Page 62 of The Perfect Gift

Anya put an arm around her shoulders. ‘It’s not going to be the same without you. You’ll come back and visit us some time, won’t you? Maybe in the summer like we talked about the other night?’

Part of her longed to say yes, of course she would be back, but the rest of her wasn’t so sure. What if this was no different from the hothouse of life on set, where proximity forced friendships to bloom quickly but once they were exposed to the cold reality of life outside the artificial environment they withered?

Frankie would leave and life here would go on without her. As it should, as would hers. Her friends would change; she would change. Not in huge ways but their lives would diverge away from this special moment and they’d never quite come back together in balance. These four lovely women had expanded their group to admit Frankie, but once she was out of the picture, they’d close ranks again, and she’d be on the outside looking in.

Frankie glanced across the room to where Ed was laughing at something with his brothers. What if they changed the terms of their arrangement and tried to extend their relationship beyond the new year? She hadn’t missed the way his eyes had lit up when she’d said his new phone case meant he’d have no excuse not to keep in touch. Hadn’t missed the way her heart had flipped when she’d realised he’d thought she’d meant stay in touch with her rather than his family. Experience had forced her to correct his assumption. She’d never kept a long-distance relationship alive for more than a few months. No, best to say goodbye to Halfmoon Quay altogether. She had too few good memories to want to risk the ones she’d been making here.

She offered Anya a non-committal smile. ‘It’s going to be a very busy year, so I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try.’ The lie tasted foul on her tongue, but what else could she say? The front doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of Chloe, Matt and their parents and the ensuing bustle and happy chaos gave Frankie the chance to move away before Anya could ask any more questions she didn’t have the answers to.

Or rather, the only answers Frankie had were ones she didn’t like.

33

After his aunt and uncle arrived, Ed found himself roped into helping Harry and their mum in the kitchen. He didn’t think twice about it; the only way the day would be a success with so many people under one roof was for everyone to play a part. It didn’t take long before Aunt Helen had also installed herself in the kitchen, an apron on over her blouse and trousers, and she and Ed’s mum were soon seated at the table going over the list of timings so they knew exactly what needed to be cooked and when.

His dad and Uncle Ryan appeared soon after and made themselves busy finding enough glasses for everyone and opening the champagne. They handed everyone a glass then took the rest next door to distribute. With the hot bites Harry had prepared heated to his satisfaction and laid out ready to serve, Ed balanced one of the platters on one hand and gathered a stack of napkins and his glass of champagne in the other and returned to the lounge.

His eyes immediately scanned the room and he frowned at the sight of Frankie leaning on a wall by herself. She had a glass of champagne at least, but he didn’t like to see her on her own. He handed off the tray to Matt, who was perched on the arm of one of the sofas, chatting to Pa, and made a beeline for Frankie. ‘You okay?’

‘Oh, yes, I’m fine, it’s just your family are a lot to take when they’re all in one place.’ She was smiling as she said it, so perhaps she was on her own through choice.

Ed had grown up with it so the noise and the sheer number of people present in the same space were nothing new to him, but he supposed it would be a bit overwhelming if someone wasn’t used to it. ‘If it gets too much let me know and we can take a breather in the garden or go for a stroll around the block, okay?’

She nodded. ‘Thank you. I’m really okay, it’ll just take me a bit of getting used to.’

Matt wandered over with the platter Ed had abandoned and offered it to Frankie. She examined the options then selected a sausage roll. ‘Thank you.’ She blew on it, but didn’t take a bite, turning her attention to Matt instead. ‘Ed told me the good news that you’re going to be getting the cottage back. You must be so relieved.’ She still felt a pang that the pretty little haven wouldn’t be home for much longer, but she was glad it would be back in the custody of someone who would care for it properly.

‘It will be good news once I’ve got everything squared away with Mrs J,’ Matt replied with a grin. ‘I know how much you’ve enjoyed staying there, so if you ever find yourself heading back this way, the spare room will be yours for the asking.’

Ed coughed. ‘Uh-hum. Did I just hear you calling my bedroom the spare room?’

Matt laughed. ‘I don’t remember agreeing to let you move back in. Besides,’ he added, ‘with you saying you planned to take back-to-back contracts next year, I didn’t think you’d want to be tied to anything here.’

It was true that had been the plan, but so much had changed in the past few days that in the back of his mind he was already second-guessing himself. There was the possible venture with his dad to consider. Ed needed to find time and sit down and have a proper conversation with him about it before he flew back to the Caribbean, work out a possible timescale and what research the two of them needed to start doing.

And then there was Frankie.

‘Don’t kick him out on my account,’ she said to Matt with a smile. ‘My schedule is absolutely jam-packed next year so I’ll be literally bouncing from one job to another. I simply don’t know when I’d find time to visit, unfortunately.’ There was something in the way she said it that set Ed’s teeth on edge. She didn’t sound like herself, not the way she spoke to him at least. It was like she was putting on a performance, reading a pre-prepared line from a script.

‘What was that?’ he asked her, after Matt excused himself and went to offer the tray around.

‘What was what?’

‘That just now with Matt.’ He shifted a little closer so he could lower his voice. ‘I already told you if you’re uncomfortable we can get out of here. You don’t have to pretend in front of me – or anyone else, for that matter.’

Her eyes widened as though she was surprised he’d picked up on it. As if he wasn’t completely aware of everything about her. ‘I wasn’t pretending and I’m sorry if it sounded like I was. It’s just he’s the second person already to mention coming back for a visit and I’d rather focus on enjoying today than go over the same thing with everyone.’

Because you’ve already made up your mind about not coming back, or because you’re having second thoughts?

She reached for his hand and squeezed it. ‘Looks like your dad is ready to start handing out gifts. Let’s find a seat.’

Ed let Frankie lead him over to a spot near where Issy and Liam were sitting on the carpet beside the two-seater sofa Ma and Pa were sitting on. As they settled cross-legged next to the others, Ed wished he was a mind-reader.

If Frankie had hoped opening presents would distract from further speculation about her future, she was out of luck. The first parcel she opened was from Chloe and it was a replacement can of self-protection spray. ‘In case Ed gets out of line again,’ Chloe joked as everyone else laughed.

Though she laughed along and even went so far as to raise the can and aim it at him in jest, Ed didn’t miss the tension around Frankie’s eyes when their gazes met. Hoping to draw the attention away from her, Ed raised his still-marked palms up to display them. ‘She caught me red-handed once. I have no intention of getting on the wrong side of her again.’ As he’d hoped, the laughter was turned his way and for the next few minutes he endured a discussion of the photo that had done the rounds in the family WhatsApp.

To further distract everyone, Ed asked his dad to hand out the things he’d bought for his three brothers next. Harry was the first to open his. ‘Bastard,’ he said with a laugh as he held up the jumbo book of word searches.