Chapter 13
Carmen was glad to have Rennie out of the way for a few days. His teasing remarks about Joe James weren’t what she needed right now. It was bad enough feeling the first flickerings of attraction for another man and discovering that you’d completely forgotten how to behave, without having to put up with Rennie’s nudge-nudge attitude. For someone with so much experience with the opposite sex, he could be incredibly schoolboyish when it came to taking the mickey out of his long-suffering sister-in-law.
Anyway, it was Wednesday morning and the good news was that he was currently thousands of miles away.
The bad news was that he’d just sent her a fax, an extraordinarily unflattering portrait of herself in a bra and big knickers, with scarily hairy legs. Underneath it he’d scrawled: Don’t forget . . .
Even more annoyingly, she hadn’t forgotten. Telling herself it had nothing whatsoever to do with Joe James calling round this morning, it was something she’d have done anyway, Carmen had shaved her legs last night.
Not that Rennie was going to know that. She’d chop off her own legs before she’d let him see them in their naked state and put up with yet more teasing. It was bad enough that she was here now, in her bedroom, wondering what to wear.
God, it was like being fifteen again. How long had it been since she’d last tried on a pair of trousers then taken them off again because they didn’t look right?
For heaven’s sake, all Joe James was doing was popping round to collect a parcel. He probably wouldn’t even set foot inside the house.
How about the striped jeans and Nancy’s lacy turquoise top?
By the time the doorbell rang at ten o’clock, Carmen had a plan. She told herself it wasn’t a plan, but deep down she knew it was.
Luckily it was also common sense.
‘Hi! Crikey, I didn’t even realise it was raining! Come on inside, all the stuff’s in the kitchen. What a filthy day. How are you anyway?’ Gabbling, she led the way, praying her flushed cheeks would get themselves under control by the time she had to face him.
‘I’m great. Sorry, my jacket’s wet. Nice to see you again.’ Joe followed her into the kitchen. When she finally turned, Carmen saw that there were raindrops caught in his hair and on his eyelashes. He was wearing a weatherproof navy jacket and faded denims. And he was smiling at her as if he really was glad to see her again.
B-bump, b-bump, b-bump.
‘Now, Rennie had to fly to the States on Monday night, but I’ve got everything here. Leather trousers and tour jackets,’ Carmen patted the bulky parcel, ‘and all the T-shirts, signed before he left.’ She touched the holdall Joe had brought along with him on Monday evening, then the envelope lying next to it. ‘And he faxed his designs over last night. They’re in that one.’
‘Brilliant. We’re really grateful. Actually, I was wondering if . . .’
‘What?’
‘No, nothing, it’s OK.’ Joe shook his head and exhaled. ‘It’s just . . . no, forget it.’
Breathless, Carmen said, ‘Actually, I was going to ask you something too. We’ve had a bit of a problem recently with one of our showers. Sometimes the water goes cold for no reason. I was wondering if your company could take a look at it for us?’
There, she’d been subtle, hadn’t she? And it was true, she wasn’t making it up.
‘Could be it just needs a service.’ Joe shook his head slowly. ‘But then we get that awkward thing, don’t we? My boss sends you a bill, you think it’s too high, you feel resentful and start to think you’ve been ripped off.’
‘I wouldn’t,’ protested Carmen.
‘Well, I’m sorry, but I can’t take that risk. No, very bad idea.’ Smiling slightly, Joe said, ‘On the other hand, you could let me take a look at the shower now, then the company wouldn’t have to send you a bill.’
‘I can’t do that.’
‘Yes you can. It might just be a valve sticking. I could fix that in a flash. My boss would be none the wiser. And you’d be so grateful I might even end up asking the question I didn’t have the courage to ask just now.’
Oh wow, this was thrilling, just so thrilling. Even if she had absolutely no intention of showing him her ultra-smooth legs.
‘OK,’ Carmen said shyly.
‘Give me two minutes,’ Joe told her, heading back to the front door. ‘I’ll just get my toolbox out of the van.’
Carmen perched on the edge of the corner bath and watched Joe expertly dismantle the shower. It was so lovely to watch a man who knew what he was doing. Now, minus his jacket, she was able to admire the way the muscles rippled in his forearms as he deftly unscrewed and checked each component in turn.
‘So what’s it like, having Rennie Todd as a boss?’
‘Sorry?’
‘What’s he like to work for?’ said Joe, reaching for a screwdriver. ‘You seem to get on pretty well together.’
‘We do.’ Thinking of this morning’s cheeky fax, Carmen said, ‘Well, most of the time. But he isn’t my boss.’
Joe looked surprised. ‘He’s not?’
‘Rennie’s my brother-in-law.’ She was able to say it now, without worrying that her voice might go wobbly. ‘I was married to Spike.’
‘Oh my God, I didn’t realise. I’m so sorry.’ Mortified, Joe put down the screwdriver. ‘I had no idea.’
‘That’s OK. Why would you?’ Some rock star wives loved the limelight, others didn’t. Carmen had always preferred to remain in the background.
‘I thought you were his personal assistant or something. I’m really embarrassed now.’
‘Don’t be. It’s fine. To be honest, I quite like people not knowing who I am.’
Reassured, Joe said, ‘Still, it must be nice, staying here in his house.’
‘Actually, it’s my house,’ said Carmen. Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound. ‘Rennie’s staying here with me.’
‘Bloody hell.’ This time Joe looked truly appalled. His gaze took in the Italian marble bronze and cream bathroom. ‘You mean all this is yours?’
Embarrassed, Carmen saw it through his eyes. ‘Spike bought it.’
‘I can’t imagine what it must be like, to own a place like this.’
‘The same as any other house, just bigger. When Spike and I first started going out together, we didn’t have any money,’ said Carmen. ‘We lived in a really grotty flat in Edinburgh. But we were just as happy. Maybe happier,’ she added, because those were the days before Spike had begun to experiment with drugs.
‘It must have been awful for you when he died. I’m sorry.’ Joe picked up a pair of pliers. ‘You must miss him terribly.’
‘I do. But it’s been three years. I’m getting better.’ Hearing the phone begin to ring downstairs, Carmen rose to her feet. ‘I’d better answer that.’
Rennie had forgotten to cancel his appointment with the accountant. By the time Carmen had finished explaining to him that Rennie was out of the country and apologising on his behalf, Joe had come back downstairs.
‘All done,’ he said easily, rolling down his sleeves as Carmen hung up the phone. ‘Good as new. The valve just needed a good clean.’
‘You must let me pay you. Now that you know I can afford it.’
‘Not a chance.’ Joe smiled. ‘On the house.’
‘Well, thanks.’ Feeling brave, Carmen said, ‘But now you have to tell me what it was you were about to say earlier.’
‘Oh, that. I can’t.’
‘Fair’s fair. You promised.’
‘Did I? OK.’ Joe paused, running the fingers of his left hand thoughtfully through his dark hair. ‘The truth? When I came over here on Monday evening I thought you were fantastic. I really felt we, you know, clicked? And all day yesterday I couldn’t stop thinking about you. So I decided I’d ask you out. Then I wondered if you’d like to come along to the charity ball with me on Friday night, and I thought wouldn’t it be great if you did, we’d have such a brilliant time together . . .’ He stopped and waited, then looked regretfully away. ‘But it’s no good. There’s no way in the world I can do that now.’
Feeling weirdly light-headed, Carmen said, ‘Yes you can.’
‘No I can’t.’
‘Why not?’
‘Come on. You know why. I thought you were Rennie Todd’s PA. But you aren’t, are you? You’re Spike Todd’s widow. This is your house. How can I ask you out now? You’re way out of my league.’
The trouble was, Carmen knew what he meant. It didn’t matter that what Joe was saying wasn’t true; he would feel uncomfortable because the fact that she had money did make a difference. This was why she’d never told anyone at the shelter who she had once been married to, and why she avoided the socialising that went on amongst the rest of the staff and volunteers. If they knew she lived in a house like this, they would treat her differently.
It was unfair, but it was a fact of life.
The way Joe was looking at her made Carmen want to start tearing up twenty-pound notes on the spot. It was the first time in three years that she’d actually experienced the crackle and spark of physical attraction. Realising she was on the brink of not seeing Joe James again, she blurted out, ‘Please ask me to go to the ball with you!’
Blimey, where had that come from?
‘Believe me, I’d love to.’ Joe looked longingly at her. ‘But I’d just feel so . . .’
‘I want to go to the ball.’ Carmen couldn’t quite believe she was doing this, but desperate situations called for desperate measures. ‘Please take me with you. Nobody else has to know who I am, if that helps. I’d just really like to go,’ she concluded helplessly. ‘With you.’
There, now she’d made a complete and utter fool of herself. If Joe turned her down, there was nothing more she could do. Except maybe stick her head in the oven, if only it had had the common decency to run on gas.
‘OK.’ Putting his hands up, Joe broke into a smile. ‘I’d like to go with you too. You’ve made my day.’
You’ve made my year, Carmen thought happily. He really had. Yikes, she had a date for Friday night!
Thank goodness Rennie wasn’t here to tease her about it.