‘Thanks for bringing me. I do appreciate what you do for me, Ruby.’
‘What are friends for?’
‘I’ve never fully worked that out. But anyway, you need to get to your date.’
She checked her watch. Poor Lewis, he was probably on his way to the restaurant. ‘I think I’ll have to cancel.’
‘Why? Not on my account. I’d feel awful. This could be your happy ever after.’
She smiled at him. ‘You don’t believe in those.’
‘No. But you do.’
‘I can’t go looking like this. I’ve not even showered.’ She pulled at her hair and her top in turn.
Curtis studied her closely. She felt oddly scrutinised and a little self-conscious under his gaze. ‘You look very pretty.’ He leaned slightly forward, his nose almost touching her right boob. ‘And you don’t smell at all.’
She laughed. ‘Thanks, Curtis. That’s reassuring.’
‘I’m serious. If you go straight there, you’ll be marginally late. I’d forgive you that.’
‘And what will you do here?’
He looked about as if searching for inspiration. He held up his phone. ‘I’ll learn all about social media.’ He glanced at Harry. ‘And I’ll wait.’
There wasn’t much she could do. Perhaps she’d be more useful to him after the inevitable happened. And she did really want to see Lewis. ‘Okay, but promise you’ll call me if there’s any change.’
‘I promise. Now please go,’ he said, taking the flowers from her.
Ruby screamed into Eldon Street car park and was relieved to find a space. She hastily paid for a ticket, slung it on the dashboard and hurtled off in the direction of the restaurant. She came to a halt a few metres away and took in a few lungfuls of air, trying to calm her pulse. She ran her fingers through her hair and hastily applied a smudge of lipstick. She checked how she looked in her phone. A little pink from the running but otherwise okay.
Curtis’s words invaded her mind. He’d said she was pretty. She watched her reflection smile. She shook her head; she needed to focus. Tonight was about her and Lewis and the ring. ‘Bugger it!’ She said it a little more loudly than she’d intended, making a woman nearby almost fall off the kerb. ‘Sorry.’ In the whole Harry emergency dash, she’d forgotten the ring. Her shoulders slumped. It was all a waste of time. Oh well, she thought, I’ll just have to explain to Lewis what’s happened. What else could she do?
She took a deep breath and strolled into the restaurant. It was lovely inside. In her flustered state she was grateful for air conditioning and if the smells were anything to go by the food was going to be good. A waitress approached her and at the same time she spotted Lewis sitting forlornly at a table near the back. As she approached him, he looked up and beamed a welcoming smile at her.
‘I thought you’d stood me up.’ He greeted her with a brief kiss on the cheek.
‘I’m sorry. It’s a very long story but a friend of mine, the one from the train who’s got your ring, got a phone call that his dad was seriously poorly, so we dashed over there and …’ She took a breath, aware she was gabbling. ‘I forgot the ring. Sorry.’
Lewis shrugged. ‘No worries. We’ll have to go out again.’ And just like that she felt herself relax. Thankfully most of the other people were dressed casually so she didn’t look out of place in her patterned top and leggings. She thought of Curtis and how he would have likely worn a suit and not even noticed he was the only one.
They shared small talk while they perused the menu. A waitress took their order and the conversation continued.
‘You actually went to the London Eye that day?’ Lewis shook his head. ‘I can’t believe you did that.’ He rested his forearms on the table and listened attentively.
‘We did. Curtis had this important presentation at a big company and I … had an appointment. And we couldn’t agree over who should look after the ring. So, we had to go to both things together.’ The thought of that day made her laugh. She replayed it in her mind: her knocking over the flipchart, him rescuing her from Neil the sperm donor. ‘Then there was all this maintenance on the Tube and we had to get a bus …’ She saw Lewis check his phone. She was rambling again. ‘Anyway, we got there and waited but you didn’t show up.’ She wanted to tell him about going to Covent Garden with Curtis, sitting outside and watching the world go by. It had been such an unexpectedly good day.
Lewis nodded. ‘I got the call that I was dumped so I pretty much got on the next train home.’
‘And where is home?’
Lewis talked quite a bit about being from Barnsley but moving to Sheffield as a teenager. He shared a flat with a friend and there was a funny story about them trying to get into a neighbour’s flat when drunk but Ruby’s mind was drifting. She was thinking about Curtis. While she was happy to be out on a date with Lewis, there was also part of her that wished she’d not left Curtis. She was worried about him and what he was facing alone. She smiled and nodded in what she hoped were the right places as Lewis moved on to amusing anecdotes about his Sunday league football team.
Their food arrived and the waitress ground black pepper onto their meals.
‘This is amazing,’ said Lewis, cutting her a piece of his lasagne. ‘You have to try this.’ He offered her his fork. A picture of Curtis and his chips on Cleethorpes seafront shot into her mind. She pushed it aside as Lewis was waiting. It appeared he was going to feed it to her. She wondered what Curtis would say about that. She took the fork from him and swapped it with her, as yet unused, one.
‘Oh, okay,’ he said.
She ate the lasagne. ‘Mmm that’s really good. My friend …’
‘Curtis?’ he interjected.
‘Yeah, Curtis.’ Had she mentioned him too often? ‘He makes this amazing cottage pie with a Caribbean twist.’
‘Uh-huh. You and this Curtis. Is he like a jealous ex who’s likely to want to thump me?’
‘No.’ She tilted her head. ‘He’s the guy from the train who I told you about.’ Despite his attentive look had he not listened to her at all?
‘Right. That guy.’
‘What did you say you did for a living?’ She tucked into her meatballs and she had to admit they were mighty fine. She was regretting the spaghetti a little when she felt sauce stick to her chin but hopefully he’d not noticed.
‘I travel quite a bit and it pays the bills. How about you?’
‘Travelling is interesting. Different places or the same ones repeated?’ she asked keen to find out more.
‘All over really. What was it that you do?’
‘I’m a florist, and I’m an executive assistant for Curtis but you were saying about your job. What is it that you do exactly?’ She still wasn’t sure that he’d actually told her.
‘It’s just dull stuff with computers.’
‘Ooh Curtis is a consultant in computer technology – maybe your paths have crossed.’
‘I can’t say I remember him. Anyway, a florist – that must be a lovely job, playing about with flowers all day.’
Ruby was glad Kim wasn’t there. ‘There’s a bit more to it than that. But, it’s a good job. I like not knowing what I’ll be doing from one day to the next.’
‘Making something with flowers I’m guessing.’ He laughed as he forked up a huge piece of lasagne.
‘Yeah, but some days it’s bouquets, another it’s funeral wreaths, or church sprays and table centres for weddings. Quite varied really and very different to the admin work I do for Curtis. I’m lucky because I enjoy both my jobs.’
‘That’s good. There’s not many people who like one job, let alone two.’
‘I suppose.’ She pondered this for a minute. She was very lucky with both her jobs and especially with the people she worked with. They chatted some more and moved on to dessert. Ruby wasn’t entirely sure she had room but she couldn’t say no to tiramisu.
‘Have you got your own place?’ asked Lewis.
‘I have. It’s a little flat b
ut it’s big enough for me.’
‘I’d like my own place but …’ Lewis’s attention was drawn to the front of the restaurant where Ruby was vaguely aware of slightly raised voices. She followed Lewis’s gaze and was surprised to see Curtis.
Chapter Thirty-Five
The waitress’s arms flopped down in an ‘I give up’ gesture as Curtis strode past her and over to Ruby’s table.
Ruby feared the worst and sadness clutched at her heart. ‘What’s happened?’
‘I’ve been on social media,’ said Curtis.
Not the answer she was expecting. ‘And your dad?’
‘He’s the same.’
Lewis’s eyes were darting between the two of them. ‘Hello, mate,’ he said, standing up.
Curtis spun in his direction. ‘I’m not your mate by any definition of the word. I’d like you to accompany me to the police station,’ said Curtis, holding his head high.
Lewis leaned over the table towards Ruby. ‘Is he dangerous?’
‘No,’ she replied, feeling very defensive of her friend. Ruby felt at a disadvantage as the only one sitting down so she stood up too. ‘Curtis, what’s going on?’ she asked, aware that other diners were starting to pay attention to the drama unfolding at their table.
‘I decided to look at hashtags, as Cordelia had suggested. I started with swing choir because it’s something she’s interested in and I know little about. However, searching the hashtag swingers was obviously a mistake.’ He gave a little shudder. ‘I moved on to railway-related things. And I discovered there has been a spate of mobile phone thefts on the Sheffield to St Pancras line. By this man here.’
Lewis looked about him uneasily. ‘You’ve got the wrong guy.’
‘Five people have described someone borrowing their mobile and then exiting the train at the next station.’
‘But I handed Ruby’s phone in,’ said Lewis.
‘No, you didn’t. I called St Pancras lost property. They record everything and retain it for twelve weeks. No mobile phones were handed in from our train and also none at all that day that matched her make and model.’
Ruby’s head was spinning and her throat had gone dry. ‘Lewis?’ Her voice was a croak. Had Curtis been right all along? Was it all one big charade to steal her mobile? ‘Is this true?’
Lewis put his hands together as if in prayer. ‘No, I swear. I don’t know what he’s going on about.’ She desperately wanted to believe him.
‘Curtis, you can’t go barging in and accusing people of things. You need proof.’
‘But what he did is the same as the stories on the internet,’ said Curtis, suddenly sounding like doubt was creeping in.
‘Don’t go believing everything on the internet, mate,’ said Lewis. He scratched his head. ‘It’s a coincidence. I’ll call you, Ruby. Okay?’
‘Oh, don’t go,’ said Ruby, hating how desperate she sounded. Lewis went to leave but Curtis blocked him.
‘My apologies,’ said Curtis inclining his head. ‘It must have been a mistake. Please don’t go on my account.’
‘Stay. Please finish your meal,’ said Ruby, sitting down in the hope that Lewis would do the same. How was she ever going to recover this?
The waitress bobbed about behind Curtis. ‘The manager would like you all to leave. Please.’ She pointed to a woman who appeared to be hiding behind the till while taking a telephone call.
‘It’s all right. No harm done.’ Lewis ran a finger around his collar. There was a moment where Curtis and Lewis glared at each other. Ruby placed a hand on Curtis’s arm. He moved to the side and Lewis went to pass him.
‘You’d best have your ring back,’ said Curtis, handing him the ring box.
Lewis automatically went to take it. ‘Thanks.’
Curtis moved the ring out of Lewis’s grasp. ‘I shared a photograph of the ring with one of the women who had reported the phone thief. She said it was exactly the same as the one the man on the train had shown her when he’d told her all about the elaborate proposal he had planned. Is that a coincidence too?’ asked Curtis.
Ruby’s stomach plummeted and the look Lewis gave her said it all. She’d been a fool. Curtis had been right all along. Lewis was nothing but a con man.
Curtis grabbed him by the arm. ‘Shall we go to the police station now?’
‘Get off me!’ shouted Lewis, trying to wrench his arm free as he bumped into a nearby table, knocking over their bottle of wine.
‘Hey!’ yelled a man at the table.
‘Ruby. Tell your nutjob friend to let me go or I’m going to knock him out,’ barked Lewis.
‘Curtis, he’s not worth it. Let him go.’
‘No. He’s committed a crime and he’s upset you,’ said Curtis.
Ruby raised her voice. ‘Let him go!’
Curtis nodded and released his grip on the struggling Lewis who straightened his shirt. He snatched the ring box from Curtis, flipped it open and smirked to see the ring was inside. ‘Thanks, mate,’ he said, closing and pocketing the box. He turned on his heel and strode confidently towards the exit. Ruby and Curtis watched his retreating back. She felt a part of her was leaving with him and taking her last hope of a fairy-tale ending along too. Romance really didn’t exist. She’d put a lot of faith in Lewis, spent so much effort trying to return the ring to him and the whole time he was nothing more than a common thief.
As Lewis reached the glass door, two policemen appeared on the other side and Lewis froze. He checked over his shoulder where Curtis and Ruby were watching him. The waitress approached him and brandished the extra large peppermill. He had nowhere to run.
Whilst the restaurant staff had called the police because of the disturbance, the officers were quite interested in the evidence Curtis happily shared with them. A couple of police radio exchanges ensued and a few minutes later Lewis was arrested. Ruby watched from her seat at the table where her tiramisu sat untouched and she hugged a hot chocolate despite it being a warm evening.
Curtis ended a phone call before sitting down opposite her.
‘There goes another happily ever after. I can’t believe how much time I wasted on Lewis.’ Ruby slid down a little in her seat.
‘Look on the bright side,’ said Curtis.
‘Which is what exactly?’ Ruby shook her head. All was lost.
Curtis thought for a moment. ‘You returned Lewis’s ring to him.’
Ruby huffed – it wasn’t much of a bright side. ‘And that must have been a big old fake just like Lewis. I wonder if any of it was true,’ mused Ruby.
‘I doubt it. The girlfriend certainly wasn’t.’ He got something up on his phone. ‘Was one of these his “girlfriend”?’ he asked, showing her a series of pictures of women next to palm trees.
‘That one,’ she said despondently as the picture of the pretty girl on the Caribbean beach popped up. ‘Grrr.’ This time Curtis didn’t recoil. ‘I’m such an idiot.’
‘No, you’re not. An idiot is someone of low intelligence and you’ve proved to be anything but while you’ve been working for me.’
She was starting to get grumpy. ‘But you know what I mean when I say that. I’m an idiot because I’m the one Lewis chose to play out his charade with. He must pick out certain people as his victims.’
‘I suspect he thought you’d have an expensive phone.’
‘Thanks for that. He didn’t choose me because I’m a nice person. Just because I might have a decent phone.’
‘And possibly be gullible.’ He had the decency to look away as he said it.
‘Bloody hell, Curtis. You’re infuriating.’ He looked up again. ‘You’re so nit-picky. You know what I’m trying to say but you have to make me feel an even bigger idiot by correcting me. You’re a … quibbling perfectionist.’
There was a long silence. Ruby’s heart was beating slightly faster than usual thanks to her getting riled. Curtis’s jaw was tense. Eventually he spoke. ‘The word you are searching for is pedant.’
‘Bloody he
ll.’ She threw up her arms. ‘I’m going home. This is the perfectly crappy end to an absolutely crapulous day.’
‘You’re right. It has been a crap day,’ said Curtis.
She stood up and picked up her bag but Curtis stayed where he was. ‘You should be getting back to the nursing home.’
‘No need.’
‘Why?’
‘They called just now. Harry died a few minutes ago.’
It was early Saturday morning in the shop and Kim felt like she had done the right thing by agreeing to spend some time with Vince. But whilst it might have been a good thing to do for him, she was feeling wretched. It went against everything her instincts were telling her but she’d been backed into a corner and couldn’t see a way out without appearing totally heartless.
Boomer was on form and happily rolling around the floor groaning in ecstasy – oh to be that easily pleased.
Ruby came in and Boomer went berserk and, for the first time he didn’t wet himself when he saw her. ‘Good boy,’ said Ruby.
‘How was your big date?’ asked Kim, keen to immerse herself in someone else’s hopefully more successful love life.
‘A total and utter disaster,’ said Ruby, dropping her bag in the back room and slumping onto a stool.
‘Did you and Lewis not hit it off?’
‘You could say that.’ Ruby proceeded to update Kim on the previous evening’s events.
Kim listened intently. When Ruby got to the end of the story she reached out and squeezed her shoulder. ‘Oh, Ruby, you do pick them.’
Ruby rolled her eyes. ‘If it wasn’t so tragic it could be an actual gift. I could maybe get them tattooed as a warning to all other females. This is a Ruby Edwards confirmed arsehole.’
‘And poor Curtis, losing his dad. How is he?’
Ruby shrugged. ‘He said there was nothing he could do. He got a taxi home and I drove back to mine.’
Kim knew she was giving her a schoolteacher look. ‘Was any of what happened with Lewis, Curtis’s fault?’
The Promise of Summer Page 28
