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‘See you later,’ Jay called out over his shoulder.

With no one obliging her tummy rubs anymore, Storm got up and had a shake before padding off toward the water’s edge. Frankie turned to watch Jay’s lithe form bounding away.

Jay wasn’t wrong. The night Storm was born had been memorable.

CHAPTER 13

FRANKIE, THEN

December

12 years earlier

The first party of the Christmas holidays was always a Big Night. All those away at university and college had finished up for the festive break and had gravitated back home. It seemed everyone was at tonight’s party. Everyone bar Frankie. And she really didn’t mind, far preferring to be at home with Bella, the family dog, who was due to have her litter of puppies at any moment. With the birth so imminent, none of the Bartoli-Barrs wanted to leave Bella alone.

With her mum and dad visiting Frankie’s Aunt Cara and Uncle Stefano, Valentina still working in Leeds, and Rocco at the party, Frankie was in the kitchen, drinking tea with a schmaltzy Christmas film playing on the wall-mounted TV. She sat next to the puppy pen, where the pregnant Bella was fussing about, pawing blankets to try and get into a comfortable position.

Just after nine there was a knock at the door.

Jay stood on the top step, grinning, as a strong gust of wind whipped his hair over his face.

Frankie let him in and they hugged before shutting the door. The hugging was a fairly new phenomenon. When they saw each other day in, day out, growing up together, it had never occurred to either of them to hug, but after Jay had gone to university the year before, the first time he’d been back home, hugging had felt completely natural, an instinctive reaction after spending weeks apart.

‘When did you get back?’ Frankie asked, feeling tight-chested and giddy at seeing Jay again.

‘Late this afternoon.’

‘D’you know there’s a party on? Dougie’s got an empty and the Co-op’s sold out of beer and vodka,’ Frankie said, leading Jay into the kitchen.

‘Yeah, I’ve just come from there, but I wasn’t in the mood. Everyone wanted to talk about our school days and then, you know the group of girls in the year above me, in Rocco’s year, the ones that had the same denim jackets and bad fake tans? Well, they kept screaming as soon as someone else walked in. It was doing my head in.’

It was exactly the same reason Frankie hadn’t minded not going either.

‘Did you see Rocco?’

‘Yeah, we had a quick chat but it was too loud. He was also trying to get some blonde’s number. He mentioned you were here, on puppy watch, and I thought you might like some company.’

‘That would be cool,’ Frankie said, her stomach fluttering.

Jay had always been Rocco’s best friend but because they were all so close in age, Frankie usually ended up tagging along during weekends and school holidays.

But that latest summer, something had shifted slightly and Frankie often found her and Jay hanging out together when Rocco was off with whichever girl he was seeing that week. And after Jay headed back to university to start his second year, Frankie often found herself thinking about him.

And now, with Jay standing in her kitchen, Frankie felt quite light-headed with him so close as she studied the light stubble on his angular jaw, wondering what it would feel like if they kissed.

Feeling herself go red at the thought, Frankie went over to the kettle as Jay bent down to see Bella.

Frankie snuck another look at Jay as he pushed a bit of too-long hair behind his ear.

‘Is Bella okay?’ Jay asked. ‘She’s panting a lot.’

‘Yeah, she’s in the first stages of labour. She didn’t want her dinner tonight either.’

‘She’s in labour?’ Jay stood up, looking worried. ‘Should we do something? Call someone?’

‘We sit and watch her. Dogs get on with it, they know what to do. We’re just here in case there’s any problems.’

Jay didn’t look convinced.