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He was standing so close she could easily reach out and touch him, feel the heat of his skin beneath the fabric of his shirt. Kiss him…

Frankie felt slightly faint. Her head was full of so many emotions.

It was almost as if Jay had read her mind.

‘You don’t need to make any decision now. It’s been quite a day so far and,’ he checked his watch, ‘it’s only just gone lunchtime. You’ve got a trattoria to organise, Canine Cupids to match and above all, a beautiful new niece to visit.’ Jay glanced over at the van where Frankie could see Cole and Si peering out at them through the windscreen.

Jay turned back to Frankie. ‘We’re going to be rehearsing. Our first gig of the Roots Tour will be at the Drumkeldy Arms on Hogmanay. I’d love it if you were there. Front row or otherwise.’

He jammed his hands in his pockets and let out a long, shaky breath. He turned to go then hesitated. ‘Merry Christmas, Frankie. I love you.’

And with that, Frankie watched Jay lope back to the camper van before it reversed out of her drive.

She stood for a long time watching Gilbert and Storm snuffle about in the snow. As she let them back in, her phone beeped at her. It was a message from Jay – a link to a Spotify playlist, called Frankie’s Merry ChristMixtape.

CHAPTER 61

FRANKIE

Frankie had never seen the Drumkeldy Arms as busy as it was on Hogmanay. She stood near the bar in the main reception room, where Frankie had been a guest at Colin and Helen’s wedding, a mere six weeks before.

Standing at the back allowed her to survey the function room.

The front half, nearest the stage, had been set out with tables and chairs, with the area behind as standing room.

It must have been the strangest mix of a crowd Drive With Care had ever played to. Obviously, there were the fans, many decked out in band T-shirts. Also making up the audience were the regulars who sat propping up the bar looking on with bemusement. Families sat together, groups of friends sat with pints and shots on the table. There were people there who didn’t even know the band’s music but knew Mrs Costello and wanted to support her boy. There were many who were only interested in the ceilidh band after. And of course there was also the Canine Cupids Christmas Club.

Those members sat at one of the largest tables, there for the Hogmanay package which consisted of a meal, the musical entertainment, then the ceilidh band to see in the New Year. Frankie looked at their happy faces with satisfaction. She knew that Lily and Gary had seen a lot of each other, as had Ffion and Ricky. There were a few other pairings she held out hope for too.

And over in the corner, laughing together and looking very much in love, was the couple that started it all off; Colin and Helen.

The little venture had been so popular, Frankie had had inquiries about future Canine Cupids Club events. Nick had already planned ideas for their TikTok account; New Year, New Love. And tonight, Nick was in amongst the group, filming them on his phone. As if sensing Frankie watching him, he looked up and came over.

‘Hey, cuz! You look well dank!’

Frankie was horrified. She’d spent an age picking out her outfit. New black jeans which fitted every curve and a strappy top, also in black. She’d also taken a huge amount of care over her hair and make-up.

Nick saw her face fall. ‘Dank’s a good thing. It means dope, awesome? You look awesome. As in good.’

Frankie laughed. ‘I know what awesome means. Thank you.’

Nick looked around the venue. ‘This is all proper Gucci, yeah?’ He waved his phone at her. ‘I’ve been getting interviews from your Canine Cupids Club. They’ve been spilling tea for me and I’ve got loads of interviews. It’s proper sweet, no cap. I’m gonna spend the rest of the holiday editing and then submit it for my assignment.’

Although talking to Nick often made Frankie feel that she needed a translator, she got the gist.

‘Laters! This lot are gonna slay!’ Nick said, before disappearing back into the throng of people.

Feeling quite alone at the back of the room, Frankie took a breath. It had been a week since she’d seen Jay and her stomach was a mixture of knots and popping corn at the thought of seeing him again. Although she’d not seen him in person, Jay had been with her in spirit as she’d listened to the playlist constantly.

The songs he’d put on it had taken her through a whole gamut of emotions. She’d laughed at the Cole Porter classic, “Anything Goes”, a travel back in time to their Indiana Jones movie-athon when they’d sung the opening scene from it constantly. There were songs from their childhood, even Frank Sinatra’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”, which had made her cry. There were songs that meant something from every moment in time they’d shared. It was romantic, sweet, goofy; nostalgic.

But most special of all was the last track, “Love Letter”. It had a rough and ready edge to it and had clearly been recorded and edited in Jay’s home studio. Frankie got goosebumps every time she listened to it.

And now she couldn’t wait to see Jay and Drive With Care perform. As Frankie’s gaze drifted to the little raised stage at the front of the room, she saw Valentina standing, waving at her. Frankie made her way over.

‘Arlo got Brian to save this table for us,’ Valentina said as Frankie sat beside her, eyeing up the handwritten Reserved sign which was propped up against a bottle of chilled champagne and three glasses.

Valentina opened up the fizz, the cork releasing a satisfying pop. ‘You look gorgeous.’