Frank patted her arm. ‘Just tell me what you need, little lady, and I’ll get it sorted.’
‘OK, if you’re sure. Any idea when he wants it from?’
‘Yesterday.’ Frank grinned his lopsided grin. ‘You know us Brady boys, we don’t mess around.’ He stood up. ‘Come on, let me get you some fresh coffees. These will be cold.’
Kara took a sip of hers. ‘They’re still OK. Don’t worry.’
‘Grand, grand. Right, I’ve got to get everything ready for my end-of-summer-season party on the quay.’
‘Will there be fireworks again?’
‘Oh yes.’
‘You’re so good, doing that every year.’
‘I’m not sure if I’ll make it to the Pearly Gates though, as I do have an ulterior motive. True, it’s a thank you to the locals for coming here throughout the summer, but it’s also a PR ploy to remind everyone that I’m still here all winter long.’
‘That’s allowed and we’d all come anyway. Right, I really must go.’
‘I’ll catch up with you later re the logistics of the flat. And thanks a million, Kara.’
As Star drove to the end of Ferry Lane, she noticed Kara about to hotfoot it up the hill towards the market. Tooting loudly right behind her, she stopped and beckoned her friend over to her Smart car. ‘Get in,’ she called. ‘I’ll take you.’
‘You scared the life out of me,’ Kara told her, climbing in carefully so as not to spill the coffees she was holding. ‘What are you up to, tearing around this early, anyway?’
‘Skye didn’t come home last night. I know she’s officially a grown-up now, Kar, but I wish she’d had the decency to let me know where she was. I didn’t sleep a bloody wink.’
‘Oh, love. Well, she’s at the shop now. She’s just messaged me. Is this the first time she’s done this – stayed out all night, I mean?’
‘Yes, but—fuck!’ Star braked suddenly as a stray melon toppled from a box that Charlie Dillon was carrying and hurtled their way. It was only thanks to her quick reflexes that it avoided being crushed under her wheel.
Kara jolted forwards, causing hot coffee to spill out of the cups she was clutching and onto her jeans. ‘Bloody hell, mate. Be careful!’
‘Don’t you be having a go at me too.’ Star suppressed a sob as she pulled up outside the florist’s.
Oblivious to all this, Charlie Dillon bent to retrieve the runaway fruit and stuck it up his jumper, along with another one. ‘Don’t get many of these to the pound,’ he said in a falsetto voice, mincing around, and then catchingsight of an old lady looking, he quickly put them back in the box.
‘Oh, Star, I’m so not having a go. I’ve got to do an early hotel drop, so how about we meet for lunch at Tasty Pasties, and you can tell me what’s really the matter. Say twelve thirty, all right?’
‘You know me so well.’ Star smiled weakly.
‘What is it they say? Sister from another mister, or something like that.’ Kara put one of the coffees in the car’s drinks holder and got out. ‘Get that in you,’ she said. ‘I’ve already had a sip and there’s sugar in it, but it’s wet and warm.’ Then waving goodbye, she turned and made her way through the glass-fronted door to her personal domain: the beautiful and sweet-smelling florist’s called Passion Flowers.
