‘Well, I haven’t decided really. A few days was my initial plan but I’m thinking now that I might stay a bit longer.’
‘You should. There’s a lot to see and do.’ Heat rushed into Jonas’s cheeks and he cursed inwardly. Nerves and blushing! What was this woman doing to him? But he also wondered how many people could afford to add extra days to a trip. Was money no object for her?
Freya flashed him a knowing smile.
‘Jonas is right. I’m sure he could show you around if you wanted a guide.’
Frankie smiled and nodded then sipped her wine. ‘Mmmm. This is good!’
‘It is. I’m rather fond of good wine.’
‘My father has a cellar full.’ Frankie’s eyes widened. ‘I mean… he likes wine, you know, so he buys a lot. Even invests in it.’
‘I see.’ Freya sat back in her chair. ‘And does he have his own place?’
‘Sorry?’
‘What I meant was… is he single or… married?’
‘Oh… no. He was once but he never got over my mother leaving him.’
Jonas felt like a tennis referee, his head was turning from one woman to the other so quickly.
‘He’s … single then?’
‘Yes.’
There was tension in the air and Jonas wasn’t sure why but he didn’t like it. Freya’s face had blanched and Frankie’s cheeks now glowed. How had they got on to this subject anyway? It was evidently not a good one for them to discuss.
‘How about your job, Frankie? What do you do?’ Jonas tried to change the subject.
‘It’s really not that interesting.’ She shrugged.
‘Well, try to explain. I’m interested.’
‘OK. But try not to fall asleep.’
* * *
Frankie threw her head back and laughed again. She was having such a good time. The evening had started a bit awkwardly when Freya had asked about her father but then Jonas had stepped in and changed the subject, and Frankie was incredibly glad that he had. He’d listened to her speaking about her own job that she realized she had no enthusiasm for at all, because try as she might, she couldn’t make it sound interesting. Then Jonas had taken over and told her all about what he did, a combination of running tours to see the northern lights and selling his photographs. He was so happy with how he made a living, and so relaxed about life, that he made Frankie yearn for a similar existence. Of course, it could have been the wine, she realized, as the waitress delivered the third bottle to their table, but she didn’t care. She was having fun and actually felt happy.
She was also learning about Freya, as the older woman added to Jonas’s stories and started to reveal small details about herself and her life. It seemed that she’d come to Norway for a break then never left. She’d spent the first few years there painting and selling her art, then she’d saved enough to open her own gallery. From what Frankie could gather, there had been no more children, although there had been a few gentlemen friends, but nothing serious.
When Freya had asked about her father, Frankie felt sure she’d seen something in her eyes, a haunted longing, perhaps. Again, she could blame the wine for letting her fancies run away with her. What would be better than to find out that Freya had never stopped loving her husband and still thought of him often? It would be a just punishment for a woman who’d left her husband and child behind. But Freya had no idea who Frankie was, did she? She’d said nothing and shown no signs of recognizing her.
And that was the way Frankie wanted to keep it for now. She wanted the opportunity to get to know Freya a bit better before dropping the bombshell that she was her daughter. Freya might turn her away right now if she found out, and what would Frankie have achieved if that happened? Not even the chance to ask her questions. If she remained a customer, then Freya would have no reason to be anything other than warm and polite towards her.
She couldn’t deny that she felt a bit bad about the deception, but she tried to justify it by telling herself that Freya might seem nice right now, but she had abandoned her life and her family, so there must be a tougher side to her than what Frankie had seen so far.
‘What do you think, Frankie?’
‘About what?’ She sat up straight in her chair, aware that she’d been lost in her thoughts and not heard what Jonas had said.
‘About taking a trip and seeing some of this yourself.’
He smiled at her, his blue eyes twinkling and his hair shining like a golden halo around his head. His beard was neatly trimmed, and she could better see the strength of his jaw than earlier that day and wondered how he’d look completely clean-shaven. Either way, he was a good-looking man, if a bit more rugged than Frankie usually found attractive.
She smiled back at him, the wine making her more relaxed and even flirtatious.
‘I think that I would definitely like to see some of this myself.’
‘Fantastic. How does this weekend sound?’
She swallowed hard. This weekend? Heading off into freezing conditions where wolves and polar bears still roamed. It seemed great as a future prospect but right now?
Her mobile starting buzzing in her bag so she excused herself for a moment to peer at the screen. It was her father’s number. He said he wouldn’t contact her as long as she stayed in touch so something must be wrong.
‘I’m so sorry. I have to take this,’ she whispered to Freya and Jonas then swiped the screen before heading to the toilets.
‘Hello? Dad?’
‘Hello, Frances, I’ve got hold of you at last.’
Frankie’s stomach churned at the familiar voice, so she headed into a cubicle and locked the door behind her. She had a feeling she was going to need the privacy.
Chapter 13
Frankie ended the call then stared at the blank screen of her mobile. She’d known that speaking to Grandma again wouldn’t be easy but now that she had, she felt a million times worse than before. Her grandmother had used her father’s mobile to contact her, suspecting that she’d answer a call from him.
She put the toilet lid down and sank onto it, turning her mobile over and over in her hands. Grandma was still absolutely furious and she had let Frankie know it in no uncertain terms. She was also still incredibly embarrassed, and berated Frankie for showing her up in front of her friends and acquaintances, repeating some of the things she’d said on Rolo’s family driveway and adding a few more insults for good measure. Frankie had stayed quiet, allowing Grandma to speak, knowing from past experience that it was easier to let Helen Ashford get it all off her chest. Interrupting her would only have stoked the furnace and besides, Frankie’s growing guilt made her feel that Grandma deserved the opportunity to have her say.
However, when Grandma had insisted that Frankie return home on the next available flight, something inside Frankie had sparked, that stubborn flame that she’d always tried to suppress and that had got her into trouble with her grandmother in the past. Grandma had demanded to know where Frankie was, but she’d stayed quiet; there was no way she was going to make it easy for her grandmother to track her down. In the end, once Grandma had vented and finally exhausted her repertoire of put-downs, Frankie had told her that she’d be home at some point, that she loved her and would stay in touch via text message, but asked her not to phone again as she needed the time and space to think about what she wanted from life and for her future. She’d ended the call then before Grandma could attempt round two.
She held up her hands, the left one still clutching her mobile, and saw that they were trembling, and no wonder.
What could she do? How could she free her mind and decide what she wanted?
She needed to get in touch with nature, to breathe fresh clear air and escape everything that reminded her of her old life. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose, then let herself out of the cubicle, washed her hands and splashed some water over her face.
It was obvious now, what she had to do. She would go on a tour with Jonas and see the Norwegian countryside. If she
was going to return to London and possibly to her life there with all its entrapments, customs and acceptable behaviour – although she wasn’t yet sure that she could face this course of action – then she would allow herself some time out first in a true wilderness.
Out there, away from everything, perhaps she would find herself.
* * *
Jonas stood up when Frankie returned to their table and when they sat back down, he had to bite his lip not to ask if she was all right, because she clearly wasn’t. Her eyes were red-rimmed and watery, so she’d either been crying or had a massive sneezing fit.
Freya, however, was not going to let it go.
‘Frankie, was that bad news?’
Frankie dropped her mobile into her bag hanging on the back of her chair then shook her head. ‘Oh, no, just someone from home.’
‘But you’ve been crying.’
Frankie sipped her wine then looked at Freya and Jonas in turn. ‘It was my grandmother. She’s a bit… annoyed at the moment.’
Jonas felt Freya stiffen beside him. ‘Your grandmother? What’s her problem?’
Jonas glanced at Freya and was surprised to see that her hands were scrunching up her napkin on the table. She was always so calm and in control that it was a shock to see that she actually seemed angry.
‘Oh…’ Frankie waved a hand then a tear ran down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly but another soon followed and another until she raised her napkin and covered her face. ‘I’m so sorry. This is really embarrassing. I honestly didn’t mean to cry in front of you. I barely know you but I’m just feeling a bit… emotional at the moment.’
Freya got up and went to Frankie then wrapped an arm around her shoulders. ‘It’s all right, Frankie, we all have our off moments. Jonas and I don’t mind at all, do we?’
‘No… not at all. I’m always making women cry in restaurants.’
Frankie snorted.
‘That’s right, he’s so rude and gruff sometimes, Frankie, that he sends women into floods of tears.’
‘Floods.’ He coughed. ‘Regular brute I am. I blame my Viking ancestry.’
Frankie lowered her napkin and peered at them both then accepted a tissue from Freya.
‘I can’t quite see you as a brute.’ She smiled at Jonas and something inside him loosened, as if he’d been holding himself tight and he’d just relaxed a bit.
‘He’s not, really, Frankie, he’s one of the sweetest men I’ve ever met.’ Freya patted his hand and he smiled.
Frankie dried her eyes then shook her head. ‘I really am sorry though. This isn’t me at all. I don’t cry when I’m out with strangers. I barely cry at all. Stiff upper lip and all that.’
‘We don’t have to be strangers,’ Freya said, and Jonas turned to her. Something in her tone told him that there was more to her words than the kindly reassurance of a customer.
Frankie opened her mouth as if to speak, then glanced at Jonas and sighed. Whatever she was about to say to Freya, she’d decided not to because he was there.
‘I’ll, um… just pop to the toilet.’ He was about to get up but Frankie reached out and held his arm, gazing up at him with watery eyes full of emotion.
‘Jonas. I’ve decided that I’d really like to see the northern lights. Would you take me on one of your tours?’
‘Of course. I’d be happy to take you. There’s no guarantee that we will see them at any point, I should warn you of that, but we often do.’
‘Well, I’d like to go. When’s the next one?’
‘As I mentioned, I’m actually heading to Tromsø on Friday.’
‘This Friday?’
He nodded.
‘That’s perfect. The sooner the better.’
‘Do you have appropriate clothing, Frankie?’ Freya asked. ‘It’s pretty cold up there.’
‘You do need proper gear.’ Jonas ran his eyes over her face, taking in her red eyes and nose and her pretty mouth. The need to make her smile surged through him and he knew that seeing the lights could lift anyone’s spirits. He’d do his best to ensure that she had a good weekend.
‘Oh, I don’t. I can get some though, if you just tell me what I need.’
‘How about if I take you shopping tomorrow?’ Freya asked. ‘I know what you need to get.’
‘That’s very kind, thank you.’ Frankie smiled. ‘I’d really like that.’
Jonas had a feeling that he was witnessing something special happening here between these two women. It was more than just an agreement to go on a shopping trip. He didn’t know exactly why but he suspected it would soon become clear.
* * *
Outside her hotel, Frankie stopped and turned to Jonas.
‘Thanks for walking me back. You didn’t need to.’
He shrugged. ‘It was a pleasure. Besides, after eating so much rich food I needed to walk some of it off.’ He patted his flat stomach and she smiled.
‘The food was delicious.’
‘Are you OK now?’ He tilted his head as he gazed at her and she realized again how handsome he was.
‘Yes… I’m fine, thank you. My grandmother is just a tricky customer at times.’
‘She must have said something very mean to make you cry.’
‘No. Well, yes. But it’s my fault. I kind of deserved it.’
‘I find that hard to believe, Frankie. I know I hardly know you at all but from what I’ve seen so far you’re a good person.’
‘You never know though, right? Everyone has a dark side, don’t they?’
‘What, like a Star Wars character?’
She laughed. ‘Exactly.’
‘I’m sure your dark side is much brighter than a lot of people’s.’
‘Perhaps. But I have done things I’m not proud of.’
‘So has everyone. Don’t beat yourself up about it, though.’ He reached out then and gently brushed her cheek. ‘You had an eyelash there.’
‘Thank you.’ Her heart fluttered with the impact of his touch. How could such big hands be so gentle? He had barely touched her skin and yet electricity fizzed through her body, making her light-headed. She put up a hand to steady herself and he took it.
‘Frankie?’ She met his eyes and saw concern there.
‘It’s all right. I think it’s just the wine.’
‘You need to get some rest.’
‘I do.’ She squeezed his hand then released it. ‘I’ll see you soon?’
‘You will. I can’t wait for you to see the beauty of northern Norway. I have a feeling you’ll love it.’
‘I’m sure I will.’
‘Goodnight, Frankie.’
‘Goodnight.’
She walked into the hotel and as the door closed behind her, she turned back to wave and found him watching her. He was such a gentleman, kind and caring, and also surprisingly bloody sexy. As she crossed the lobby then stepped into the lift, Frankie was certain that she’d never met a man quite like Jonas Thorsen and she liked the way she felt when she was around him.
Chapter 14
Jonas made his way back to the gallery. He’d left his mobile phone there that afternoon and thought he’d better get it before he went home. As he neared the gallery, he could see light coming from behind the blinds. He frowned. Had they left a light on when they’d closed up? He couldn’t remember doing so and he was always careful to check everything before he left for the day. Besides, Freya had been with him, so there had been two of them to make sure that everything was off.
He pulled his set of keys from his pocket and opened the door then locked it behind him. What if they were being burgled? It was possible that someone could have broken in through the back door and that they had come to steal some of the paintings. Art thieves! It could happen, although it hadn’t in all the years he’d worked with Freya.
He picked up a vase from the shelf behind the desk then crept through the shop. As he passed his photographs of the northern lights, he smiled at the SOLD sticker next to one of them. If Frankie lo
ved the photographs so much, what would she think of the real thing?
A rustling from the office next to the kitchenette caught his attention and he hurried towards the door then pushed it open, preparing to smash the vase down on the intruder’s head, but he froze when he saw Freya slumped at the desk.
‘Shit, Freya! I thought we were being robbed.’
She shook her head but didn’t look up. ‘What’re you doing here? I thought you were going home after you’d walked Frankie back to her hotel.’
Her voice sounded different, very unlike the confident, happy tones of the woman he knew.
‘Freya?’ He took the seat opposite her and noticed the glass of whisky on the table in front of her. ‘What is it?’
She met his eyes and he could see that she’d been crying.
‘I clearly need to improve my social skills,’ he blurted.
‘What?’
‘Well, first Frankie, and now you. I’ve been out with both of you tonight and both of you have ended up crying.’
‘Jonas, it’s not your fault.’ She laughed but her cheeks glistened in the electric light. She placed something on the desk in front of him so he picked it up.
It was a photograph taken with a Polaroid camera. It showed a tiny baby dressed in pink lying on a crocheted white shawl.
‘Is this you?’ he asked.
She shook her head. ‘Turn it over.’
He did and saw faded writing on the back of it. ‘Frances Hannah Ashford. 1989.’
He looked at the picture again.
‘Is this…’
‘Yes, it’s Frankie.’
‘But how? I don’t understand. How do you have a photo of her as a baby?’
‘Because I’m her mother.’
Jonas felt his mouth drop open as everything fell into place.
‘You might need this.’ Freya poured him a whisky too.
An hour later, everything was clearer. Freya filled Jonas in about her past in detail and he had been surprised, shocked and even angry as she’d told him about her life in England and about what had made her leave her baby daughter behind. Freya explained that she’d never told him before because it was just too painful to talk about, and she’d also worried about what he’d think if she told him the truth. After all, she had walked out on her family and what kind of a woman did that?
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