Divorced, Free, and Single

by Rosemary Lynch

  Divorced, Free, and Single

  A Contemporary Romance

  Written in UK English and Spelling

  by Rosemary L Lynch

  Copyright Rosemary Lynch 01/06/2013

  Cover Art ~ Rosemary L Lynch

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by

  photocopying or by any electronic or mechanical means,

  including information storage or retrieval systems,

  without permission from both the copyright owner

  and the publisher of this book.

  All names, places, words and people within this book are entirely fictitious and any similarities between the living or the deceased is purely coincidental

  For my wonderful sister-in-law

  Jane Anderson

  with love

  Chapter One

  Jane sat at her dining table as the removal men loaded what belongings she had left into the lorry. She sighed, and then smiled. Finally, she was free.

  Having just turned thirty-seven; her two boys, twins, Jack, and Michael aged twenty, had left home, and were at University. Last year, Jane’s now ex-husband had fucked off with Urshula, a blonde, bimbo half of his forty-five years.

  Not that she was complaining, he was an arsehole and to be honest, she never thought she would ever be free of him. She never thought he would let her go.

  They sold the house three months ago, and as they had owned it twenty years, Jane came out with a decent settlement. She used most of it to buy herself a two bed-roomed flat in town. Although this meant she was now alone, Jane could see two positive things that had come out of this very stressful year. One, she was free from Sam, and two, with all the stress he had put her through, she had shed the extra two stone in weight she had been carrying.

  “Excuse me,” the removal man said. She looked up from her thoughts. “Can I take that?” he asked, pointing to her chair.

  “Oh sure,” she replied, and as she jumped up, she looked at him. He was around his late twenties, six foot, and quite well built. Not bad looking she supposed. She found herself doing that a lot lately, looking at other men, and wondering if she would ever be able to trust another one. Despite the abuse she had faced with Sam, she was still a romantic at heart and she often wondered if she would ever fall in real love in a true fairy story fashion.

  As the men loaded the last piece of furniture into the van, Jane wandered around her cottage for the last time, just to make sure everything was gone. She climbed the stairs, and walked into Jack’s bedroom and as she checked the windows to make sure they were secure, she sighed. Although her life with her husband was not been great, actually, if she were honest with herself, it had been fucking awful. It was still hard, as the memories of her boys as babies, toddlers, and teenagers lived in this house. She walked into Michael’s bedroom, and a tear ran down her cheek, she and Michael were especially close, Jack more so with his father. She spotted something on the floor, and walking over to it, she picked it up and turned it about in her hand. It was a tiny action figure, hidden behind his wardrobe for years. She smiled, and gripping it in her hand, she turned about and went into her and Sam’s bedroom.

  She swallowed at the memories held within it, none of them good as far as she was concerned, and she closed the door for the last time.

  She went down the stairs, and picked up her handbag from where it sat at the bottom and walked out of the front door for the last time. As Jane locked it, she wiped the tears from her eyes

  “Well, that’s that,” she said. “Twenty years of my fucked up life behind me.” She turned and began to walk down the garden path.

  “You off, dear?” a voice called. Jane turned. Mrs ‘nosey parker’ Boswell stood peering over the fence at her.

  “Yes, Mildred,” she replied and she gave her a reluctant smile.

  “Never did like him,” she said.

  “What?” Jane replied.

  “I said I never did like him. You go and find yourself a nice fella.” Jane smiled at her.

  “I will, Mildred. You take care.” Mildred muttered something derogative under her breath about the fact that she had sold the house to a family with three screaming kids and then disappeared. Jane gave a chuckle. She closed the white gate and waited for her cab.

  She checked her watch. It was Saturday, 10.00am and Jane’s list for today read as follows –

  7am - move!

  3pm - Go and have hair done.

  7pm - Leave for Emily and Edward’s engagement party weekend with Claire and Sophie, and get totally pissed.

  Jane had recently quit her boring job at the bank and had managed to secure a PA role for a top London firm at almost double the salary. Now she was on her own she needed to earn as much as she could. She gave herself a couple of weeks off in between leaving her old job and starting her new one. She used one week to pack up the house and the second week to unpack at her new flat.

  She had made up her mind not going to look for another permanent relationship just yet. She was not going to allow another man to dominate her, or her life. This year was about going out and having some serious fun.

  Her phone rang.

  “Hi, Mum,” she said. “No, I am fine. No, Mum, you do not need to come over. I am going to drop the keys off at the agents – yes, Mum,” she sighed. “I will be fine. It’s Emily and Edward’s engagement party tonight, so I am not on my own. I love you too. I will call you Sunday evening.” She hung up. Her mum was great, and supportive, but she lived in Spain, which was great for holidays but not when you really needed a hug.

  The cab took her to the Estate agents, and she dropped off the keys and they drove the ten miles to meet the lorry outside her new flat. She was on the second floor, and as there was no lift, she was glad she paid for a removal company, instead of attempting to do it herself. Her new home was soon full of boxes, and she unpacked a few essentials, the kettle, mugs, tea, coffee, and biscuits to keep the removal men happy. After they left she sorted out her overnight bag, ready for the weekend. The rest she decided could wait until Sunday.

  At three o’clock, Jane sat in the hairdressers, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

  “How are you, darling,” Izzy said, as he pulled the band from her hair. Izzy had been her hairdresser for years and he was about as flamboyant as a man could get. His afro hair spiked like sonic the hedgehog, the tips dyed multi-coloured, and he always wore a silk scarf around his neck. Today it was purple to match his trousers.

  “Honestly crappy, Izzy,” she said. Jane told Izzy all about Sam leaving, the divorce, the move, and like most hairdressers, he devoured her every word.

  “Oh, baby cakes, I’m sorry,” he said, and he draped his arms over her shoulders and gave her a hug. “What about I give you a brand new look, for your brand new life?” he suggested, and he shook out her long, brown hair. “After all, with all that weight loss you are looking fabulous! How about we go brunette, darling?” he suggested. “Give you some sexy layers. I have been wanting to that to you for years?” Normally she would have said no, not wanting to make herself any more attractive to Sam, but not today, today she needed serious pampering.

  “Yes, Izzy, let’s go for it,” she said giving him a smile. As part of her resolve to start her life over, Jane changed her surname back to her maiden name of Archer. The boys were Decland, and they always would be, but for Jane she needed to find herself again. She needed to find Jane Elizabeth Archer and bring her back to life.

  “Wonderful, darling,” he replied. He spun around and clicked his fingers to his assistant.

  Two and a half hours later, someone who resembled Jane left the hairdressers, and she looked freaking a
mazing!

  She wanted a new dress for tonight so on the way home she dived into Top Shop with thirty minutes before they closed. Twenty-nine and half minutes later she emerged with a new short, purple dress, heels, a bag, and silky underwear, just in case! She ran home as she had about an hour before her friends Claire and Sophie were due to arrive.

  As the party was at a Country Manor out in the sticks somewhere, she booked herself and the girls, a couple of rooms for the night. The plan was to let their hair down and get totally wrecked.

  Jane pinned her new gorgeous locks up out of the way, and took a quick shower. She did her make-up, pulled on her dress and shoes, and stood staring at herself in the full-length mirror. She hardly recognised herself, as her dress hugged her new slim body.

  Chapter Two

  Seven fifteen, the doorbell rang.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Claire, said as she opened the door. “I thought this was Jane’s new flat.” Jane laughed at her friend’s comical face.

  “Oh my god look at you, you are gorgeous,” Sophie screamed, as she threw her arms around her and gave her a hug. “I love your hair. Jesus fucking Christ you look so hot!”

  “Why thank you,” Jane said, with a happy smile and an exaggerated curtsey.

  “Ready for some action, babe?” Claire asked with a laugh, and she wiggled her butt at her.

  “I sure am,” Jane replied. She was so looking forward to this weekend, as it was her first night out as a divorced, free, and single woman.

  “Jane, I hope there are single blokes at this party,” Sophie said. “Because, if you don’t hook up with someone by the end of the night, I will be taking you back to my room myself,” she teased. Jane shoved her playfully and grabbed her overnight bag. She locked up and they headed down to Claire’s car, giggling as if they were back at school. They were best friends since primary. Sophie and Claire were both bi-sexual and they lived together, and although not in a relationship with each other anymore, they still partied together if the moment took them. It never bothered Jane, as she loved them both as if they were her sisters. They were there for the birth of her boys, and through all the problems of her marriage. They comforted or should she say, celebrated with her the night Sam walked out. It was fair to say, those two held her together over the last year. They showed her that she could stand on her own two feet and she was not useless, as Sam made her believe her entire married life.

  “Wow this place is awesome,” Jane, said, as they parked outside the eighteenth century, country manor. They grabbed their bags, and walked arm in arm across the gravelled drive, they past a fountain and a huge lake to their left.

  As they approached the steps to the front entrance, Jane’s phone bleeped. She grabbed it out of her bag in case it was one of the boys, but as she stared at the text, her heart sank, and she frowned.

  “OMG it’s him isn’t it?” Claire snapped.

  “Who,” she asked looking at her.

  “Who, Sam that’s who, bloody typical just when you are starting to enjoy yourself,” she moaned at her.

  “He wanted to see if the move went okay,” Jane replied, as she read it.

  “Well, text back, fine no thanks to you arsehole, and let’s get inside and get pissed,” Sophie demanded. Jane smiled at her and gave her a nod. Of course, she did not. Jane just text, fine, and put the phone back into her bag.

  They walked through the revolving doors and across the marbled foyer.

  “Wow, it’s posh in here,” Claire remarked, as she looked at the red sofas, and gold embossed coffee tables in the reception area.

  “I can’t wait to check out the spa in the morning, it looked awesome on their website,” Sophie, said as she dumped her bag down onto the floor.

  “Can I help you madam?” the young man behind the counter asked.

  “Yes, we have two rooms booked, Sandler and Archer,” Jane said. They waited a few minutes while he punched in their details, and swiped her credit card. Jane insisted on paying for this weekend, as a thank you to the girls for being the best, friends ever.

  “There you go, your rooms are on the third floor, and the lift is located to your right. Would you like help with your bags?” he asked. Jane nudged Sophie hard as she giggled.

  “No, thank you, we can manage,” Claire replied. They picked up their bags, and headed to the lift.

  “Soph, you are so embarrassing,” Jane complained, as they piled into the lift.

  “Well, what was with the posh English accent,” she said, mimicking him, as she pushed the number three button. “It was so fake,” she added.

  “No it was not, you are so common that you would not know a decent accent if it slapped you in the face,” Jane teased.

  “Yeah, well you would know, Mrs posh pants,” she jeered.

  “I am not posh I was just brought up speaking properly.”

  “Same, thing,” she replied. The lift dinged, and they walked out into the corridor.

  “Right, see you in fifteen minutes,” Jane said, as she opened her door.

  “Yep, be ready to party!” Claire laughed, as she and Sophie went into another room, further down the corridor.

  Jane slung her holdall onto the bed, and looked around. The room was beautifully, decorated, and there was a four-poster bed, with a red velvet canopy, a dressing table, TV, and an en-suite with a shower and a bath. She glanced out of the window and it looked over the lake and gardens. Moving back to the bed, she opened her holdall, and pulled out the contents, picked up her make-up bag, deodorant, and perfume and went into the bathroom to freshen up.

  Twenty minutes later, they were at the party. Jane walked through the door, and her eyes took in the crowd. She waved when she saw Emily and Edward. Another old school friend, from back in the day Emily squealed when she saw her.

  “Jane, Soph, Claire,” she rushed all at once as she hugged them. “I am so glad you came. Oh my god, Jane, look at you. You need to update your facebook pictures. You do not look like you!”

  “Hi Em,” Jane said, hugging her. She purposely had not updated her Facebook pictures, as she did not want Sam to see her new image. She wanted to wait until now and they were officially divorced. She did not want to give him a reason or a chance to force her to go back to him.

  “Congratulations,” Jane, said as she released her. “Hi Ed,” she said, as the tall, blonde man approached them.

  “Hi Jane, Soph, Claire, glad you could come,” he replied, and he gave them all a kiss and a hug. Jane had to admit, Emily had done well with Edward. He was a property developer, and they were in the middle of building their own home out in the Cotswolds. The plan being that they would hold their wedding there next spring.

  “Here, this is from us all,” Jane said, offering them a gift.

  “Oh, thanks guys. If it’s okay we are going to open them when we get home,” she said, as she accepted the gift from them. “It’s an open bar all night so I will expect you all to get totally pissed and have a great night.”

  “Oh don’t worry we will,” Sophie said.

  “Great,” Emily replied, and she waved at someone else who came through the door. “Go and get a drink, and we will see you in a bit, I better go and greet Aunty Sue,” she said, with a grin.

  “To Emily and Edward,” Jane said, raising her glass.

  “Emily and Edward,” the girls repeated, and they knocked back their shots.

  “Same again,” Claire said to the barman.

  “To Jane, divorced, free, and single,” Claire, cheered slamming her glass into hers.

  “Here, here,” Jane agreed, knocking back her second shot. She had a feeling this evening was going to be great fun.

  “And,” Sophie started, as she looked around the room, eyeing the single men. “To Jane’s first one night stand, and let’s hope that it will be tonight,” she finished. Jane laughed, gave her head a shake, and knocked back her shot.

  Within an hour, they were half cut, so they hit the buffet to soak up the alcohol.

&
nbsp; “What about one of them?” Sophie asked, pointing to a couple of lads leaning against the bar. Jane glanced over to them and shook her head.

  “No,” she replied. Claire groaned.

  “Why not, they’re both pretty hot,” Sophie said.

  “Not my type,” Jane replied.

  “Mind if we…” Claire started.

  “No, go on help yourselves,” Jane interrupted. She didn’t mind, she was used to it. On the very rare occasions that Sam let her out with the girls, they always managed to pick someone up by the end of the night. Of course, as she was married at the time, she did have any interest in finding a man, she was just grateful to get out the house for a few hours.

  ***

  Alexander Hartley-Stone showered, and lay back on the bed in his pants. He switched on the TV and stared at it as he flicked through the channels.

  “Boring, boring, oh God,” he muttered. He switched the TV back off, and threw the remote onto the bed. He picked up his watch from the bedside table and checked the time. It was only nine thirty and he groaned, part of him wishing he took the long drive home, instead of deciding to stay. He dressed back into his work suit, minus his tie, and headed downstairs with the intention of hitting the bar and have a couple of pints to while away the hours. Alex slowed down as he walked past a party going on in the banqueting hall. A young couple came through the door, stumbling over each other and laughing as they headed out of the building. Another couple went back in, so rubbing his chin in thought Alexander turned around, and followed them through the door. Greeted by the sound of disco music and multi-coloured lights flashing over the crowded dance floor, his eyes searched for the bar. When he spotted it, he made his way straight towards it.

  Alex perched himself on a bar stood, and smiled as he observed the party-goers dance, this he decided, was far more entertaining than watching TV. He ordered a pint, and it turned out to be free, which was a bonus.