C
HAPTER
E
IGHTEEN
‘More money than sense,’ Hilary remarked later that afternoon as she and Jonathan pored over a diagram of Andrea’s house, discussing the optimum placement of lights to suit Jonathan’s interior design plan and Andrea’s desires. ‘Imagine remortgaging to spend an absolute fortune on redesigning that lovely house. They could have paid off their mortgage and borrowed from the Credit Union, and they wouldn’t be paying a massive amount of interest for the next twenty years.’
‘We’re not all sensible like you, daahling.’ Jonathan took a slug of coffee and stretched. ‘I’m in hoc up to my eyeballs with my mortgage and 2000 car, but I just adore driving around in my lovely new shiny BMW.’
‘But you don’t have kids and college fees ahead, you’re a free agent, and besides that penthouse you bought has increased in price with all that renovation you’ve done on it. You’ll more than double your price for it the way things are going. Property prices are still going way up. People won’t be able to get on the property ladder soon,’ she pointed out.
‘That’s the Celtic Tiger, babes. Economy expanding more than 9 per cent. One hundred per cent loans from the bank, plenty of people will be buying, and we’ll be saying no to more jobs than we’ll be saying yes to,’ Jonathan predicted confidently. ‘I mean look at how you’ve had to employ two extra people in the showrooms and three more electricians. It’s all taken off everywhere you look.’
‘Yeah I know, it’s incredible how much the business has grown in the last few years, but you make sure you save some of your dosh – we nearly had to close during the last recession in the eighties. I remember my parents being very worried, so I’m saving some of mine for a rainy day.’
‘We’re doing well, aren’t we though?’ Hammond and Harpur Interior and Lighting Design Specialists couldn’t have happened at a better time. What a stroke of luck for us that the economy’s booming and people have massive amounts of dough to spend.’ Jonathan grinned. ‘Imagine we have a waiting list! Imagine I was able to afford to take a career break!’
‘That’s the great thing for you, Jonathan. You have the safety net of the permanent and pensionable job to go back to if things go belly up.’
‘I don’t know if I’d ever go back; imagine being behind a desk after doing this. No thanks.’
‘At least you have the option.’
‘Not one I want to take. I love flying by the seat of my pants.’
‘It’s been mad for sure.’ Hilary sighed.
‘But fun, a lot of the time, Hil?’
‘Yeah!’
‘You’re in fierce bad form today. What’s up, Dac?’ he said in a Bugs Bunny voice and she laughed.
‘Ah nothing . . . everything. Getting stuck at the clinic with Gran H pissed me off. Niall pissed me off because he won’t have it out with Sue about doing her bit and I’ll have to ring her myself. And I have five teenagers coming for a sleepover tomorrow night, and Niall’s got a gig tonight so I’ve to do a big grocery shop. And then to crown it all I’ve to go and inspect the 2nd fix on the Horizon House Hotel project next week and I just know that little fart of an electrician is going to muck me around again. He thinks he knows everything and he can’t stand the fact that a woman is telling him what to do,’ Hilary moaned.
‘When are you going? I’ll rearrange consults if I have any and come with you,’ Jonathan offered.
‘Ah you’re grand, I’ll deal with that little muppet,’ Hilary said grimly.
‘Look, we haven’t seen each other properly for ages. I’ll drive us down to Wexford and you can offload on me and I’ll tell you all about my new romance!’
‘Your what?’ Hilary asked, her bad humour forgotten.
‘I’ve met someone new,’ Jonathan smirked.
‘Right!! Spill!’ Hilary refilled their mugs from the percolator of coffee he’d made when they got back to the office.
‘Well he’s younger than me—’
‘Aren’t I always telling you to go with someone your own age or someone older for a change?’ Hilary threw her eyes up to heaven.
‘No, listen. Leon, that’s his name, is very mature. He’s a dad.’
Hilary raised an eyebrow. ‘Married?’
‘No!’ her friend exclaimed indignantly. ‘He was with a girl for a couple of years and she got pregnant. They never got married and they’ve separated and she married someone else a few years ago. His son is eight. Leon hasn’t come out to his family yet. He’s lovely though, honestly. You’ll like him.’
They always are, thought Hilary, but she kept that view to herself. ‘Where did you meet him?’
‘Would you believe I went into a small bistro in Dalkey. I was visiting a client to show her some swatches and I was too early so I went to a little place off a side street to have a cappuccino and a wrap and it was jammers. I sat at a counter and he was sitting beside me, and I dropped a book of swatches and he picked it up. And then we got chatting. Turns out he’s a carpenter. We’ve quite a lot in common actually.’
‘And this was a month ago and you’re only telling me now?’ She couldn’t hide her surprise. Usually Jonathan would be on the phone immediately after meeting someone new.
‘I’m taking your advice; I’m playing it cool. Not rushing anything. I think this could work out, Hil,’ Jonathan said, eyes alight.
‘Oh Jonathan, I’d love if it did. You so deserve to find someone nice. Someone who will give you as much as you give them. Not a taker or a
