Page 101 of A Secret Cornish Wish
‘Don’t tell her that.’ I smile. But Rosie is still at the age when looking like her mum is a compliment. So she too smiles at Mandy.
‘Hello,’ she says shyly. ‘Mum has told me all about you, Mandy.’
Mandy grimaces. ‘Oh dear. Hopefully she’s told you to do the exact opposite of everything I did when I was young.’
Rosie looks confused. ‘No, just how much fun you used to be.’
Mandy blushes and looks at me.
I laugh. ‘What? It’s the truth.’
‘This is Jules,’ Mandy says, introducing the other woman at the table. ‘My girlfriend.’
‘Hi.’ I give Jules a sort of half-wave. ‘Good to meet you.’
‘Hello,’ Jules says. ‘It’s great to meet the infamous Frankie at last. Like your daughter just said about Mandy, I’ve heard a lot of good things about you too, Frankie.’
‘Thanks,’ I reply, taking a seat and feeling just as uncomfortable receiving this praise as Mandy was.
Rosie sits next to Alice, but Alice’s attention is already elsewhere.
‘Mum, it’s him!’ she whispers loudly to Claire. ‘Can you introduce me?’
We all follow her intense gaze across the dance floor.
Rob is standing chatting to both Eddie and Dexter, and I allow my gaze to rest on him for longer than when he first arrived.
The people at the bar were right – Rob does look older since I last saw him, but that was ten years ago so it was to be expected. And the only other time I saw him was when he occasionally popped up on TV in the UK.
I allowed myself to watch him being interviewed by Graham Norton one evening not that long ago, but I suppose he would have had heavy television make-up on then. He appeared happy and confident that night, plugging his latest movie. But tonight, not only does he look older, he also looks quite tired as well.
Eddie turns around and points to where we’re all sitting. Rob raises his hand and waves. Some of the table acknowledge his wave. But I just turn away, trying desperately to ignore the stupid fluttery feeling in my stomach that always pops up when Rob is around – although I notice this time it’s not anywhere near as strong as it once was.
‘Who’s that Rob’s with?’ Mandy asks, peering across the dance floor.
‘That’s probably his latest PA,’ Claire says. ‘This one’s name is Nixie, I think?’
‘Nixie?’ I scoff. ‘What sort of name is that?’
‘I’d say a perfect one by the look of her,’ Mandy says, grinning. We all stare at the slight, but buxom peroxide blonde on Rob’s left, wearing a silver sequin mini dress and the highest heels I think I’ve ever seen any woman manage to balance on. I have to give Nixie some kudos for that mean feat alone. ‘Is that what Rob is calling them now – his PA? She’s as much a PA as I am Mary Poppins.’
‘Even if she is, why would you need to bring your PA all the way to a birthday party in Cornwall?’ I ask, trying not to look. ‘Bit over the top, isn’t it? Next thing he’ll have a bodyguard with him as well.’
‘There is someone else standing with them,’ Claire says. ‘He’s being blocked by Dexter right now, so I can’t quite see . . . Oh!’ She exclaims in delight. ‘I think it’s Mack.’
My head does turn now, and I look with everyone else.
‘It is Mack,’ Claire says as Dexter moves to the side a little. ‘How lovely. I didn’t know he was coming. Did you, Frankie?’
‘No,’ I say, still staring at Mack as he chats amiably with Eddie and Dexter.
‘Why would Frankie know?’ Mandy asks with interest.
‘Frankie and Mack kept in touch for a while after . . . well, after the funeral.’
‘It’s all right, Claire, you can say Hetty’s name,’ Mandy says. ‘I won’t get upset. I’ve had a lot of very expensive therapy over the last ten years that has helped me come to terms with what happened. And how I was dealing with it.’
I turn back to look at Mandy and she’s looking at Jules, who squeezes her hand supportively.
