25
“What do you think – isn’t it gorgeous?” Tessa sang, proudly displaying the almond-shaped solitaire on her engagement finger. “Gerry wanted to get something smaller, but once I saw it, I knew it was the one for me.”
“It’s fabulous,” Karen said, trying it on, and wondering how on earth Gerry could afford such a rock. Her diamond was like a crumb in comparison.
Not that it mattered she thought, looking lovingly at the back of Shane’s head. He could have done a Homer Simpson on it and bought her an onion ring for all she cared. She waved at the others, who were sitting at the bar with some people she didn’t know – work friends of Tessa’s probably.
“Where’s Jenny and Roan?” the bride to be asked, looking anxiously at the door. “Everyone else is here, and I thought they’d be arriving with you two.”
“Don’t ask,” Karen said dryly.
“Trouble in paradise – again?”
“Paradise it ain’t, not these days, anyway. We’d arranged to call for them in the taxi on the way and when we got there, Jenny told us to go on ahead – that Roan wasn’t back from work yet, so they’d meet us here.” She shook her head. “It was obvious that she was covering up. I’d say he was upstairs and they were in the middle of an argument.”
“It’s happening a lot lately isn’t it?” Tessa bit her lip. “Since they moved in together, I mean.”
“She’s been under a lot of pressure in the new management role, and he’s not giving her any support from what I can tell.”
“I haven’t seen them in ages. I really hope she comes out tonight though, for her own sake at least.”
“We’ll see,” Karen said, “but I’d be very surprised if he’s with her. After all, he doesn’t ever make much of an effort where her friends are concerned, does he?”
“Wondering about Jen? Wonder no more,” Shane said, pointing to the door, where a harassed-looking Jenny had just appeared.
“Told you he wouldn’t show,” Karen murmured under her breath.
“Hi, everyone,” Jenny greeted shyly.
She looked miserable, Karen thought, studying Jenny as she examined Tessa’s engagement ring. For an occasion like this, the old Jen would have dressed up to the nines. Instead, she wore an uninspiring all-black ensemble and very little make-up. Her hair seemed much lighter too, almost brassy.
Jenny smiled wanly at her as they took their seats. “Before you ask, I don’t know where he is, he hasn’t come back from work yet, and I haven’t been able to contact him.”
Typical. Roan had obviously ducked out at the last minute, letting her down again. Karen could throttle him.
“Jen, your hair looks different, did you get it cut?Ow.” Shane felt the full force of his fiancee’s kick in the shins, and a low blush appeared on Jenny’s face.
“I know – it looks awful,” she said, touching her hair self-consciously. “I got one of those home-colouring kits and did it myself yesterday. I usually get it done at the salon but they couldn’t fit me in. That’s why it looks a bit … off.”
“No, no, I meant it looked nice.” Shane was relieved when the waitress appeared to take his order.
Karen’s heart went out to her. She had to resort to a home kit because she probably couldn’t afford to have it done at the salon. Same reason she hadn’t dressed up tonight, probably. Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen Jenny in anything new for a long time and her friend adored fashion.
The bastard still wasn’t paying his share of the rent, and Jen was making up the difference. He must owe her a fortune by now, Karen harrumphed silently.
Sir Galahad, my ass.
After dinner,Jenny wistfully regarded her coupled-up friends walking hand in hand down the street ahead of her. They were so lucky she thought, watching Shane put his arm around Karen and plant a kiss on the top of her head.
And Tessa and Gerry were just as happy with everything to look forward to.
Watching them all together just made her feel worse. She had told Roan about tonight and he’d said he would catch up, so where was he? He’d told her that they were a little behind on their current project but surely staff weren’t expected to stay that late on a Friday night?
“My feet are killing me,” Tessa groaned later. “We should have got a taxi to the club.”
“Oh yeah? And who’s the one that wanted to go dress shopping?” Karen teased.
On their way to a popular Dublin hotspot, Tessa had a drunken notion to go window shopping for her wedding dress on Grafton St. The men had quickly continued onwards to the club, arranging to meet them there.
