Read Online Second Time Around by Colette Caddle - Free Book Online
Authors: Colette Caddle
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Jess hadn’t noticed. ‘That’s odd, they never seemed
that close.’
‘They weren’t.’
Jess sounded unimpressed, making Nora wonder what exactly she knew about her infamous aunt.
‘Mandy took her shopping the other day and bought clothes that, well, really don’t suit her.’
Nora felt anger bubble up inside. ‘Be more specific.’
‘Er, well, I wouldn’t have the nerve to wear some of them.’
That evil cow, Nora seethed. There was no doubt that Suzie needed a new wardrobe but she’d expected her to go shopping with the girls or even ask for her help. It was a real slap in the
face to think she’d turned to her sister. Nora’s eyes filled with tears. It seemed their friendship was another casualty of Suzie’s accident.
‘She’s thrilled with her new look, so I don’t have the heart to say anything. I honestly think Mandy did it just for a laugh. She has a warped sense of humour.’
‘Bitch,’ Nora muttered.
‘What was that?’
‘Nothing.’
‘I should get some work done,’ Jess said. ‘Sorry for crying on your shoulder.’
‘Don’t be. I’m always here for you, Jess, you know that.’
Jess thanked her and rang off.
Feeling a little lost and sad, Nora sat down with her laptop in her sunny kitchen to work. She designed greeting cards for a US Internet company and also supplied a few local artisan shops. Nora
stared at the screen in front of her and waited for the inspiration to come, but she found it hard to concentrate, images of Mandy sniggering at her newfound friendship with her big sister filling
her head. What to do? Hop in the car and drive to Dublin and remind Suzie what Mandy was really like? Even if she did, would Suzie believe her? Despite her being out of hospital nearly a month, the
ripple effects from Suzie’s accident continued relentlessly. Nora settled down to work on a Get Well card and prayed that Suzie would get better too.
Jess wandered around her small flat, too preoccupied to focus on the eight-hundred-word article she should be writing on the issue of vending machines in schools. She had been
giving her mother a wide birth, not that it seemed Suzie wanted anything to do with her, either. Jess felt relieved. Mum was so hard to be around right now and she knew her sister felt the same.
Her phone gave a toot and she groaned when she read the message from Louis.
See you at six in Vaughans?
So he was back. She sighed at the thought of confronting him but what choice did she have? Jess typed a reply.
Fine
Louis had never been one for long or elaborate texts and now she knew why. If his wife happened to read this she would probably believe him if he said he was meeting a colleague.
Jess had gone over and over in her head what she would say. Sometimes she felt like punching Louis for leading her on. Others, she was overcome with sadness that this man she’d thought she
was falling for turned out to be a lying rat. She seemed to have a knack for collecting bad guys. Ed, her last boyfriend, had actually come on to Katie one night when Jess was away. Her friend had
told him in no uncertain terms where to go, before telling Jess about her cheating boyfriend. Jess sometimes felt there was a neon sign over her head saying GULLIBLE
FOOL .
The pub Louis had suggested was off the beaten track, where, hopefully, they wouldn’t meet anyone they knew. Despite her threats, Jess knew that her mother wouldn’t tell
Louis’s wife, no matter how much she disapproved. She hadn’t been completely honest with her mother. She’d found out quite soon that Louis was married but he’d assured her
that he was only still with his wife for the sake of the kids. If it all came out, perhaps it would force Louis’s hand. Maybe he’d leave his wife. Oh, who was she kidding? They’d
only known each other a few months and he’d made no declarations of love or talked about a future together. But when he’d held her in his arms, murmuring how he couldn’t get
enough of
that close.’
‘They weren’t.’
Jess sounded unimpressed, making Nora wonder what exactly she knew about her infamous aunt.
‘Mandy took her shopping the other day and bought clothes that, well, really don’t suit her.’
Nora felt anger bubble up inside. ‘Be more specific.’
‘Er, well, I wouldn’t have the nerve to wear some of them.’
That evil cow, Nora seethed. There was no doubt that Suzie needed a new wardrobe but she’d expected her to go shopping with the girls or even ask for her help. It was a real slap in the
face to think she’d turned to her sister. Nora’s eyes filled with tears. It seemed their friendship was another casualty of Suzie’s accident.
‘She’s thrilled with her new look, so I don’t have the heart to say anything. I honestly think Mandy did it just for a laugh. She has a warped sense of humour.’
‘Bitch,’ Nora muttered.
‘What was that?’
‘Nothing.’
‘I should get some work done,’ Jess said. ‘Sorry for crying on your shoulder.’
‘Don’t be. I’m always here for you, Jess, you know that.’
Jess thanked her and rang off.
Feeling a little lost and sad, Nora sat down with her laptop in her sunny kitchen to work. She designed greeting cards for a US Internet company and also supplied a few local artisan shops. Nora
stared at the screen in front of her and waited for the inspiration to come, but she found it hard to concentrate, images of Mandy sniggering at her newfound friendship with her big sister filling
her head. What to do? Hop in the car and drive to Dublin and remind Suzie what Mandy was really like? Even if she did, would Suzie believe her? Despite her being out of hospital nearly a month, the
ripple effects from Suzie’s accident continued relentlessly. Nora settled down to work on a Get Well card and prayed that Suzie would get better too.
Jess wandered around her small flat, too preoccupied to focus on the eight-hundred-word article she should be writing on the issue of vending machines in schools. She had been
giving her mother a wide birth, not that it seemed Suzie wanted anything to do with her, either. Jess felt relieved. Mum was so hard to be around right now and she knew her sister felt the same.
Her phone gave a toot and she groaned when she read the message from Louis.
See you at six in Vaughans?
So he was back. She sighed at the thought of confronting him but what choice did she have? Jess typed a reply.
Fine
Louis had never been one for long or elaborate texts and now she knew why. If his wife happened to read this she would probably believe him if he said he was meeting a colleague.
Jess had gone over and over in her head what she would say. Sometimes she felt like punching Louis for leading her on. Others, she was overcome with sadness that this man she’d thought she
was falling for turned out to be a lying rat. She seemed to have a knack for collecting bad guys. Ed, her last boyfriend, had actually come on to Katie one night when Jess was away. Her friend had
told him in no uncertain terms where to go, before telling Jess about her cheating boyfriend. Jess sometimes felt there was a neon sign over her head saying GULLIBLE
FOOL .
The pub Louis had suggested was off the beaten track, where, hopefully, they wouldn’t meet anyone they knew. Despite her threats, Jess knew that her mother wouldn’t tell
Louis’s wife, no matter how much she disapproved. She hadn’t been completely honest with her mother. She’d found out quite soon that Louis was married but he’d assured her
that he was only still with his wife for the sake of the kids. If it all came out, perhaps it would force Louis’s hand. Maybe he’d leave his wife. Oh, who was she kidding? They’d
only known each other a few months and he’d made no declarations of love or talked about a future together. But when he’d held her in his arms, murmuring how he couldn’t get
enough of
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