Much the same as you’d all think of him if you knew that he had a wife and I was just the shag piece thought Steph.
“Don’t stop torturing and tormenting siblings on my account,” he said seriously, but with a smile.
“We should all have lunch together next Sunday,” said Roger. “Janice wouldn’t mind,” he added and Jon noticed that all eight of the other man’s children physically bristled at the mention of Janice’s name, but none of them said anything.
“Dad, she may not mind, but none of us have a table big enough to accommodate everyone,” said Joe seriously.
“Then let’s go out, what about that posh restaurant in town that opened a few months ago, near the big leisure complex,” suggested Roger. “What’s it called? Janice’s niece went a couple of weeks ago with that hotshot boyfriend of hers,” he mused as they all raised their eyebrows at one another. “Swingers!” shouted Roger suddenly making them laugh.
“Daddy, Swingers is a very different place!” laughed Steph as Jon put him out of his misery.
“Stringers, Roger. It’s called Stringers.”
“Yeah that’s it, what do you all think?” Roger asked surveying the room.
“It’s a bit pricey,” said Josh. “We may not get a table for months.”
“I have some contacts there. I could make a couple of calls and see if I can get you in and negotiate a group discount, plus my contact owes me a favour. How many of you would there be?” asked Jon.
“I’d appreciate that. There would be me and Janice, my eight and their other halves, then we have nine grandchildren, so . . .” he said as if adding them up.
“Twenty-seven,” said Steph immediately.
“And that’s why my sister is the accountant.” Jason laughed.
“So what is it you do?” asked Tricia of Jon making Steph nervous.
“I run my own company, but we trade across all fields,” he said thinking it was an honest answer if not thorough.
“I see,” replied Tricia exchanging a glance with Jess.
“Well, if you have fleet vehicles and you’re looking for service or replacement vehicles, give me a call.” Eddie was already retrieving a business card from his wallet to hand to Jon as Steph shook her head. “What’s your problem sis? Business is business.”
“Quite right. I don’t deal with vehicles, but I will pass it on and ask them to contact you when the contract’s up for tender. Although I think Steph could be in the running for a new car.”
That seemed to take Eddie by surprise. “You had enough of yours then, Steph?”
“No, but Jon thinks I should get rid of anything that allows Simon to identify me or locate me,” she explained.
“Ah, hence the new flat and phone.” Joe nodded to himself as if he had just been given the answer to a question he’d asked.
“You know where I am if you want to trade it in, sis,” said Eddie before turning to Jon. “Thanks, for looking out for Steph.” Finally he asked Jason, “Do you need a lift back, Jay?”
Jason leapt to his feet. “Please bro.” In the blink of an eye Steph’s youngest brother was kissing her before heading to the door, followed by Roger, Eddie, Paul, Jess and Josh.
It was another hour when the others left, after Jon had promised Roger that he wouldn’t forget to contact Stringers that he was now calling Stingers.
As Steph closed the door behind them she looked at Jon. “Sorry. I am so, so sorry for subjecting you to my crazy family. If you want me to tell them we have separated and we can confine things to behind closed doors that’s fine.”
“Don’t be silly,” he told her with a smile. “There are a lot of them, but they are not crazy, well, Jason maybe, and you, obviously, but I don’t want to confine us to anywhere.” He kissed her gently on the lips.
She allowed herself to soften and mould against his embrace, stretching her arms up to wrap them around his neck.
Running her fingers through the hair curling into his neck she heard him sigh.
“I would love to pursue this further, darling, but I have to go.”
“Go?” she asked with a mixture of surprise, shock and disappointment. “I was rather hoping we could make a night of it, especially as you’ve been away all week.”
