There was no point taking her up on the ‘your John’.
Dragon Man appeared in the doorway. ‘So, this is where you’ve disappeared to. Talking about me, are you?’ His smile was almost a leer. What the hell had Susie ever seen in him?
Rory didn’t want to hang around and play nicely, especially if Susie was going to give him the heave-ho. ‘I’m just going to check on Belle.’
Belle was in the middle of her group of friends, telling them a story. Her hands were all over the place as she explained something in great detail. She looked radiant. Rory’s heart squeezed. She was going to be just fine.
As soon as the story was finished, Rory put her hands on Belle’s shoulders. ‘I’m really sorry to interrupt, but do you know where Charlie is?’
‘Sorry, Mum, I meant to tell you. He’s gone to Harry’s house. He was bored anyway and then when he realised there were going to be other teachers here, he couldn’t face it. I think his exact words were: “It’ll be like a detention but with rubbish music.”’
Rory could see his point. She wasn’t enjoying the party much herself. Maybe she should go to Harry’s, too. At least there would be biscuits.
‘Also, Mum, do you mind if I go back and stay at Fiona’s tonight? The other girls are staying there and it’ll be fun to have a sleepover.’ Belle grinned at her girlfriends. ‘It’ll be like the old days.’
Rory did mind. There was a loneliness she hadn’t been able to shrug off all evening. If Charlie was at Harry’s and Belle was at Fiona’s, the house would be empty. Her mum was planning on leaving soon and she didn’t want to ask her to stay – she had a sneaky suspicion she might be planning on seeing George. But she couldn’t stop Belle having fun. ‘Of course not. I’m glad you want to get out again. You enjoy yourself.’
Maybe Susie would stay with her tonight. Rory turned to look for her. Dragon Man was in the corner of the sitting room, standing alone, slowly drinking beer from a can. He was staring straight at her. But, where was Susie?
Rory excused herself from Belle’s friends, who were already cackling about some other boy in their year. She found Susie as soon as she walked into the kitchen, talking to a tall slim man. He turned as Rory came in. Was that… Colin the librarian?
Chapter Forty-One
At house parties, kitchens are always busy places. Usually, it’s where the drinks are kept, so people are in and out getting refills. But it is also a sanctuary for those who aren’t quite full-on party people and who would rather lean against a cupboard and have a chat. The kind of place Rory would expect to find Colin the librarian. Not the place she would expect to find Susie. And definitely not the place she would expect to find the two of them together. Looking cosy.
‘Rory. Thanks so much for inviting me.’ Colin reached out and shook her hand. Bless him.
‘Thank you for coming. I see Susie is looking after you?’ Rory raised an inquisitive eyebrow in Susie’s direction and got a wink in reply. Had someone slipped something into her drink?
Just then, Penny appeared with her boyfriend. Who bore a strong resemblance to Derek Brown. Their headteacher.
Derek smiled at Rory. ‘Thanks for inviting me, Rory. I hope it’s not too much of a shock?’ He put an arm around Penny’s shoulders and she giggled.
Had the world gone mad?
‘Can I borrow you two ladies for a moment? I just want to ask you about something.’ Rory practically pushed the two of them out into the hall. They had to go via the sitting room, where she tried to avoid the laser beam stare coming from the corner of the room. It was a good job that the tattoo on Jim’s back couldn’t breathe actual fire, or they would all be rather crispy by now.
As soon as they got to the hallway, Rory spun them both around by the shoulder. ‘What’s going on?’
‘What do you mean?’ Penny looked confused. ‘Belle let us in ages ago, but you were busy talking so we’ve been mingling.’
Rory rolled her eyes. ‘Derek Brown? When were you going to say something?’
Penny giggled again. ‘Oh, that. Well, we had to keep it quiet at the beginning because it wasn’t worth making waves if it didn’t go anywhere. And then it was quite fun to keep it a secret, and then the inspectors were coming, and then you were going to have a party…’
Rory held up her hand. Drunk Penny talked way too much. ‘And you.’ She turned to Susie. ‘Are you flirting with Colin?’
‘I am!’ Susie looked so proud of herself. She had clearly been flirting with most of one of the bottles of Prosecco she’d brought, too. ‘You and Pen keep telling me I go for the wrong sort, so I’ve decided to take a walk on the nice-side for a change. And, actually, he is a very funny man!’
Rory was pleased that Susie was broadening her horizons partner-wise, but she was a little bit concerned about the smouldering pile of machismo currently in her lounge. Unless Colin was hiding a black belt in Ju-Jitsu under his library card, she didn’t fancy his chances. ‘But what about Drag… er… Jim?’
Susie brushed her off with the confidence of the very drunk. ‘I’ve told him it’s over. He’s probably gone home.’
Penny was nodding along with her. Her flushed face suggested she had also been knocking back a few glasses of bubbly.
Rory slowed her voice down to the speed she used with newly arrived foreign students. ‘But he’s still here.’
‘Is he?’ Susie didn’t look remotely concerned. ‘I’m sure he’ll go when he’s finished his drink.’
‘Oh, no.’ Rory took her by the elbow and propelled her towards the sitting room door. ‘You go in there and get rid of him. It’s one man at a time under this roof, young lady.’
Susie zigzagged off in the direction of Dragon Man, muttering about it being, ‘No men under this roof and that’s the problem.’
First her mother and George, now Susie. And Rory had thought it was Belle who needed watching. She turned to Penny. ‘I’m not being unreasonable, am I?’
Penny shook her head and then stopped when it almost made her fall over. She stuck out a teacher finger. ‘Not at all. Your house; your rules.’ She smiled. ‘What do you think about me and Derek?’
‘I’m really pleased for you. Honestly. He’s a nice man.’
Penny beamed. ‘He is.’ She leaned in and whispered. ‘And a little bird told me that the governors are very pleased with the coaching work you’ve started in the last couple of weeks. Apparently, they’ve been muttering about a possible place on the leadership team.’
Penny was looking at Rory expectantly.
‘Leadership team? Me? No. I don’t think so.’
‘Why not? You’ve been at the school for years. You’re a fantastic teacher. You’d be great. Plus,’ Penny swept a hand around the room, ‘this place is all done now, and Belle is almost all grown up. You’ll have more time on your hands.’
Why did people keep reminding her of that?
‘Anyway,’ Penny had changed tack again. ‘How do you think I should break it to Susie that Colin is gay?’
* * *
If Rory hadn’t noticed Penny arrive, then there was a chance she had missed other people arriving. Or, more accurately, the one other person she was hoping would come. But John wasn’t anywhere to be seen. It was still early though, and he would have gone home to shower if he’d been at work today. She shouldn’t give up hope. Not yet.
Rory’s sitting room was full of people. They were chatting, laughing and drinking; everyone was having a good time. Even the music that Belle had chosen had gone down well. The people in front of her were her friends; she liked them all. Loved some of them. So why did she feel so lonely?
The doorbell rang.
It was Nathan.
‘Hi. I hope you meant it when you invited me?’
Rory smiled and took the bottle of wine he held out to her. ‘I did. Come through to the kitchen.’
Either Susie’s gaydar had started working or Penny had warned her that she might not be Colin’s type, but her eyes lit up when she saw N
athan Finch. So did his.
‘We like him now, right?’ Susie whispered in Rory’s ear. ‘So, it’s okay to…’
‘Yes, it’s okay.’ Rory had a feeling that Nathan might be just the right mix of good and bad for Susie. And, in a short-sleeved casual shirt, he had surprisingly nice arms.
‘I’m going to go home, love. I’ve rung for a cab.’
Rory turned to see Sheila with her coat on. ‘Really? So soon?’
‘I’m a bit tired, and this is for you youngsters really.’ Sheila wasn’t looking at Rory properly and she was fiddling with the collar of her good coat.
Rory narrowed her eyes. ‘You’re going to see George, aren’t you?’
Sheila looked up. She’d been rumbled. ‘He just sent a message to say that I was welcome to pop in for a cup of tea on my way home. I think he’s feeling lonely. You don’t mind, do you?’
Rory didn’t want to say that she was feeling lonely too. ‘No, of course not, Mum. You go. Maybe you and George could come over for dinner next week?’
Sheila looked horrified. ‘We’re not a couple, Rory. We’re just friends and he has just lost his wife.’
From the look on her mother’s face, you would have thought Rory was inviting them to an orgy. ‘I wasn’t suggesting anything, Mum. You’ve met Karen; maybe George might like to meet your daughter?’
Sheila blushed. ‘I’m sorry, love. I’m just a bit worried about people’s reaction to us being friends.’
‘Well, the people who love you both know how much George loved Olive and how much you both miss her. Everyone else can take a running jump.’
Sheila held Rory’s shoulders and kissed her on the cheek. ‘He hasn’t come yet, has he?’
Rory bit her lip and shook her head.
Sheila nodded decisively and then kissed her again. ‘He will.’
* * *
The rest of the party went well. Fiona’s mum came to pick up the girls and Rory managed to smile sweetly in her condescending presence. Even when Michelle repeated three times that she would ensure she kept a close eye on Belle at all times. Charlie rang to ask if he could stay at Harry’s and, even though Rory didn’t like it, he had already had the okay from his mum, so what could she say?
But John never came.
Susie and Nathan were the last to leave. Susie was hanging on his every word and he had a twinkle in his eye that hadn’t come from a pile of lesson plans. As she left, Susie whispered drunkenly into Rory’s ear. ‘Just call him!’
Now that everyone had gone, the house was quiet. Very quiet. There were glasses everywhere and small bowls with the remnants of peanuts and crisps. She should be a grown up and clear things away, but she hadn’t the energy. Instead, she slumped down onto the sofa and curled her legs up under her.
Everyone had complimented her on the house. Despite not wanting the party, she’d had a warm feeling watching her friends’ surprise at what had been achieved in such a short time. It did look amazing; better than she had ever imagined it. The soft creams in this sitting room, the shiny white cupboards in the kitchen, the beautifully restored floor in the hall: there was nothing that needed doing. Even the bedrooms had been plastered and given a lick of paint before her mother’s penchant for soft furnishings had turned them into something from an interiors magazine. Rory had wanted a beautiful home for herself and Belle and that was what she had. It was perfect.
So, why didn’t she feel happy?
Everyone else in her life was doing just fine. Sheila might be grieving for Olive, but her friendship with George would bring them both comfort. Belle had bounced back from the episode with The Nobhead, and Penny was happy with Derek Brown. Even Susie was on a possible path to contentment with the new improved version of Nathan Finch. Charlie’s mum was much better after her operation and he would probably be moving back in with her soon – which was surely a positive thing.
But Rory was sitting here alone.
It was all right for Susie to tell her to call John, but he hadn’t turned up to the party. That was answer enough. Rory didn’t need him to spell it out. Parties might not be his thing, they weren’t really hers, but it would have been the perfect opportunity for him to call her – and he hadn’t. He hadn’t called since the day he’d left his invoice.
Rory swung her legs down from the couch. A good night’s sleep would get rid of this melancholy. She turned out the light in the sitting room and walked through to the hall, stopping for a look in the large oval ornate mirror hanging beside the front door. The mirror was the only thing left from the house as she’d seen it on the first day, and it looked beautiful now that the mirror glass had been replaced. It would have been cheaper to buy a whole new mirror, but she’d had a rare moment of sentimentality and decided it belonged here as much as they did. She spoke to her reflection. ‘Life is not a fairy tale, Aurora.’
She had her foot on the bottom stair when the doorbell rang.
Chapter Forty-Two
Hope bubbled in Rory’s chest. Stay calm. It might not be him.
But it was. And he had Charlie with him.
Charlie darted straight past her. ‘I need the toilet!’
Rory turned back to John. She hadn’t seen him in over a week and he looked different. Was it his hair? Or just the fact he wasn’t wearing paint-spattered jeans?
He shrugged. ‘I was on the way round here and I saw him. He’s had a bit of a falling out with Harry. Nothing serious, I don’t think. But he’d left the house and was on his way back here. I picked him up.’
‘Thanks. I’ll have to talk to him about being out so late.’
John looked sheepish. ‘I actually picked him up about two hours ago. He hadn’t eaten, so I took him for a pizza. Look, Rory, I’m sorry I didn’t come to the party. I’m just not very good at parties.’
She tried to look as if she didn’t care. ‘It’s fine, there were tons of people here. It’s been crazy!’ She sounded like a teenager from an American sitcom. Seriously.
‘Yeah, I guessed that.’ He ran his fingers through his hair. ‘That’s kind of why I didn’t come. Lots of people. Loud music. Not really my thing.’
Rory sighed and dropped the act. Who was she trying to kid? ‘It’s not really my thing either, to be honest. It was Belle’s idea and I didn’t have the heart – or strength – to say no.’
He had his hands in his hair again. ‘I did want to talk to you, though.’
The butterflies in Rory’s stomach cocked an ear. Or antenna? ‘Yes?’
He took a deep breath, ‘The thing is…’
The downstairs toilet door opened. It was Dragon Man. What the heck was he doing still here? He leered at her. ‘There you are.’
John stood up straight. His face turned to stone. ‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t realise… Sorry. Look… Say goodbye to Charlie for me.’
Rory shook herself. ‘What? No… I mean… I didn’t…’ How was Dragon Man still in the house? Hadn’t he left before Susie? Why wasn’t he saying anything? And why was he looking at John like that? John was backing out of the door. Don’t go. Please don’t go.
‘Anyway, take care of yourself.’
And John was gone.
She turned back to Jim. ‘I didn’t realise you were still here. Susie left.’ Keep stating the obvious, Rory.
‘I know. It’s you I wanted to talk to.’ He smiled lazily. Rory felt a cold trickle down her spine. She needed to get him out of here as quickly as possible. Was it too late to go after John and get him back? He’d seemed like he was about to say something to her. She tried not to get her hopes up about what that might be.
She most definitely wasn’t in the mood to rehash the details of someone else’s break-up. ‘I’m pretty tired, to be honest. It’s been a long night. You really need to talk to Susie – I don’t know what happened between you both. You should really speak to her.’
Dragon Man laughed. It wasn’t a pleasant sound. ‘I don’t need to talk to Susie.’ He took a step closer. ‘I need to talk to you.�
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That was when she started to feel frightened.
Rory wasn’t weak and feeble. She’d done some self-defence. Could she remember it? The hallway started to feel very small. Especially when Dragon Man took a step towards her. ‘Shall we?’ He indicated the door to the sitting room.
Could she have this wrong? Was it the wine making her anxious? No, she felt sober right now. Just stay calm.
In the sitting room, she started to pick up the glasses and bottles that crowded every available surface. Act normal. Be firm. ‘I really need to clear up from the party. Can we talk another time?’
Dragon Man sat down on her sofa and leaned back arrogantly, watching her. ‘No. I’ve been trying to talk to you for a while. I’m not waiting any more.’
Rory squeezed an empty beer bottle. If he came at her, she could hit him around the head with that. Who the hell did he think he was, coming into her house – remaining in her house – and telling her what to do? ‘Look, I’m not interested in you. Nothing personal, you’re just not my type. So, if that is what you…’
She trailed off at the sound of his mocking laughter. ‘Interested in you?’ He sneered. ‘Is that what you think?’ He started to shake his head from side to side. ‘Uptight teachers are not really my type either, I’m afraid.’ He stopped laughing and stared at her. The kind of stare that made you feel vulnerable. Exposed. In danger.
‘Then what do you want?’
Dragon Man leaned forward. His legs were far apart and he rested his elbows on either knee. His hands hung loosely between his legs and she could see how grazed and bruised his knuckles looked. According to Susie, he was some kind of builder. But John’s hands weren’t like that. Those were fighting scars.
‘We’ll get onto that in a minute. Firstly, I want to ask you a few things.’ He was clearly enjoying controlling this situation. She’d known men like this before: everything on their terms.
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