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‘I wish. Mum uttered the words “over my dead body” the last time I asked to get a dog!’

‘You never know, she might change her mind.’

Jay pulled a doubtful face then took a swig of his beer.

‘Good look there, Jay! Nice and festive with the ribbon,’ Brian, the hotel’s assistant manager came over and said with a wink as he collected a couple of glasses from the next table. ‘You guys still good to play a set this year?’

‘I’ll need to check with the others.’

‘Rocco was in a couple of nights ago, he seems keen. I can even do you Hogmanay. Eight o’clock? Here in Piper’s. You can be the warm-up for our usual ceilidh band.’

Frankie knew that was a fantastic slot.

‘Let me know.’ Brian patted Jay on the shoulder and headed back to the bar.

‘That sounds good!’ Frankie enthused.

Jay nodded, although he didn’t look as excited as Frankie thought he would. He concentrated on rolling the bottom of his beer bottle around the little coaster on the table. He eventually glanced up, meeting Frankie’s eyes.

‘What’s up?’ she asked.

Jay sighed. ‘It’s just… I don’t know if I’m going to be here the whole holiday. I’ll definitely be here for Christmas with Mum, but there’s a chance I might have to head back to uni straight after.’

Frankie tried to hide her disappointment. She’d hoped for a Christmas and New Year where she’d be able to hang out with Jay.

‘Jay! Frankie!’

Frankie looked round to see Rocco heading their way, coming from the bar. He sat beside Frankie and eyed up Jay’s red bow.

‘Bloody hell, man, I don’t know what’s worse, your hairdo, or these old man ear muffs.’ Rocco picked up the offending items from the table and brandished them at Jay. ‘What are you two doing here?’

‘We bumped into each other while we were Christmas shopping.’ Knowing Rocco had felt left out when she and Jay spent so much time together during the summer, Frankie quickly changed the subject by nodding at the tumbler of amber spirits over ice her brother had brought with him. ‘What are you drinking?’ She picked up the glass to sniff the contents but Rocco took it back.

‘Paws off. It’s Jack Daniels over ice.’

‘Didn’t they have a good enough red wine for you?’ she said, with a slight mocking edge to her tone.

‘Their wine by the glass is crap.’

‘You’re such a wine snob!’ Frankie said.

‘Don’t let Brian hear you diss their wine!’ Jay said.

Rocco shot a guilty look over his shoulder. Ascertaining the assistant manager wasn’t earwigging behind them he turned back. ‘Yeah, we don’t want him rescinding his invitation to let us play here on Hogmanay. You belter!’ Rocco held up his hand for Jay to high-five it, which he did, but not very enthusiastically, Frankie noted as she took a sip of her vodka and Coke.

‘Ah, sorry, guys, but I’m going to love you and leave you!’ Rocco got to his feet. ‘My date’s arrived.’

Frankie craned her neck to see a slim, blonde woman walk in and make a beeline for her brother. She was wearing a very short metallic-looking dress, similar to the one Cara Delevingne had worn to the British Fashion awards.

‘I hope she brought a coat with her, otherwise she’ll freeze to death,’ Frankie said as she watched her brother greet the woman then head toward a little table together. ‘And I wonder if she knows my brother is a three dates max kind of guy. He won’t see anyone longer than that. It’s as if he’s terrified of commitment. Or maybe he knows he can only hold a woman’s attention for three dates before they figure out he’s really rather superficial. And surely Rocco would be better off spending his time rehearsing with you and Scuzzy if you’ve got a gig soon.’

Frankie glanced over to see Jay laughing.

‘What?’

‘You sound like your mum!’

‘I do not!’