Love at the Northern Lights

by Love at the Northern Lights (re

  Frankie’s mouth had opened and she was shaking her head.

  ‘She also said that she wants to put in an order immediately after the new year and that she’ll want to have a meeting with you to discuss future orders. But… get this… She wants every single garment you’ve made already so she can start selling them. She will speak to you about numbers and possible commission, et cetera, et cetera, but basically, she loved your work and also said she knew of other boutique owners who will do too.’

  Frankie was still shaking her head.

  ‘It’s wonderful news, love.’ Freya wrapped an arm around Frankie’s shoulder. ‘Aren’t you happy?’

  To Jonas’s horror, Frankie crumpled in front of his eyes, almost folding over completely, and she started to cry. He looked at Hugo then at Freya but they both looked as confused as he was, so he went to Frankie and lifted her chin gently with his forefinger. ‘Hey, Frankie. This is good news, no?’

  She sniffed then nodded. He handed his champagne to Freya then smoothed his thumbs over Frankie’s cheeks, wiping away her tears.

  ‘I… am… happy…’ Frankie squeaked.

  ‘Are you sure?’ Hugo said from behind them. ‘You don’t look very happy, darling.’

  ‘She’s emotional,’ Freya said. ‘It’s a lot to take in.’

  Jonas pulled Frankie into his arms and rubbed her back, trying to comfort and reassure her. Against his chest, she felt soft and female and that urge to protect her surged again. It was a primal instinct but it was combined with something even stronger, a deep desire for this woman, a longing to know her better, to be there for her when she was sad and to bring her joy.

  When Frankie finally stepped back, her face and eyes were red and there was a large damp patch on his shirt front.

  ‘Frankie? Are you OK?’ Freya asked.

  ‘Yes. Thank you so much, Jonas. I’m extremely happy. Delighted, in fact.’

  ‘Well then, let’s have a proper toast.’ Hugo made sure they all had their glasses then he topped them up. ‘To our gorgeous girl and her new venture. Frankie’s fashion!’

  They clinked glasses and Frankie finally smiled.

  Jonas couldn’t help himself then, he slid an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her tight as her parents chatted about how exciting this was, how successful she was going to be and all the wonderful possibilities that lay ahead for her. Just as parents should do, and he realized that he wanted this for her, probably just as much as they did.

  At one point, Frankie looked up at him and the emotion in her green eyes almost knocked him sideways. In spite of all his reservations about Frankie and her life, her wealthy upbringing and how he could never offer her what she would want and need, he was falling for her hard and fast. He’d tried to rationalize it away in England, to deny it when he returned to Norway, but now that she was here again, he knew all hope of fighting it was lost.

  *

  ‘Where are we going?’ Frankie asked as Freya opened a door at the back of the gallery and led her up a staircase.

  ‘Wait and see.’

  They’d left Jonas and Hugo in the gallery downstairs because Freya said she had an idea.

  When they reached a short landing, Freya pulled some keys from her pocket then unlocked a door. It groaned as it opened, causing them both to shudder.

  ‘Now, I know you have a whole life in London and that you probably want to go back there to carry on your design business, but just in case… there’s room here for you to work, should you need it.’

  Freya walked into a room that was the same size as the gallery downstairs but looked bigger because it was completely empty. The window was shuttered but daylight sneaked through the slats, creating enough light for them to see.

  Frankie walked around the room then towards the back, where a doorway led into what appeared to be a kitchen area. Another door next to it, led to a small room containing a toilet and hand basin.

  ‘Is this yours as well?’ Frankie asked.

  ‘I don’t rent it but I have the keys as the owner asked me to keep a set in case anyone ever wanted to look around. There’s a separate entrance from out the back, that’s where the other door at the top of the stairs leads.’

  Frankie crossed to the window and peered through the slats. Outside, people walked up and down the street and snowflakes drifted down, only to be swept up by gusts of wind and thrown against the windows and into the faces of passers-by. The flakes that made it to the ground settled on top of the snow that was already there, creating a picture-perfect Norwegian scene. It was beautiful, and even more so because Frankie was with Freya, her dad and Jonas, and there were possibilities here for the future too.

  Freya joined her at the window.

  ‘Frankie, I’m not putting any pressure on you. I know you have a life in London and that you need to get back because of your grandmother… but I also wanted to let you know that there are possibilities here. Should you want to consider them.’

  Frankie turned to Freya and met her green eyes. Her heart soared as she pulled her into a hug.

  ‘I’m not sure exactly what I’m going to do yet, and it’s going to take some more thought, but I do know that this is a fabulous idea and I am so grateful.’

  Freya nodded against her shoulder.

  ‘Whatever you want is fine with me, Frankie. I just want to see you. A lot.’

  ‘Me too.’

  They hugged each other tightly and Frankie thought about what had happened in her life and about what could happen next. A fresh start, away from London and Rolo and the life she’d lived but never really felt comfortable in, could be exactly what she needed. Of course, there was Grandma, but she suspected that Helen Ashford would be fine whether Frankie was at her beck and call or not. Frankie and her dad had spent so long doing what Helen wanted them to do, being there for her when she called for them and living the life she’d chosen for them.

  Now it was time to choose their own paths…

  Chapter 34

  ‘I’ve so many layers on, I can barely walk. I just hope I don’t need the toilet.’ Frankie shuffled along next to her father. ‘And after that huge supper we just ate, everything’s tighter than it should be anyway.’

  ‘I know what you mean.’ He chuckled. ‘I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to find a way out of the layers.’

  They’d had a quiet supper at the hotel together, after an enjoyable day of sightseeing with Freya, while Jonas had spent the day with his mother. They’d eaten their fill of pork and ground beef meatballs and brown gravy served with herby carrots and boiled potatoes, then enjoyed kanelbulle for dessert; the sweet buttery cinnamon buns were fast becoming a favourite of Frankie’s. They’d washed the food down with gløgg – the Norwegian mulled wine spiced with cloves and cinnamon and served with almonds and raisins. Norwegian food and drink was certainly satisfying and comforting, and something that Frankie could get used to.

  Now, they were on their way to the harbour where they would meet Freya and Jonas. It was dark and very cold and the snowy ground was slippery underfoot, but Frankie was glowing. The good news she’d had about the boutique and the work space her mother had shown her above the gallery had all given her such a lift. She still hadn’t come to any conclusions yet but at least she had options, for what felt like the first time in her life.

  It was a bit scary, a bit daunting, a bit… exciting.

  The streets of Oslo no longer seemed as strange. She was able to place familiar landmarks now and she enjoyed the sense of familiarity, as if she belonged there.

  ‘It’s a lovely city, isn’t it?’

  ‘Beautiful.’ Her dad smiled at her and she noted, as they passed under a street light, and not for the first time recently, how much healthier he looked. For so many years, he’d seemed grey and serious, more serious than a man should ever be. But now… his skin glowed in the cold air, his eyes sparkled and he had a spring to his step that she couldn’t recall ever seeing before.

  ‘Dad, are you hap
py?’

  He stopped suddenly and she had to turn back to face him.

  ‘Happy?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I…’

  ‘I ask because when I was growing up, you never really seemed happy. You smiled occasionally and you never wallowed in despair – because you always kept so busy – but you never seemed happy.’

  He met her gaze.

  ‘Yes, Frankie, I am happy. It’s a strange feeling, I’ll give you that, but I’m getting used to it. I can’t deny that I’m scared… having lost my… happiness once, I’m terrified of losing it again, but I am trying to be brave and to go with the flow.’

  ‘I’m so glad. I love seeing you like this.’

  ‘And I love seeing you like this!’ He laughed then hugged her. ‘Now come on or we’ll miss the fireworks.’

  They hurried along, breathing deeply of the icy air and trying not to slip. The snow had stopped late afternoon but was crisp and crunchy underfoot. Frankie suspected that her father was as undecided as she was about what to do next, but she also believed that that was OK. Sometimes, not knowing exactly what tomorrow had in store could be a good thing.

  When they reached the harbour, she spotted Jonas through the mass of people; it was as if her eyes would seek him out in any crowd, anywhere. She waved to catch his attention, then led her dad towards him. It was New Year’s Eve, she was in Oslo, her future looked exciting, and she had her mother back.

  *

  ‘Jonas!’ Frankie waved at him again and he smiled as they reached him.

  ‘At last. We wondered where you’d got to.’

  Freya hugged Frankie then Hugo. ‘We did. It’s so busy here we were worried we wouldn’t find you.’

  ‘Let’s try to find a quieter spot where we can stand together.’ Jonas held out his hand and Frankie took it as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Behind her came her parents and they shuffled through the crowds until Jonas found them a space closer to the rail that overlooked the water.

  ‘It’s so cold.’ Frankie was shaking in spite of her layers.

  ‘It takes a bit of getting used to.’ Jonas nodded. ‘Come here. It’s going to be a while and you’ll just get colder.’

  Frankie stepped closer and Jonas turned her around so she stood right in front of him then wrapped his arms around her. ‘Body heat is the best thing for staying warm,’ he whispered in her ear and his breath tickled her skin.

  She nodded, unable to reply because words had deserted her.

  Next to them, Frankie’s parents stood arm in arm, both stamping to keep warm. A hush fell over the harbour as the onlookers waited in anticipation. The air seemed to crackle with excitement as one year was left behind and a new one was about to begin. And what a year it had been. Frankie’s life had changed in many ways and all the changes were for the better.

  Then the countdown to midnight began…

  As the year turned, everyone cheered and shouts of ‘Happy new year’ in many different languages echoed around the harbour. Frankie turned in Jonas’s arms and accepted his hug and kiss then she turned to do the same to her parents and froze.

  Hugo and Freya were lost in each other, their arms wrapped around each other as they kissed. It was surreal and wonderful, strange yet right. They had found each other again and were kissing as if the world around them had ceased to exist.

  ‘Look!’ Jonas nudged her.

  She followed his finger and there, in the rich inky ebony of the Norwegian sky, fireworks burst in hues of gold, green and red. People around them oohed and aahed, and Frankie tried to keep her eyes focused on the fireworks, but she couldn’t help glancing back at her parents.

  ‘You OK?’ Jonas whispered.

  ‘Yes.’ She giggled. ‘A bit surprised to see them kissing but also very happy about it.’

  ‘It’s a good way to start the year.’ He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight. He had said it was to keep her warm but Frankie hoped there was more to it than that. Much more.

  Once the fireworks had finished, the air was hazy with smoke and heavy with the scents of sulphur and gunpowder with a hint of brine from the water underneath it all. Freya and Hugo seemed to emerge from their trance and they rejoined Frankie and Jonas.

  ‘Happy new year!’ Freya said before hugging them both.

  ‘Yes, happy new year!’ Hugo’s eyes were bright and his cheeks flushed, in spite of the freezing conditions, and as he hugged Frankie, he whispered, ‘Sorry about that.’

  She leant back and met his eyes. ‘Don’t be sorry, Dad. It’s wonderful.’

  ‘I guess I couldn’t wait any longer and lucky for me your mother seemed to feel the same.’

  ‘What shall we do now?’ Freya asked. ‘Do you all want to come back to mine?’

  ‘I promised Mum I’d head home to have a drink with her.’ Jonas shrugged. ‘Would you like to come with me, Frankie?’

  ‘Oh!’ She swallowed her surprise. ‘Really?’

  ‘She’d love to meet you.’

  ‘She would?’

  He nodded.

  ‘I’ll go back to your mother’s then.’ Hugo smiled bashfully. ‘See you in the morning for breakfast?’

  ‘Brunch more like, Dad.’ Frankie smiled.

  ‘Come on then.’ Jonas took her hand and led her out of the crowds and away from the harbour. He was surefooted in the snow as only someone accustomed to these conditions could be. They walked briskly along dark streets and past revellers, the majority of whom, Jonas told her, would be heading home to spend time with family and friends as was Norwegian tradition.

  When they stopped in front of a modest-looking apartment block, Jonas stopped and took her hands.

  ‘Before we go inside… there’s something I need to tell you.’

  *

  Jonas took a deep breath. He’d been nervous about asking Frankie to come back with him but he hadn’t wanted the night to end at the harbour either. When Freya and Hugo had started kissing, he’d known they’d need time alone and the idea of sending Frankie back to her hotel alone on New Year’s Eve was more than he could bear. So he’d swallowed his doubt and brought her back to his mum’s apartment. Even though he knew now that Frankie had a good heart, he was also very aware of how different their backgrounds were.

  ‘Frankie… my home isn’t very… grand.’

  ‘What?’ She smiled, clearly thinking he was teasing her.

  ‘I grew up here and it’s quite simple. Homely but a lot smaller than yours.’

  ‘It looks very nice.’ She peered up at the building. ‘With those lovely big windows, the rooms can’t be that small.’

  ‘The apartments are one-and two-bedroom and they are quite small. And simple. Not at all like your London home. You’ll probably be surprised.’

  ‘Jonas… do you think I care about that? You’re taking me to meet your mum. I’m sure your home is lovely.’

  ‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you.’

  He pushed open the communal front door then led her towards the staircase. The lift didn’t always work and it was often faster to take the stairs anyway.

  By the time they reached the fourth floor, Frankie was red-faced and puffing.

  ‘Sorry. I’m not unfit but it’s all these clothes I’m wearing.’

  ‘Of course!’ He laughed. ‘You can remove some layers once we get inside.’

  They reached his mother’s apartment and he pushed his key into the lock.

  ‘Here you go.’ He swung the door inwards and stood back. As Frankie entered, he knew that this would go one of two ways. Either she’d be horrified at how he lived and realize that she wanted the grandeur of her life back home, or… well, he’d have to wait and see.

  ‘Mama?’ Jonas called as they walked through the hallway and into the one room that served as lounge and kitchen.

  ‘Coming,’ his mother replied from her bedroom.

  There was a scratching of claws on wood and Jonas paused, aware of what was coming.

&
nbsp; Luna.

  She bounded into the hallway and Jonas opened his arms then laughed as she jumped up at him, licking his face and neck as if he’d been gone for months and not just hours. When she was done welcoming him, she turned to Frankie.

  ‘Luna, be gentle.’

  The dog approached Frankie slowly and Jonas watched as Frankie’s expression changed.

  ‘It’s OK, Frankie; she won’t hurt you. She recognizes you.’

  Frankie nodded then knelt down and held out her hand. Luna sniffed it, gave it a lick then moved closer and licked Frankie’s face. Her big tail wagged furiously, and when she turned back to Jonas, her mouth was open as if in a wide smile.

  ‘She likes you. You just had the Thorsen greeting.’

  ‘Thank goodness for that. I’d imagine she can be quite intimidating if she doesn’t take to someone.’

  ‘Let me take your coat, hat, gloves and whatever else you need to remove, then we can go and sit down.’

  Frankie handed him a pile of clothing and he took it to his small room to put on the bed. When he’d stripped off his own warm clothing, he went back through the door to find his mother kissing Frankie’s cheeks.

  ‘Happy new year, Frankie. It’s good to meet you.’

  ‘Same here, Mrs Thorsen.’

  ‘Call me Aslaug, please.’

  ‘You have a lovely home, Aslaug.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  *

  Frankie sat on the two-seater sofa next to Jonas and accepted a mug of coffee from his mother. Aslaug Thorsen was a lot like her son: tall, blonde and blue-eyed. She had his calm manner and easy smile, and Frankie felt instantly comfortable with her. Luna lay on the floor in front of Jonas, her big paws under her chin, and though her eyes were closed, her tail wagged every so often, as if she was listening to the conversation.

  They chatted about Aslaug’s job as a receptionist for a law firm then about Frankie’s change of career. Aslaug admitted that she’d seen some of Jonas’s photographs of Frankie’s designs – he’d been keen to show her, apparently – and that she thought they were lovely. Frankie opened up about some of her new ideas and asked if Aslaug would be happy modelling some of them, which the older woman said she’d be delighted to do. It was a very different exchange to the ones she’d had with Rolo’s mother, who she’d felt looked down on her and disapproved of her in many ways. Rolo’s mother had never been openly rude or dismissive but Frankie had always sensed that her fiancé’s mother wasn’t her biggest fan.