Page 8 of A Secret Cornish Wish
‘What do you mean?’ He looks confused.
‘I . . . I mean . . . ’WhatdoI mean? Come on, Frankie, think! ‘Guitar is quite cool, isn’t it?’The words barely have time to form in my brain before they’re tumbling out of my mouth. ‘And Jenny’s group . . . well, they’re not cool, are they? They’re more of a formal orchestra – although they’re very good!’ I add, in case he’s offended. ‘But I always see a guitar as being more at home in a group . . . you know, like a rock band?’
To my enormous relief, Rob smiles.
‘Now it’s my turn to thankyoufor the compliment. I wish I was cool enough to be in a rock band. I’ve not had many offers though.’
‘I’m sure you’re cool enough,’ I say before I’ve thought it through. ‘Perhaps St Felix isn’t the best place to get offers though – Bon Jovi doesn’t often pop into the Merry Mermaid for a pint, does he?’
To my delight, Rob laughs.
‘No, sadly he doesn’t. Neither does Freddie Mercury.’
‘I’ve heard Guns N’ Roses sometimes take a cottage here over the summer, though . . . ’
‘Yeah, right – I wish!’ Rob grins. ‘You like rock music?’
‘Yeah, I do. My parents soon bought me headphones when I started playing AC/DC full blast in my bedroom.’
‘Nice. Who else?’
To my surprise, Rob and I begin to have a very detailed conversation about rock music, who we like, and who we don’t, and it feels like the most natural thing in the world. I almost forget who I’m talking to and where I am. So that when the bell rings again over the shop door and Rose returns with her lunch, I almost jump out of my skin.
‘Don’t mind me,’ she says as we both stare at her like she’s caught us up to no good. ‘I’ll just take my lunch out the back.’ She raises her eyebrows good-naturedly at me as she passes.
‘I . . . I’d better go,’ Rob says, looking at his flowers. ‘Water . . . you know.’
‘Yeah, that’s a good idea. I . . . I hope your mum likes them.’
‘I know she will. Thanks again, Frankie.’
‘You’re very welcome.’
‘See ya around.’
I nod.
As he leaves the shop, my legs actually buckle underneath me as my knees give way, something I thought only happened in romantic novels, and I have to hold on to the shop counter to stay upright.
‘Nice-looking young man!’ Rose’s voice sounds from the back room, clearly having heard the door open and close.
‘Yes,’ I can only murmur as I begin to regain the feeling in my legs again. ‘He is.’
Rose pops her head back into the shop.
‘Ah,’ she says, smiling at me. ‘Young love, the most powerful and yet often the most painful love of all.’
Three
‘Louder!’ Eddie calls across the sand as we go over the song once again in our now favoured rehearsal spot hidden in between the rocks in Morvoren Cove. ‘They won’t hear you singing otherwise.’
‘I’m sure there’s going to be a microphone, Eddie,’ I say as we sway together on the rock. ‘The audience will hearyou, and that’s the most important thing.’
‘Yeah,’ Mandy adds, grinning. ‘We’re just here to look pretty!’
‘Cut!’ Eddie shouts dramatically, waving his arms above his head. ‘Enough! You’ve ruined it now. Go again, please.’
We sigh and roll our eyes at each other. ‘Now, you’ve done it,’ Claire says, looking worried. ‘Eddie looks awfully cross.’
