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She sped up, pushing through the doors that led out to the car park at the back of the hotel. The cold took her breath away and she paused a moment to button her coat.

Jay caught up with her.

‘You okay?’

‘I need to get back.’

‘I hope we didn’t annoy you. I know the guys can be a bit full-on at times but the⁠—’

She forced a smile. ‘I’ve had a really nice evening. It was fun listening to your fantasy plans.’

Jay was breathing hard, sending clouds into the cold night air.

‘It doesn’t have to be fantasy, Frankie.’

Frankie took a breath. ‘I’m sure what you’re feeling about the band is just a blip. You’ve had a rough year. It’s good you’re taking a break but, you’re more than all this, Jay.’ She swept her arms around. ‘You’re bigger than Drumkeldy. This isn’t your life anymore.’

Jay’s blue eyes burnt through Frankie’s. ‘Being back here, though, it feels right, and that this is my life. One I’ve finally got back. It feels that everything that’s happened over the last twelve years has been a dream.’

‘Well, it was a dream. Is a dream. Your dream.’

Jay gave a snort of derision. ‘Was it? We were four guys who wanted to play music. All the other stuff is… irrelevant.’

‘Hardly irrelevant. You worked hard and you deserve the success.’

Jay looked away, his eyes squinting as if looking at something in the distance. He sighed. ‘We were so naïve. None of us had a clue.’

Frankie studied his profile; the angular planes of his face, his fine brows, the sensual shape of his lips.

‘I made a mistake,’ Jay said hoarsely, still staring out across the car park.

Frankie wasn’t sure what mistake he alluded to. Coming back to Drumkeldy? The end of his marriage?

‘I’m sure nothing has been a mistake.’

Jay stood, hands jammed into his pockets, scuffing a stone with the toe of his shoe. He glanced up at Frankie with a sad little smile on his face. ‘What if I made a mistake twelve years ago when I said I was leaving and not coming back?’

Frankie’s heart thumped painfully in her chest.

For her sanity, Frankie needed to shut any false hopes down, because that was all they could be, surely.

‘None of us can change the past. If you hadn’t gone, I really think that would have been a bigger mistake.’

Frankie turned and walked away. And for the second time that night, her eyes swam with tears.

CHAPTER 29

FRANKIE, THEN

Frankie opened the door a nanosecond after Jay’s gentle knock. In fact, he’d barely touched his knuckles to the wood and if Frankie hadn’t seen him coming up the drive, she might never have heard it.

She stood back and Jay came in. His hands were firmly planted in his pockets, vetoing any kind of hug. He looked distracted.

‘Are you excited about playing tonight?’ Frankie asked. ‘I know a ton of folk that are going. I’m going to have to battle for my place in the front row! I’ve organised everything for later. I’ve got a bottle of Prosecco and some filled focaccias. We can sit out at the bandstand and star-gaze. I’ll bring a blanket to keep us warm,’ Frankie said in one big rush.

She’d worked herself up into an excited frenzy about tonight and had romantic notions of how the evening would pan out. First, there was the packed-out gig at the Drumkeldy Arms and then she and Jay could slip away to see in the New Year together. And as the bells rang out at midnight, they could sky-watch and snuggle under the faux fur throw that normally resided on the back of her parents’ sofa. They would welcome in January, the start of a year Frankie hoped would be full of promise and possibilities.

She was practically fizzing with excitement; had been since they’d slept together. Although both of them had been tied up with family events for the past few days, she and Jay had been constantly messaging each other and talking on the phone together whenever they had a moment. Her mum had even noticed, pointing out more than once that Frankie seemed permanently attached to her mobile. Although tempted, Frankie hadn’t told anyone about her and Jay. She wanted to keep their little bubble private for now.