'You're gorgeous,' Richard repeated and ran a finger down her cheek and across her lips.
Celine pushed him away. 'Don't start, mate, I've got a shop to run.'
'I'm going. I just wanted to check what time I should pick you up tomorrow night.'
'Marina's booked a table in the Thai restaurant for eight-thirty but we're meeting for drinks first in the Shelbourne.'
'Fine, I'll pick you up around seven.'
Celine put the Hoover away, let herself out of the shop and went back up to her flat. As she undressed, her thoughts returned to the reason for her good mood and she smiled. Finally she'd got through to Kevin that they were finished and they'd parted last night on reasonably good terms. She just hoped that Dominic wouldn't mention his visit — it was unlikely that Richard would understand. He was a laid-back man but Celine suspected he was the jealous type.
After a quick shower, Celine dried her hair, applied some eye makeup and lipstick and then lowered a simple cream linen dress over her head. After zipping it up, slipping on her shoes and running a comb through her hair, she was ready. As she lowered the comb she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She hardly recognised the confident, happy woman staring back at her. She wasn't sure if it was because Richard was in her life, Kevin was out of it or the fact that she was doing a job she enjoyed, but whatever it was, she looked happy. Taking her bag and her keys, she ran downstairs and let herself back into the shop. After she'd put on the kettle, she switched on the lights, flicked the open sign and opened the door to allow a soft breeze into the shop.
Before she got a chance to make any coffee though, her first customer had arrived. After that, there was a constant stream of women and it was almost twelve before Celine got to make a cuppa. Realising that it would probably be her only chance to eat, she hurriedly made herself a sandwich. Fridays were always busy and though she'd be exhausted by five-thirty, Celine preferred it like this. She groaned as she heard the bell and looking longingly at her sandwich and cooling coffee she went back out front where Mary Boyle was poking in the bargain bin. In all the time she'd been here, Celine had never seen Mary buy as much as a scarf. If she was here it would be purely to gossip. She forced a smile to her lips. 'Good morning, Mrs Boyle. Beautiful morning, isn't it?'
'There's still a chill in the air.' Mary cast a critical eye over Celine's light dress. 'My mother always said, "Never cast a clout till May is out".'
'Really?' Celine nodded and nipped back outside to take a quick sip of her coffee. When she returned, Mary had moved on to the hats.
'This doesn't look very clean,' she remarked, holding up a cream beret.
'It's the light.'
Mary threw it back on the shelf and moved on to root through a rail of cardigans. Celine was about to go back to her coffee when the door opened again. 'Good morning, may I help — oh!'
Eileen Gilligan stood in the doorway glaring at her. 'Help me? Well, I don't know, you tell me, Celine. I told you once before what I wanted.'
Celine glanced over at Mary who was standing still, her ears pricked. 'Why don't you come through—'
'I told you to leave my husband alone,' Eileen said, not moving an inch. 'But it seems you didn't listen.'
Celine took a deep breath and then crossed the room to Mary, took her by the arm and escorted her to the door. 'I'm afraid I must ask you to leave, Mrs Boyle.'
'But you can't do that,' Mary spluttered.
'I'm sorry.' Celine shut the door on the indignant woman and flicked the sign to closed.
'What was Kevin doing here last night?' Eileen demanded. 'And don't try to deny it, because I followed him.'
'Okay, Eileen, I'll be honest with you. I told Kevin it was finished, he had other ideas, but now he's got the message. I'm in another relationship and I've no intention of seeing your husband again.'
Eileen slumped against the counter. 'Do you mean it? Really? Because I'm not sure I can stand much more of this.'
Celine looked at her in amazement. 'I didn't think it bothered you. Kevin told me . . . well . . . I wasn't the first.'
Eileen flinched. 'No, you weren't, but he's never stayed with anyone as long as you.' Her eyes searched Celine's face. 'I was afraid he'd fallen in love.'
Celine reached out a hand to her. 'No! No, I promise you it's over. I'm so sorry, he told me you didn't really care what he did.'
'I was afraid I'd lose him,' Eileen said, tears running unchecked down her face. 'So I ignored what was going on.'
'I'm the last person to give you advice,' Celine murmured, 'but maybe that wasn't such a great strategy.'
'Apparently not.' Eileen pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at her face.
'Right now, he's not seeing anyone and I promise, hand on heart, I have finished with him for good. I am really sorry for all the hurt I've caused you.'
Eileen gave a brief nod and went to the door. 'Thank you for your honesty,' she said and was gone.
Celine closed her eyes. 'Oh, Kevin, how did you get it so wrong?' After taking a few deep breaths, she turned the sign around again and opened the door. She peered out to see if Mary Boyle was still hanging about but thankfully she was nowhere in sight. Celine could imagine the gossip at next week's dress rehearsal.
'Shit, Dominic!' She sank back against the counter and dropped her head in her hands. He was bound to hear about this and then he'd remember meeting Kevin last night. Lord, even if she'd introduced them it wouldn't have looked so suspicious. He was bound to put two and two together and come up with five. And what would he do then, tell Richard? Damn it, she'd have to tell him first except she wasn't going to see him until tomorrow night. Still, it was unlikely that Mary would have got to Dominic before then. She went out back, threw her cold coffee down the drain and dropped her sandwich into the bin. Suddenly she didn't feel hungry any more. She sighed as the bell went again. Going back into the shop, she prayed that it wouldn't be Mary.
Her face cleared and she smiled in relief when the customer turned out to be her father. 'Hi, Daddy.' She reached up to give him a hug and a kiss.
He touched his cheek. 'What was that for?'
'Oh, it's just nice to see a friendly face.'
'One of those days, eh?'
'Yep. But never mind that, tell me all your news.'
'No news. Can't stay long, I'm on my way to leave the car in for a service. I just wanted to ask you to lunch on Sunday.'
Celine raised an eyebrow. 'You're cooking?'
Frank chuckled. 'God no, I don't want to kill you. I thought we could go out.'
Celine thought of the conversation she'd planned to have with Richard. 'I don't know, Daddy—'
'Oh, please, love, Brenda's coming too. It will be the first time she's been out since all of this happened.'
'Okay, Daddy, as long as we don't go to the golf club.'
'That's a promise,' Frank said, already halfway out the door. 'Come over about one. Bye.'
'Bye.' Celine stood waving in the doorway as he drove away. It looked like her chat with Richard would have to wait. As she turned to go back inside, one of Rose's regular customers arrived and Celine put her personal problems to the back of her mind.
The rest of the day was uneventful and after Celine had lodged the takings in the bank she walked back to her flat, weary and glad that she was having a quiet night in. She wanted to go through the accounts and check the week's takings but she could at least do it outside and enjoy the last of the sunshine. Pouring a glass of wine she took it and her file down to the yard. She sank back in a chair and closed her eyes, enjoying the warm sun on her face. Just five minutes and then she'd start work. It was another thirty minutes before a dog barking woke her. 'Oh, damn.' She stretched, took a sip of wine and opened the file. As she worked through the sales for the last week she started to smile. After checking it three times she threw the file on the table and sat back with a triumphant 'Yes!' The sales figures were the best since she'd come to Close Second and that included the period when Rose was still there. She was glad she was going to Arklow on Monday. It would be nice to be the bearer of good news.
She was looking forward to seeing her boss especially as business was so good. Celine could never imagine herself returning to the world of design but she could still do something in fashion. She'd have to put some thought into that. In a month or so, Rose would return part-time. Celine didn't relish the thought of leaving the shop and leaving her flat. But, she thought, a smile playing around her lips, she'd a feeling she'd be staying in Hopefield. Richard had hinted a couple of times that he'd like her to move in. Perhaps it was time that she became part of a couple again.
Kay rummaged among the bottles and tubes on the bathroom shelf in search of anti-inflammatory cream. 'Bloody hell, what does she use all of this stuff for?' she muttered. Josh appeared at her side.
'What are you doing, Granny?'
'Looking for something.'
'What?'
'Never you mind. Have you brushed your teeth?'
'I don't like brushing my teeth.'
'Well, you have to, or they'll all fall out.'
'Mum, you'll scare him.' Marina stood in the doorway bristling with disapproval. 'What are you looking for?'
'The cream for my shoulder.'
Marina scanned the shelf and then looked in the cabinet on the wall. 'It's not in here. It must be in your bedroom.'
'It is not in my bedroom,' Kay snapped.
'I don't like your cream, Granny, it smells yuck.'
'Joshie!' Marina shot her son a warning glance.
'Well, it does,' he insisted. 'It made my Action Man smell yuck too.'
Kay froze. 'Did you take my cream, Josh?'
Josh twisted his toes into the bathroom mat and said nothing.
'Josh, answer Granny,' Marina told him and left to search his bedroom.
'My Action Man had a sore leg,' Josh muttered. 'He fell.'
Kay pushed past him and went after her daughter. Marina was sitting on the bed, holding a white Action Man in one hand and a scrunched-up tube in the other. 'Sorry, Mum. I'll go to the chemist and get some more.'
Kay took a deep breath before replying. 'Throw open the windows, the place stinks.'
'Sure, Mum.'
'And do me a favour? When you go to the shops, take your son with you.'
Marina went into the bathroom. 'Josh, go to the loo, brush your teeth and then come into my bedroom. We're going out.'
'Oh, goody, where are we going?'
'It's a surprise,' Marina told him, knowing that it would be counterproductive to tell him the truth. And from the look on her mother's face, the sooner she got him out of the house the better. They had been getting on much better than Marina could have hoped but there had been a couple of small hiccups, usually relating to Josh. Her mother took rather too hands-on an approach for Marina's liking but that was only natural, she told herself. She must be patient with her mother after all, it was her house.
Kay was sitting in her bedroom with the door firmly closed when she heard Marina and Josh leave. With a sigh of relief, she went down to her kitchen to make a much-needed cup of coffee. As she sat at the table cradling a mug in her hands, Kay wondered what she had been thinking of when she invited her daughter to stay. It would never work out, not in a million years. Marina floated in and out looking beautiful but did nothing to help out around the house. And cleaning it took longer than ever now that Josh lived here. The child was completely out of control and Marina didn't seem to even notice. Kay had tried several times to give him some chores to do but Marina had been horrified.
'He's only a little boy, Mum, you can't expect him to help out yet.'
'He could at least tidy up his toys before bedtime,' Kay had retorted. It was only since they'd moved in that her back had started acting up again. Not surprising, as she seemed to spend all day every day picking up after the child. And now she had to babysit tonight; she put her head in her hands at the thought. Most four-year-olds she knew were in bed asleep by eight-thirty but not Josh. Bedtime was a nightmare and even after several stories, he'd appear back downstairs and eventually fall asleep on the sofa. And of course, they couldn't have the TV on while he was there because it would give him nightmares. So instead of settling down in front of Corrie or The Bill, Kay would have to sit through a Walt Disney film. She was determined to buy a television for her bedroom. Then at least occasionally she could get some peace and quiet. She shook her head sadly as she considered her dilemma. Marina seemed to be happy with the arrangement so she was unlikely to move out and Kay would never ask her to leave. Maybe when Josh started school in September he'd be less of a handful but Lord, that was almost three months away. She heaved herself to her feet. Sitting here feeling sorry for herself wouldn't help anyone. Time to go and clean up the Action Man mess in Josh's bedroom. She knew that Marina wouldn't have done it.
'Now, Josh, you need to be nicer to your Granny, she's getting old.'
'Is she going to die?' he asked, his eyes alight with curiosity.
Marina looked over her shoulder at her son in the back seat. 'Of course not. But you must be a good boy for her.' She turned back to concentrate on her driving.
Josh groaned. 'I want to go home to our house.'
'We don't have a house,' Marina told him, her face grim. 'We live with Granny now.'
'But I don't want to.'
'Now, darling, don't be silly, you know how much Granny loves you. She was just cross this morning because you took her cream.'
'But my action man was sick,' he protested.
'I understand that, Joshie, but remember, you should always ask before taking something that isn't yours.'
Josh said nothing but started kicking the back of the front seat. Marina sighed. She probably shouldn't go out tonight but she was so looking forward to meeting Richard. 'Josh, if you're a very good boy today and tell Granny you're sorry I'll bring you to the cinema tomorrow.'