Sisters - Michelle Frances Page 0,40

ask and she was relieved. And his words were kind, but he had no idea of the extent of the mess she was in. She was unable to see how she might ever be able to come to terms with what had happened to her over the last twenty-four hours.

‘Which way are you headed?’ asked Fredrik.

Ellie pointed in the direction the car was facing. ‘That way.’

‘West?’

She looked at him, impressed. How could he tell so quickly?

He held up his phone in confession. ‘Compass app. Been checking my route.’

‘Cheat. So, what about you? Where’s next?’

He leaned closer to her and pointed across the square, where a road ran off. ‘That way. Two hours and forty kilometres later I’ll be in Antibes.’

‘Antibes,’ sighed Ellie. ‘Impressionist heaven.’

Fredrik looked at his bike. ‘If only it were a tandem . . .’

She laughed.

‘There’s a lady over there who looks quite fierce,’ said Fredrik, nudging her shoulder.

She turned to see Abby had just come out of the boulangerie, two coffees in her hands, and was looking over at them suspiciously.

‘My sister,’ she said, and was suddenly aware that the lightness she’d briefly felt was rapidly evaporating. She had an urge to do something reckless, just get on the back of this man’s bike and disappear to Antibes, but of course this was a fantasy.

‘If you give me your number, I could send you a picture? Picasso Museum by the sea?’

Ellie turned to face him, taken aback.

He held up an apologetic hand. ‘Or not. Didn’t mean to step out of line.’

She could sense Abby approaching, and her sister’s encroaching presence was overbearing. In a matter of minutes they’d be back in the car going who knew where with Abby calling all the shots, and Ellie wanted to grab hold of a lifeline. She rattled off her number, and watched as Fredrik typed it into his phone, just as Abby arrived.

‘One cappuccino,’ she said, handing over one of the drinks.

‘Thanks,’ said Ellie.

‘Who’s this?’

‘Fredrik. From Norway. Cycling across France.’

‘That’s great. We need to get going,’ said Abby brusquely before turning and heading back to the car.

Ellie sighed. ‘Sorry about her. She’s . . . got a lot on her mind.’

‘Ellie!’ called Abby sharply.

‘Jeez.’ Ellie stood, held out her hand. ‘It was very nice to meet you.’ Fredrik stood too, keeping hold of her hand, then seemed to make a sudden decision and leaned in and kissed her cheek.

‘You too. Hope it’s not as serious as you think.’

Ellie held his gaze. ‘Hope you find your perspective.’

‘Ellie!’

Ellie rolled her eyes but turned and headed towards Abby, who was sitting in the car, engine running. As she made her way across the square, she looked back at Fredrik who, she was pleased to see, watched her all the way.

‘Finally!’ said Abby, pulling away as Ellie belted up.

‘I wasn’t that long,’ said Ellie, breaking into a smile as she turned and waved to Fredrik. Then Abby left the square and she could see him no more.

‘Oh!’ she exclaimed.

‘What?’

She’d given Fredrik her number but she no longer had her phone! What an idiot. She’d completely forgotten Abby had ditched it. Did she explain? Taking one look at her sister, she thought it best not to. Ellie felt a sadness cloud over her; seemed she wouldn’t get any pictures of Antibes after all.

‘Nothing. Just spilled some coffee,’ she said, brushing away an imaginary spot off her dress.

‘So, what was all that about? He rescuing a damsel in distress?’

‘We were just talking. Passing the time of day.’

‘You do realize it’s probably better not to speak to anyone. Let alone cosy up to some strange man.’

Ellie paused, then levelled her gaze at her sister. ‘Oh, I see what this is about.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘You. Being all huffy. Not liking the fact I’m . . .’

‘What?’ goaded Abby.

‘I can’t help it if some men are attracted to me, Abby.’

‘You make it sound as if that little encounter there was nothing to do with you.’

‘Fredrik asked me over to the bench, actually.’

‘You were flirting.’

‘Oh, for God’s sake.’

‘It’s like you can’t help yourself.’

‘Are we really still going on about this? It was years ago. You two had broken up.’

‘Only because you decided you wanted him for yourself.’

Not true, thought Ellie angrily. There had been a man – Jon – whom Abby had been dating. They’d all been so young, and she had been insensitive, but Abby and Jon weren’t dating when Jon had asked her, Ellie, out. She glanced across; God, her big sister looked so self-righteous.

‘You know, when the