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‘What you doing? Having a piss?’

There was a pause then Frankie heard Si say, ‘Right. Well, you need to come in. Now.’

‘Why?’

‘Roman messaged, demanding a Zoom call. He knows we’re together. It’s time to do this.’

Frankie disengaged herself from Jay, smoothing down her dress that had got rucked up. She tried to fix her hair that had come loose from its bun.

With a look of regret to Frankie, Jay mouthed, ‘Sorry.’

‘Okay. I’m going to need a couple of minutes.’ Jay looked down at his raging hard-on, then back up at Frankie with a helpless expression.

‘Sure. Sorry to interrupt, Frankie!’

Frankie’s eyes widened. How much had Si heard? Si was chuckling. Clearly enough!

There was a pause then Frankie heard Si say, ‘Jesus. Fucking. Christ.’

‘What’s wrong?’ Jay asked, doing up his belt.

‘I must have done too many drugs back in the day because I swear I just saw a full-sized Christmas tree run out of your barn and drive off in a little red car.’

CHAPTER 40

FRANKIE

By the time Frankie and Jay returned to the barn the remaining guests were leaving. In a flurry of “goodnights” and “merry Christmases”, within a couple of minutes, the only folk left were Frankie, Jay, Cole and Si.

Cole waved his phone at them, his look grim. ‘It’s been reported we’re splitting up. Unsubstantiated sources.’

Si was looking at his phone and gave a wry smile. ‘Says here we’re at loggerheads and Cole’s to blame!’

‘What?’ Cole came over and scanned Si’s phone over his shoulder. ‘The cheek! It would be funny if it wasn’t defamation.’

‘We left a message for Roman earlier to say we want out; that we’re splitting up the band.’

Frankie looked at them all in wonder. She hadn’t thought they would ever properly go through with it.

‘Did Roman leak it to the press?’ she asked.

‘I can’t see what good it would do him. Astrid probably heard it or he told her and she’s the one who leaked it.’

‘But why?’ Frankie asked.

‘Maximum chaos? Revenge?’ Jay ran a hand through his hair. ‘I should never have gotten involved with her.’

Si patted Jay on the back. ‘She was determined to attach herself to one of us. It would never have been Cole as Astrid thinks he’s weird.’

Cole burst out laughing.

‘And Cole can’t stand her either. Arlo had way more sense⁠—’

‘Thanks!’ Jay interjected.

Si gave a little laugh before adding, ‘—and I don’t want to tie myself down to one person when there are so many guys and gals out there to sleep with.’

Jay sighed. ‘Which left me, the sap.’