There were no goodbye kisses on the doorstep, and she didn’t hang around to watch him leave.
Chapter Thirty
Frankie
Frankie’s stomach was full of butterflies as she appraised herself in the mirror. She’d opted for a cute black-and-white checked shift dress with a pair of heeled loafers, and she hoped she was giving off a fun and flirty vibe instead of the mumsy, haven’t-been-on-a-date-in-yonks vibe she felt inside. Technically she had been on a date, she supposed, but she wasn’t sure her first attempt at dating a few weeks earlier counted, since they hadn’t even ordered before Frankie had bolted from the restaurant.
Was this their first date? Or second?
And did it count as a date at all, since they’d agreed to have dinner as friends?
After their chat at the vet’s, Frankie and Alex had agreed to meet up as friends, to go with the flow and see where it took them.
‘Make sure you stay long enough to eat this time,’ Isaac said as she stepped into the living room. Frankie glowered at him until he raised his palms in defence. ‘Just kidding. Jeez.’
‘Sorry.’ Frankie placed her handbag on the sofa so she could rifle through and check she had everything she needed. ‘You’ll call me if the twins need me, won’t you?’ Frankie was still rifling through her bag, double-checking. ‘Finn’s getting a bit clingy again, so if he won’t settle, give me a shout.’
‘We’ll be fine, won’t we, mate?’ Isaac pulled his nephew onto his lap and when Frankie turned, Finn’s head was nestled against Isaac’s chest. He looked so content and not at all the angry, red-faced little boy who had demanded she take him home when she’d dropped him off at nursery the morning before. It was a reassuring sight and she felt the knot in her stomach loosen, but just a little bit.
‘I know you’ll be fine, and I know I’m fussing.’ She placed a hand on her stomach. ‘I’m just nervous. I haven’t done this for a long time. Not since Bradley.’
Isaac shifted in his seat gently so he could reach out for Frankie’s hand without disturbing Finn too much. ‘He’d want you to be happy, right?’
Frankie nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. ‘Do you think I should tell Alex about the twins? Do you think it will put him off? Me being a single mum?’
Isaac snorted. ‘He isn’t worth your time if he is.’
‘I guess.’
‘It wouldn’t bother me if a woman I was interested in had kids. Not in the slightest.’
That was good to hear, but Frankie’s mind wasn’t put at total ease. ‘Do you think they’ll mind? Finn and Skye?’ Her eyes roamed from Finn, whose eyelids were starting to droop, to Skye as she scribbled with a blue crayon on a piece of card. ‘Or do you think it’s best if I leave it a bit until I start dating again?’ That feeling was starting to creep in again, telling her that she was doing Something Wrong. That her decision could adversely affect her children. She already spent so much time working, leaving Finn at nursery even when he was distressed (even if Keeley assured her time and again that he was absolutely fine, that it was perfectly normal), and if the picnic business went ahead, she’d be even busier. Could she fit a relationship – even one at such an early stage – into all that? And at what cost?
‘Bradley would want you to be happy, and so do these two.’ Isaac indicated his niece and nephew. ‘What use is a miserable mum?’
‘Hey.’ Frankie frowned, even though the description would have been valid for a huge chunk of her children’s lives. The grief and guilt of losing Bradley had been raw for a long time.
‘You know what I mean. They need a happy mum. And I need a happy sister. It was so hard for us, you know, when Bradley died. There was nothing we could do to help, not really, but I’m starting to see the old Frankie again.’
Frankie peered into the mirror above the fireplace. ‘Mum said something similar when she was in the hospital, though that could have been the pain meds.’ She turned her head this way and that before leaning in close. She pulled a face. ‘Did the old Frankie have that faint line between her eyebrows too? Because if she did, she can keep it.’
‘That’s the aging process.’ Isaac shrugged. ‘Happens to us all.’ He winced when he realised what he’d said. Not everybody had the luxury of growing old, which Frankie was painfully aware of. ‘Sorry. That was tactless.’
‘No.’ Frankie shook her head. ‘It wasn’t. You don’t have to wrap me in cotton wool, you know.’
Isaac barked out a laugh, and Finn’s eyes flew open at the sudden sound. ‘Isn’t that what you’re doing with Mum?’
‘No. Not anymore. I haven’t spoken to her since she called me two days ago.’ Frankie raised her eyebrows, only just stopping short of sticking her tongue out at her brother, before she picked up her handbag and hooked it onto her shoulder. She crouched to kiss first Skye and then Finn. ‘My taxi’s here. I shouldn’t be too late.’
‘Take as long as you like.’ Isaac settled down into his chair. ‘Everything will be fine here. Promise.’
Like the last time they’d attempted a date at Devon & Vale, Alex was waiting for her in the bar area of the restaurant. He kissed her cheek before they both slipped onto stools and ordered a round of drinks.
‘I’m getting a real sense of déjà vu here,’ Frankie said as the barman placed a glass of wine in front of her. ‘Hopefully I won’t have to run off this time.’ She laughed, but she couldn’t help checking her phone, just in case.
‘How is your mum?’
Frankie fiddled with the stem of her wine glass. ‘She says she’s fine.’
‘But you don’t believe her?’
Frankie considered the question for a moment before she gave a slow shake of her head. ‘I’m trying to. I’ve become a bit of a worrier and it’s a hard habit to break.’ She took a sip of her wine. ‘I never used to be like this. I used to be carefree. A go-with-the-flow kind of girl. Believe it or not, I bungee jumped off bridges, raced jet skis in San Diego, attempted to snowboard and surf – unsuccessfully, but I’d given it a go. I’d lived life to the full, but your priorities and your views change when you have kids.’
She hadn’t meant to say that last bit, but she didn’t regret it. At least it was out there, and she’d know where she stood one way or another. It was crunch time.
‘You’re a mum?’
Frankie was back to fiddling with the stem of her glass, her eyes fixed on her rapidly moving fingers. ‘I have two-year-old twins. Finn and Skye.’
Alex gave a low whistle. ‘Tricky age, and double the trouble too, I’ll bet.’
Frankie laughed. ‘I bet they’re not as much as a handful as your dependant. How is Jake? Got into any more scrapes lately?’
Alex snorted. ‘That daft dog gets into scrapes every minute of the day. I’ve booked us onto a training course for older dogs. Hopefully teach him some canine etiquette.’
Frankie hid her smile behind her wine glass as she took another sip. ‘This is starting to sound serious. Almost like you’re planning to keep him.’ She giggled at the horrified look on Alex’s face.
‘No.’ He shook his head vehemently. ‘No bloody way.’
‘So why the training course? That sounds like the kind of thing a permanent dog owner would do.’
‘It’s desperation, is what it is.’ He took a sip of his pint. ‘Who knows how long Gabby is going to be in Cyprus? I saw the leaflet at the vet’s and thought it might give me a bit of sanity until she comes to her senses and claims the daft hound again.’
Frankie leaned forward and lowered her voice. ‘I don’t buy it. I think you’ve fallen madly in love with that lovable rogue.’
Alex made a ‘pfft’ sound and shook his head. ‘Highly unlikely, when that lovable rogue chewed up my best work shoes this morning.’
Frankie thought of all the things Finn and Skye had destroyed over the years; her favourite lipstick, devoured when her back was turned, the necklace Bradley had given her for their first anniversary, snapped while it was still around h
er neck, her living room carpet, with the stubborn patch of mushed up carrot hidden under an oddly placed rug. Her life had become an act of averting disaster and mopping up mess, but she loved them with a fierceness that scared her at times.
‘Nope.’ She shook her head. ‘I think you’ve fallen for him. You’ll never be able to give him up. Your sister will have a fight on her hands.’
Alex made another ‘pfft’ sound, but he didn’t deny it this time.
‘Your table is ready,’ a waiter announced behind the pair. ‘If you’d like to come this way?’
Their table was at the back of the restaurant this time, and while they didn’t have the gorgeous view out onto the harbour, it seemed more intimate in their cosy corner. The food was delicious, the conversation and wine flowing, and Frankie didn’t have to dash off anywhere, which was a bonus.
‘I’ve had a really nice evening,’ Frankie said as they emerged out of the restaurant. ‘Thank you.’
‘Thank you.’ Alex turned to face her, a smile playing on his lips. ‘You’re much better company than Jake.’
‘I hope I smell better too.’ Frankie winked at Alex before she rummaged in her handbag for her phone. She’d resisted checking during their meal, so she was rewarding herself with a quick peek.
‘Do you have to get off straight away?’ Alex asked.
She shook her head and dropped her phone back into her bag. ‘I’m not in any rush.’ And she found she wasn’t. The twins were fine with Isaac; he’d have called or at least sent a text if that wasn’t the case.
‘Fancy one more for the road?’ He pointed at the pub ahead, and Frankie nodded.
‘I’ll get these though. I insist.’ She flashed Alex a mock-reproachful look. The only minor hiccup during dinner had occurred as the bill arrived, with Frankie wanting to split it fifty-fifty and Alex insisting it was on him. Frankie hadn’t been entirely comfortable letting him settle the bill (she was, it transpired, as stubbornly independent as her mother), but she’d relented as it was clear Alex wouldn’t be backing down.
‘You can get it next time,’ he’d said, and she’d felt a flutter of joy in her stomach, the knot having untied itself completely over the course of the evening, at the mention of more dates to come.
The Fisherman was a cosy but roomy pub, with low beams and an open fireplace, and Alex secured a table while Frankie headed for the bar. She’d been in this pub a few times, as Isaac lived not far away, though he preferred the Red Lion on the seafront as it had a more energetic crowd.
‘What can I get you, love?’ the landlady asked as she squeezed her way past her husband to reach Frankie. The pub was much livelier than it had been during Frankie’s other visits, and the three members of staff looked like they were being run ragged. There was obviously a party going on as balloons adorned the corners of the room and a banner proclaiming ‘Happy Engagement’ was strung along the far wall.
‘Will you be joining us for karaoke?’ the landlady asked once Frankie had placed her order.
‘Oh.’ She turned, spotting the machine set up in the corner then. ‘No. It’s not really my thing.’
‘It’s not mine either,’ a customer sitting on one of the high stools at the bar grumbled. ‘And it’s my bloody party. They’ve only done this to wind me up.’
‘Oh, Tom.’ The landlady tutted. ‘Please try to enjoy yourself for a change. Like you said, it’s your party.’ She winked at Frankie as she placed Alex’s pint on the bar. ‘Ignore him, love. He’s a bit of a party pooper.’
‘And proud of it.’ The other customer raised his pint at Frankie before taking a sip.
With the drinks in hand, Frankie made her way to the table Alex had managed to nab. ‘There’s a karaoke session starting soon, apparently.’ She was about to scrunch her nose up, but Alex’s eyes lit up.
‘Karaoke? Nice one.’ He rubbed his hands together. ‘What shall we sing?’
Frankie didn’t usually get up in front of people to sing as her talents lay elsewhere, but once upon a time, she’d have given it a go anyway. She’d have thrown caution to the wind, just as she had that first time she’d thrown herself off the bridge with a piece of elastic attached to her waist. She’d been terrified, but Bradley had wanted to give it a go, so she’d gone along with it. And although she’d screamed in terror as she plummeted towards the water below, she’d felt exhilarated afterwards. As though she could conquer the world.
Picking up the microphone and channelling Taylor Swift wasn’t as earth shattering as bungee jumping, but as she blasted out the words, she started to feel that spark returning. The return of the old Frankie. The Frankie her mum and Isaac had seen a glimmer of. The Frankie who wasn’t afraid to face her fears and smash them.
Chapter Thirty-One
Katie
‘So?’ Katie stretched her legs out in front of her, wriggling her free toes as her socks and shoes sat on the sand beside her. ‘How did dinner date, round two go?’
It was too glorious a day to be cooped up in Katie’s kitchen, the sun beating down so brightly and so suddenly it had taken everybody by surprise. Nobody could quite believe it was still spring, and the papers were claiming Britain would be hotter than Corfu by the weekend. The three women had gathered on the beach, where Frankie had relayed the surprising events over the past few days, starting with the discovery of an injured Jake, while they sampled George’s experiment of caramelised onion and bacon tartlets with goat’s cheese. Alex’s (temporary) dog was going to be okay; he’d had several stitches and had left the vet’s with a course of antibiotics and heavy-duty painkillers, but Alex had been assured he would heal fairly quickly and there would be no lasting damage.
Frankie brushed the pastry crumbs from her lap and gave a coy, one-shouldered shrug. ‘It wasn’t a date date. We’re just meeting up as friends – no pressure – and seeing where it goes.’
‘And where did it go?’ Katie grinned at Frankie. ‘A kiss? A bit of a fumble? Lots of fumbling? Did he sneak you into the honeymoon suite of his hotel? I bet it’s swanky.’
Frankie gave a tut. ‘None of the above. We’re taking things slowly.’
Katie pushed the sunglasses perching on her head back onto her nose and leaned back on her elbows, closing her eyes against the sun’s warmth. ‘I still think that dog’s like Cupid in disguise. First he brought you together by knocking you over at the beach, and now he’s reunited you by maiming himself on barbed wire.’
George winced. ‘He’s dedicated to the cause, I’ll give him that.’ She winked at Katie and Frankie. ‘Do you think he could set me up with a dashing man too?’
‘I didn’t know you were on the lookout for a man,’ Katie said, her eyes sliding towards Frankie, who was suppressing a smile.
‘Nah, I’m not really.’ George gave a wave of her hand. ‘Besides, we’re going to be too busy setting up this business. There’ll be no time for romance.’
Frankie spluttered. ‘Speak for yourself. I’ve arranged another date with Alex – sort of – and Katie’s in the throes of a passionate affair.’
‘I wouldn’t exactly call it that,’ Katie said, but she could feel her cheeks radiating heat. And it wasn’t anything to do with the glaring sun. ‘Not anymore. I’ve ended it with him.’
Frankie leaned towards her. ‘What? Why? You guys were having so much fun.’
Katie reached to the side, beyond the picnic blanket, and ran her fingers through the coarse sand. ‘I was having fun, but it turns out he wants more.’
‘And you really don’t?’ Frankie asked.
Katie shook her head. ‘My head is still too messed up to start anything real. Anyway, we’re getting side tracked from why we’re here.’
‘You’re right.’ George reached into her tote back and pulled out a ring binder. ‘Our meeting with the bank is in less than a week, plus we need to put the final plans into place for the teddy bear’s picnic. Cecily loves our ideas so far and she reckons her friends will want to book parties with us too, so we need to ta
ke plenty of business cards with us on the day.’
Frankie made a note. ‘And did Cecily say it was okay for us to take some photos for the website and our social media?’
George nodded. ‘She’s absolutely fine with that. She’s says she’ll do anything she can to support us.’ She yelped as a sudden gust of wind whipped up the corners of the picnic blanket and stole her hat. She reached up to hold onto it, but it was too late and the hat was already cartwheeling along the sand. The sunshine had beckoned locals down to the beach, and the hat skipped past a group of mums with their toddlers as George stumbled after it, rolled alongside a dog-walker with a Jack Russell who made a brief attempt to catch the escapee headwear before coming to a stop in a small tide pool. George stumbled back and shielded her face as the seagull who had been bathing in the sandy seawater took flight, so she didn’t see Jack stooping to pick it up.
Katie sat up on the blanket, watching as Jack gave the hat to George after giving it a quick shake. He leaned in and said something to make George smile as she tucked the hat underneath her arm.
‘Are those two into each other or what?’ Frankie asked as Jack fell into step with George as she made her way back to the blanket.
‘That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking.’ Katie leaned in towards Frankie, her eyes on George and Jack to make sure they were still out of earshot. ‘I saw George and Thomas coming out of his house the other day.’
‘Since when do they hang out?’
Katie shrugged. ‘I have no idea, but they look cosy.’ George was laughing at something Jack had said, and he bumped his arm against hers playfully. ‘Who needs a big, shaggy Cupid dog, eh?’
Rob was late picking up the kids that evening, so although Elliot and Lizzie were ready to fly out of the door as soon his car pulled up for once, it meant there was a crossover between the three leaving the house and Jack arriving for their usual walk down to the pub.
‘New boyfriend?’ Rob whispered as he passed her in the hallway.
The Single Mums' Picnic Club Page 22