Thinking that Jon’s face was changing into one of confusion and irritation, Steph decided to try and draw the conversation to a close before Lauren said anything else that might spoil the mood of the weekend that up to this point had been pretty perfect.
“Yeah, thanks again, Lauren, and I assume when the happy couple return we will be subjected to the grand unveiling of the photos,” laughed Steph with Lauren.
“And the video.” Lauren said making Steph laugh harder until she added, “Although that could just convince my mum about you and Charlie’s best man because she was sure that there was something going on, especially when he danced with you.”
“I think he had been given orders by Lindsay to look after me for the day because he was a complete and utter arsehole at the hen night.” Steph smiled at Jon who was staring and shaking his head at her now, not that her opinion should have been a surprise as she’d been honest with him about her initial thoughts.
“He did seem as though he had a poker stuck up his arse that night,” Lauren agreed making Steph laugh almost hystericallynow. “Look, I have to go, but I hope you sort the stuff with Simon out soon, bye.”
“A complete and utter arsehole was I, and a poker stuck up my arse?” Jon’s expression softened as he laughed after Steph hung up and began to check her text message from Simon. “I think we may both have been forced to rethink our initial impressions of each other. What’s he say?”
“That he still loves and misses me and that my dad is worried about me being alone.” She raised her eyebrows in disbelief. “And he thinks we should meet up for a drink and a chat about our future. He suggests coming to mine one night, maybe tonight?” She laughed a little sadly. “I’m glad I’m out if he’s turning up again.”
“He is seriously deluded, isn’t he? He treats you the way he did and now thinks he has enough charm to win you over just by turning up.”
“I probably would have been charmed and felt honoured that he had come back had he done this a few months ago, but not any longer. I can see that over time he made me unhappy and downtrodden. I was totally bereft of a single shred of self-esteem by the time he eventually left,” she admitted to Jon and herself as she returned her attention to the text message.
Jon’s eyes seemed fixed on her, unsure what to say or do at her admission. The one thing he was certain of was that Simon was a dickhead of the highest order and if he didn’t crawl back under his rock he might have to give him an incentive to.
“Anyway, he also says that my dad has invited him to lunch and hopes I will join them.”
She stared at Jon now and shook her head, “Dad must be playing matchmaker too, but he doesn’t have a clue what went on between me and Simon. He would have worried himself to death had he known.”
“Maybe you should tell him now, so he will be glad you’re out of it and stop his match making efforts,” suggested Jon, concerned at the exact details of what had gone on between them.
“Maybe, or I could at least share a few details with Janice to pass on,” said Steph thinking aloud.
“Who’s Janice?”
“His girlfriend.”
“What about your mum?”
“She died about six years ago, cancer,” said Steph sadly.
“I’m sorry.” Jon was already taking her hand in his.
“Yeah, well, shit happens, doesn’t it?”
They had just made their way back onto the road.
“Call your dad back and tell him we’ll come for lunch tomorrow,” said Jon seriously.
“What? I can’t introduce you to my dad! Hi, Daddy, this is Jon and he’s my married lover,” she cried. “The shock of that alone might just give him a stroke or heart failure.” She’d gone for a deliberate sense of irony but she actually meant it.
“No, but you can introduce me to him as Jon and he has already decided I’m your boyfriend so maybe he will stop matchmaking for Simon if he sees that you’ve moved on.”
“What if Simon’s there?” In so many ways that concerned her more than her dad discovering she had a married lover.
“Same for him, but I will also be close enough to punch him if he so much as looks at you the wrong way.” Jon was completely serious and meant every word he said. He didn’t even know Simon, but from what he’d heard up until this point he didn’t like him, not one little bit.
“Great, can’t wait.” She made no attempt to hide her sarcasm before she called her dad back and agreed to lunch the following day. She had flushed when telling him that her ‘friend’ Jon would be joining them which seemed to take him by surprise.
It waslate Sunday morning when Steph woke up alone in Jon’s bed and could hear his voice and as the conversation was totally one sided, she assumed he was on the phone.
She found him sitting on the sofa with his laptop open and his phone in his hand. He closed the laptop when he saw her which she assumed meant that he was doing business she didn’t need to be privy to, so made her way to the kitchen where she put on the kettle.
“No, no, don’t worry about that. I’m only interested in the areas I’ve specified. Yeah, email them to me and I will email back any I think are suitable and then I can meet with you next week to decide. Thanks for doing this on a Sunday, Roy, I do appreciate it.” He hung up.
