Whatever Love Is (10 page)

She typed back.

The sound of a car crunching to a halt below had her dashing to the window. Alice had promised to make Ned take Frankie out as soon as she had finished her turn and she watched as the bright
yellow Peugeot crunched to a halt. The driver’s door flew open and she saw Alice, head tipped back, roaring with laughter. Frankie’s gaze took in her long, tanned legs, the minuscule
white shorts and the high-heeled strappy sandals, totally unsuitable for a driving lesson.

Alice swung her legs out of the car and in an instant, the passenger door opened and he was there, taking her hand as she tossed the car keys at him. Deftly he caught them, pocketed them –
and still held onto her hand. They seemed to be in freeze frame: neither of them moving, they stood staring into one another’s eyes.

Frankie held her breath. She wanted to turn away, pretend that none of this was happening, but she couldn’t move. Slowly he raised a hand, and gently brushed a tendril of hair from
Alice’s face. His hand slid down her cheek as he pulled her towards him.

Frankie swallowed, her heart thumping in her chest.
Don’t do it. Please, don’t do it. Not her. Not now.

Their lips met. Watching, Frankie could almost feel the tenderness of the kiss, the shiver down the spine as hands caressed one another. And then the car, the figures and the surrounding garden
became a blur as the tears spilled down her cheeks.

She was a fool, an idiot, a complete fantasist. What made her think for even one second that she stood a chance with Ned? Even before Alice appeared on the scene, she’d just been little
cousin Frankie and the only reason he’d taken any notice of her at all was because he was a kind and thoughtful person. Come to think of it, he probably saw her in the same light as one of
his youth projects – let’s help poor Frankie who comes from a broken home.

Well, sod him. Sod Alice. Sod all of them.

She was wiping mascara off her cheeks fifteen minutes later when she heard footsteps running up the stairs. The door opened and Alice, flushed and breathing heavily, burst in.

‘Knock, why don’t you?’ Frankie muttered.

‘Sorry,’ Alice panted. ‘I’m all over the place.’

All over Ned, more like
, Frankie thought bitterly.

‘Ned’s in the kitchen waiting for you,’ Alice went on. ‘I’ve got to go and see to Fling, but I so need to talk to you when you get back. Something amazing’s
happened and I’ve just got to tell someone! Hey, are you OK?’

‘Fine.’

‘You’ve been crying.’ Alice took a step closer to her. ‘Can I help?’

You can back off
, thought Frankie.
You can go back to East Grinstead on a one way ticket.

‘No, I’m fine, really,’ she muttered. ‘Must dash. Can’t keep Ned waiting.’

And with that she pushed past Alice and ran downstairs and into the kitchen, expecting to find Ned on his own. Instead, she found half the family there: James, gazing miserably into a mug of
coffee, was slumped at the table next to Jemma and Jon, while Mia perched on the granite worktop and Ned, a frown creasing his forehead and a can of Pepsi in one hand, leant against the larder
fridge.

‘I just can’t believe that you cancelled our slot at M-Brace for nothing!’ Jon was storming. ‘You’re here now – we could have gone ahead. In fact, why did you
bother coming back for the festival if —’

‘What did you say?’ Suddenly James was alert and staring at his friend.

‘I said, why did you cancel —?’

‘Are you telling me
you
didn’t cancel the slot?’ James said.

‘Course not! You said you’d do it when you phoned me from the airport, remember? Said you’d do it right away.’ Jon’s eyes widened. ‘Are you telling me you
forgot?’

James nodded, a grin spreading across his face. ‘I did,’ he said. ‘Which means we’re still on. We’re in business!’

Frankie stared at him, her forehead puckering in a frown. She remembered him saying that he’d come back from Mexico because he couldn’t let the band down – but if he assumed
they weren’t playing anyway . . . then what was the
real
reason he’d rushed back so unexpectedly?

‘We are in business!’ James repeated and for a moment Jon looked as excited as his friend, but then his face clouded.

‘No we’re not.’ He sighed. ‘When you left, Skid and Nat went off in a huff and without them . . .’ He paused. ‘Unless . . .’

‘Unless what?’ James said.

‘I’m the front man, right? My lyrics, my rapping, my stand-up routine? This whole thing is about showcasing my stuff.’

‘And the band’s,’ James said.

‘And I’m here,’ John went on. ‘You’re the drummer and you’re here. So if we could just rework —’

‘Come off it,’ James protested. ‘We’ve only got till the weekend and without Skid on the keyboard and Nat’s vocals —’

‘Like I said, we rework it,’ Jon interrupted. ‘Listen, I need to get my routine noticed and let’s face it, the rest of you have always been just back up.’

‘Well, thanks!’

‘You know what I mean,’ Jon said impatiently. ‘So . . . it’s new talent night, right? Let’s get some new talent! What about you lot?’ He gestured round the
room. ‘We need a vocalist and a keyboard player. And if we could get the girls to do a dance routine to fill the slot left by Nat’s solo . . .’

‘That is just the coolest idea!’ Mia cried.

‘Do you really think it could work?’ Jemma asked.

‘Anything that means I can get on that stage is worth trying,’ Jon said decisively. ‘I’d given up all hope without James – but now he’s back . . .’ He
paused. ‘But we do need a girl who can —’

‘Who needs a girl?’

Alice peered round the door, giving a little four-fingered wave to Ned who, to Frankie’s disgust, adopted the facial expression of a salivating puppy.

‘This is Alice,’ he said, turning to his brother. ‘I told you about her.’

‘Charles Grant’s daughter, I know.’ James gestured to an empty chair and grinned at her. ‘Hi! Can you dance?’

Alice frowned. ‘Like, can birds fly? I did tap, disco, modern, the lot when I was a kid. I was pretty good, won cups and everything.’

I bet you were
, Frankie thought.
If there was an A-level in self-esteem you’d get an A-star.

‘Why do you want to know?’ Alice asked.

‘Don’t ask,’ Ned muttered.

‘Ignore my brother,’ James said. ‘He sees having fun as one of the seven deadly sins.’

Alice shot a quizzical look at Ned. ‘In which case,’ she said, smiling at him, ‘he needs someone to show him a good time. So what’s all this about anyway?’

‘M-Brace,’ James said. ‘Jon here has cooked up this great act. Usual band stuff, backing vocals and all that, but then he does some stand-up and rap.’

‘And a bit of street dancing thrown in,’ said Jon. ‘The basics are all there but we need to do some improvising fast. So come on, who’s up for it?’

‘Me!’ Mia’s hand shot up.

‘You bet,’ Jemma added hastily.

‘Bring it on,’ Alice said, wiggling her hips and waving her hands in the air.

‘Only one problem.’ Jon sighed. ‘We still haven’t worked out how to get a guitarist.’

‘No problem,’ James declared. ‘Ned’s a pretty good guitar player. Grade eight and all that!’

‘Hang on, there’s no way you’re roping me in,’ Ned said firmly. ‘I’m going to be tied up.’

‘What you mean,
tied up
? It’s the holidays, for God’s sake,’ James said. ‘Don’t tell me you’re like Dad – all festivals are Bad
Things.’

‘Might disturb a few stag beetles and the odd otter,’ Mia chipped in sarcastically.

‘As it happens, I’ll be tied up
at
the festival,’ Ned replied. ‘KOT’s doing this massive promotion.’

‘Cots? You’re selling cots at a rock fest?’ Alice asked.

‘No,’ Ned laughed. ‘KOT – it stands for Kids Out There. I do placements with them whenever I’m not at uni – working with disadvantaged kids from inner cities
and giving them adventure holidays. The festival organisers wanted an area for kids to play and we decided to run it. It’ll be great publicity for the charity and the money parents pay will
fund holidays for the kids. There’s a whole team of us manning a climbing wall and zip wire and stuff.’

‘Wow, Ned, that’s amazing!’ To Frankie’s surprise James sounded really interested. ‘Is it just kids locally?’

‘No, nationwide,’ Ned said, clearly pleased that his brother was showing an interest. ‘It started —’

‘Never mind all that,’ Alice broke in. ‘Fact is, if there’s a whole team, they can do without you, can’t they? Cancel – this’ll be far more of a
laugh.’

‘And we need you,’ James said.

‘For the last time, no,’ Ned said. ‘End of.’

‘You know what, Ned?’ Alice challenged, tossing her head. ‘Poppy said you were boring and I didn’t believe her. But I’m beginning to think she was right.’

For a moment, Ned said nothing. Then he tossed his empty drinks can into the bin and walked to the door. Alice deftly stepped in front of him, blocking his way. ‘Come on, prove me
wrong,’ she said, tipping his chin with her finger. ‘Do it for me. Remember, only an hour ago you said you’d do anything to make me happy.’

Frankie’s stomach lurched into her mouth and her throat went dry. Ned’s face turned a livid shade of red.

‘Oooh, get you!’ Jemma teased. ‘Ned’s in
lurve
!’

‘And this would make me very happy,’ Alice said. ‘Please, pretty please.’

‘Come on, Ned,’ James said. ‘You can’t get all precious about it because, actually, it’s right up your street. Jon’s rapping is all about social justice and
all that kinda stuff. I thought that’s what you were about?’

‘I am, but —’

‘Sorted!’ Alice cried, clapping her hands and planting a kiss on his cheek.

‘Alice, I can’t. KOT needs me, and anyway, gigs aren’t my thing,’ Ned replied.

‘Well, in that case, maybe I’m not your thing either,’ Alice muttered, her face like thunder. ‘Cause if there’s anything worse than a guy who’s boring,
it’s one who doesn’t mean what he says.’

Ned stared at her for a moment and then turned away. ‘Frankie, are you coming?’ he said, not meeting her gaze. ‘I’ve only got half an hour so if you want to drive . .
.’

‘I’m ready.’ She moved to the door, which was still blocked by a now slightly petulant-looking Alice.

‘You’ll make him see sense, won’t you, Frankie?’ she pleaded. ‘This sounds like such an great idea – we can’t let him ruin it.’

‘So leave Ned alone and get your brother to join in instead,’ Frankie replied tartly. ‘I’m sure he’d love it. He’s into all that stage stuff.’

‘No use if he doesn’t play anything,’ James muttered sulkily.

‘But he does,’ Alice replied. ‘Sax pretty badly and keyboard really well.’

‘Well, why didn’t you say?’ Jon cried. ‘Where is he? Get him here right now!’

‘Frankie, that’s an amazing idea!’ Mia burst out. ‘Alice, text him – he’d be so up for it. And hey, Charlie Maddox plays guitar, right? So we’re
sorted!’ She turned to Ned. ‘Henry and Charlie know how to have fun – you should take lessons.’

Too late, Frankie realised what she had done. After what she’d seen at the party, Mia and Henry were probably best kept apart. ‘Surely Nick’ll want to get involved?’ she
suggested hastily.

‘Nick? He doesn’t play anything. And have you heard him sing? Sounds like a cat in deep distress!’ Mia giggled. ‘But you’re right – when he hears about this,
he’s sure to want to be in on it. And he’ll sulk if there’s nothing for him to do.’

‘I do need a stooge, a kind of fall guy for the stand-up routine,’ Jon said. ‘Someone who doesn’t mind standing there, being the butt of the jokes and looking an
idiot.’

‘Perfect.’ Mia nodded. ‘That is so totally Nick.’

That’s not exactly the remark of an adoring fiancée
, Frankie thought as she followed Ned through the hall and out onto the drive.

‘You don’t think she meant it, do you? About me not being her thing? Frankie, are you listening?’

‘I’m trying to get across this roundabout,’ Frankie replied through clenched teeth.

‘Sorry. You’re doing really well. Only I can’t back out of helping with the charity promotion now, and even if I could, I’m not into all this street dance, rapping stuff.
Do you think I’m being a bore? I don’t want her to hate me but —’

‘NED!’ Frankie yelled. ‘Will you just shut up for a minute while I try to concentrate?’

‘Sorry,’ Ned mumbled. ‘Hey, you’re in the wrong lane.’

‘Oh, what a surprise,’ she retorted. ‘Like, nothing was distracting me, was it?’

‘Sorry.’

‘Stop saying sorry!’ she snapped, flipping the indicator on and edging into the inside lane. ‘Can we go somewhere quieter? I need to practise parallel parking.’

They drove in silence for a few minutes. ‘I just don’t know what to do,’ Ned sighed, as Frankie began gingerly reversing into a space between a mud-covered four by four and a
gleaming Fiat Punto. ‘If I don’t join in, Alice’ll hate me, and if I do, I’ll be letting the KOT team down and I’ll hate myself.’

Frankie put her foot on the brake, threw the gear into neutral and turned off the engine. She turned to face Ned. ‘If Alice is going to hate you just because you are doing something for
someone else, then she’s not worth worrying about.’

Ned chewed his lip. ‘I know she sounded off, but underneath she’s not like that,’ he protested. ‘You mustn’t think badly of her. She’s been through some tough
times and I’d have thought that you of all people would understand that.’ The critical tone in his voice cut her to the core.

‘I do, but the work you do with KOT means a lot to you – why can’t she see that?’

‘That’s not fair,’ he replied. ‘I mean, imagine you’re Alice – just for a minute. You have to admit, you’d be trying to persuade me to do the gig,
wouldn’t you?’