Jennie's Joy (2 page)

And after that disastrous weekend in Torquay she knew she was never going to date a younger man again in her life. 
Allan was the second younger man she’d dated in the last few months, and the second disappointment.  The first had run off with that artist, and the second had drunk his way through Torquay. 

Jennie sat at her desk and pulled the next article to be edited from her in basket.  Wouldn
’t you know, it was a quiz on ideal men, and she had to edit the cutesy answers Rachel had dreamed up. Oh well, unlike Rebecca, Rachel had talent, and she could spell.  Easily distracted, immature, but she had talent.

Jennie
ran through the questions and idly noted her own answers on the scratch pad on her desk.  She came up with ‘
tall, dark, handsome, sexy eyes, artistic career, quirky, sexually adventurous and always ready for action, financially secure’
(of course! Every woman would pick that one), and finally, to the last question, an answer that surprised her a lot ‘
a man who took control of the relationship’
.  Jennie shook her head; she’d been running her own life forever.  Why would she want a man who took control of the relationship instead of another answer choice, ‘
equal partnership’
?  She shrugged and got on with her work.

Thursday afternoon saw Lucy and Dan in his Range Rover, heading back toward London.  He’d turned up at Lucy’s farmhouse Tuesday evening,
champagne in hand, and hadn’t left her side since. It was just after five. Lucy had the most contented smile on her lips.

They drove in silence for a while,
and then a thought hit Dan.  He’d have to look after his friend, Mick. He’d promised Mick to help him find a lady. A sexy, sophisticated lady who could be open to some action. Dan always tried to keep his promises.

“Lucy, darling, do you still see your friend, Jennie?”

“Yes, I do.  She’s about the same as ever.  Still working as a magazine editor, still single.”

“Nice per
son, Jennie.”

“Yes, Dan.  We’
ve become closer over the past few years.”

“We should have
her up one weekend soon. I have a friend, Mick, who she might like a lot.  Just divorced.  Very eligible.”

“Nice?”

“The ladies all love him.”

“I wouldn’
t be surprised if she doesn’t want to come up soon, Dan.  She had a disastrous time in Torquay last weekend with her latest young man.  He promised her a romantic getaway, and spent the whole weekend drunk.  Let me call her and leave a message….”

Lucy pulled out her mobile.  Dialled. Listened to the
greeting on the other end, left a message. “Hello, Jennie, Lucy here.  Just wanted to remind you that you that you’re more than welcome to come and visit in Berkshire any weekend you’d like. We’re going up on Saturday morning and would love to take you with us. Promise you, no drunks asleep in your bed! Talk to you soon, just on my way back into town now, it’s half past five on Thursday.”

“She’
ll probably call back within minutes, baby.”

“Good.  You’
ll like Mick yourself, Lucy.  He’s an actor.  Very successful.”

“Well, Jennie likes the artistic type
s, my love.”

Lucy
’s mobile rang. She glanced at the display.  “What did I tell you, she’s calling straight back.” Lucy hit the speaker button on her phone so Dan could hear the conversation.

“Hello, Lucy here.”

“Lucy, Jennie. I was just opening the door when you called, arms full of shopping. It must be telepathy! I was just wondered if you’d like a guest in the country this weekend. So yes, I’d love to come up with you Saturday.  I’ve been threatening you for the last year that I’d come and spend the weekend…your call was most welcome. Especially after the debacle last weekend in Torquay.”

Lucy glanced over at Dan.  He smiled and nodded.  Oh, yes,
Mick would be pleased if Jennie came up this weekend…and he could count on Mick to make sure Jennie didn’t cramp his own style.

“
Jennie, that would be lovely.  You know I’ve always said you’re welcome any time.  Dan and I are just driving back into town now, so if you like we could pick you up Saturday morning, say about nine? Dan was mentioning a friend you might like.”

“Oh, so you saw each other again in Berkshire, did you?  Is everything good?”

“Very, very good, Jennie,” said Dan, loud enough for Lucy’s mobile to transmit his voice.  “It will be lovely to see you again.  You were always my favourite of all of Lucy’s girlfriends.”

Jennie smiled to herself.  Dan was a charmer, alright.  “And hello to you, Dan.”

“Eh, Jennie, pack a dinner dress, would you? As Lucy just mentioned, I’ve got a friend you might fancy. Actually, I was telling him about you earlier this week when we had drinks. I told him Lucy and I were getting back together, and he suggested if you came up one weekend, we’d go out for dinner to
Newton’s
, the four of us.  He’s tall, dark and handsome, Jennie.  And, as the writers at your magazine like to say, financially secure.”

“How old is he, Dan?  I’
ve sworn off younger men after my last two experiences.”

“I think he’
s forty one or forty two, something like that.  Owns the property next to the farmhouse I rent.”

“Oh, that sounds nice, Dan. I think one of our owners was at
Newton’s
last weekend.  He said it was very good food.”

“It is, Jennie.  Michelin Star.”

“Oh, lovely.”

“I have to make sure that we go somewhere good Saturday night, Jennie. I’
m dragging Lucy to
Alfredo’s
tonight.  Old times’ sake.”

All three of them laughed.  Jennie had heard all about Lucy and Dan and
Alfredo’s
. Plentiful plates of pasta and cheap Chianti. It was the favoured hangout for the students at the Art College. Dan would never let Lucy pay for dinner, when he was a student, so they’d eaten at Alfredo’s once a week for a couple of years.

“If you two like, I’
ll give you breakfast here at my flat on Saturday, before we head out.”

“That would be great of you, Jennie,” replied Lucy.

“Shall I bring my wellies?  You mentioned there’s a lot to do in your garden.  I do miss my dad’s garden, since he died.” Jennie sounded wistful.

Lucy looked over at Dan.  “We did at lot today, Jennie.”

“Oh.”  Jennie sounded disappointed.

Dan spoke up again.  “But we should go to the Garden Centre and get some more bulbs, and I
’ll dig out a bed in the back garden, and you two ladies can do the easy work,” he laughed.

“And the hedges still need to be trimmed,” added Lucy.

“Good,” said Jennie. “I can hardly wait…”

They
arranged to be at Jennie’s at half past eight on Saturday morning, and rang off.

“I didn
’t know Jennie was a gardener.” Dan sounded a little surprised. “She’s a pretty sophisticated lady.”

“She grew up in a village just outside Oxford.  Spent a lot of time with her dad in his garden over the last few years.  He had a heart condition, so she’
d go out most weekends and do the heavy work for him.  He died two years ago.”

“Nice lady.”

“Very nice.  I hope your friend Mick is just as nice.”

“He’
s not as nice as Jennie. He’s very charming, though.  He’s quite self-centered, really.  But it’s understandable.  When you’re as big a star as he is, you get used to everyone jumping when you snap your fingers.  He’s basically a really nice guy, but he is used to the world revolving around him.  I think Jennie will enjoy meeting him.  Give her something to brag about at tea Monday morning.”

“Oh, I know who you’
re talking about.  Michael Gerrard,
Mr.
John Steed
himself.  I knew he’d bought something in the neighbourhood about a year and a half ago, I just didn’t realize it was the place beside yours.”

“We met the weekend I moved in, at the Pub.  Got to know each other quite well. He’
s nice, darling.  Very clever.  Very rich.  Not alcoholic, not into drugs. Into women. Sex. I seem to remember Jennie being very into the physical aspects of her relationships….”

Lucy laughed.
“He just got divorced from Denise Devore, didn’t he?  Isn’t she a lot younger than him? She plays the
Mrs. Peel
role, doesn’t she?  Won’t Jennie be too old?”

“Actually, Denise left such a bad taste in his mouth that he said he’
s sworn off actresses and younger women. And he has enough clout that Denise is not playing that role anymore.  Some other actress is now. 

“
It’s Mick who is the real star of that film series.  I think that it’s the sixth or seventh one they’re filming now. So I was telling him about Jennie.  She’s in her mid-thirties, isn’t she?”

“Thirty eight
, but she does look quite a bit younger.” Lucy smiled. “You’re right, she’ll get a kick out going to dinner with
John Steed
.  Let’s not tell her who her date will be.  Let’s just see how long it takes her to recognize him…”

They both laughed.

“Let me call Mick now and see if he’s free tomorrow night, now we’ve promised him to Jennie,” suggested Dan.  He gave Lucy the number to dial.

They heard
Mick’s mobile ringing.

“Hello?” 
Mick’s voice sounded cautious.  Obviously he didn’t recognize Lucy’s mobile number.

“
Mick, Dan here.  Just on our way down to London.  But we’re coming back Saturday morning, Lucy and I, and bringing her friend Jennie with us.  You remember, the editor?”

“Oh
…oh, good, Dan.  So everything went well with Lucy?  She enjoyed your champagne?”

Lucy
’s cheeks went red. Dan smiled at her.

“She did,
Mick.  In fact, she’d picked up some Veuve Clicquot herself on her way up to the farmhouse on Tuesday, and we enjoyed mine and hers.  She’s sitting beside me now.  We’re going to have dinner at our old haunt tonight from my student days, so I’ve promised her
Newton’s
on Saturday night.”

“Sounds good. Very discreet,
Newton’s
.  Not a paparazzi hangout.”

“That’
s what I thought.  Er, we haven’t told Jennie who you are.  Just said my friend, Mick.”

“Good.  It will be a pleasant change to go out with a young lady who isn’
t dating
John Steed
or
Tony Rome
instead of me.”

“I never thought of that,
Mick.”

“So, don’
t tell her, and I hope she doesn’t make the connection right away.  Give us a chance to see if we like each other as people.”

“Right,
Mick.   We’ll pick you up at seven, shall we, on Saturday? Well, looks like traffic snarls ahead. I’d better give the road my full attention…”

They rang off.

“The downside of being a celebrity,” smiled Lucy.  “You know, Danny, I don’t think Jennie goes to action films much. So if the lights are fairly dim, we could get through an hour or two before the penny drops…”

“I
think Mick would like that very much. He was bemoaning the fact that he couldn’t walk into the Village Pub and hit on a woman who struck his fancy because he knew that she’d be in bed with
John Steed
, not Mick the man, and that the tabloids would know about it instantly and have the girl being a serious relationship, not just a roll in the hay…”

TWO

Breakfast Saturday morning at Jennie’s was delicious.  She’d made them omelettes, and great coffee.  They were in Berkshire, at the garden centre before noon.

Jennie suggested winter pansies as well as the bulbs, and the three of them spent a happy few hours, grubbing about, as Jennie described it.

They stopped at five, and sent Jennie upstairs to the Jacuzzi, while they showered again downstairs, a hot, steaming, loving shower.

The three of them
were ready by half past six, enjoying a glass of wine before they headed out to pick Mick up.

Dan looked at the two women. Told them how lovely they both looked. And they did.

Jennie was definitely pretty. Pale blonde hair, sleek, falling just past her chin, full lips, pale sapphire eyes. She had such a hot body.  Mick had stressed last weekend he was still quite randy and was looking forward to remedying the situation.  Dan knew how very much better he felt himself, now that he was back in Lucy’s bed. Mind you, it would be lust with Mick, but it was love, with Dan and Lucy.  True love, Dan thought smugly.

Yes, Jennie had such a very hot body. Dan would love to paint her, in a classic Vargas pose, on a white bearskin rug. If Lucy didn’t mind, that is.