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Jay smiled. ‘I want to start everything from fresh. With Frankie. You. If you’re willing?’
Rocco had missed his best friend more than he’d admitted to anyone. Even himself. He nodded, not quite trusting himself to speak.
‘Want to do the bro handshake hug?’ Jay asked.
Rocco grinned. ‘Hell no. You and Will looked a right couple of tossers the other night when you did it.’
Jay laughed then said, ‘Was it you who got in touch with Harris, the lawyer?’
‘I just suggested to Dad he might be able to help you, on the off-chance.’
‘He did. Harris managed to beat the record label right down on their demands. We’ve got to fulfil some commitments including a couple of gigs. It’s why the guys are here with me, we need rehearsal time. Harris worked wonders and going forward, we’ll be able to keep control of what we produce as independent artists. It’s weird. Roman d’Arcy was playing hardball right up until our last meeting with him before we got our flight home. Something must have occurred because he rolled right over on most of the points. Rumour is there’s a documentary team sniffing around some of his dealings. And someone’s offered his daughter, my ex-wife, a show as a kind of softener for Roman.’
‘Wow, that was good timing.’
‘Wasn’t it.’ Jay nodded, giving Rocco a shrewd look.
Rocco made a mental note to message Ben and thank him.
‘How’s Frankie feeling today? I tried calling but she didn’t pick up.’
Rocco looked blankly at Jay.
‘I spoke to her last night after Valentina’s baby shower and she said she thought she was coming down with something.’
‘Oh right.’ Rocco felt a little guilty. He’d been so wrapped up with Alison he probably wouldn’t have noticed if Frankie had developed leprosy and half her limbs had fallen off. ‘I’ll give her a ring later.’
‘A pint soon in the Drumkeldy Arms?’ Jay asked.
‘That would be good.’
‘In fact, I’ve got a bit of an idea forming. I’ll be in touch. Merry Christmas, dude,’ Jay said with a little smile before he headed off down the street.
And when Rocco got into his car and put on the radio, he did sing along to the Christmas tunes playing.
CHAPTER 51
VALENTINA
Valentina paused halfway down Rocco’s stairs, her entire stomach tensing and going rigid as a wave of pain took her breath away. She exhaled slowly, then inhaled deeply through her nose, then back through her mouth again. The Braxton Hicks were strong this morning.
She tapped her tummy. ‘Right, you! It’s Christmas Day and there’s a lot happening, okay? So calm down.’
The baby twisted round so forcefully that Valentina clung to the banister and gasped. She slowly continued down the stairs, thinking, Why, oh why did Jay come back to Drumkeldy now?
Valentina made it to the bottom of the stairs where she stopped, resting briefly before waddling over to the coats and shoe stand.
Everything had become so complicated since he’d returned.
Actually, things really started getting complicated the moment she’d agreed to go to London eight months, two weeks and six days previously. AKA: how it all started…
Valentina then
‘Oh my God, I’m knackered!’ Valentina declared, flopping down on her bed in the twin room of the hotel.
‘Don’t get comfy, this is just a pit stop,’ Leanne said, opening the wardrobe and pulling out something black, slinky and very short. ‘A shower, some shots and we shimmy on out again.’
Valentina groaned. She fancied a quiet meal, a long soak in the bath then popping on her slippers as her legs still ached from the miles they’d covered shopping.
