Catch Me a Catch Read online

  Moments later, he accepted thanks and shook hands with the men as they filed out. One man remained. Bateau Rouge’s Managing Director.

  “That was an excellent presentation, Jack.” Roger MacDonald was pleased. “I think I can speak for all of us when I say we were all very impressed with your vision for our company. I’d like to thank you for taking the time to come and present it to us.”

  “Delighted to, Roger.”

  “I’ll have to consult with the others, but I’ll phone you in an hour and let you know.” His voice lowered conspiratorially, “I can’t pre-empt the decision, but…”

  “I’ll be waiting for your call.” If it were up to the tall, dynamic man, the contract was firmly in Miller Advertising’s hands. Jack quickly stowed his laptop and strode with Roger to the building’s light and airy foyer.

  “Thanks again, Jack.” Roger shook his hand firmly. “I’ll be in touch.”

  Jack climbed into the car and started the engine. At two hours, the meeting had gone even quicker than expected. He needed to get back to New York and finalize the new pitch to Mecredi Cars. Frustration welled up within him at the constraints his job was placing on him. He’d only just found his long lost grandmother. Now, without the mental challenge of the presentation to distract him, his mind and body craved Annie again. There had been such joy in her face in the café. As if all of her dreams had come true.

  He needed to be in New York. She seemed to think she’d got everything she ever wanted by winning this competition. He glanced into the rear view mirror, recognizing the determined look in the set of his jaw. The look Roxie told him terrified people. With his departure for New York pushed forward, there were things he needed to do.

  He was just pulling up outside the nursing home when his mobile rang.

  “Jack, it’s Roger, we’ve made our decision. We’d like Miller Advertising to run the campaign.”

  “That’s great, Roger.” There was always a burst of satisfaction when he nailed a contract, but this time it was suspiciously absent.

  “I’ll talk to my team and we’ll get things rolling.” Jack ended the call, shrugging off the lingering feeling of disquiet.

  He checked in at reception and asked to see Dr. Lynch.

  “Mr. Miller.” The doctor met him at reception and walked him into his office. “What can I do for you?”

  “I want to talk about my grandmother.” He sank down on the hard wooden chair. “I have to go back to New York, and I want to make arrangements to have her come live near me.”

  Silence.

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” The doctor leaned his elbows on the desk. Steepled his fingers. “As her doctor I certainly can’t recommend it.”

  He needed family. Needed to belong. His grandmother needed him too. Without him, her last days would be eked out without any family to comfort her. Couldn’t the doctor understand how important this was to him?

  “I don’t understand.” There was no way he would abandon her in her hour of need. He had the financial clout to ensure his grandmother received the best care possible. “I can provide for her medical care. I’m going back to the States in a couple of days and intend to thoroughly check nursing homes over there. I’m sure I can find one which will suit her needs.”

  He crossed his arms. Tried not to glower.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Miller, but there’s more to it than that.” Dr. Lynch scratched his nose, his brow creasing as he hunted for the right words to explain himself. “The issue is not the quality of care, but familiarity. Your grandmother’s Alzheimer’s means she’s not capable of understanding why she should leave her familiar environment. Moving her will cause her mental distress.”

  “I can’t just leave her.”

  “I understand your feelings, Mr. Miller, but you must understand Mary is soothed by her familiar surroundings. The nurses understand her likes and dislikes. Know her history. Talk to her about her husband, and her daughter. She feels safe and cocooned here. Moving her would be too much. It would very definitely be to her detriment.”

  “But physically she would be able for the move?” Jack was unwilling to let her go. Not without a fight.

  “Physically she would survive it. But mentally…” Dr Lynch didn’t need to finish the sentence.

  It wouldn’t be fair to cause her any sort of trauma. Especially avoidable trauma. Jack’s spirits sank. He had to think of her.

  “All right, Doctor. I’ll have to think about what you’ve told me.”

  “She’s just had her lunch. Would you like to see her? I know she enjoyed your previous visit, although I can’t guarantee she’ll remember you.”

  “I’d like to see her.” On stiff legs, Jack followed the doctor to his grandmother’s room.

  Chapter Twelve

  Annie slumped on the sofa in her empty apartment with her business plan on her knee. She flicked it open, and scanned the paragraphs of text that she’d written detailing the next steps that her fledgling business would take. If she won. And she had.

  Detailed daydreams had sketched out the next step in vivid detail. First, she’d ring her parents, and tell them. Next, she’d go down to the chocolate shop and imagine it’s front transformed. A beautifully lettered sign in green and gold, stating Devine Chocolates would be covered with a matching awning. And below it, a display of her chocolates set on fine white china would entice the customers in.

  She’d even had a signwriter work on some sketches. She picked one up, and examined it, as her heart sank into her shoes. The shop had been the opportunity of a lifetime. Now the thought of it tightened like a noose. With a premises in Dublin, she wouldn’t be able to explore other options. Options like going to New York with Jack, and a possibility of a future with him.

  She twirled a skein of hair between her fingers, tormented.

  This is what I’ve always dreamed of, and now I’ve got it, I want something else entirely. She picked up the phone and dialed home, laying the business plan down on the sofa next to her.

  “Mum, it’s Annie.”

  “Well?” She loved the way her mother got right down to the crux of the matter, not even bothering with Hello.

  “I got it. I won.” She held the phone away from her ear. Letting her mother’s piercing scream of delight dissipate in the inches between receiver and ear.

  “Oh, Darling, congratulations! I know it’s everything you’ve ever wanted.”

  Annie couldn’t speak. It wasn’t, it didn’t even come close.

  “Are you there, Love?”

  “I’m here.” It was impossible to feel elated. Her stomach churned, and her heart was like a deflated balloon in her chest.

  “Is Jack with you?”

  “He’s working, he has his presentation.” After which he’s going back to his life. Her eyes prickled with unshed tears. She hated feeling like this. So defeated and unsure.

  “Can I talk to Da? I’d like to tell him about the competition.”

  “He’s up in the pub. You know him, he decided to go in early. Why don’t you call him later? I’ll let you break the good news to him.”

  Annie hung up. A headache bloomed in her temples, bleeding into her forehead. She’d have to take a pill; this one wasn’t going away on its own. Her eyes flicked open and she jumped as the door slammed.

  “Hi, Annie.” Her flat-mate David strolled to the fridge and glanced hopefully inside. “What’s new?”

  “I got it.”

  David closed the fridge and turned to look at her.

  “The competition?”

  “Yup, I won the Chocolate Oscar.” She couldn’t even raise a smile. The pain was spreading out to poke at the back of her eyeballs.

  “What’s up?” David sat down next to her. He eyed her in concern. “Somebody die?”

  “No. I have a headache.” Her voice sounded flat, which was hardly surprising, considering. “I always thought I’d be happy when I won. I had my whole life mapped out, the flat here with you, the shop on Grafton
Street…”

  “David filled a glass with water, pressed two paracetamol from the packet over the sink and brought it to her. He knew all about the shop, she’d dragged him down there often enough to look into its window, explaining all the changes she would make when she took it over.

  “After I left Jack this morning I went down and looked at it. It’s just perfect, but now…”

  She took the pills from her cousin, swallowing them with a gulp of water. Jack had brought the misty fog of Durna with him when he’d walked over and kissed her the first time in the pub, and now everything was occluded. She didn’t know what she wanted anymore.

  Jack. He was coming for dinner, and there wasn’t an edible thing in the house.

  “What time is it?” She jumped up from the sofa and searched the cluttered table for her watch.

  “Almost five.” David looked guarded, she probably had her panicked look on again.

  “Jack’s coming for dinner.”

  “Oh. Is this the guy from Durna? The one with the boat?”

  “How do you know about Jack?”

  “Jungle drums.” David grinned. “My mother was on. Told me all about him. It’s the talk of the village.”

  Nothing new there then.

  “What are we having, or do you want me to make myself scarce?”

  Annie walked across the room and hugged him.

  “It’s time you two met. Of course you’re included.” She pulled back and grinned at him. “Who do you think’s doing the cooking?”

  “Huh.” He shrugged. “Oh well, I guess if it’s going to be edible…”

  “David!” She punched him gently on the arm. “There’s no need to be insulting.” Although to be honest, he cooked a lot better than she did. “I thought we’d go for a take-away from the deli. Will you come with me and help?”

  “Okay.” He grabbed his leather jacket from the back of the chair. She searched in her bag for her car keys.

  “What are you looking for?”

  “Keys.”

  “There.” He pointed to the counter where she’d discarded them.

  “Let’s get going,” he said, “Before it closes.”

  ****

  Jack climbed into his car, tossing his jacket onto the backseat, and drove down to the seafront. He parked so he could look out at the grey waves breaking on the shoreline. Dialed Roxie.

  The phone rang for a couple of moments before she answered.

  “Roxie, it’s Jack.”

  “Hi, how’s it going?”

  There were no hidden tensions in her voice, no undertones of concern. Of course Roxie had no need for concern, she’d no idea what was going on in his life, he’d never confided in her.

  “I’ve discovered a relative I never knew I had.” It was time. The secret would be out soon enough. Roxie should know. There was silence on the other end of the line. For the first time in their relationship, he’d managed to strike her dumb. “A grandmother. You’ll like her.” In his grandmother’s room there was only one thing that was truly hers: the table of photographs. She picked them up often. Stared into the faces of the people that she’d loved who had left her. She lived with them. Lived for the past. She didn’t have anyone alive who cared about her anymore. Jack had a decision to make. Was he destined to end up as a series of photographs on this table too, or would his presence in his grandmother’s life be more physical than that?

  Roxie was breathing, but not speaking. Not typical Roxie at all. Maybe confiding in her wasn’t such a good idea.

  “I need you to organize some flights for me.” He gave her the details, briskly putting things back on a business footing. His phone chirped and he glanced at the screen. Dammit, he’d forgotten to charge it last night and was running out of juice.

  “Just organize it for me, will you Roxie? I’m running out of battery.”

  He tried turning it off and on again, but the screen flickered and died.

  Damn, I wanted to call Annie to let her know I’m on my way. He stuffed his useless phone into his pocket. He would be early. If she wasn’t there he could wait for her in the car. He started the engine, and pulled out. Black clouds threatened, and the smell of rain hung heavy in the air. He turned up the heat, and closed the windows. When he got to her house, they could settle down and enjoy dinner. And the champagne he’d bought.

  We’ve got a lot to celebrate. His spirits rose at the thought. And celebrating can be fun.

  It had started to rain slowly and steadily the way it did in Ireland. He searched for a parking space, soft drops misting his windscreen. Her car was idling by the curb. Jack’s heartbeat quickened. In moments, he’d be kissing her again. As he watched, Annie climbed out of the car, holding her jacket over her head and turned to the stranger who was clambering out of the passenger seat.

  She was laughing, the way she laughed when she was with him. Acid burned his gut and his fingers clenched convulsively around the steering wheel. The stranger was tall, with longish dark hair, and a battered leather jacket. He grabbed a handful of bags from the back seat as Annie splashed through a puddle. He draped his arm around her and they dashed up the steps towards the door.

  A yellow car pulled out in front of him. Jack pulled in to the now vacant spot, watching in his rear view mirror as the stranger slipped a key out of his pocket and deftly opened the door. He screwed his eyes up tight to banish the image of Annie’s face tilted towards the stranger.

  No, not a stranger. A stranger wouldn’t have a key. He opened his eyes again. They’d gone inside. He pulled his fingers over his eyelids from inner corner to temple, sliding his palms over his cheeks. His mind returned to an earlier conversation. A conversation where their faces were so close together he’d felt her warm breath on his face as they’d talked.

  I’m not just small village Annie, I’m also a Big City Venus. Her words echoed in his head, and even with the image of the man’s arm around her shoulder burned into his retina, he couldn’t force his stunned brain to accept it. A big city Venus with a separate life than the one she had in Durna.

  Jack’s knuckles clenched white against the black leather steering wheel. Anger and pain rose up like lava, and filled him with molten pain. He’d asked her to come to New York but she hadn’t said yes. She’d told him her future was in Dublin, how stupid did he have to be, not to realize she had her eyes firmly set on a future that didn’t include him? All the conversations they’d had slammed into him, like bullets.

  Now my future can begin, she’d said. A future with this guy?

  It was a new sensation, but he didn’t have to be a genius to recognize it. Jealousy, wrapped in a hot glove of rage. Jack picked his jacket off the seat next to him, and slipped into it. He hadn’t been alone when he’d told her he wanted to try for a relationship, he reminded himself, she’d been right there too. He’d walked away when he found Sharon had a lover, but no way would he turn around and walk away now.

  The car locked with a muted beep. Jack dashed across the street. Cold rain dripped through his hair to run in little streams through his scalp.

  He didn’t want to catch her out, didn’t want to find her snuggling under a towel with the man she lived with. He stood there anyway, waiting for the door to open.

  “Jack!” She was all over him. Her hands slid over his chest and she stared into his eyes. She didn’t notice his hands stayed firmly at his side.

  “You’re soaked!” She stood back and he stepped in stiffly, eyes casting behind her in the empty room. There was no sign of the man, but his leather jacket was slung over the chair, water dripping from it onto the floor.

  “I’ll get a towel.” Before he had a chance to confront her she was gone, running from what he could see was a small sitting room into what he presumed must be the bathroom. Jack closed the front door quietly. There was no need to bring her neighbors into it.

  She was back, rushing to him with a large blue towel clutched in her hands. Despite it all, he wanted nothing more than to forget the ma
n he’d seen her with, the man with his arm around her. A man who’d looked like he had after three weeks at sea, a scruffy charmer. He glanced towards the spreading puddle on the floor, and her eyes followed his.

  “Bloody hell.” She glared at the pool of water. “David!”

  A door opened next to the bathroom and the one who must’ve been David appeared, pulling a dry tee- shirt over his impressive chest. “Bring an old towel out of the airing cupboard will you? Your jacket’s making one hell of a mess.”

  “I think the mess can wait.” Jack stood still, staring at her lover.

  He’s big, but I’m bigger. Satisfaction blazed through him. He could take him in a fight, and one was brewing. He clenched his fists at his side, ready.

  “I think you need to introduce me to your friend, Annie.”

  ****

  If she didn’t know better, Annie would swear there was steam coming off Jack as he faced David. There was a stillness in the steady way he looked at her cousin. A muscle flexed in the corner of his jaw, and his fists were clenched.

  “Didn’t I tell you about David?” she asked, weakly.

  “No, surprisingly you omitted all mention of him. I guess we’ve been too busy for David’s name to come up.” He stared at the man with open contempt now. He thought he was her lover. The realization struck her like a blow to the solar plexus.

  “I’m Annie’s flat-mate.” David said.

  “David’s my cousin,” she said. “There are two bedrooms. His and mine.” She gestured towards the doors on the other side of the small sitting room. “We’ve shared a flat since I left Durna.”

  “Cousin?” The tension released the stiffness of his shoulders instantly.

  “First cousin,” David grinned. “Our fathers are brothers.”

  “Your father is Sean?” Jack glanced at Annie.

  “Yes.”

  Jack reached for the towel and rubbed it over his hair.

  Needing time to think, Annie walked into the bathroom to retrieve an old towel to mop the moisture from the floor. Her hands shook as she pulled it out of the cupboard.