Tommy was still working on the quote on Thursday morning. It was a larger development than the last one, and he really wanted to gain the contract. When he’d started the calculations, it soon became obvious that it would be impossible to keep to schedule with his current workforce. He’d have to employ another couple of installers, but as he was unlikely to hear if he’d won the contract or not until after the Christmas period, there was no immediate urgency. For now he just had to get the quote in, along with the recommendations he had from the last developer he’d worked with.
‘Thomas, you’ve been working on that all morning. It’s twelve thirty and I think you should take a break now,’ Celia said as she put a cup of coffee and a sandwich beside him.
‘It’s nearly finished,’ he said, stretching his upper body, feeling the release of tense muscles across his shoulders and lower back. Other than that he didn’t feel too bad as this bout of bronchitis hadn’t kept him in bed for as long as usual. ‘Have you made up the men’s pay-packets?’
‘Of course I have, and I drew out the extra cash you asked for when I went to the bank. I’m not happy about it though, and still don’t feel it’s necessary to give the men a Christmas bonus.’
‘They’ve earned it and I’ll give it to them tomorrow when I go to the unit.’
‘Jeremy can do that. You’re not well enough to go out yet.’
‘Yes I am, and talking of Jeremy, where is he? I hope he hasn’t gone to the unit again. Len didn’t say a lot, but reading between the lines, I think Jeremy has ruffled his feathers.’
‘Jeremy has a way with people, so I doubt that. I’m not sure where he is, but he didn’t mention the unit when he left, just saying something about going for a drive and that he’d be home by about two.’
‘He took the van?’
‘Well yes, I said he could use it until you need it again. Surely you don’t mind?’
‘No, that’s fine,’ Tommy said, biting into his sandwich.
‘I’m worried, Thomas. Unless Jeremy finds something fulfilling to do, such as working with you, I fear he’ll leave again.’
‘Mum, I’d like to give him a job, but he knows nothing about glazing.’
‘He could learn, and it would be a huge incentive for him to stay if you offer Jeremy a share in the business.’
‘No, I don’t think I can do that. At the moment Jeremy would just be a dead weight, adding nothing to the business, yet taking a share of the profits.’
Tommy saw his mother’s face suffuse with colour and expected an outburst, but instead she took a deep breath and said with unexpected calm, ‘That might be true now, but given time I’m sure that Jeremy would become an asset. For instance, he has charm, charisma and would make an excellent salesman. He’d be able to bring business in, but until then you could make it a condition that he doesn’t receive any unearned profits.’
‘I suppose that could work, but I still need to give it a lot of thought.’
‘Very well, I’ll leave you to it, but I’m sure you’ll come to the right decision,’ Celia said. ‘In the meantime, I’d rather we kept this conversation to ourselves. Jeremy doesn’t know anything about this and I wouldn’t want to raise his hopes, only to have them dashed.’
When his mother left the room, Tommy mulled it over. He liked having his brother around and regretted his outburst yesterday. He’d apologised, but still felt a bit rotten about it. He knew that Jeremy was only trying to look out for him, something he’d always done when they were kids, but with no experience, he really didn’t know what he was doing. His mother was right though, Jeremy could learn, and he’d offer him a job, though he’d be little more that an apprentice to start with.
When it came to a stake in the business, Tommy was unwilling to be rushed into such an important decision. A job first, and then if it looked like Jeremy had an aptitude for the business, he’d consider giving him a share.
For now though he had this quote to finish, and when it was completed Tommy put it into an envelope, ready to be sent off. Moments later the door opened and Jeremy came in with a flourish. Tommy was surprised to see that he had Amy with him, his brother smiling as he said, ‘It was Amy’s half day so when I saw her walking home I gave her a lift.’
Seeing them together, Tommy saw that Amy looked pink-cheeked, and she seemed to be avoiding his eyes, almost as though she felt guilty about something. His mother had said that Amy hung on to Jeremy’s every word, but looking at his tall, strong, good-looking brother, Tommy couldn’t help wondering if there was more to it than that. He didn’t like the feeling, yet Tommy was unable to stem the surge of jealousy that made his stomach churn.
Amy walked over to him now, saying softly, ‘You look even better today.’
‘I am,’ he told her, relieved when Amy kissed him on the lips and at last met his eyes.
‘That’s wonderful,’ she said, smiling, and then whispered close in his ear, ‘I love you, Tommy Frost.’
‘I love you too,’ he hissed back, feeling the tension drain from his body while giving himself a mental ticking off for doubting Amy. He knew why of course. He was skinny and weak, and had allowed his own inadequacies to rule his feelings. It wouldn’t happen again, he’d see to that, and as Amy continued to hold his hand, he hardly noticed that they weren’t the only people in the room.
For Amy it was different. She had wanted to see Tommy, but longed to be away from Jeremy and was aware of him every second that he was in the room. He’d insisted on giving her a lift, but now Amy wished she’d found an excuse, any excuse to refuse. It was getting worse, the intimate way he looked at her, the smile on his handsome face so inviting that she was becoming frightened of her own responses.
How could she feel like this when she loved Tommy, really loved him? What Jeremy aroused in her wasn’t love, it was something else – something almost primitive that both repelled and attracted her.
‘I’m going back to work tomorrow,’ Tommy said, breaking into Amy’s thoughts.
‘Are you sure you’re up to it?’ she asked.
‘You sound as bad as my mother,’ he said, although smiling.
‘We’re only trying to make sure you don’t rush things,’ Celia said. ‘Isn’t that right, Amy?’
‘Yes, it is,’ she replied, still unused to Celia’s kindly attitude towards her.
‘Well you can both rest assured that I’m fine,’ Tommy said.
‘Did you get that quote sorted out?’ Jeremy asked.
‘Yes, I’ve just finished it.’
‘Would you like me to pop it in the post for you, or I’d be happy to deliver it by hand. After that muck-up it’s the least I can do.’
‘Don’t worry about it. You were only trying to help and as I said last night, I’m sorry for overreacting.’
‘One apology is enough,’ Jeremy said, grinning. ‘You don’t have to grovel.’
‘Right, I won’t and yes, you can take it to the post office.’
Amy couldn’t make sense of this conversation, only relief that Jeremy was going out. He smiled at her and she looked away, determined that from now on she was going to stay as far away from him as possible.
Jeremy took the envelope and went into the hall, his mother saying as she followed him, ‘I have a couple of last minute Christmas cards that need posting too. Come upstairs and I’ll give them to you.’
He didn’t know why she just couldn’t bring them down, but the explanation became obvious when they stood in her bedroom and she said, ‘I’ve had a word with Thomas about giving you a share in the business.’
‘You shouldn’t have done that. I’ve only been home for a short time and it’s far too early to raise the subject.’
‘I don’t think it is. There’s no guarantee that we can get rid of Amy, so we need to make sure you’ve got a stake in the business before Thomas marries her.’
‘My plan is already working. I know Amy’s attracted to me, and didn’t you see Tom’s face when I came in with her? It was obvious that he was jealous.’
‘Yes, but I also saw that it could go badly wrong. Instead of turning on Amy, Thomas might blame you.’
‘He won’t be able to do that, not when he sees the evidence with his own eyes.’
‘It could still turn Thomas against you and I think it’s too risky. The safest option would be to go for a share in the business, sooner rather than later.’
Though Jeremy hated to admit it, he thought his mother was right. It was the business or the girl, but what he really wanted was both. He’d go along with his mother for now – concentrate on getting a stake in the business, but once that was achieved, Amy would be his for the picking.