Page 84 of Starry Nights over Dragonfly Lake

‘By the way, that was fantastic,’ said Frankie, smiling.

‘I agree,’ said Noah, coming to stand next to the bar.

‘Thank you,’ said Beth.

She looked up at him for a long time and was pleased to see him smiling down at her.

‘It was perhaps a little long on the fairy-tale stuff though.’

Beth spun around to see who had spoken, hoping she hadn’t mistaken the all-too-familiar voice. But her hopes were dashed when she found Jeremy standing in front of her.

46

Beth stared at Jeremy in shock. Was he really back at the hotel?

‘What are you doing here?’ she croaked, more from shock than Frankie’s strong cocktail.

‘Enjoying the dark skies around here, although that doesn’t seem to be the case tonight with this ghastly weather,’ he replied smoothly, leaning forward to give her a peck on the cheek. ‘You did very well, darling.’

Jeremy then gave Noah a nod of greeting but didn’t seem to notice that it wasn’t returned.

‘What can I get you?’ asked Frankie, glaring at him from across the bar. ‘Gin? Rum? Arsenic?’

‘Pardon?’ asked Jeremy, thinking that he had misheard her.

‘I’ll just make up my own special concoction for you,’ Frankie told him, with an evil grin.

Looking a little alarmed, Jeremy turned back to Beth. ‘So how are you?’ he asked, with a glance at Noah. ‘Still blissfully in love?’

‘That’s none of your business,’ muttered Beth, blushing furiously.

She shuffled her feet under his scrutiny. She had always been terrible at lying and would have sworn Jeremy would have detected her unease had Noah not slipped an arm around her shoulders and drawn her against him.

‘Why would anyone with half a brain let someone as wonderful as Beth go?’ murmured Noah, kissing the top of her head.

She could feel the warmth and strength of him through the sweater he was wearing and leant gratefully against him.

‘I see.’ Jeremy’s eyes narrowed as he looked at them.

‘Here you go,’ said Frankie, passing Jeremy a cocktail glass full of brown liquid over the counter of the bar.

‘Thank you,’ he replied, absent-mindedly taking a large gulp before going puce in the face. ‘What is this?’ he croaked.

‘It’s called the Four Horsemen,’ Frankie told him, with a winning smile. ‘Equal parts of Jack Daniel’s, Johnnie Walker, Jose Cuervo and Jim Beam. All of my favourite men, in fact.’

‘It’s awful,’ spluttered Jeremy, his eyes watering.

‘Don’t you like it?’ asked Frankie, in an innocent tone. ‘I find they go together like drunk and disorderly.’

Jeremy put down the glass before either he or the glass exploded.

‘What do you want, Jeremy?’ said Beth, who had been enjoying his discomfort as she knew he always liked to be in complete control of any situation.

‘Could I have a word? In private?’ asked Jeremy.

Noah’s hand briefly tightened on her shoulder before Beth nodded. ‘It’s fine,’ she murmured and gestured with her head for Jeremy to follow her.

They walked through the busy bar and lounge before finally finding themselves alone inthe entrance hall.