Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Frankie managed to hold it together long enough to walk Dylan back to the hotel, though her stomach was churning the entire way.
He was here. Actually here, on Herm. He was single. He was staying for two whole weeks. He had told her mum, but not her. He’d seen her holding hands with Jake. And he wanted to be alone.
Her poor brain wasn’t sure which of those pieces of information to process first, or which was related to which. It seemed to have decided to process none at all, and was frozen into some kind of catatonic state instead. Immaculate timing.
‘I’ll leave you to it,’ she said, reluctantly, when they got to the hotel lobby. ‘You’ll have to, I don’t know, send up some smoke signals if you need me.’
Dylan kicked at the carpet as if trying to make it less ugly, but it wasn’t budging. ‘Actually, I do need you for something, Frankie,’ he said. ‘I don’t know how big of an ask it is though…’
‘You, international rock star, need me, lowly cottage cleaner?’ said Frankie, her lips twisting into a mock pout. ‘Am I your muse or something?’
‘No,’ he said a little too quickly. ‘I mean, yes of course, but no, that’s not what I meant.’
She pouted for real this time. ‘Rude.’
‘Sorry, what I meant was, I need to book in some time with you. I am going to need to meet Derek and Dave.’
She tried to control her face. ‘I’m sorry, you’re what?’
He beamed at her, a wide warm smile, and it was like a light coming on. ‘I need to see the famous Herm donkeys. That is their names, right? How could anyone forget a name like Derek? Will you take me? Tomorrow?’
‘Of all the things I thought you might say, that was not it,’ she said.
‘But will you, though?’
‘Sure.’ Frankie tried to keep the sigh out of her voice. ‘How about I come and collect you in the morning, after breakfast? I can take you over to the cottage. Via the donkeys, of course.’
‘Providing they are where they’re meant to be, of course,’ said Dylan. He looked more excited to meet Derek and Dave than she’d ever seen him.
‘Yup. They’re a pair of monkeys.’
‘Excellent.’
‘Great. Well, sleep well.’
He was already turning away. ‘You too. Night, Frankie.’
‘Welcome to Herm,’ she muttered, heart sinking into her shoes.
Sally stood up to greet him as he sauntered over to the reception desk, where she’d been ineffectually hiding behind a book, pretending not to listen to their conversation.
Frankie lingered just outside the door, waited until he’d claimed his key and sauntered away again towards his room, then tiptoed back to her friend as quietly as she could.
‘Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God,’ said Sally, looking left and right as if he could reappear at any minute. ‘You weren’t kidding. It’s actually him. I forgot how bloody handsome he was. Can you imagine how gorgeous your babies would be. Lordy.’
‘Told you he was back.’ Frankie dropped her head into her hands on the shiny walnut counter. ‘And you’re not helping.’
‘I’m guessing it could have gone better?’ Sally said, putting a hand on her arm.
‘It couldn’t have gone worse.’
‘I’m sure it wasn’t as bad as you think,’ said Sally.
Frankie shot her a look.
‘Okay, it wasn’t great but he’s here for a bit, right? So we can work on him. He’ll be super in love with you by the end of this, you’ll see.’
‘I think that ship has sailed.’ Frankie dropped her chin onto her arms. ‘But he does want to see the donkeys,’ she added, wryly. ‘So, there’s that.’
Before she could explain any more, there was a rustling in the hallway. Dylan stuck his head round the corner and Frankie and Sally leapt to attention.
‘Sorry, I forgot to book breakfast,’ he said with an apologetic smile. ‘Is 9am okay?’
‘Of course, sir,’ said Sally, doing her best hotel manager voice.
‘Great, thanks.’ His eyes swept over Frankie’s body, a cheeky grin on his lips. ‘And, Frankie, I should have said, you look amazing in that dress. Goodnight.’ With that, he was gone.
‘Oh my God,’ hissed Sally.
‘You said that,’ said Frankie.
‘I know, but seriously. I knew that dress was a winner.’
‘He was being sarcastic.’
‘I really don’t think he was. And did you see that smile. Lord God in heaven, he knew what He was doing when He made that one, eh.’
‘Oh my God, help me, more to the point,’ said Frankie.