The Birds and the Bees Read Free Page A

the dark brown hair and the dark brown eyes and the smile that made her heart melt like ice cream on a hotplate.
    ‘Hi, Stevie, it’s Matthew. You…er…must be in bed. Anyway, just a quick call to let you know that I’ve arrived safely–motorway’s a nightmare! Looks very busy, lots of people. All set for a good hard week so I don’t know whenI’ll have the chance to speak to you again. Forgot my mobile didn’t I, ha ha! Anyway, take care and hope everything’s okay. Er…bye then.’
    No I love you , no Hope Danny’s okay , no Miss you . His voice sounded a lot further away than Aberdeen. And she was probably imagining it, but every one of the three million times she played that message back, she was sure she could hear the strains of ‘Guantanamera’ in the background.

Chapter 2
    In Catherine’s big homely Waltonesque-style kitchen in the neighbouring village of Hoodley, black-haired, black-gowned, scarlet-lipped Kate Flanagan was expertly baking a cake. In her mother’s frilly apron, she looked rather like a beautiful domestic vampire.
    Her father gave her a big squashy squeeze as he passed her on his way to the teapot and said, ‘Eeh, you’ll make someone a lovely little housewife one day!’ knowing that it would greatly offend her feminist principles, and though Kate shoved him away, she was laughing a little too.
    Catherine, towelled up and sitting in the front room, waiting for the auburn dye to restore her locks to their former fake glory, watched the interchange and it brought an unexpected flurry of tears to her eyes; a curious mix of happy ones that she had such a loving family and sad ones because life seemed determined always to short-change her dear friend on that score. What was it about Stevie that attracted plonkers? Stevie who was sweet and selfless and deserved so much better than the Micks and Matthews of this world, whereas she–Catherine Flanagan, outspoken, brash and loud–had been blessed with a wonderfulhusband, six gorgeous (when they weren’t fighting) kids and a big chaotic house full of love, laughter and daft pets. How would she feel if a Jo MacLean took all this away from her?
    ‘Here you are, love,’ Eddie said, handing his wife a cup of tea. He looked at her worried face and knew instantly what she was thinking. ‘You should have brought her and the little one back with you.’
    ‘She wouldn’t come,’ said Catherine. ‘I was all for frog-marching them over, but she really did want to be alone.’
    ‘Can’t believe it,’ said Eddie, shaking his head. ‘Matthew Finch! I’d have put my all on him not doing that to Stevie.’
    ‘Tell me about it,’ said Catherine, a quarter angry but threequarters sad and disappointed. She had grown very fond of Matthew. She had never liked Mick and been proved right on that one, but Matthew was a good bloke–decent, caring, considerate. Catherine had been instrumental in pushing Stevie and Matt together, following their initial meeting at a mutual friend’s engagement party, because she knew they would be well-matched. He was handsome, kind, big-hearted, and willing to take on a little boy who wasn’t his, which spoke bucketloads. Stevie would never have settled for anyone who didn’t treat Danny well. She knew what a minefield the whole step-parent thing could be.
    After Mick had broken her best friend’s heart, five years earlier, Catherine had screened every male who came within fifty miles of her. Matthew had put a big fat tick in every box on her score-sheet of essentials.
    ‘I’d be lying if I said a warning hadn’t flagged up in myhead when Stevie told me about this Jo woman he’d got friendly with at work,’ said Catherine. ‘Vulnerable women are never fully aware of the power they have to make a bloke feel like a hero, but admittedly it wasn’t much of a warning. After all, this was Matthew we were talking about. Reliable, faithful old Matthew!’ Catherine laughed hard.
    ‘You ever seen her, that Jo?’