Page 111 of Washed Up

Her bare legs were sticking to the wood of the bench, the backrest was digging in under her shoulders but she didn’t care. His mouth claimed hers, their chests pressed together, and there was an urgency in his kiss that made her light-headed with lust.

But it was when Dylan pulled back for a moment, those dark navy eyes on hers, when he lifted his hand from her leg and brushed his thumb lightly across her jaw, her cheek, that she knew if he asked her to leave the island right now and go, well, anywhere at all, she wouldn’t even think twice.

He bent to kiss her again and she leaned against him, resisting the urge to climb right onto his lap. Whose idea was this stupid walk anyway? They were miles from civilisation, at least a mile from the nearest bed. She was already calculating how disgraceful it would be if they were to sneak into the field behind them, what the odds were of them being caught. And then, right at that moment, ‘Ahem,’ came a voice, and Frankie’s heart stuttered and stalled in her chest as they sprang apart.

Don’t be Jake. Don’t be Jake. Don’t be Jake.

Who else but Jake was standing there, looking down at them, his face a peculiar mix of grey and green.

‘Well, doesn’t this look familiar?’ he said, a bitter edge to his voice that was like nails down Frankie’s back.

Dylan went still beside her. Frankie thought she might vomit. Her face had already been flushed but now all the blood rushed to her feet and she swayed a little on the bench, putting a hand on Dylan’s leg to steady herself. It was a tiny movement, but Jake caught it and his jaw clenched.

‘I didn’t mean to interrupt,’ he said, through teeth so gritted Frankie was surprised it was audible.

‘Sure about that?’ said Dylan smoothly.

Jake’s fist clenched against his side and Frankie scooted a little further away from Dylan, her vision narrowing in panic.

‘Jake. I’m…’ she started to say, then stopped. What was she? Sorry? Not really. Ashamed? A little. Guilty? Yes. Mainly that.

‘Save it,’ said Jake, holding up a hand. ‘At least you’ve made up my mind for me, Frankie.’ Dylan’s eyes shot to hers as he said it.

She winced, shaking her head. ‘Don’t say that, Jake. Please don’t give up Herm because of me,’ she said. ‘You have friends here. You’re part of life here. Hell, my family love you more than me. My mum does, anyway.’

Jake tutted. ‘You don’t get it, do you, Frankie?’

‘Get what?’ she said. ‘What don’t I get? Tell me, Jake. Please.’

Jake sighed and hung his head. She had never seen him look so defeated.

Dylan whistled through his teeth. ‘Oh. Shit,’ he said.

‘What?’ said Frankie, looking between them.

‘I was right. He is in love with you,’ said Dylan.

Jake moved towards them slightly, then seemed to think better of it.

‘Is that true, Jake?’ said Frankie. She known his crush was pretty serious, but to hear it said like that, so casually… her heart twisted in sympathy. And yes, in guilt. It all came back in that moment, the memory of that night on the bench with him, so different and yet so similar, his words about her, how she needed to focus on herself. How she needed to get away. He’d been utterly selfless. Kind. And this was how she had repaid him.

She stood up. Moved towards him. ‘Jake? Is it true?’

He lifted his green eyes to hers and they were full of sorrow.

‘Of course it is, Franks,’ he said, his voice catching. ‘It’s not just a crush, right? I’ve loved you since… well, I’ve loved you forever, it feels like. Surely you knew that?’

She shook her head. She did, of course, but still. ‘No. No I had no idea it was… that serious. Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘I did. Don’t you remember? At least, I tried.’ He gestured towards Dylan. ‘Anyway, would it have made a difference?’

Dylan was looking at them, and for the first time Frankie thought she could see a touch of wariness in his eyes. A slipping of that self-confidence. A slight wobble. Did he really care about her the way Jake did? Would he give a damn if she told him to go, told him to get on with his life without her? Did they have any kind of future together?

She decided honesty was the only way to go. A seagull screeched overhead and nearly made her jump out of her skin. She laughed nervously, looking Jake in the eye. ‘I can’t answer that,’ said Frankie. ‘I don’t know. That’s the truth of it, Jake.’

‘You mean, there was a chance?’

She softened. Put a hand on his arm, so conscious of Dylan watching her every move. ‘Of course there was,’ she said, and his green eyes sparkled for a second with hope. ‘But…’ she went on.