something special, but obviously I was the only one who felt that way. I want to know more about Harry.”

  Shani groaned. “He’s a little older than me, very handsome, especially when he comes to boxercise, and I’m not sure how I really feel about him right now.”

  “Okay, I know when you’ve had enough interrogation for one day.” Bea nudged her and whistled for Flea. She bent to put on his lead. “Anyway, it’s getting cold out here and I can tell by the way he’s panting that Flea’s overdone the running up and down after seagulls. Let’s go.”

  TEN

  November - Dishing the Dirt

  Bea hadn’t come across Luke at all for the two weeks since they had spent the night together. She tried to push the whole episode further to the back of her mind, as she made a few notes in one of the meeting rooms at work. Although she couldn’t help feeling slightly deflated, even though she had been the one to tell him to leave. Surely if he felt anything for her at all, he could have contacted her on some pretext?

  Her mobile rang. Bea scrambled to find it in her pocket, aware she should have it on silent in the office. She quic
kly answered it. “Hi, where are you?” Tom said. Bea tried not to let her disappointment show. “I’ve called your extension and walked by your desk, but couldn’t see you anywhere. I need to chat to you about a couple of things, if that's all right?”

  Bea tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder, continuing to scribble her notes. “Talk away; I’m just putting together a few details from here for one of my clients. I’ve come into Room Three to get a bit of peace so I can concentrate.”

  “I’d rather we speak out of work?”

  She thought he sounded quite unsure of himself. It wasn’t like him at all. “I can meet you outside here if you like, say, in about half an hour; we could get a coffee and have a chat then.” Bea didn’t know why Tom couldn’t simply make time to talk to her at the office. Maybe, she mused, he wanted to keep their friendship away from prying eyes. She’d heard enough gossip at Malory’s to not want her private life being the next bite being passed around.

  “So, Tom,” she said, finding him outside the coffee shop a little later. He handed her a latte and went to kiss her on the cheek. I thought we could take a stroll along the promenade overlooking the marina.

  “Sounds good to me,” she said happy to be outside for a while.” How are things?”

  “I wanted to let you know Vanessa and I have been speaking about what happened, and you can rest assured it won’t happen again. She understands how rude it was for her to phone you like she did.”

  “That’s a relief, I suppose,” she said, not sure why he was bringing this up so many weeks after Vanessa’s phone call.

  “I was also wondering if you and your friends would like to join me at the opening of The Dark Side?”

  “The what?” Bea frowned, taking a sip of the milky drink.

  “The Dark Side,” he explained. “It’s a new nightclub. The opening night is next weekend. So, if you’re not doing anything else, I was hoping you might want to come along?”

  It sounded like fun, but she wasn’t sure. Then again, it wasn't as if she had anything else in her diary for the foreseeable future. Bea knew she could do with letting her hair down for a change and somewhere new and exciting sounded tempting, and fun. She hesitated. “I’ll speak to the others,” she said after a moment, “and get back to you. I’m sure neither of them will want to turn down an offer of an opening night anywhere.”

  “It’s great to see you again.”

  “Tom, you can see me most days at work.” It was good to see him too, she realised. How did he manage to look so immaculate when the wind was so strong? She suppressed a smile, pushing away the thought of how much hairspray he must use to keep his hair in place.

  “I’ve got something to show you,” he said, opening an attachment on his phone. “I have to be careful at work and these files are confidential, so I thought I’d take a photo and show it to you that way.”

  Bea waited silently, not wanting to have to see the proof of Luke’s guilt for herself. Tom handed her the mobile. Bea’s mood plummeted when she read the report on headed paper from the financial commission confirming her worst fears about Luke. He was under investigation and she knew as well as Tom did that there had to be enough evidence against him to at least cause them to investigate his finances. Her hand began to shake so she quickly gave Tom back his phone. “So, it is true,” she said, wishing more than anything that he hadn’t shown it to her.

  She took a deep breath and began walking. Walking down here always relaxes me, she thought, but not this time.

  “You didn’t think I’d lied to you, did you?” Tom came up beside her, concern obvious on his face.

  Bea realised what she’d done. It wasn’t Tom’s fault Luke wasn’t the man she’d hoped him to be. Like Simon, she’d read him wrong. When would she learn, she wondered, holding tightly onto her cup. “Sorry, no. I suppose I was hoping you’d been wrong.”

  “I’m not. I’m sorry, I know you’re upset.” Without any notice, he grabbed hold of her in a bear hug with such force it almost took the air from her lungs. “Thanks for agreeing to meet me today,” he said over her shoulder. “It’s been great to clear the air.”

  Bea waited a second or two before gently pushing him away. “Tom, you do realise I’m only agreeing to go out to the club as a friend, don’t you? If you’re going to get the wrong idea, then I’m going to have to turn down your invitation.”

  He shook his head, looking hurt. “Not at all. You’ve made your feelings clear and I understand where you’re coming from. I want us to be friends, too. We’ve known each other for so many years it would be a shame not to spend some time together outside that air-conditioned breezeblock we call an office.”

  “We’ll see. I’m not going to get in the middle of whatever odd situation you and Vanessa have between you. I’ll give you a call about going to The Dark Side, but knowing Shani and Paul, they'll be only too happy for an excuse to go out and party.”

  Tom went to kiss her on the cheek, but stopped before actually doing so and raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, force of habit,” he said. “I’d better get on, I’m meeting a client in ten minutes at the other end of town, in Colomberie.”

  She watched him go, wondering if maybe she was doing the wrong thing accepting his invitation at all, then again, he was essentially her boss and she didn’t really have any reason to be anti-social towards him. She looked up, coming eye to eye with Luke as he drove past. Her stomach contracted and she pushed away the memory of those lips pressing down hard on her own. Bea pictured the image Tom had shown her, unable to force a smile as Luke nodded to acknowledge her before driving on.

  ****

  Knowing she was going to be out for several hours, Bea double checked Flea’s water and ensured that the heating was on low for him. She then drove into down to meet Tom, Shani, Mel and Grant at The Dark Side. Paul turned up a few minutes later with Guy, a French chef he had met the previous month.

  “He wanted to make sure they had some sort of a future together before introducing us to him, or so he says,” Mel whispered from the corner of her mouth as she eyed Guy up and down. “I love his olive skin. He’s lovely, don’t you think?”

  “He’s hot,” Shani murmured, as they stared at the tall, brooding Frenchman. “Don’t you just love that accent? How he’s managed to keep him a secret I’m not sure. Mind you, I’ve been so involved with my own stuff I probably wouldn't have noticed if he had moved him into the flat.”

  “He might have done,” Bea laughed. “I think they look cute together, the tall, dark Frenchmen and the little, blond Jersey boy. They look happy together.” It was the first time Bea had seen Paul with any one since his long-term partner had broken his heart by leaving him to return to Canada five years before.

  “Now, if he wasn’t gay, I’d be in there like a shot,” Shani said not bothering to hide her attraction to Guy. “Why is it that the lush men are always gay?” she pouted. “Do you know Paul always smells like a balmy day on a desert island?”

  Bea raised her eyebrows. “He does?” she asked, trying to imagine exactly how that was supposed to smell.

  “Sure, and never ever has beer breath.”

  “He wouldn’t have beer breath,” Mel argued. “He doesn’t drink beer.” She took Grant's hand. “Come on, let’s go and find other people to talk to.”

  Bea looked around the darkened room with its purple lighting and mirrored dance floor. She was relieved she’d worn trousers and not the dress she’d been going to put on. “Love’s young dream,” Bea murmured to Shani, wishing she didn’t feel just a touch of envy at their happiness.

  “Love’s young drips, if you ask me.” Shani rolled her eyes, smiling at Paul as he and Guy came up to them.

  “Don’t take any notice of her.” Paul joined them. “She’s only jealous.”

  “Oh bugger off, Paul.” Shani shook her head emphatically. “You wouldn’t get me being all soppy like that in public. Shouldn't you be getting the drinks in? It must be your round by now.”

  “No
problem, your ladyship.” He patted his pocket. “Plenty in here to spend tonight, but you can come and help me carry them.” He flounced off towards the chrome bar at the other end of the cavernous room, taking Guy by the hand, a wide smile on his cheeky face.

  Tom laughed, as he watched Shani striding after Paul, her long toned legs on display in the shortest skirt that barely covered her knickers. “I’m beginning to think you’re surrounded by mad people.”

  Bea secretly agreed. She held her hands up and nodded. “I know. And what’s more, these are my closest friends, so there’s no hope for me. Guy seems fun though, don’t you agree?”

  Bea watched as Shani, bored with waiting at the crowded bar, swayed her hips as she wandered across to the dance floor and waved her arms in the air as she lost herself to the music. Paul followed and mimicked her, while Guy was left to buy the drinks.

  “It’s like something from one of those documentaries on 1970s’ discos in New York,” Tom joked. “Except these two haven’t quite mastered the moves.” As he took a gulp from his Budweiser someone caught Tom’s eye, and he nodded at them at the other side of the room.

  Bea couldn’t see who it was over the mêlée of people crammed into the darkened club. She then noticed Shani gesturing frantically in her direction. She looked round the room, but couldn’t find what all the fuss was about.

  Tom turned back to face Bea. “Look at…” he started, before a hand landed heavily on his back. Tom turned round mid-sentence and, his shoulders tensing, he forced a smile. “Luke,” he shouted, over the noise. “How are you?”

  Bea frowned. She hadn’t expected to see him here.

  “You know Bea, of course,” Tom said, sliding his arm around her shoulders. Bea shrugged him off.

  Luke’s mouth twitched. He nodded at Tom. Was that contempt she spotted in his glance? He looked at Bea and his expression softened slightly. They stood transfixed for several seconds. Luke found the power of speech first. “Of course,” he answered his deep blue eyes boring into hers. “You won’t have met Leilani yet.”