Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
The following morning dawned bright and sunny.
Frankie kicked at the dirt outside the hotel and wondered whether she should forget all about it.
Dylan probably had, after all. The donkeys had probably only been something to say.
A way to appease her, or perhaps a way to show that he had actually read her messages.
Nothing more. Not, as Sally had suggested, a secret clue that he was in love with her or anything ridiculous like that.
Even the dress comment, which Sally had taken as another Major Clue.
That was just politeness, or perhaps a way to tease her and make her feel like crap. Keep her on the hook a little bit.
Sally and Frankie had talked through most of Sally’s late shift, something in Frankie not wanting to leave the hotel in case he reappeared in reception.
She was onto a loser and she knew it, but somehow she couldn’t tell her body that.
Her body just wanted to be anywhere he was.
He didn’t reappear and so shortly after midnight, Frankie trudged home, as was her habit lately, fell into bed and cried herself to sleep.
Which hadn’t helped the situation as now her eyes were red and swollen, something her brother took great delight in telling her at breakfast.
‘Make him stop, please,’ she’d said in the end, exasperated.
But her mother wasn’t listening. She was smoothing down her extremely slinky dress and reapplying eye liner for the millionth time that morning.
‘I mean it. Will you do something about Bobby. Please. Also, what are you all dressed up for?’ As the words left her lips, Frankie’s gut clenched.
‘Nothing, darling. I just need to go and make sure our new guest is all settled.’
‘What? No, you don’t. You didn’t bloody tell me he was coming and now you’re the one going to settle him in?’
‘What’s going on?’ said Bobby, looking between them, bemused.
Brian shuffled his paper from his seat by the fire. ‘My wife and daughter are both chasing the same man.’
‘What the actual f–,’ started Bobby. ‘And you wonder why I left this GD family?’
Brian waved a hand from behind the paper. ‘I’m fine with it, by the way.’
‘Darling, don’t be ridiculous,’ said Lily.
‘What the hell is going on?’ said Bobby, fully invested now.
‘It’s that Dylan,’ said Frankie, trying to sound nonchalant. ‘From the Misdemeanours? He’s back on the island. Mum took the booking and didn’t bother to even tell us.’
Bobby was out of his chair. ‘Dylan Wright is here right now? On Herm?’
Frankie raised an eyebrow. ‘I didn’t know you liked the band.’
‘I bloody love them. He’s the coolest dude ever. I still think you guys are full of shit, but this I need to see for myself.’
‘I think your sister is going to sort him out this morning,’ said their dad, then he and Bobby both burst out laughing in the same moment. ‘That sounded wrong.’
Frankie’s face was burning but she let out a nervous laugh. ‘For God’s sake, you two. I’m going to help him move to Heron. That’s all.’
‘Ooooooh, you’ve got a date already?’ said Bobby.
‘Don’t be ridiculous. It’s no big deal. You can come with me if you want,’ she said reluctantly. Don’t say yes, don’t say yes.
Bobby grinned. ‘Think I’ll take you up on that. Come on. Think he’d be up for a selfie?’
‘With you? Definitely not,’ said Brian. ‘The man’s got to have some standards.’
Bobby laughed even as Frankie’s heart sank into her shoes. At least it wasn’t her mother, who was now leaning against the kitchen counter looking most put out.
‘I thought I was the one sorting out young Dylan,’ she said, pursing her lips.
‘He’s far too young for you,’ said her husband with a snort. ‘Plus, you are a married woman might I remind you.’
Lily waved a hand. ‘Whatever,’ she said like a petulant teenager.
Frankie rolled her eyes, then turned to Bobby. ‘Come on, if you’re coming.’
‘How about an autograph, do people still do those?’ said Bobby as if no one else had spoken, and Frankie smiled at the little glimpse of teenage Bobby she’d missed for so long.
‘You can ask,’ she said, shrugging. ‘If you want to look like an idiot.’
‘Hey…’
‘Just saying.’
And so now here she was, mooching around outside the hotel, waiting for Dylan, while Bobby chatted to Sally in reception. All she needed was Jake to turn up and it would be the perfect morning.
‘Hey, Frankie,’ said a voice. Not Jake’s, thankfully.
Dylan was standing before her, two enormous bags at his feet, arms folded as if he’d been watching her for a while.
‘Good morning,’ she said, instantly self-conscious under the heat of his stare. ‘How was your night?’
‘Great, actually. I opened the windows and listened to the sea. It’s healing, somehow.’
‘You need healing?’ she said before she could stop herself.
And there it was again. The flash of something in those navy eyes, just for a split second. Something darker. Frankie frowned, but a moment later she was already wondering if maybe she’d imagined it.
‘No, no, of course not,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘I meant, I don’t know, soothing, perhaps?’
‘That’s for sure. Shall we go?’ said Frankie, wondering if they could get away without Bobby spotting them. Somehow Dylan must have slipped past him in the lobby. Apparently, he’d been too – ahem – busy with Sally to notice the international rock star walking past.
‘Dylan Wright as I live and breathe,’ came his dulcet tones at that very moment.
To his credit, Dylan plastered a smile onto his face. ‘The very same,’ he said, putting out a hand to shake Bobby’s.
Bobby’s eyes widened as he took it. ‘Woah. It genuinely is you. I thought Frankie was making it up. She does that.’
Dylan looked amused as he threw her a look. ‘Does she, now?’
‘I absolutely do not,’ said Frankie. ‘Dylan, this is my brother, Bobby. The bad news is, he’s a big fan, sorry about that. The good news is, he’s only here for a few more days.’
‘Perfect,’ said Dylan, smiling warmly at Bobby, who had gone on shaking his hand as if he didn’t want to let it go. ‘Great to meet you, Bobby.’
‘Likewise. She’s right, I am a big fan.’
‘Well, that’s kind of you to say, thanks, man. Nice island you got here.’
‘Oh, cheers. We like it. It’s a real babe magnet.’
‘Ha, I’m sure. They flock over on the ferry for a glimpse of the famous Bobby.’
‘Something like that.’
Frankie watched the two interacting as if she was having an out of body experience.
And wondering, not for the first time, where Dylan got his self-assurance from.
Where both of them did, for that matter.
They were both men in their late twenties, yet it was as though they’d been born with instant confidence, which had bypassed her completely.
Bobby’s had slipped for a split second when he first saw Dylan in real life, which had given her no small amount of satisfaction, but now? Now it was back with a vengeance.
Was it a man thing? Was that it? Or just these two particular examples, who definitely should never be allowed to be friends. The universe might implode under the weight of their swagger.
As if on some kind of cue, Bobby and Dylan both turned and looked at her, and she shifted uncomfortably under their collective gaze.
‘What?’ she found herself saying.
‘Shall we go?’ said Bobby.
‘We have to go via the donkeys,’ said Frankie. ‘Dylan is very insistent about that.’
‘Fine,’ said Bobby. He may as well have had hearts in his eyes, the way he was looking at Dylan. Her whole family was smitten.
‘Come on, then,’ she said with a sigh.
Dylan fell into step beside her as they walked up the hill from the hotel into the middle of the island.
He had one huge bag swung casually over one shoulder, but she could have sworn she noticed a bead of sweat on his brow, his jaw clenched, and muscles tensed.
Bobby, meanwhile, was whistling as he weaved around them both to walk in front, the other enormous bag slung across his shoulders.
He barely seemed to notice it was there. He was practically skipping.
‘He’s in the army,’ said Frankie. That only seemed to make it worse.
‘What?’ breathed Dylan, clearly struggling.
‘He’s in the army,’ said Frankie again. ‘We should probably make him carry both bags.’
Dylan was breathing hard. ‘I hope you’re not suggesting you think I’m struggling with this bag,’ he managed.
Frankie snorted. ‘God forbid. No. I was merely saying it would be funny to make him carry both, that’s all.’
Dylan reshouldered his bag for the 854th time. ‘Good. Glad to hear it.’
‘I can carry both if you want,’ Bobby said, making it worse as usual.
‘I’m fine,’ said Dylan through gritted teeth.
‘I mean, I can carry it if you want,’ said Frankie. ‘We can’t have you getting an injury when you’re about to get down to some serious writing, can we?’
She glanced sideways at Dylan. He threw her a look, then flexed a hand.
‘So long as I’ve got these babies, we’ll be fine,’ he said, a flash of suggestion in those navy-blue eyes.
‘Just don’t fall on that pretty face of yours,’ she said, and her face flushed.
‘I’m trying,’ he wailed.
Fortunately for Dylan, they had reached the top of the hill, and there, waiting at the gate to the field at the crossroads, were two little donkey faces.
As soon as they set eyes on Frankie, they started to make little huffing noises before Derek launched into a full-blown wail, as only donkeys can.
Dylan dropped his bag gratefully on the ground and put his hands over his ears. ‘That is quite the noise,’ he said, grimacing.
Bobby was still standing there with the bag across his shoulders, not even breathing hard. ‘You get used to it,’ he said over the cacophony as Dave began to join in.
But Frankie had come prepared. She reached into her pocket for some magic ginger biscuits, deftly handed one to each donkey, and the noise quickly subsided.
Dylan raised his eyebrows at her. ‘Impressive,’ he said.
‘You ain’t seen nothing yet,’ said Bobby. ‘Frankie’s always been a whizz with these guys.’
‘I’m surprised you can remember,’ said Frankie, pretending not to notice Dylan giving her an appreciative glance.
‘Ouch,’ said Bobby, mock clutching at his heart.
Dylan was leaning on the gate, rubbing the donkeys’ heads. ‘They’re amazing,’ he said in an awed voice.
‘They’re a pain in the ass,’ said Frankie, giving Derek’s ears a scratch. ‘Forgive the pun, but they escape practically every day. I spend half my life chasing them around the island.’
‘You love them,’ said Bobby.
‘I do. They’re full of personality. But Dad isn’t so keen.’
‘Good job you came,’ said Dylan, who was still breathing hard, to Bobby. ‘Not sure I’d have managed my bags all the way up here.’
‘All part of the Herm service,’ said Bobby. Frankie giggled and he threw her a look. ‘I know, I know, you’re surprised I can remember.’ He eyed Dylan. ‘My sister has a few issues with the fact I left the island when I was sixteen. Something she’s always wanted to do, incidentally.’
Dylan looked at her, eyebrows raised. ‘Is that so?’
Frankie crossed her arms. ‘It was, as it goes. But when this total knobhead went and left me behind, I couldn’t, could I? I couldn’t leave our mum and dad alone.’
Bobby gave a barking laugh. ‘That’s just an excuse. You could have left any time.’
She could feel Dylan watching her closely. ‘Ahem. Anyway, I’m sure Dylan doesn’t want to hear all that. Shall we go? Heron is a bit further along here, but I’m sure you remember.’
‘I do,’ said Dylan in a low voice.
‘Come on if you’re coming,’ said Bobby, slinging Dylan’s other bag over his shoulder without so much as a wince.
‘I can take it,’ said Dylan, bristling a little. Frankie stifled a smile.
‘You just look after my sister,’ said Bobby, a touch of menace in his voice.
Dylan stared at him, then coughed. ‘Oh, you mean, walk with her?’
Bobby did a double take. ‘What? What did you think I meant?’
‘Never mind,’ said Dylan, grinning. Then, turning to Frankie, he said, ‘Shall we?’
Frankie, who had been pretending to focus on something in the hedge, turned to him as if she hadn’t heard. ‘Sorry, what?’
‘Let’s go,’ he said.