‘Happier than I have any right to be. And not so bad, not so bad.’ They all knew he was playing down the ever-present aches and pains. ‘Although I’d better sit down now.’
It was time for Caz to turn to Shay. Watching them, Didi found herself experiencing a wave of desolation as she held him tight and kissed him full on the mouth, prompting a flurry of good-natured whistles from the crew of builders, decorators and plumbers who had worked alongside Shay to get the house ready on time. When one of the electricians called out, ‘Get a room,’ Caz turned to flash him a cheeky grin and said, ‘Don’t worry, I already have.’
Didi was working in her office the next day when the door was pushed a little way open and Caz’s face appeared in the gap.
‘Hi, are you crazy busy?’
‘Just medium busy. What’s up?’
‘Could you spare five minutes for a chat?’
‘Of course.’ Didi closed her laptop and gestured for her to pull up a chair. She tried not to wonder how many times Caz and Shay had had sex last night. Then again, maybe the answer was zero and their relationship was on the rocks. No, don’t even think that. ‘Everything OK?’
‘Don’t look so worried, me and Shay are great!’ Caz’s eyes danced. ‘He’s still amazing.’
OK, too much information. ‘So what’s the problem?’
Caz sat cross-legged on the chair, pushing up the sleeves of her navy and white top. ‘Well the thing is, my agent just called about a part in a movie that’s going to be filmed in New Zealand. Apparently the director really wants me to take it. And normally I’d be dead flattered, but it means spending three months over there, plus I have to let them know right away if I’m up for it.’ She looked anguished. ‘The thing is, what about me and Shay? That’s a long time to be apart, and if his dad’s still around when filming starts just after Christmas, I know he wouldn’t leave him . . .’ She gestured helplessly as the words trailed away.
‘You can’t ask me,’ said Didi. ‘You need to talk to Shay, see how he feels.’
‘But you know him better than I do. He might feel obliged to say the right thing. God, it’s just so hard. I’m rubbish at working out what men really think. All the ones I’ve been with before have been complete bastards.’
‘Shay isn’t a bastard.’
‘I know. That’s why I’m so desperate for us to work out. Well, and he’s drop-dead gorgeous too. It all helps.’ Caz flashed an appreciative grin, then went on, ‘But what’s your honest opinion about us? Could I trust him if I was over in New Zealand and he was here? Should I ask him to come out and stay with me? Or if he won’t do that, should I just turn down the film? Maybe he’d prefer me to stay here. What do you think?’
Oh God, this was agonising. ‘OK, you still have to ask him,’ said Didi. ‘But for what it’s worth, he seems to really like you. And you’re lovely, so why wouldn’t he? It all depends on what happens with Red, basically. If he’s still alive, I’m sure you could trust Shay while he was over here. If his dad was . . . well, then he might want to fly over to New Zealand and be with you. And it could do him good to be away from here.’
‘Really?’
‘Really.’ It wasn’t what she wanted to say, but it was the truth. She had to be honest.
‘Thank you.’ Caz nodded, then said, ‘You’re lovely too. And it’s so good to know you’re on my side. You’re not . . . you know, jealous.’
Jealous? Didi’s mouth went dry. ‘Why would I be?’
‘Oh don’t look like that, I’m not saying you’re desperate to get your hands on him again! It was just something the assistant manager mentioned yesterday evening . . . I hadn’t realised you and Shay were once a couple. He’d never mentioned it, and neither had you. I was surprised, that’s all. And she didn’t say anything bad,’ Caz added hastily. ‘It was just about the time you built a snowman together in the middle of the night in Venice, so I asked her about it and she explained that was how you two first got together. It’s a cute story!’
‘We only saw each other for a few months. It was so long ago.’ Didi felt the back of her neck prickling; she was getting hot. ‘We were still at school.’
‘I know. Shay told me. I asked him last night.’
‘It wasn’t meant to be a secret. It’s just . . . we don’t think about it any more.’ What else could she say? ‘We’ve moved on.’
‘I know, of course you have . . . You’ve got Aaron now. You’re getting married soon! Honestly?’ Caz’s tone was earnest. ‘If Shay had come back here and you’d been single . . . well, then I might have thought twice about swanning off and leaving him behind with someone as gorgeous as you around. Because that’s when things can start happening, isn’t it? And then I’d have been the one who was jealous. I’d be in a right state, stuck on the other side of the world, imagining what could be going on without me here to keep him on the straight and narrow.’ She sat back, raking her fingers through her hair and pulling a regretful face. ‘Sorry, should I even be saying this? I can’t help it, I just blurt out whatever’s going on in my head. But the thing is, I know I don’t have to worry, because you’re happy with Aaron, and you’re on my side. So that’s great!’ Her eyes were bright, and she was beaming with relief. ‘When’s the wedding?’
‘Um . . . the seventh of December.’ Didi attempted to look like an excited bride-to-be; so much for thinking that the time had probably come to stop wearing the ring and let people know the engagement was off. It looked as if she’d be keeping it on for a while longer after all.
‘Fabulous! If I can make it, are me and Shay both invited?’
Again, how else could she respond? It was probably one of those flippant don’t-really-mean-it remarks anyway.
‘Of course you are.’
Caz’s bangles rattled as she clapped her hands like an excited child. ‘Yay! And if me and Shay get married, you and Aaron are definitely invited to ours!’
Chapter 37
Maura had meant to call in on her daughter first, but on impulse she instructed the airport taxi to drive on past the Wickham Hotel and head out to Hillcrest instead.
Get it over with.
Red had been in his refurbished home for over a week now. It was certainly looking good from the outside. She rang the bell and waited. How long would it take him to reach the front door?
Not long at all, evidently. Maura heard footsteps and mentally braced herself.
But when the door opened, it was Shay Mason she came face to face with. Caught off guard, she said, ‘Oh, hi!’
‘Maura.’ He glanced at the overnight case by her feet. ‘This is a surprise. Have you come to stay?’
‘No, of course not. How are you, Shay? I’m here to see your father, if he’s here?’
‘He is.’ Shay paused, which was unnerving.
‘I happened to see him the other week on that TV show. And of course Didi’s kept me updated so I know how poorly he is. I just thought while I’m back over here, it’d be nice to meet up again before, well . . .’