‘Me too!’
‘—But I can’t just assume it’s okay,’ he cuts in. ‘With work, I mean. With Dev …’
‘I’ve already cleared it with Dev,’ I explain. And then I get up and turn to face him, sliding my arms around his waist.
‘And he’s okay with that?’
I nod. ‘He is.’
‘Oh, darling,’ he murmurs. ‘Thank you. I can hardly believe you’ve done this.’ His hair is flecked with silver now, and crinkles have gathered around his deep brown eyes. But age suits Frank. He’s fit and strong and strikinglyhandsome. Infuriatingly – even at his most maddening moments – I’ve nevernotfancied him.
‘So, you think you’ll enjoy it?’ I ask.
‘What, being together, just us?’ He laughs softly. ‘God, yes. I can’t think of anything better.’
I smile and kiss him on the lips. So we’ve made it. Plenty of times, I thought we’d never get this far. I pull back and take his hands in mine. ‘D’you realise what this trip is, Frank? Apart from your birthday treat, I mean?’
He chuckles. ‘A completely mad but brilliant thing to do?’
‘Well, yes – it’s definitely that. But it’ll also be the first time we’ve been away together since those first trips of ours. You know, in our early days when you and I were long distance … d’you remember?’
He blows out air and grins, and now I see that his eyes are shining. ‘Of course I remember, Carly. How could I forget?’ He holds my hands tightly. ‘So, what’re we going to do with ourselves in Paris?’
I smile, filled with love for him and feeling so very, very lucky. ‘Don’t worry about that, Frank,’ I say, kissing him. ‘I have a few ideas …’
Chapter Eight
Eddie
Suddenly, Eddie feels like the luckiest man on earth.
No matter that a mere few hours ago his mum was still in charge of his laundry and cooking and nagging him to bring the collection of dirty glasses and mugs out from his room.
Eddie, there’s virtually none left in the kitchen! Am I supposed to drink my coffee out of a saucepan? Or a jug? And are you absolutely sure you haven’t seen my pink china cup?
Thank God that’s all over. Now, at just gone two a.m. on a freezing Edinburgh night, he’s a different person entirely.
He’s no longer Eddie from Sandybanks in the wrong clothes, but a properly functioning adult, with choices. And this new, urban, carefree Eddie finds himself able not merely to converse with this beautiful girl, but to also make her smile and laugh and actually enjoy herself in his company. It feels as if it’s no longer a shabby flatthat he’s found himself in tonight – but an alternative universe.
And in this thrilling new universe, Eddie is wildly entertaining and attractive to a beautiful person like Lyla.
That’s her name.Lyla.Already he’s regaled her with his life story, omitting to tell her that the past few years have been mainly spent sitting around getting stoned and eating chips on the bandstand. He’s also – despite all the vodka and beer sloshing around inside him now – remembered to ask her lots of pertinent questions and really listen to her replies.
Obviously, she’s extremely smart. He’s learnt that she runs her own copywriting business (whatever copywriting might be). However, no matter how much Eddie tries to focus on her obvious intelligence and career success, it’s her beauty that’s consuming his attention. Her long, gleaming hair, like actual gold, and her big pale blue eyes. She’s wearing a plain black top and jeans and a fine gold necklace. No make-up, he thinks. She’s so natural. And perfect. He’s never met a girl who’d be confident enough to go to a party just as she is.
Now Raj has appeared. Proudly, Eddie introduces – no,presents– Lyla to him, and waits for Raj to be impressed.
‘Hi,’ Raj says. Then to Eddie, grinning: ‘You could’ve thanked your mum and dad for bringing your stuff over today!’
‘Oh, have you just moved out from home?’ Lyla’s eyes widen in surprise.
‘Um, yeah, I was staying there temporarily,’ Eddie fibs, sensing his cheeks flushing.
‘As in, temporarily-for-your-whole-life,’ Raj teases.Eddie glares at him, projecting a powerful telepathic message to Raj toleave them alone.
‘Your friend seems nice,’ Lyla says as he saunters away.
‘Yeah, he’s okay.’ Eddie grins and rolls his eyes. ‘Still writes thank you letters to his aunties …’
