Page 64 of Summer Breakdown (Training Seasons #2)

Cam sticks her tongue out. “Tell me you wouldn’t push me in the river for Jasmine.” That’s not the same because Frankie is in love with Jasmine and Cam is pretending she’s not in love with Ezra. Cam gets freaked out with emotions though, so Frankie lets her have it.

“What about my place?”

Cam frowns. “What about it?”

“I live here,” she replies, and Jasmine smiles against her shoulder. “I was thinking about renting it out or selling it when the team is settled, but you’re welcome to it.”

“Are you sure?” Cam asks, her brow furrowed.

“Yeah. I’d give you anything.”

Cam smiles. Frankie knows she’d do the same for her. “Jasmine?”

Jasmine sits up. “Try and tell Lani and Marcel that Frankie might need to keep her house and see what happens.”

Cam laughs. “Take the night to think about it,” she says.

She gets up, kisses them both on the forehead, and goes to dip her feet in the pool.

It doesn’t take long until Ezra is next to her with Lani on his shoulders.

Zach is teaching Marcel how to dive, and Mali is filming it under the guise of showing them a proper technique.

Frankie thinks she zooms in on Zach’s shoulders.

Kai is on his way and Frankie wonders if he’ll tell her why he doesn’t like M’Baku.

Probably not, but she could convince Lani to ask him.

“Do you want to go on a date with me?” Frankie asks, running her fingers through Jasmine’s curls. “I’ve never taken you on a first date. I’m such a bad girlfriend. ”

Jasmine sits up with a smile. “Wanna hear about the best first date of my life?”

Frankie frowns so hard her eyes close. Her eyelids turn orange. “I suppose, but only because I adore you.”

“Okay,” Jasmine says, sitting up so she’s a little closer. “So, let me set the scene.”

Frankie smiles, holding on to her hand. “Okay.”

“I’m in my favourite black trousers, and a black top.”

“Wait,” Frankie starts, looking at her. “How old are you? What kind of scene-setting is this?”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Okay, but let it be known you’re probably getting four stars,” she replies. “I don’t even know what the weather is like.”

Jasmine smiles, and Frankie smiles back. “I’m in all black, and it’s a nice summer night. Early summer, so it still gets dark pretty early.” Frankie nods. “I’ve smashed a pub quiz. Like, truly some of my best work.”

She’s stupid good at a quiz. “Mm-hmm.”

“And I’m talking to this woman, and she is out-of-this-world hot,” Jasmine says, and Frankie frowns.

Jasmine moves closer to whisper in her ear, and Frankie meets her halfway.

It’s not that far. Jasmine may as well be lying on her.

“Like, I spent most of my time thinking about crawling under the table to eat her out hot.”

Frankie laughs. “You’re scandalous, though I do enjoy you being on a date while you were with Mike. Prick.”

Jasmine rolls her eyes. “She walked me home, and we walked along the river, and I told her things I’ve never told anyone. I think maybe she told me things too.”

Frankie’s eyes widen. “Oh. Me?”

“You’re so unserious,” Jasmine whispers. “My girl, it wouldn’t be our first date. I’ve been dating you for the longest time.”

Frankie smiles. “You have?”

“I can’t believe you had no idea I was flirting with you. ”

Frankie leans closer, her lips against hers. “When did you start? I thought you hated me.”

“I’ve always been flirting with you,” Jasmine says, kissing her once. “You were just looking or a reason for me not to be.” It takes every ounce of Frankie’s self-control not to slip her tongue into her mouth.

“Can you flirt with me for the rest of time, please?” she asks instead.

Jasmine drags her foot up Frankie’s calf, and she jolts, turning red as she checks no one from the pool is looking at them. “ Jasmine .”

Jasmine laughs, resting against her again. Frankie watches the kids play in the pool. She wants to tell Jasmine something true, just because.

“Sometimes, I miss you, and you’re right here,” Frankie says.

Jasmine links their fingers together. “We just haven’t spoken in a minute and I’m like ‘Oh fuck, I miss her.’ But I miss the kids too.

Somehow, it feels like I crafted them myself.

I didn’t even know them, and it’s biologically impossible, which is rude, but it feels as though I put in hours to mould them into something, and what do you mean I saw ducks this afternoon and Lani wasn’t there? ”

Jasmine laughs. “She’s not getting a phone.”

Frankie groans, but she knows Jasmine knows she’d never go against something she said, and that it’s stupid to give a four-year-old a phone, even if she really does miss her.

“Marcel is already old enough to want to hang out of the house, and I missed it. Sometimes,” Frankie whispers, as she watches Marcel’s smile dip under the water, “I feel such a weird loss that I never saw them grow up. I want you to tell me everything so it feels like I was there.”

They both cheer as Lani stands on Ezra’s shoulders for two seconds before she falls into the pool.

Jasmine hums. “Okay. I will.”

It’s not long until they all get out of the pool, Lani in her poncho that matches Frankie’s now.

Jasmine bought her one, even though it’s not her birthday.

Frankie cannot wait for Lani’s and Marcel’s birthdays.

It may be the most excited she’s ever been, even though Jasmine will check every gift before she buys it.

“Mama, can we stay at Ezra’s at the weekend?” Lani asks, as she immediately starts placing barbecue food on Cam’s plate. “Because he said he got us a new duvet cover, and Cam-Cam is going to watch a movie with me.”

Jasmine smiles. “Yes, baby.”

Marcel shuffles in his seat. Frankie wonders if he doesn’t want to go.

“You don’t—“ Frankie starts.

“Tabitha wants to meet you,” he says quickly, his eyes wide.

Jasmine places her cutlery down so fast Frankie checks she didn’t crack her plate.

“She does?”

He takes a deep breath. “Maybe we could have lunch? Just the immediate family first,” he says, before Zach can say anything, and his jaw is dropped like he was going to say something. Frankie doesn’t mind going out for the afternoon.

“Okay,” Jasmine says, with a smile, her feet tapping the ground rapidly. “When?”

Marcel shrugs. “Not this weekend, because we’ve got the sleepover, but maybe the weekend after? Or she could come for dinner after school.”

“I’m free all those times,” Lani says. She’s dishing up for Ezra now. “Can I meet her?”

“Yeah,” Marcel replies. “She’s excited to meet you, and Ma, and Frank.” Oh. Frankie is immediate family. She’s on their emergency contacts list and they share a doctor, but actually feeling it is different.

“You want me to meet her?” Frankie asks. Jasmine rests her hand against her thigh .

“Yeah, obviously. She does fancy you,” he says, with a frown, “but it would be weird to not introduce you when she calls you Mum number two.”

“She does?”

“Yeah.” He’s back on his phone like Frankie’s heart isn’t going a mile a minute. Ezra smiles at his plate, then at Cam, then at Lani. Frankie knows he’s happy, but she wants him to get everything that he wants. She wants him to be as lucky as she is right now.

“Mama, please can you tell Daddy I can’t go to his next week?” Lani asks. She’s finally eating for herself, there’s so much sauce on her cheeks. Ezra taught her how to get all the meat off the bone, but she’s a messy little thing.

Jasmine frowns. “Why not?” Mike has cancelled every week since Frankie picked them up. Frankie just assumes Jasmine will make an excuse for why he’s not coming, and Lani hasn’t asked for the past few weeks.

“Because Cam-Cam said it’s girls’ night at Mali’s, and I’m a girl.” Cam wipes Lani’s cheeks.

Frankie laughs, then says, “We can move it so you can come to girls’ night and go to your dad’s?”

Lani shrugs. “Daddy will cancel anyway.”

Jasmine’s hand tightens against hers. “I’ll talk to him.”

“No big deal,” Lani replies. She smiles, looking over at Mali. “I like being with people that want to see me all the time.” Mali winks at her. She hasn’t stolen her yet, but it might be soon.

“Daddy wants to see you,” Jasmine says.

“Mama is fibbing.” Lani giggles, but there’s a slight sadness there.

Frankie’s heart breaks. She never knew how delicate children were.

How Lani will smile all day every day, even as she knows her dad won’t come.

Even when her legs hurt her. Frankie wants every single person at this table to get everything they’ve ever wanted .

“I’m sorry, baby,” Jasmine says. Lani leans closer to Ezra, and he tucks his arm around her. She rests her head against his arm.

Lani smiles. “You want to see me all the time.”

“All the time,” Jasmine says.

“And Frankie loves me the most.”

“The most,” Frankie replies.

Lani giggles. Frankie loves her so much. “And Ezra and Cam-Cam said we could go shopping for a new dress.” Frankie waits for it. Lani looks over at Mali and Zach, and they nod with wide smiles. Mali is basically hopping in her seat. Jasmine pulls Frankie’s arm around her shoulder.

“And Zach and Mali said I could tell you that they’re engaged.”

A chorus of cries sounds around the table. “WHAT?!”

THE END