Authors: Nicola May
– Chapter Twenty-Six –
Ruby offered up her biggest smile as The Bow Wow Club attendees began to slowly flock in. She politely said hello as each one of the colourful assortment of people helped themselves to tea, coffee and custard creams. Her smile becoming even broader on catching Simon discreetly reaching into his drawer and pouring Diet Coke into whatever was already in his mug. Vodka, she suspected.
She took a seat at the back of the small room, whilst everyone finished getting drinks and catching up on Christmas stories. When ready, they slowly scraped the old wooden chairs into a circle position. It gave Ruby a quick chance to look down at Simon’s people synopsis entitled:
The Regulars
!
Jimmy Chislehurst: 42. Works in a roadside café trailer. Highly intelligent. Suffers from Tourette’s when ill at ease. Collar-length hair. Unshaven. Bad breath. Still looking for love after losing wife ten years ago.
Eleanor Saunders (Ellie): 37. Marketing Assistant. Vivacious, curly-haired blonde. Dating Danny, same age, who lost his wife last year. (Danny sounds a right bastard, to be honest!)
Nick Redwood: 29. Fireman. Hot, hot, hot! (Dating Rebecca, a glamorous woman in her late 40s who was married to an octogenarian millionaire who died in the summer.) She doesn’t sound good enough for him either! But, I know, I know, I just hear their side.
Cali Naylor: 51. Voluptuous. Very Zen (Always brings Fanny the wonder dog with her, whom I’m allergic to!) Dating Eric who is the same age as her and a widower. (I think HE probably deserves better.)
Not scared of speaking her mind herself, Ruby still couldn’t quite believe how rude Simon was. For fear of any of these people getting even a slight glimpse of the eccentric leader’s views, she made a point of hiding the piece of paper inside her handbag.
She looked around the room. There were seven people present and she could now pinpoint the regulars easily.
Simon was right about one of them at least. The Fireman was bloody gorgeous, with his cute young face and dark spiky hair. She wondered why he had got himself into such a tricky relationship position. But, as dear old Margaret had said, love didn’t have a calendar, so why would it have a mirror or sense either?
Jimmy’s appearance was as bad as described, but behind his heavy-rimmed glasses and unshaven appearance, she could see a lovely face. He had just let himself go, bless him. As for Cali - he had been spot on to use the word ‘voluptuous’ for her, as she had the most magnificent pair of breasts that Ruby had seen in a while. Her size sixteen hour-glass figure suited her big personality. And, her beautiful pale soft-skinned round face housed smiling blue, kind eyes. Ellie was as loud, bright and bubbly as her long blonde curls, which appeared to dance behind her as she chatted away animatedly to the Fireman.
‘Right. Now. You lovely lot. AITCHOO!’ Simon sneezed loudly. ‘Cali! How many times? I really don’t think I can cope with your Fanny’s hair for much longer.’
‘She’s had a shampoo this week. We thought it might make things better, didn’t we, Fluffy Foo?’ The woman assumed a baby voice as she lovingly stroked the little black mongrel.
Simon blew his nose loudly, then leaned against his desk at the front. ‘Anyway, enough of Cali’s Fanny.’ A short burst of laughter went around the room. ‘Welcome, new recruits - we shall get to know you all in a minute.’ The three newbies smiled nervously. ‘But first to introduce our new Bow Wow Club volunteer, the radiant, red-headed, sassy Susie.’
‘Ruby, actually.’ Ruby’s correction from the back of the room was drowned by a round of applause. ‘I’m Ruby,’ she repeated far too loudly as the handclapping ended abruptly.
‘I’m sure he’s pissed,’ the Fireman whispered to Ellie, who giggled like a schoolgirl.
‘Ah! Sorry - may I repeat: But first to introduce the radiant, red-headed raunchy
Ruby
. Another round of applause please for a charitable good citizen to keep you Bow Wowers on track. And…’ Simon paused for effect ‘… of course to keep you ahead of those black and white widows and widowers who are not making your life easy.’
Everybody clapped again as Ruby reddened and then cringed as Simon continued: ‘Sadly, young Ruby lost her husband recently too, so she will understand from one side at least.’
A unified ‘Awww!’ went around the room.
‘OK, so first question to the group.’ Simon began pacing. ‘Any sexual problems over Christmas?’
The regulars didn’t flinch, the newbies shuffled and Ruby put her hand to her face in horror. What on earth had her dear old neighbour got her into here?
– Chapter Twenty-Seven –
Ruby was lying on her bed flicking through a magazine when her home phone rang.
She was quite content to be back in her old marital bed. In fact, she liked it a lot as the mattress in here was much more comfy than the cheap stained one that had originally been on George’s bed before she had moved in. She really must get around to changing it. Why did people do that? she thought. Whenever she had stayed at friends’ houses, the spare room bed was always so damn uncomfortable. As soon as she got money in from the invoice she had just submitted, she would make sure to go out and buy a new one.
Her dress-making trade was booming at the moment. Lots of Valentines brides had called her up, due to the domino effect of recommendations. She loved putting her creative flair to the test and adored using all sorts of glorious silks, chiffons and sequins that elevated wedding budgets allowed.
‘Rubes, it’s me,’ came Fi’s voice. ‘What you doing?’
‘I am lying on my bed with a pile of trash mags and a packet of custard creams, if that’s all right with you, Ms Donahue.’ She smiled as a vision of her unruly dark-haired, different-coloured-eyed mate came to the fore of her mind.
‘Jealous, been eating fecking dust since New Year’s Day. My dry January has been wetter than expected too. James says I’ve ballooned, and if I’m expecting a proposal this year I best do something about it.’
‘I’d tell him to bugger off if I were you. You looked fine to me New Year’s Eve. Anyway, not long until Valentine’s now, is it? Is he whisking you off somewhere lovely?’
‘Well, that’s the point, Rubes. He hasn’t said a thing and it’s only a week away. What if I need to take time off work?’
‘Well, he is a man and won’t think logistics, and it does fall on a Saturday this year, so maybe you’ll just stay in a fancy hotel for the night or something?’
‘We’ll see. I’m just gagging to get married, Rubes. I know it’s hard to believe, but I’ll be celebrating the big 4 0 this year.’
‘No!’ Ruby was flabbergasted. ‘I still can’t believe that - you know you so don’t look it.’
‘I may not look it but I am it, and my womb is like a suction pad for semen. James only has to hang his shirt at the end of the bed and I’m on him like a terrier.’
‘See, you’ll be fine. The amount of sex you have, one of those little fellas will swim to the right place, I bet you. Even as ancient as you are.’
‘Hmm. Well, I’m not so certain.’
‘Saying that, Fi, are you really sure you want a baby? It’ll stop your partying big time. Not one drink for over nine months either! All that responsibility, too.’
‘Rubes, I have to grow up some day.’
‘Who says?’ Ruby laughed. ‘Maybe getting a dog would be easier.’
‘And, how about you, Rubes?’
‘Nah, I’m a cat woman myself.’
‘You know what I mean.’ Ever blunt, Fi stopped Ruby in her tracks.
‘I don’t know,’ Ruby said quietly. ‘All I ever wanted was a family with George, you know that.’ She felt a lump rising in her throat.
‘It’s going to happen, I know it, Rubes,’ Fi said gently. ‘I can feel it in my water. I sounded a right bitch then, sorry. But I think what I’m trying to say is that if you let it in, you will find love again, I know you will. You’re too lovely not to. And don’t waste your life, angel. George would kick your butt if you did.’
‘Hark at you being nice. What you after?’
It was Fi’s turn to laugh. ‘Talking of love, how’s Mr Strong Hands after your torrid hotel sex session?’
‘I’ve been so busy I haven’t seen him since. We’ve talked on the phone but…’ Her mobile ringing interrupted them.
‘That’s him! Weird.’
‘Spooky. Go, go, Rubes. Speak to him. See him tonight. He seems lovely. Ciao ciao, darling. Lots of love.’
Damn, she had wanted to tell Fi about the Bow Wow Club. Her friend would so laugh when she heard about sex-mad Simon and his band of lonely hearts.
‘Ah Michael Bell, there you are!’ She realised she was really pleased to hear from him.
‘Hello, stranger.’
‘I know I’ve been crap, sorry. Been mad busy with all these Valentine weddings I’m working on.’
‘Ah, Valentines, now that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Um… I just wondered if you might be free next weekend?’
– Chapter Twenty-Eight –
Michael threw his arm in the air in victory, not quite believing that she had said yes so easily.
Right, a quick chapter then he must start putting plans in place. He clicked open his laptop and began to type furiously.
My first novel – by Michael Bell - TITLE - TBD
Chapter 17:
Emily stomped into the study to find Michael at his computer.
‘Working again? That’s all you do! Can’t you find a tiny bit of time for your horny pregnant wife? Come back to bed, Pooky.’
The last thing Michael wanted to do was to have sex with Emily. He was still reeling from the feelings that making love to Ruby had created within him. He had even had to come home straight after that amazing night in the Soho Hotel and have a wank. He could do nothing but think about her lovely soft skin, pert round breasts and deft tongue.
He sat away from his screen deep in thought. Hmm. Now could he use the word ‘wank’? Would that offend women readers? Nah - surely that Fifty Shades book was much ruder? He had, however, read reviews of other romantic novels and some of the bloggers were a bit prudish. He would leave it in for now. In fact, he was already getting quite hard just thinking about Ruby as he typed. He rearranged himself and carried on, his own desire encouraging him to write a sex scene.
‘I’ve got your favourite black lace underwear on.’ Emily was relentless. He span around on his swivel chair to face her. She lifted up her sheer nightdress and straddled him, squirming against his hardening cock as she did so.
He closed his eyes and on slipping his fingers into her, he imagined it was Ruby’s wetness he was feeling and groaned in pleasure.
‘See, I knew you wanted it,’ Emily whispered in his ear. She roughly pulled opened his zip to reveal his hardness and climbed on top. The sex was intense and with every squeal his wife made, it made him just want to be inside Ruby more. They came together.
‘Wow!’ Emily jumped up. ‘That was amazing. I love you, Michael. Now let’s snuggle back in bed. Come on, you know you want to.’ She put on the stupid baby voice which he now hated with a passion.
‘Yeah, it was amazing.’ Michael stood up. ‘But, I best have a shower.’
Right, he would tell her now whilst she was feeling like this.
‘I forgot to tell you, Ems - I’ve got to go away next weekend. The Editor of The Sunday Review wants me to write an article on romantic Devon country retreats, and the money’s too good to miss. We need all we can get for Mr Bump now, don’t we?’
‘Or Miss Bump for that matter.’ Emily smiled. ‘That’s fine, darling, of course.’
‘Even though it’s Valentines?’ Michael feared the worst.
‘We don’t need a silly day to show we love each other, do we? And money is so much more important at the moment.’
Money, bloody money. Oh how he wished he could just leave her now. Material, shallow bitch!
Phew, Michael could now put his plan into action. He so feared that Emily would ask to come with him. He had prepared his response - that he just had a single room in a grotty B&B near to the posh hotels he had been asked to review.
Ruby Ann Stevens was going to have the best Valentine’s night of her life.
‘Oh yes!’ Michael said aloud. He was excited and also still a little aroused over the sex scene he had managed to write with ease.
The words were flowing out of him. Now, what could he call his developing masterpiece? He tapped his pencil on his desk. He knew how important the title was and then flash, another light-bulb moment!
A Ring for Miss Ruby!
Not perfect, or The One, but it would certainly do for now.
Oh, to be able to get out of this high-rise one-bedroom Clapham flat. He was sure one of his neighbours was a prostitute. She had more knocks on her door in one night than he had in a year. And the music noise late into the early hours was sometimes unbearable.
He still couldn’t forgive his witch of an ex-fiancée Emily for luring his best mate into her wicked web. Worse than that, she had taken Barney, their black Labrador. He actually missed Barney more than her. He sometimes also missed his matey time with Justin, too. They had been friends since school. But how could you forgive someone when they had betrayed you so badly? Could you ever go back to how it was? Would you ever trust them again?
Emily was a bloody sexy girl, there was no doubt about that. Ten years younger and posh totty. They had met after a rugby match in Twickenham. Her parents had spoiled her and this had proved to make their relationship difficult. With Michael’s working-class roots, he had always worked hard for every penny he had earned. Losing his mum at just sixteen had also made him look at life in a different way. He was of the opinion that life was for living and enjoying, and that money didn’t necessarily bring happiness.
He could see why Emily had been blinded by Justin, with his city-boy lifestyle and flash car. But he was sure she would eventually demand too much from him and he would sicken of her tantrums. Or maybe he would just give her everything she wanted and cheat on her like he had done with many girlfriends before.
Whatever happened, she would get her comeuppance in his novel and that was a definite.
The night he had found out about their affair had been atrocious. He wasn’t a freelance writer at the time, did a nine-to-five job for a Sports magazine. He also had to work in a bar twice a week to pay off his huge credit-card bill racked up by the engagement ring that Madame Bitch had said she had always wanted. On this particular Tuesday he had forgotten his bar uniform so he dashed back home straight after work to grab it and there they were. In the lovely two-bedroom Clapham cottage they were renting. At it! His best mate with his fiancée. Her on top with the pert little bottom he used to love to squeeze bouncing away, a bottle of champagne to their side and his favourite Athlete CD playing at full volume. They didn’t even notice him walk in.
Michael wasn’t a violent man. Shaking with anger and emotion, instead of raising his fist, he pulled the plug from the Bose sound system he had bought for her birthday and just walked out of the door leaving it swinging open. His biggest regret was that Barney the dog was at her parents’ country retreat as they were supposed to be going away for the weekend the next day. Or he of course would have taken him there and then.
He hadn’t spoken to or seen the pair again. There was no need for any explanation. Maybe he knew deep down she was wrong for him but it didn’t make the hurt any less - the complete betrayal by two people you thought you knew so well and loved very much. He managed to sneak back and get his photos, music and clothes but that was it, she could have the rest. Furniture, pictures, kitchen stuff could all be replaced. His heart would heal, he knew, but at that precise moment the two of them had broken it in two. They of course had both independently tried to contact him but he had ignored every call.
I mean, with a betrayal of that magnitude, what could anyone say to make things better? ‘Sorry’ would never be enough. They were obviously so wrapped up in their own little world, that Michael wasn’t top of their agenda. I mean, why would they need to make him feel better when they were having such a good time?
It still gave him a pain in his stomach when he thought about it and he actually had to mentally focus in order to stop the hurt from bubbling up and suffocating him.
He didn’t even know if they were still seeing each other. He tried to believe he didn’t care any more. He didn’t want her back; they were welcome to each other. But he wished he knew why they had done it to him in the first place.
He blew out a massive breath, rubbed his eyes and slammed the laptop shut. His life had been dark for a long time but now meeting dear, sweet Ruby had shone some light on it. Whatever the outcome, she had helped him to start writing the novel - something he had always wanted to do - and for this he would be eternally grateful.