I shook my head. “No, what d’you mean?”
“I dunno, just that you two have always been…” He stopped, waving his hand around while trying to find the words he wanted. “Anyway, so what’s the problem?”
“I need to tell Cooper and I don’t think he’s going to be happy. I’m expecting the same broken nose you gave him when he started dating Fred. So I guess I want to know how you felt when you found out.”
“About Cooper and Franks?”
I nodded.
“I encouraged it.”
I blinked at him, not sure I understood.
“Yeah, the week of Jas and Wolf’s wedding. She needed someone like him, and you remember how he was always so weird about her. I gave them both a nudge in the right direction.”
Huh.
“I didn’t know that. But also I’m not sure Coop is going to be nudging me in the direction of Molly.”
He squeezed my shoulder hard. “You’re one of his best mates. He obviously doesn’t think you’re a total dickhead, and if you like her in the way you seem to, then he’d be lucky to haveyou date her. And he can reserve the right to break your nose if you fuck things up.”
I rocked back on my heels as I pondered. “Yeah, I hope so. It might be wishful thinking.”
“Just make him see you’re serious and not dicking about, then you’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Thanks, dude.”
I looked down at my phone as it rang, Cooper’s name flashing on the screen.
“Shit, we need to go to Freddie.”
I pressed answer and Cooper’s face popped up.
“Hey, man, are you on the plane?”
“Yeah, can you put her on?”
“Hang on.”
We walked off as quickly as possible to Freddie’s room where we found her bent over, groaning, Molly rubbing her back.
“Where the fuck is your brother?”
I handed Molly my phone to show her. “Fred, he’s here.”
Freddie started sobbing again as she looked at the screen. “Coop, where the fuck are you? I need you.”
“Francesca, baby, I’m coming.”
Her jaw clenched through another contraction. “I need you now.”
“I’ll be there in three hours; I promise I won’t miss it. Just remember our breathing. Focus on what we talked about.”
He was trying to keep calm but I could hear the panic in his voice.
“I can’t do it without you! I just want you here.”
“Youcando it, and you’re doing such a good job. But I’ll be there soon, okay? I love you so much. We’re about to take off, so I gotta go. I’ll see you soon, baby.”
