“I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for me. I don’t want to be on my own.”
It was true.
She didn’t want to be on her own or she’d start panicking about her upcoming trip to Puffin Island.
Of course she could have told Eva that she’d misunderstood and that she had no intention of ever visiting the place again, but Eva was only just holding it together.
Frankie had no idea why Eva had chosen her as a role model. All she knew was that if she was a source of inspiration, then she’d better do something inspiring and brave.
Chapter Ten
If your glass is half-empty, you’re less likely to spill it.
—Frankie
Matt was hauling the first log seat into place on the roof terrace when Frankie planted herself in front of him the following day.
“So this trip to Puffin Island—” The words tumbled out like a river in full flow. “Not that I’m telling you I’m coming because I still think it’s a crazy idea, but if I did come, where would I stay? It’s all right for you, you can stay with your parents, but the moment people recognize me they will be closing doors in my face and locking up their husbands and sons. I’ll probably have to camp in a field so I need to know what to take.”
Matt eased himself upright.
She’d clearly been stewing on it all night, but he sensed the shift from a definite no to a maybe. He wondered what had made her change her mind.
“You won’t be camping in a field and I have no intention of staying with my parents.” He didn’t say that was because what he planned to do to Frankie definitely couldn’t be done in front of his parents. “Why don’t you leave the accommodation issue to me? There are rooms at the Ocean Club. Ryan and Emily have a few places reserved for people who don’t live on the island.”
“What does that mean? That we’d be staying together?”
“That’s what I’d like.” He saw something that looked like panic flicker in her eyes. “What’s the problem, Frankie? You don’t like my company?”
“You know I like your company.”
“That’s all that matters. The rest can take care of itself.”
The tension between them was off the scale. Moonlight or sunlight, sunrise or sunset, it was always there, the blood-pumping chemistry.
“You make it sound simple, but it isn’t.” She wrapped her arms around her waist. “I don’t know what this is, Matt. Is it friendship? Is it dating? Is it a weekend of—what?”
“Do we have to define it that specifically?”
“Yes. If I know what’s expected, I’ll know if I have the skills to be what you want me to be. Generally it’s a good idea in life not to take on things that play to your weaknesses.”
She made it sound like a job interview.
“You don’t need skills to spend a weekend with me, Frankie. And I don’t want you to be anyone but yourself.”
“That doesn’t usually work out so well.”
“It works for me.”
She bit her lip. “What’s the plan?”
“We’ll arrive Friday morning and visit the site so that we can take some measurements and soil samples. Then Saturday is the wedding. I thought we could have a day to ourselves Sunday and come back that evening.” He tried to make it sound low-key and relaxed but she still looked anxious.
“A day to ourselves? What would we be doing?”
“If I said we’d be laughing, enjoying plenty of interesting conversation and an indecent amount of mind-blowing sex, what would you say?”
Color streaked across her cheeks. “I’d say the first two sound fine.”