by Melissa Hill
“Now, about your advance,” Marla began, “I think we’re looking at twenty-five per book, and so far we’ve come up with four possible books, so how about a hundred?” She looked at Robin for affirmation.
A hundred dollars for a couple of evenings’ work? Robin was hardly listening. A story about an epileptic elephant had already began to form in her mind and –
“And then say six, seven percent on royalties, plus seventy percent advance on any foreign rights, plus the initial hundred grand advance and … oh, I don’t know, Robin, I think you’d better get yourself an agent.” The publisher drained her coffee mug with a flourish.
Robin sat rooted to the chair. Did Marla say … did she really mean … were they seriously offering her a hundred thousand dollars for these simple little stories? This was definitely one of Ben’s elaborate jokes.
But Marla didn’t look at all like she was joking. She was now looking distractedly at her Rolex, apparently eager to get this meeting over and done with so she could flit off to the next ‘big thing’ in publishing.
“So what do you say, Robin?” Marla asked her impatiently. “Are you gonna come on board with us, or what?”
29
If Olivia wasn’t careful, she really was in grave danger of turning into a serial curtain-twitcher. But she just couldn’t help it. How could she not look when the house was right across the green and the front door was plainly visible from her desk and her couch? It was only natural that any movement outside the window – be it at Matt’s house or elsewhere – would catch her eye, wasn’t it?
“Olivia, when did you re-arrange the furniture?” her mother asked, her brow furrowing as she sank into her favourite armchair, which was usually in a nice spot in front of the telly, but was now positioned back to the window – where the sofa used to be.
“Oh, I saw something similar on Changing Rooms and I just thought it might make the room a lot bigger.”
“I don’t think so, dear – in fact I think it makes everything a lot more cluttered. Why on earth would you put the sofa facing the window like that? I know there’s only the two of you but …”
Olivia gritted her teeth. Damn, she’d have to move it all back – otherwise her mother would go on and on about it and typically, using her famous powers of deduction (and perhaps a quick chat with Ellie), would eventually discern that the rather odd realignment of Olivia’s furniture was not some elaborate attempt at feng shui, but because she needed a vantage point for keeping an eye on the family across the green.
“I suppose you’re right. I just wanted to try something different for a while, that’s all.”
Just then Ellie stormed through the doorway, Olivia’s mobile phone clutched in her right hand. “A message, Mummy!” she declared excitedly.
A waste of time, more like, Olivia thought. No doubt it was yet another of those messages that would tell her that she was the lucky winner of a million euro, but in order to claim her prize she would need to phone this number and stay on hold until she was old and grey. They were the only kind of text messages she got. When Olivia wanted to communicate with someone, she preferred a good old-fashioned chat and most of her friends, having many times endured her painfully slow attempts at texting usually gave in and just phoned her. In fact, Leah was the only one who had sent her a text recently – apart from …
“Give it here, pet.” Olivia reached for the handset, and her heart raced as she stared the number displayed. There was no mistaking it – Olivia had it almost memorised by now. It was him. It was definitely him. Matt had sent her a message.
Unless, she thought, panic rising as she thought about it, unless it was the wife warning her off. And in all honesty, who could blame her? If Olivia were in her shoes, she’d be concerned too about her husband getting overly friendly with another woman. But then again, how would the wife know anything? Or more to the point, Olivia thought, thinking about it properly, what was there to know? Nothing really – apart from the fact that she had a stupid schoolgirl crush on her husband, it had all been totally innocent, not to mention that ‘it’ probably only existed in Olivia’s own warped little mind.
“Is something wrong?” her mother enquired.
“No, nothing wrong,” she replied, trying to keep her voice even. “Just one of those silly ‘you’ve won a big prize’ messages.” She stood up, anxious to read the message in privacy – whatever it might say. “I’m making a cuppa – want one?”
“But we just finished one – Olivia, what is the matter with you? You really are behaving very strangely lately.”
“There’s nothing wrong, Mum – I just fancy another cup, all right?”
“Fine, fine, sorry I said anything.”
Phone in hand, Olivia almost pranced into the kitchen. Her hands shook as she pressed read and almost as soon as she had, the thought struck her that Matt might once again have mistakenly sent her a message, perhaps another one destined for his business partner.
That was probably it, she thought, her spirits deflating at the thought of it.
But then, her heart leaped as she read the words.
“Can I come over? Need to ask you something.”
Olivia read and reread it at least five times. He wanted to come over? Damn, how was she going to get rid of her mother? Eva would be terribly put out – it had been ages since they’d spent some time together and …
No, think about it, this could very well be a message to his business partner. She sent a tentative message back to him, which seemed to take her all of five minutes to type. “Matt, Olivia here, did you mean to send this to me?”
Now, that wasn’t too bad, was it? She hadn’t said yes or no, hadn’t referred to the message at all really, and if it turned out that he had indeed sent it by mistake, well then she hadn’t gone and made an eejit of herself by gleefully answering back and coming across like an eager beaver. Now all she had to do was wait.
It was as though an eternity passed until she got a reply.
“Yes. Definitely meant to send to you but sorry, can see why you thought that. Can I?” Then the phone beeped again. “Please?”
Olivia was grinning from ear to ear. She’d replied before she had time to think about it, her fingers dashing across the keys in an unusual display of text-dexterity. “Give me twenty mins – c u soon.”
“Mum, I’m afraid I have to go out,” she said, coming back into the living-room and trying hard not to betray the fact that she was almost delirious with excitement.
“Oh?” Eva raised an eyebrow. “Anything serious?”
“No – it’s just – no – one of the mums from Ellie’s playgroup. Her daughter isn’t well and she’s asked if I’d do some shopping for her.”
“Oh. Well, I’m in no rush home anyway – why don’t you head over now and I’ll look after Ellie while you’re gone?”
“No … I mean, the thing is, she really wants Ellie to come visit her too, so I’m taking Ellie with me.”
“But it’s almost Ellie’s bedtime! And if the woman’s child is ill, I really don’t think it would be a good idea to expose Ellie to …” Seeing her daughter’s expression, Eva gave up. “All right then, I’ll have to come and see you some other time. It’s a pity really, I was looking forward to a nice evening in together, just the three us. I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”
Immediately, Olivia felt guilty. This wasn’t right. She shouldn’t be shooing her mother away so that she could make way for some man – a man that wasn’t even a decent prospect. Her mother would be horrified if she thought that the one man Olivia had been able to think about romantically after Peter happened to be married to somebody else. As much as she knew her mother would love to see her settled, Olivia was very much aware that Eva, or indeed her father, really wouldn’t appreciate this scenario. Not to mention that Olivia herself felt guilty enough for even thinking about a married man in this way but …
“Look, why don’t I call over tomorrow morning?” she said to her mother. “
Maybe we can head up to Dublin and do a bit of shopping or something. I’m sure Ellie would enjoy that.”
“Yes, do that,” her mother said, and with some relief Olivia saw that she was getting up to leave.
Hopefully, Matt wouldn’t arrive before she left, otherwise Eva would be very suspicious indeed.
But she needn’t have worried. Matt arrived a good half hour after Eva left, and to Olivia’s utter surprise presented her with a bunch of brightly coloured gerberas.
“What’s this for?” Olivia said, blushing, and glancing worriedly towards the house across the way. What was he doing bringing her flowers like this? Wasn’t he being a bit obvious? Then her heart sank. Obviously, Matt had no intention of taking Olivia in his arms and asking her to consider a raging affair, not when he was so casually arriving on her doorstep with a big bunch of flowers in full view of the entire green.
“You’d better let me in or people will start talking,” he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. If Olivia didn’t know better, she could have sworn he had read her thoughts just then.
“Oh, of course.” She stood back to let him into the hall and, as she did, the unmistakeable scent of Paco Rabanne XS aftershave assaulted her nostrils. In that instant, thousands of memories raced through her brain – it was the same brand Peter used to wear.
“So, where’s Ellie?” Matt asked, looking around her living-room with interest. “Hey, nice room, although Catherine seems to think the sofa looks better against the window. I quite like it like this though.”
“Does she indeed?” Olivia had no interest in the interior-design skills of his feckless wife, nor did she need reminding of her existence. “Ellie’s in bed. So, would you like a drink or a cup of coffee or …?” she asked him, feeling annoyed all of a sudden. If he wasn’t here to persuade her into having an affair with him – and seeing how enticing he looked just then in a pair of dark Levis and a tightly fitting khaki T-shirt, he wouldn’t have to do too much persuading – what the hell was he here for?
“A beer would be great, if you have one,” he answered, and to Olivia’s amazement he jauntily followed her into the kitchen. She rummaged in the back of the fridge.
“I don’t drink beer myself but there should be something here left over from our last barbecue. My friend Josh drinks Carlsberg so …” She trailed off, sensing Matt’s presence directly behind her and hoping that the cool of the fridge would help soothe her flushed cheeks. What was he doing here?
“Ah, there’s still a few here,” she said, locating some cans of beer. She closed the fridge door behind her and, without looking at him, offered him a beer.
“So, what is it that you wanted to ask me?” she said, leaning against the kitchen worktop and trying to keep her voice light. Sensing she might need it, she was about to open a can for herself when …
“Olivia, I think you and I both know there’s something going on here,” Matt blurted out.
“I’m sorry?” was all she could say, but her insides leapt. She knew it. It wasn’t her imagination after all – he did have feelings for her too.
Now he was moving towards her. “I don’t really know how to say this, but I’ve never met a woman like you.”
Olivia gulped, unable to believe what she was hearing.
“I haven’t been able to look, to even think about another woman in the last few years, but with you – with you it’s different.”
Oh no, Olivia said silently. Don’t do this. Don’t ruin it with clichés about how your wife doesn’t understand you, and how you think you married too young and all the rest of it. The feelings she was having for Matt – although clearly wrong – were still very real and she did not want to feel as though she was in an episode of some pathetic soap opera. Had Leah been right about him after all? Was Matt just another faithless married man, eager to hop in the sack with any poor misfortunate who happened to be taken in by his charms?
“I don’t know, it was weird, but after that first time, after that stupid text message thing, I just – I just couldn’t stop thinking about you.” He shook his head. “I know that sounds pathetic, but it’s true. And then when I realised you lived in Lakeview I – ”
“You thought, great – nice and handy to be able to just pop over for a bit of nookie when the wife’s away? After all, if she’s at it – why not you?” The words were out before Olivia could stop herself, and she barely noticed him shrink backwards, his expression shocked. For some reason, the way Matt – a married man – had expressed his interest so casually really annoyed her. Despite the fact that Olivia was clearly interested in him too, she was disappointed. Somehow she’d thought more of him – expected more of him. And then, she knew she had no intention of having a seedy affair with this man. Whatever about Matt’s own circumstances, or the problems he might be having in his marriage, she just wasn’t going to do it; she wasn’t going to be part of it. The love she and Peter had had was much too important to be cheapened now by a seedy affair with a married man Yes, she was attracted to Matt Sheridan, unbelievably so, but this wasn’t right!
Matt was now sitting at the kitchen table, his face white. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never said anything about having an affair … while ... while my wife’s away …”
“What?” For a second, Olivia panicked. “But – but I thought – well, what was all that ‘I couldn’t stop thinking about you’ business then?” She hadn’t misread the situation, had she? Because if she had, she didn’t think she would ever be able to show her face outside the door again. How embarrassing! But then, what did he mean when he said –
“Olivia, my wife is dead,” he stated flatly.
She stared at him, shocked. Was there no end to his tricks?
“What? What are you talking about?” she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Didn’t I see her before, calling you from the house, telling you you had a phone call?”
Matt shook his head, and then he smiled slightly. “I suppose it could have looked that way but … Olivia …” He sat forward now, obviously understanding her earlier over-the-top reaction. “Catherine is not my wife; she’s Adam’s childminder, my wife’s best friend. Natasha died two years ago in a car accident.”
“What?” Now Olivia didn’t know what to think. “You live with your childminder?”
Matt was smiling broadly now. “No, no, I don’t live there at all. Adam and I have an apartment in Greystones. We spent a lot of time here – well, because there isn’t much space in an apartment for a child of his age to run around. I’ve been looking for a house, but work is so busy and …”
Olivia’s mind raced as she slumped into the chair across from him. “But – before, in the garden – Adam said he wanted his mummy …”
“It’s just something he says, usually when I speak to other women, strange women.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously. His mum’s still very much a part of his life, I’ve made sure of that. She died when he was two years old but yet he seems to remember her. Of course, the apartment is full of photographs and we watch a lot of home movies …” His voice trailed off, his green eyes full of emotion. “I’m sorry, it’s still hard sometimes.”
“I can imagine.” This was awful – what must he think of her?
“Better than most, too,” Matt said. “The woman in the corner shop, she told me all about you – and how you’re alone now too.”
“Did she?” Obviously, Molly was up to her match-making tricks again, although this time, Olivia thought with a smile, she couldn’t say she was too upset.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking to pry or anything but –”
“It’s fine,” she said, waving a hand dismissively. “I know Molly has a bit of a mouth on her.”
Matt spoke softly. “So, I know what it’s like – I know it isn’t easy.”
“No, it isn’t.” She didn’t want to talk about this, not here, not now, not with him. “But I’m fine now, I’m over it.”
“I
t isn’t easy on your own. Parenting, I mean.”
Olivia shook her head. “It was difficult in the early days, certainly, but my friends and family were great – I don’t know what I would have done without them.”
“I don’t know about you, but in a way I think having Adam to worry about helped me a little. I couldn’t be selfish; I couldn’t retreat into myself because I had him to think about.”
“I know what you mean.” She looked away sadly.
“Listen,” Matt said, standing up and moving towards her. “I didn’t come here so that we could stir up painful memories of our respective spouses.”
She nodded and was about to say something, but before she could open her mouth, Matt had taken her hand in his.
“As I was saying earlier, I’ve been on my own for over two years now, and in all that time I haven’t even looked at another woman. Yet, since I first met you …”
Olivia looked into his beautiful, earnest eyes and knew that this was something special. Everything she had wished for, had hoped for these last few weeks was now happening to her, and yet despite her exhilaration she felt – frightened.
But Matt seemed to understand. “Look, I could be making a fool of myself here. Maybe I’ve been misreading the signs, maybe you don’t feel like I think you feel. But, Olivia, I think you do, and with all you’ve been through – with all we’ve both been through – I think that you’re also a little afraid. But that’s perfectly normal, because I feel that way too.” With that, he reached upwards and tenderly tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear. “What do you think?”
That simple gesture, the faint touch on her skin, had at that moment the effect of removing all reason, all thought from Olivia’s mind. “I think,” she said, putting her arms around Matt’s neck and reaching forward for a much-longed-for kiss. “I think we might be on to something here.”
