Page 83 of Washed Up

‘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.

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?’