When they had ordered, Zoe looked around the warm restaurant. It was in a basement, low-key and far too dark and small to attract anyone wishing to be noticed. It was also very cosy and romantic. Was that intentional? ‘The perfect spot and reasonable too.’
He looked at her, frowning. ‘Are you calling me a cheapskate?’
‘No, of course not—’ she started and then saw him grin. ‘I fell for that.’
Robbie broke off a piece of his bread roll, slathered it with butter and took a bite. ‘When did you and Ed last meet?’
She put her head on one side and thought about it. ‘It must be four years ago. Shane and I went over to pick up some things from the flat.’
‘And have you kept in touch?’
‘God, no. I’ve had as little to do with him as possible since the day I left.’
‘It ended badly? Sorry, that’s a very personal question.’
‘It’s okay. He was playing around and’ – she swallowed – ‘I’ve recently heard he was unfaithful all the way through our relationship.’
‘He’s an even bigger idiot than I thought, then.’ Robbie shook his head. ‘Sorry.’
‘It’s fine. It was a long time ago.’ She looked up at him and smiled. ‘But I am so glad you arrived when you did today. Now Ed will think either I’m dating the great director Robbie Prendergast or I’m working with him.’
‘Which would you prefer?’ he asked.
She held his eyes, not quite sure what he wanted to hear. ‘Either would be good.’
‘Did your brother approve of Ed?’
She was a little disappointed he’d changed tack but went along with it. ‘Not at all. He did everything he could to break us up. I should have heeded his warnings but I was young and, the more Shane put Ed down, the more it pushed us together. When I moved to London with him, Shane wouldn’t take my calls for weeks and he didn’t come to my wedding.’ She was surprised to feel tears prick her eyes. She swallowed them back and took a sip of wine.
‘You seem very close.’
‘We are but then there’s only the two of us.’ She felt guilty, as always, for not thinking to mention Gerry and Hannah but they’d never really felt like family, that was the truth of it. ‘So, what about you, what’s your divorce story?’ she asked.
‘Nothing as dramatic. I met Linda at school, we started dating and then, just after we left school, we found out that she was pregnant with Samantha and I asked her to marry me.’
‘Were you in love?’ she asked.
He scratched his head. ‘I don’t think we knew what love was. We were having fun and were so shocked by the pregnancy and afraid of the reaction we would get from our parents – particularly hers – marriage just seemed the obvious and easiest solution. We got on very well, so it didn’t seem like too much of a hardship to set up home together. But sleepless nights, mortgages and bills test the best of any relationship. When our son Nick started school, Linda got a secretarial job and she seemed happier. Life had finally settled down for us. That’s when I found this amazing little house that was in need of complete renovation and going for a song. Linda was happy to go along with it once it was clear that she had no intention of helping, or moving into a building site. That suited me, to be honest.’ He pulled a face. ‘By then the less time we spent together, the happier we both were. But once we had moved in and I had no project to keep me out of her hair, things started to go downhill. We tried to hide it from the children, but it wasn’t a large house and they were getting older and smarter and became aware of the tension.’ He sighed. ‘And so we agreed that it would be best to separate before it became acrimonious.’ He shrugged. ‘We get on quite well now and the kids seem happy.’
‘I’m glad but, as it was a mutual decision, it doesn’t seem fair that you had to leave your children and the house you had put so much work into.’
‘Life isn’t fair. But who knows, on the back of the success of Isabella, I may be able to build a mansion.’
‘Huh, no pressure then!’
He smiled. ‘No pressure.’
‘Are you happy with the way it’s going?’ Zoe asked, searching his face for any signs of concern.
‘Absolutely. It’s been plain sailing until today. By the way, is Celia okay?’
‘Oh, Lord, with Ed and everything I completely forgot about her. The answer is no, Robbie, I’m afraid she may be far from okay.’ She went on to tell him of her visit.
‘That’s odd,’ he said when she was finished. ‘Celia’s always boasting about Albie and how he spoils her. It can’t be the same guy.’
‘The neighbours seemed quite certain of it and they’re a nice couple. Having said that, they’re going by what they hear through the wall. The apartment block is very basic, not at all the sort of place you’d imagine her living.’
‘Nothing is ever quite as it seems, is it?’ He gave a sad smile. ‘But whatever’s going on, she clearly doesn’t want people to know.’
‘There must be someone she’d talk to. She seems to have a soft spot for you.’
Robbie shook his head. ‘I’m a director and she’s an actress and a professional. Of course she treats me better than her fellow actors, but I know as little about her as you do. Other than that she adored her late husband and has never done anything but praise her son.’
‘She is an award-winning actress,’ Zoe reminded him. ‘And what woman would want people to know her only child is a bully?’
‘Exactly why broaching the subject would only embarrass her.’
‘But if he is extorting money from her, we must do something.’ Zoe couldn’t believe that she was so concerned about a woman who barely acknowledged her presence. But Celia had sounded so frightened that Zoe couldn’t get it out of her mind. She didn’t particularly like the woman but when she thought of the sleazeball she’d met in the lobby – Celia’s son, it seemed – Zoe found it hard to turn her back on the woman. There was something nasty, even sinister, about the guy and she’d felt genuinely nervous and intimidated by him.
‘I’ll try to figure out a way to bring it up. For now, I think it’s best you pretend that you’ve accepted her explanation and forgotten all about it.’
‘I seem to spend more time acting off stage than I do on,’ Zoe complained, half jokingly.
‘I think that’s a little thing called “life”.’ Robbie chuckled.
‘How did you end up in this business?’ Zoe asked, changing the subject. Their starters arrived and looked delicious. Goat’s cheese salad for her and mussels for him.
‘The usual way,’ he said with a grin. ‘I was a frustrated writer and when no one showed any interest in my plays, I decided to direct and produce them myself.’
She looked up in surprise. ‘I didn’t know that you wrote.’
He pulled a face. ‘I did but not very well. My work made Greek tragedies look like slapstick.’
She laughed. ‘I’m guessing this started in your teenage years.’
‘Yep.’
She smiled. ‘I used to write poetry that made Emily Dickinson seem cheerful.’
‘All a necessary part of growing up, I think. But though I wasn’t a great writer, I was able to spot a good script and, when I was reading it, I could visualise exactly how it would work on stage. My first production was at university. A guy I hung out with was always writing, tomes of stuff. Deep, meaningful, heavy, you know the sort.’
She nodded, smiling.
‘I challenged him to write three twenty-minute plays, one happy, one sad and one comedy, and we would put them on in rag week.’
‘Did he do it?’
‘He did. It was the most irritating, stressful and wonderful project and that was before we got the other actors on board.’
‘You acted?’ She smiled, trying to imagine it.
‘Don’t sound so surprised,’ he said, trying to look offended. ‘I wasn’t that bad and Morgan was amazing.’
‘Not Morgan Kavanagh?’ She stared at him. The famous movie actor was now one of Ireland’s greatest success stories.
Robbie nodded. ‘He had ambitions to be a history professor but that all went out of the window after the reception our plays got. We were both bitten by the bug.’
‘Were you never tempted by cinema?’
‘I was, but you needed to be in Hollywood to get anywhere when I was starting out and, remember, I had a wife and child. It just wasn’t possible. Anyway, I’m not sure I’m cut out for the movie industry. I love the immediacy of the theatre. I like that it’s live, that it can be different every night, and I get a kick out of seeing the audience reaction. Well’ – he laughed – ‘most of the time. How about you? Did you always want to act?’
‘It was a dream but it never crossed my mind that I could. It was only when Shane went to work at the Gate and I got to see live theatre that it actually seemed possible. Shane insisted I go to drama school, which was one of the happiest times of my life. I started to get small parts quite quickly and then I got together with Ed and, as Shane would say, I threw away my career.’ She smiled.
‘Do you regret it?’
‘Marrying Ed?’ She thought for a moment. Her answer a few weeks ago would have been no, that before things turned sour she and Ed had been in love and happy, but since Tara’s revelations it felt as if it had all been a joke and she’d been the butt. ‘Yes, I regret it. He wasn’t worth the sacrifice.’
‘I won’t argue with that. How do you feel about touring?’
‘It would depend on the play, Robbie,’ she said, wondering was this a trick question. ‘I’d certainly be happy to tour with Isabella.’
‘Always be choosy,’ he advised. ‘Don’t take a job just to eat. And be careful with your money. So many actors go crazy when they first get success and flash the cash without realising what a fickle industry it is.’
‘Believe me, I know. I’ve been through it all with Ed,’ she assured him. ‘And Shane and I were brought up to respect the value of everything.’
‘You had strict parents?’
‘No. Mam and Dad died in a car crash when I was seven.’
‘That’s sad; I’m sorry.’
‘Thanks. We were raised by my father’s brother and his wife and let’s just say, they were frugal.’ She smiled.
‘You must have really missed your parents.’
He covered her hand with his and she liked the warmth of his touch and the compassion in his eyes. ‘It was tougher on Shane. He was old enough to appreciate the horror. I think what I found hardest was that no one would tell me what was going on. Daddy had dropped me off at a birthday party and, when it was over, he didn’t come to collect me. Laura’s mother phoned my house and then, after a while, told me that, as a special treat, I was staying the night. But that didn’t make sense. Mam and Dad knew that I was never able to sleep without my doll and blankie. Whenever we went on holiday, they came too.’ She smiled at Robbie. ‘So, naturally, I burst into tears and said I wanted to go home, but no one listened. Of course, I couldn’t sleep and ended up spending the night on the sofa with Laura’s mum.’
‘What happened the next morning?’
‘I sat at the window watching for Daddy but then a police car pulled up outside and our neighbour, Mrs Doyle, and another woman got out. I knew then something was wrong. Laura’s mum kept her arm round me as Mrs Doyle told me that there had been an accident and that Mam, Dad and Shane were in hospital.’ She paused, swallowing her tears, and Robbie took her hand in both of his. ‘They said I wasn’t allowed to see them but that the doctors were doing their best to make them better. Mrs Doyle took me to her house and then, later that day, Shane arrived with our uncle and aunt. I kept asking about Mam and Dad but they wouldn’t answer. When we were left alone, Shane told me that they were dead and he held me in his arms and we both cried. But I still don’t think I understood. You see, I never saw their bodies, just these boxes being put in the ground. Everyone was hugging me, patting my head. I was the centre of attention. It only really hit home that my life had changed for ever when my aunt packed up all our belongings and we went to live on their farm in Meath. Not only had we lost our parents but also our home, our friends, our schools. It was such a shock and I was scared and upset. But at least I had Shane. Although the poor guy seemed oblivious of everything going on around him.’
‘In shock,’ Robbie surmised.
Zoe nodded. ‘Yes. Gerry and Hannah were – are – good people, but they didn’t have children of their own and hadn’t a clue how to handle us. It must have been daunting to suddenly find themselves the guardians of two kids. They enrolled us in the local schools and gave us jobs to do around the house and farm – that was a shock! But they never talked about Mam and Dad. There weren’t even any photos around the house. I think they thought it was best for us if we forgot them, but of course, we didn’t.’
‘My God, you’ve both been through so much.’ He stroked her hand, almost absently.
‘It was fine after a few months,’ Zoe assured him, realising what a bleak picture she was painting. ‘The farm wasn’t far from the town and I made lots of friends in school. It was a completely different way of life and we had a lot of freedom. But Shane didn’t settle in as well as I did. He couldn’t wait to get back to Dublin and he left as soon as he finished school.’
‘You must have missed him.’ He stroked her hand.
‘Yes, but I went up to see him all the time and then when I left school I moved in with him.’
‘Didn’t your aunt and uncle mind?’
‘Do you know, I think they were relieved to get back to their own lives. I don’t mean that in a bad way, but they never wanted children. It was good of them to take us in and raise us. I’m sure they could have refused and we would have ended up in a foster home or even been separated.’ She shivered at the thought.
‘That’s quite a story. No wonder you and Shane are close. I grew up on a farm too, on the outskirts of Galway City. And I have one brother. Jack took over the farm when Dad retired a couple of years ago. Now my folks spend their time travelling, making up for the years they were chained to the land.’
‘That’s lovely.’
He nodded. ‘Yeah, they seem happy.’
‘And your wife was a neighbour?’
‘Yes. We went up to university the same year and that was when we suddenly had all this freedom and’ – he rolled his eyes – ‘it proved too much of a temptation and we were unlucky. Or’ – he smiled – ‘that’s how it felt back then. But, had we behaved ourselves we wouldn’t have Samantha and I can’t imagine life without her.’
‘Things have a way of working out,’ Zoe agreed. ‘I’m glad that Ed and I didn’t have children. I think I would have found it hard to maintain a civil relationship with him after the way he behaved. I’m not sure that he’s parental material anyway.’
Robbie released her hand as their main course arrived and, as they ate, they continued to chat about everything under the sun. Zoe couldn’t help contrasting Robbie with Terence. She was immensely fond of Tara’s dad, he was wonderful company, but, she realised, their conversations began and ended with the theatre, with Isabella.
‘Do you think Terence is happy?’ she asked Robbie.
He held her gaze, his eyes thoughtful. ‘He certainly has been since you came along.’
She shook her head and smiled. ‘There’s nothing going on between us, I assure you.’
‘Really? You spend a lot of time together.’
‘He’s taken me under his wing, wants this to be my big break. To be honest, I’ve learned more about acting in the last few weeks than in all the time I’ve been in the theatre.’ Robbie was silent, but it was obvious that he had something to say. ‘Come on, spit it out.’ She gave him a smile of encouragement.
‘It’s not really my business . . .’
‘Please.’
He put down his knife and fork and leaned closer. ‘Terence is inclined to become obsessive about whatever he is working on. He almost lives the part, day and night, for as long as he’s playing it. In his head you are actually Isabella right now. For a director it’s a dream – you’ve seen him perform so you know how good he is. But when it’s over some actresses have found the sudden loss of all that attention quite upsetting.’
‘You don’t have to worry about me, Robbie,’ Zoe told him. ‘I’ll admit, initially, I was a little starstruck but we’re just close friends who want to make this the best play that we can, that’s all.’
He visibly relaxed. ‘Good. I didn’t want you to get hurt again.’
‘Is that all?’ She looked at him, hoping that she wasn’t imagining how special this evening felt. They were so relaxed together and yet she was so conscious of him, watching his long fingers trace patterns on the tablecloth as he talked and catching him observing her from time to time, his expression intense but inscrutable. Perhaps it was all in her head, but she was done with dreaming. She needed to know if Robbie was attracted to her and if not then she would spend the rest of the evening laughing and joking with him, giving the performance of her life. Then she would tuck her heart safely away and not risk any further damage.
He returned to stroking the back of her hand, his eyes never leaving hers. ‘I have to admit, watching him touching you and holding you at every opportunity makes me uncomfortable.’
‘Why?’ she asked, determined to make him spell out his feelings so that she knew exactly where she stood.
‘I’m envious.’
That wasn’t the word she had wanted to hear. She kept her expression neutral. ‘Of his way with women?’
‘No!’ He shook his head, looking confused. ‘I don’t want to be like him. Dear God, just watching the pace he goes through life and women exhausts me. I was envious that he had focused his attentions on you and, I thought, with some success. And sitting through rehearsals every day, watching him kiss you so bloody thoroughly has been a little hard to stomach.’
Her pulse quickened at his words and she smiled. ‘Is that a long-winded way of saying you like me?’
His eyes twinkled. ‘I suppose it is.’
‘Why didn’t you just ask me out?’
‘As I said, I thought Terence had beaten me to it. The three of us have to work together and it’s been going so well, I couldn’t risk upsetting that dynamic just because I fancied the leading lady.’
Finally, he’d said it. She beamed at him. ‘I don’t think you need to worry about the dynamic.’
‘Does that mean if I asked you out on a date you would say yes?’ he asked.
‘So this isn’t a date?’
He gave a sheepish grin. ‘I suppose it’s a sneaky date. I hoped that after we’d spent some time together you might warm to me and forget Terence.’
Zoe leaned closer. ‘Forget who?’ she murmured.
His eyes focused on her mouth before returning to meet hers. ‘Would you like to see the dessert menu?’
‘No, thank you.’
He threaded his fingers through hers. ‘Then would it be okay if I took you home? I want to kiss you . . . a lot.’
‘That would be very okay,’ she said, her heart pounding in her chest at the desire in his eyes.
They left the restaurant, Zoe acutely conscious of Robbie’s hand on the small of her back. Outside, he pulled her into a doorway.
‘I’m sorry but I can’t wait,’ he said and lowered his mouth to hers.
She clung to him and responded, her passion matching his. This wasn’t the practised, seductive kiss that Terence excelled at. This was sweet and tender and much more intimate. When they broke apart, she saw her surprise mirrored in his eyes.
‘I think I need to do that again,’ he said, cupping her face in his hands.
Zoe was oblivious to everyone and everything, completely losing herself in this kiss that she never wanted to end. They were so close she could feel his heart beating; she wondered whether he could feel hers. She felt almost shy when he drew back and looked at her, knowing that the effect he was having on her must have been written all over her face. But he was looking at her in wonder. He took her hand, kissed it and, without a word, led her back to the car, glancing down into her face every so often and smiling. She squeezed his hand and smiled back. It was crazy, they were like a pair of teenagers. When they got to the car, he pressed her up against it and kissed her again, and she wrapped herself around him, savouring the taste and smell and feel of the man. On the way home, he kept glancing over as if to reassure himself that she was really there. She put her hand over his and smiled at him in understanding. She couldn’t believe this was happening either. Yes, she had felt a growing connection between them but she hadn’t expected the lightning bolt that struck when he kissed her.
‘We’re here,’ he said unnecessarily as he pulled up outside her house. They looked at each other, before hopping out of the car and hurrying up the path.
All fingers and thumbs, Zoe tried to get the key in the door, but even then, when she pushed on the door, it wouldn’t budge.
‘Weakling.’ Robbie chuckled. ‘Here, let me.’
She stood close to him as eventually the door gave way and then shrieked as water came rushing out around her ankles. ‘What the hell!’
‘You must have left a tap running,’ he said, pushing the door against the current to reveal the hall and the kitchen beyond under at least six inches of water.
‘Oh, Robbie, your suit!’
He quickly jumped back and began to take off his trousers.
‘What on earth are you doing?’ She put a hand over her mouth to smother her laughter. God only knew what the neighbours made of the comings and goings in this house.
‘I have to get in there and stop the flow and this is my best suit.’ He handed her his jacket and trousers and stepped back into the flow, wearing only his shirt and boxers. Zoe piled his clothes carefully on the table before kicking off her shoes, rolling up her jeans and following him inside. He was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, shining the torch on his phone up at the ceiling. She looked up and gasped at the gaping hole.
‘Oh, my God, what happened?’
‘Is the bathroom straight above?’ he asked.
‘Yes.’ Zoe turned to go upstairs.
‘Hang on, where is your fuse box? Water and electricity aren’t the best combination.’
‘Oh, Lord, you’re right, it’s out here.’ She waded back down the hallway to the cubby hole behind the front door.
‘Be careful,’ he cautioned.
She pulled down the main switch and let out a sigh of relief when there was no flash or bang. Robbie led the way upstairs and paused in the bathroom doorway. Zoe peered over his shoulder, frowning at the debris all over the floor. ‘What the hell is that?’
‘I’m guessing your boiler blew up,’ he said, shining the light on the open door of the airing cupboard.
She stared at the hole in the tank and the sodden clothes around it. ‘Damn thing has been making weird noises and acting up lately.’
‘How old is it?’ He switched off the valves to stop any more water coming from the tank in the attic into the boiler.
‘No idea. Probably as old as the house.’
He shone the light around. ‘It looks like the main damage is confined to the bathroom and kitchen. You’ll have to call the insurance company in the morning and get some builders’ quotes and you’ll have to move out for a while.’
‘Move out?’ she echoed. The thought hadn’t occurred to her but of course he was right. If she had no electricity or plumbing she didn’t have much choice.
‘You can stay at my place tonight. I’m not trying to take advantage of the situation,’ he assured her. ‘I have a spare room.’
‘That’s disappointing.’ She grinned up at him and he immediately enfolded her in his arms and kissed her. She was acutely conscious of his state of undress and couldn’t imagine being able to sleep knowing he was in the next room.
‘Why don’t you pack a bag and I’ll hold the torch for you? Then I’ll sweep out the water from downstairs.’
It was a couple of hours before they finished cleaning up the worst of the mess. ‘It’s a clear night and there’s a good breeze. We should really leave the windows and doors open to try and dry the place out,’ Robbie said.
‘Perhaps I should stay and do just that.’ Exhausted, Zoe was already resigned to the fact that their evening wasn’t going to end the way she’d hoped.
‘I’m not leaving you here alone with the doors open,’ he protested.
She smiled. ‘You could always stay.’
‘In the spare room?’
‘The bed’s not made up and all the linen was in the airing cupboard, I’m afraid. You’d have to bunk in with me.’
‘Do you trust me?’ he asked, linking his arms loosely about her.
She yawned. ‘I think we’re both far too tired to get up to anything.’
‘I can’t make any promises,’ he murmured into her hair.
She shivered and nestled closer to him. She didn’t mind if they just kissed or lay in each other’s arms. In fact, it was a very attractive thought, very attractive indeed.
Zoe woke the next morning, conscious of two things: a stench of damp and a warm arm wrapped round her. She smiled as she remembered stripping down to her underwear and huddling under the duvet with Robbie, kissing and whispering, laughing at the situation they’d found themselves in. And while she’d been conscious of his body against hers, she had felt relaxed and safe. As their eyes grew heavy, Robbie went down to close and lock the doors and, though she had tried to stay awake, that was the last thing Zoe remembered. She wondered if he’d been disappointed. Reluctantly, she dragged her mind and body fully awake, reached for her phone, which had only the tiniest bit of power left in it, and sent her brother a text, giving him a brief summary of events, asking where he kept the insurance papers and if he knew any plumbers or builders.
‘Morning.’
She turned to face Robbie. Tousled and sleepy, he looked more gorgeous than ever. She put a hand to her hair, doubting she looked quite as sexy. ‘Morning.’
He looked at his watch and jerked up in bed. ‘Shit, I have to go.’
She tried to hide her disappointment. ‘Oh, okay. Thanks for the help last night.’
He looked at her, puzzled. ‘I won’t be long. It’s just it’s my turn to do the school run.
She felt both relieved and guilty. ‘You shouldn’t have stayed over.’
‘No, it was the right thing to do. The quicker the house dries out the less damage will be done. Besides’ – he dropped a kiss on her hair – ‘I can’t remember the last time I slept so well.’
‘I slept great too,’ she said, surprised.
He got out of bed and looked around for his clothes.
‘Damn, I can’t have a wash.’
‘I think your suit’s downstairs on the hall table.’
‘Oh, right, thanks.’ He ran down to get it and returned, shrugging into his shirt. ‘I’ll call back for you after I’ve dropped the kids and take you to my place and you can shower and charge your phone.’
‘Perhaps I should stay here and open the doors again.’
He shook his head. ‘We can come straight back after we’ve had some breakfast.’
‘You don’t have to do that—’
‘I know.’ He bent to kiss her on the lips and groaned. ‘You taste lovely and look as sexy as hell.’
‘And you obviously haven’t woken up yet,’ she said laughing, but her heart soared at the desire in his eyes.
‘I’m wide awake, I assure you.’ He kissed her again and left.