Louise was in an exuberant mood
because Alan
Brown, the guy she
’
d met
in Kildare Village
,
had phoned her that day
.
He
’
d had to go out of town unexpectedly, he
’
d said, which was why he hadn
’
t called before now. He asked her to meet him some evening for a drink. He would be out of town on Wednesday and Thursday so they settled on
the following Monday, when Ronan would be at his wine course.
“
I can
’
t wait to see you,
”
he told her.
“
You
’
ve been on my mind non-stop since I saw you again.
”
S
he felt a little flutter in her stomach. His voice sounde
d so sexy on the phone. It was thrilling and
,
although she hadn
’
t told him so, he
’
d been on her mind a lot too. Now she felt exhilarated and dying to see him again. She rang Melissa with the good news and asked her to meet up for a few drinks. She felt like celebrating. She also rang Deirdre and Kate who agreed to join them. She could hardly contain her excitement.
“
I told you he
’
d call,
”
she said smugly to Melissa when they met although secretly when he hadn
’
t called after a week she
’
d thought he
’
d forgotten her. Her friend just sighed enviously. Louise had all the luck!
18
The second week of the course began. Sam watched as his students took their place, smiling at the fact that they all made for the same seats that they had sat in the previous week. People always did this. It was interesting to observe that humans were such creatures of habit. It never ceased to amaze him.
Ellie was looking very pretty in a short
denim
dress and red shoes so high that Sam thought they must give her vertigo
.
Zita had on the same dungarees and waistcoat that she
’
d worn the week before
.
Ronan was wearing a well
-
cut blazer over a crisp white shirt and looked very elegant indeed. Sam suspected that it was Rachel who had raised the bar style
-
wise the previous week and this week was no different. She was looking very chic in a cream blazer over a navy shirt and trousers.
They were chatting together and it was obvious that they were all happy to be there. Even the four younger ones seemed animated and Sam hoped not to disappoint them tonight.
He didn
’
t! They all listened fascinated as he explained what happened to the grapes once they left the vineyard and entered the winery. He spoke with such passion that even Hayley seemed caught up in it and asked him a question about something she didn
’
t understand.
The tasting session went a little better than the week before and Sam was pleased to see that they were getting the hang of it. There was less spluttering and choking than there had been the first week. Ronan appeared to have a very good palate and Ellie was pretty good at discerning the flavours in the wine too.
All in all it was another successful evening and Sam, Ronan, Ellie, Rachel and Zita left in a happy group for a drink in the Castle Bar. The four young ones declined to join them but Rachel overheard them planning to go to The Yacht together.
“
They probably don
’
t want to be seen with old fogies like us,
”
she exclaimed laughingly to the others as they walked to the pub.
Sam insisted on buying the first drink.
“
Then we can all put a few euro in the kitty for the next drink. That okay with everyone?
”
They all agreed that that was a good idea. Ronan was relieved. A round would be quite expensive with five people there! Drink prices in Irish pubs were scandalous, he thought, especially now that he knew how much the drinks actually cost in the off-licence. Sam asked them what they wanted.
“
Gin and Slimline Tonic for me, please,
”
Rachel said
.
A pint of Guinness was what both Zita and Ronan wanted and Ellie asked for a glass of white wine.
“
Anything but chardonnay,
”
Sam remarked, grinning mischievously at her.
She blushed, swatting him playfully. He roared with laughter as he went to the bar to order.
“
What
’
s all this
‘
no chardonnay
’
about?
”
Rachel wanted t
o know.
“
Well, I was at this very upmarket dinner with my fiancé – it was in his new boss
’
s house – and his wife, who was frightfully snooty, told me she didn
’
t do chardonnay when I asked for one.
”
Rachel looked at her sympathetically.
“
Well, I felt like an ass, I needn
’
t tell you, but then Sam –
who is their wine merchant – told me that the white Chablis she was serving was actually made from the chardonnay grape. That made me feel better
,
as you can imag
ine
!”
The others laughed with her and Zita suggested that she should have put the snooty bitch in her place.
“
I wish I could have but it was David
’
s boss
’
s wife, so I couldn
’
t very well, could I
?”
She couldn
’
t bring herself to tell them that the lady in question was Sam
’
s mother.
“
No
,
I suppose not,
”
Rachel agreed with her.
“
Still, I bet you felt one up on her.
”
“
I sure did but I suppose I owe her. It was because of her that I decided to do this wine course.
”
“
Well, we should be grateful to her so,
”
Ronan said gallantly.
“
Yes, her loss is our gain,
”
Rachel smiled.
“
I never imagined it would be so interesting
,”
Ellie remarked, wanting to change the subject as she spotted Sam coming back to the table.
He gave Rachel and Ellie their drinks and went back for the pints. He returned shortly afterwards and joined in the lively discussion they were having about what they
’
d learnt that evening.
Sam noticed that Rachel was drinking very fast and that the gin was having an effect already. He
’
d also noticed that she was the only one who
never spat the wine out at the tasting session but swallowed it every time. Methinks the lady likes her liquor, he thought as they all put €7 on the table for the next drinks.
They had a great time and Zita and Rachel were obviously getting on great as they nattered away to each other. This surprised Ellie as they were so different. She still couldn
’
t make Zita out. Instinctively, she didn
’
t trust
her. There was something strange about her
–
but obviousl
y Rachel didn
’
t think so.
By the third drink Rachel was quite merry and the wine was also having its effect on Ellie. They were both giggling and Sam and Ronan smiled indulgently as much as to say
‘
women – they just can
’
t hold their drink
’
. Zita had no problem however and was as sober a judge after three pints.
Rachel wanted to buy a fourth round for everyone but Ronan and Sam both declined
,
saying that they had to work the following day.
“
I
’
m fine
,
thanks,
”
Ellie giggled.
“
If I have another one
, I
’
ll fall down
.”
Rachel looked disappointed and it was obvious that she wanted another one.
“
Okay, I
’
ll have a glass of Guinness so, not a pint though,
”
Zita told her and was rewarded with a grateful smile
.
Rachel went to order. She was having a wonderful time. They were all such lovely people, she thought as she stood at the bar. They liked her for herself, not just because she was Carl Dunne
’
s wife. That was a welcome change!
As she was drinking her fourth G&T she had a brilliant idea.
“
Listen
,
guys,
”
she said excitedly,
“
I
’
m having a party next Saturday night and I
’
d love you all to come. We
’
ve had such fun tonight. Please say yes.
”
“
Well, I don
’
t know. I usually spend Saturdays with David,
”
Ellie replied dubiously.
“
Oh, all your partners are invited too. It
’
s our annual Midsummer
’
s
Eve
party and there
’
ll be music and we
’
re having a spit-roasted pig. Please say you
’
ll come. I
’
d love to have you all there.
”
She sounded so earnest that Ellie texted David to see if he would come
.
She hoped he would. Gosh, her friends w
ould be madly jealous. The Dunnes
’
parties were famous!
“
I
’
ll come,
”
Zita replied.
“
Me too,
”
Sam added.
“
You had me at spit-roasted pig.
”
The others laughed.
“
Brilliant!
”
Rachel cried, clapping her hands.
“
What about you
,
Ronan?
”
“
Well, I
’
ll just check with Louise, my wife, but I don
’
t think we have anything on next Saturday.
”
Ellie read David
’
s reply
:
Sure why not?
“
Great! David and I can come too,
”
she confirmed happily.
“
Splendid!
”
Rachel exclaimed, clapping her hands. She gave each of them her card and asked them to confirm it later with her
–
then she would give them directions to her house
. “
It will be so nice to meet all your other halves and I
’
m dying
for you all to meet Carl,
”
she told them
,
smiling happily.
Not half as much as I
’
m dying to meet him, Zita thought to herself.
Amid a flurry of kisses and hugs they all said goodbye. Rachel had ordered a taxi while Ronan and Zita set off to take the DART home. Sam offered to walk Ellie home which was only five minutes away.
“
She couldn
’
t possibly walk in those heels,
”
Rachel shrieked, pointing to the five-inch stilettos.
“
My taxi can drop her off.
”
“
It
’
s not my shoes I
’
m worried about,
”
Ellie admitted with a giggle.
“
It
’
s all the wine I
’
ve had.
”
“
See you all next Saturday,
”
Rachel called
happily as they entered the taxi.