Don't Want To Miss A Thing (31 page)

‘No.’ Dex smiled drily. ‘And it would have been nice if she could have said it to me instead of Henry, but it’s a start.’

Their eyes met and Molly’s heart went out to him. It was quite an emotional moment, hearing Delphi say the word for the first time, even if it was to the wrong person. And on her birthday too.

‘Dada.’ Molly attracted Delphi’s attention and pointed to Dex. ‘
Dada
.’

‘Dadadadada.’ Delphi curled her arm around Henry’s neck and plonked a slobbery kiss on the side of his jaw.

Then Molly jumped as an amused voice right behind her said, ‘Genetically unlikely.’

‘Hi.’ Dex stopped videoing Delphi and Amanda brushed past Molly as she moved towards him and greeted him with a kiss on the mouth.

Well,
that
got everyone’s attention. All around the garden people turned to look and eyebrows were raised at this new and gossip-worthy turn of events. Molly felt a tiny bit as if she’d taken a step on to ground that was no longer there.

‘I decided there’s no reason to keep quiet about us any longer,’ Amanda told Dex with a grin. Turning to survey the sea of interested faces, she announced, ‘Don’t worry, everyone, he isn’t my patient and neither is Delphi now. It’s allowed! We’re completely legal and above board, two single people who get on together very well indeed. And look who else I’m here to see!’ Holding out her arms, she removed Delphi from Henry and scooped her up into the air. ‘Happy birthday, little one!
Don’t you look beautiful in your fluffy hat? Such a pretty girl!’

Delphi had been the centre of attention all afternoon, but seeing Amanda holding and hugging her in such a proprietorial fashion was making Molly feel even weirder than witnessing the kiss between Amanda and Dex.

A tiny twist of – what was it? Jealousy? – speared her chest as she watched Delphi pucker up her tiny rosebud mouth and plant a kiss on Amanda’s cheek.

‘Aahh, thank you, that’s lovely,’ cooed Amanda.

‘MamamamaMAH,’ said Delphi.

The tiny twist in Molly’s chest became a Sabatier knife. Unable to watch, she turned her attention to the phone in her hand. OK, Vince would be waiting for a reply.

Her fingers trembling slightly, she texted: ‘Come over now!’

‘By the way.’ Lois drew her father to one side and murmured, ‘Don’t say anything to anyone else, but it’s only fair to warn you. I think Frankie’s interested.’

Stefan frowned slightly. ‘Interested in what?’

‘In
you
, Dad!’ Lois grinned at his look of dismay.

‘Surely not.’

‘I’m pretty sure she is. She was giving me the third degree earlier, asking all sorts of questions about you and your romantic history.’ Wryly she added, ‘So that didn’t take long. But you should have heard her and seen the way she was looking at me when I talked about you. She was
desperate
for details.’

‘Oh God,’ sighed Stefan. ‘I wondered if there was something a bit weird going on when she turned up at the caravan to see me. But I didn’t realise it was that.’

‘Well, why would you? You’re only a man.’ Lois, who adored her father, was familiar with the shortcomings of the opposite
sex; you didn’t run a pub for as long as she had without learning how hopeless they had the capacity to be.

‘Are you sure you’re right?’

‘Dad, I’m always right. Frankie’s husband left her. She’s on her own and frantic to feel whole again. And wanted. And . . . attractive. She needs another man in her life to replace Joe and it looks like you’re the one she’s set her sights on.’

‘Well, this is awkward.’ Stefan looked worried. ‘I mean, she’s a perfectly nice woman but I just don’t . . . there isn’t any . . .’

‘I know, Dad. That’s why I’m warning you,’ Lois said sympathetically. ‘Do you want me to say something to her? Kind of let her down gently, let her know you aren’t interested?’

‘No, no, don’t.’ Evidently mortified at the prospect, Stefan said, ‘Please don’t do that. I’ll just make sure I stay well out of her way.’

Chapter 38

Molly had never been so glad to see someone. Keeping an eye out for Vince, she’d watched as Stefan slipped away from the party, then saw Vince’s well-polished car pull up outside the café. Ten minutes ago, Amanda had said, ‘So I hear you’ve got yourself a boyfriend? That’s fantastic!’ In the manner of a competitive mother being over-delighted that her toddler has managed to do its first ever poo in the toilet.

Molly nodded. ‘Yes, his name’s Vince.’

‘I know, I’ve been hearing all about him from Dex. And is he nice?’

‘Really nice.’

‘Well, that’s great! I can’t wait to meet him. Dex was telling me it’s been quite a while since your last boyfriend.’

It had been a year ago exactly, in fact. The last twelve months had been something of a sexual desert. The only person she’d shared a bed with was Dex, and that had lasted all of ten minutes.

Molly wondered if he’d told Amanda about that, the infamous over-confident, drunken fumble?

Actually, probably best not to mention it.

Meanwhile, Amanda was waiting for a reply.

‘Yes.’ Another nod of agreement. ‘It’s been some time.’
Thanks for reminding me
.

‘Well, if you need anything in the contraception department, just give the surgery a call and book an appointment.’ Amanda surveyed her with the confident air of a woman entirely in control of her own contraceptive requirements. ‘We’ll soon have you fixed up!’

Anyway, Vince was here now, looking thrillingly handsome in a dark blue linen suit and pale green shirt, pausing beside the car for a moment to take out a handkerchief and wipe away a smudge of something on the gleaming paintwork.

‘Is that him?’ Joining her, Frankie whistled and said, ‘Wow.’

‘I know.’ Molly experienced a rush of pride; he
was
a physically perfect specimen. It felt a bit weird to be thinking about it, but she probably should get some contraception sorted out.

Not through Amanda though, brrr
.

Having greeted Vince and led him through to the garden, she introduced him to the other guests along the way. Finally they reached Dex and Amanda. Vince shook Dex’s hand and said, ‘Good to see you again.’

Dex said easily, ‘You too.’

‘And I’m Amanda. Hello!’ Having greeted him, Amanda linked her arm proprietorially through Dex’s. Eyes sparkling, she turned to Molly. ‘I have to say, well
done
.’

Right in front of everyone, as if to signal her amazement that Molly could have landed such a prize.
OK, please don’t start talking about contraceptives again
.

Molly blurted out, ‘Actually, we only came back to say hello and goodbye. We’re heading off now.’ They’d seen and admired him, that was enough.

‘We don’t have to,’ said Vince. ‘The table’s booked for eight so
we don’t need to leave before seven twenty.’ He paused to consider. ‘Maybe seven fifteen to be on the safe side.’

OK, he’d been a little bit like this the other evening; being punctual was evidently important to him. Molly said, ‘Yes, but I want to go home first, get changed and freshen up.’ Oh God,
cringe
, had she really just said that? She’d never used the words
freshen up
before in her life.

‘Ah, didn’t realise.’ Vince checked his watch, mentally recalculating the timings. ‘In that case, let’s go.’

Amanda raised a groomed eyebrow as if discreetly reminding her not to get carried away and have wild sex without protection. Then she broke into a wide smile. ‘Have a great evening. And listen, we’re practically neighbours now. We should get together!’ She turned to Dex. ‘Why don’t we invite them over for supper next weekend?’

‘Sounds like a plan.’ Dex, as easygoing as ever, went along with it. ‘Why not? I’m getting pretty good at cheese on toast.’

This was his new culinary masterpiece. Molly said, ‘Only because I taught you to add Worcester Sauce.’

‘Wash your mouths out, you two.’ Amanda affected horror. ‘I’ll be in charge of the food and it isn’t going to be anything like that. Trust me, I’m an excellent cook.’

‘Really?’ Dex looked impressed.

‘Absolutely.’ Her smile was both playful and provocative. ‘Just another of my many talents.’

Bleurgh, definitely time to go
.

‘You don’t need to do this,’ said Frankie when she saw Henry at the sink with his shirtsleeves rolled up, elbow-deep in suds, washing all the glasses that hadn’t been able to fit into the dishwasher.

‘Not a problem.’ He dismissed her protest with a shrug. ‘I enjoy it.’

It was eight o’clock; the party was finally over, the band packed up and gone now, the last few guests drifting away.

‘Always nice to see a man getting domesticated.’ Frankie picked up a clean tea towel and began polishing the glasses dry. ‘Are you staying down here tonight?’

Amused, Henry nodded through the window at Dex and Amanda.

‘With the lovebirds, you mean? I’ll hang around for the next couple of hours, then I think I’d better head home, give them some privacy. It’s been a good day though. I’ve enjoyed it.’

‘Me too.
Whoops
.’ A wet glass slipped from Frankie’s grasp and toppled sideways on the edge of the drainer. Demonstrating lightning reflexes, Henry caught it before it could hit the floor.

‘Here you go.’ He handed it back to her.

‘Well held.’ She smiled; he was so obviously a sportsman.

‘Mum? I’m off now.’ Bursting into the kitchen, Amber gave her a hug. ‘I’m staying over at Nicole’s tonight, be back tomorrow afternoon.’

For the first time, Frankie experienced a wobble of doubt. She’d always trusted Amber implicitly. ‘What are you going to be doing?’

‘Oh, nothing much, just injecting hard drugs into my veins and knocking back bottles of neat gin. That’s a joke, by the way,’ Amber said patiently. ‘What we’re
actually
going to be doing is making salted caramel popcorn and watching girly DVDs. And I need to be home by lunchtime tomorrow because I want to do tons of revision and at least two practice papers. But if Dad asks, whatever you do, don’t tell him that. And don’t panic either, because you definitely don’t have to worry about me. OK, Mummy?’

‘Now you’re making fun of me.’ Frankie secretly loved it when Amber teased her like that. She relaxed and hugged her in return. ‘OK, darling, I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a lovely time.’

‘I will. Bye!’ Amber waved to them both and danced out of the door.

‘Your daughter’s a credit to you,’ Henry said when she’d gone.

Frankie glowed. ‘Thanks.’

‘So what are your plans for this evening?’

‘Mine? Feet up, cup of tea, telly on . . . then I’ll probably doze off and manage to spill tea all over the sofa.’ She pulled a face. ‘I live a very rock ’n’ roll lifestyle.’

Henry rinsed another glass and said suddenly, ‘Because if you felt like going out for a drink or something to eat, we could do that . . . I mean, if you wanted to, I’d be up for it . . .’

Frankie looked at him in amazement. Crikey, had she just been asked out on a
date
?

‘Oh well, that’s really nice of you, but . . . gosh.’ Panic, panic. ‘Look, thanks, but I’m not ready for any kind of . . . you know,
thingy
.’ Which sounded completely ridiculous and pathetic but the words were tumbling out of their own accord, an instinctive reaction not even pausing to involve her brain.

‘Sure, sure, no problem. Fair enough. Forget I said anything.’ It was comforting to realise Henry was as eager to put it behind him as she was, an erroneous blip to be deleted as fast as possible.

‘Thanks.’ Frankie shot him a grateful smile. ‘And look, it’s not you. It’s definitely me.’

‘And I shouldn’t have asked.’ His embarrassed-but-relieved expression gave her the first inkling that he was far shyer than he appeared.

Who’d have thought it was possible for someone so outwardly imposing to lack confidence?

One of the last remaining guests came into the kitchen at that moment and asked Henry, whom he’d earlier been tapping for free financial advice, if he could take his contact details. Henry dried his hands, opened up his wallet and gave him a business card. When the man had thanked him and left, Henry fumblingly pulled out another card and murmured, ‘Just in case you ever need . . . or want to ask anything . . . I’ll just leave one, shall I? You can always throw it in the bin as soon as I’m gone.’

Their hands brushed as Frankie took the business card and she experienced a tiny, just detectable
swoosh
of adrenalin.

‘Of course I won’t throw it in the bin,’ said Frankie.

Henry didn’t speak, just looked at her with an unreadable expression in his dark eyes. The
swoosh
happened again, ten times harder.

Frankie looked away, winded. Blimey, where had
that
come from?

Chapter 39

Dex and Amanda had urged him to stay longer but Henry knew perfectly well only Dex had meant it; it was obvious Amanda wanted him all to herself. As soon as Delphi had been settled down in her cot, leaving him the lone gooseberry in the house, he’d made his excuses and left.

It was eight fifteen and the sun was now sinking lower in the sky behind him as Henry accelerated on to the slip road and joined the eastbound carriageway of the M4. Well, talk about an eventful day. As he’d been on his way down to Briarwood earlier, he’d heard a positive-thinking expert on the radio declaring that people just needed to instigate events if they wanted to change their lives for the better. ‘Never regret the things you’ve done,’ the Positive Thinker had forcefully announced, ‘only the things you didn’t do.’

Which had sounded bloody terrifying, frankly, but the quote had stayed with Henry, dancing around inside his head and repeating itself, like an annoying song stuck on replay.

So what had he done? Decided to take the risk, make the leap, act on impulse and see if the saying was true.

Which meant he’d met Frankie, spoken to her, and discovered she more than lived up to his expectations.

He’d then gone on to clumsily ask her out.

And been briskly rejected.

Even then, though, he’d kept the faith – the ridiculous,
ludicrous
faith – and had followed up with an even clumsier move, forcing a business card upon her when it was so painfully apparent she wasn’t interested.