The Promise of Summer

by Bella Osborne

  Hayley and the bridesmaids made the appropriate oohs and aahs at the sight of the flowers. ‘I’ve just got the bride and bridesmaids’ bouquets to bring in. Is your dad about? You know, to see your reaction.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Hayley, her shoulders sagging a little. ‘He’s gone to pick up Great-Aunt Beryl.’

  ‘Right,’ said Kim, chewing her lip and trying not to be selfish. ‘Will he be long?’

  ‘Depends on how easily he can get her walking frame in the car,’ said Hayley.

  ‘I’ll video you,’ said one of the other women. ‘Then he won’t have missed your reaction.’

  ‘Right. I’ll bring them in,’ said Kim, no longer able to stall things.

  She returned from the van with the large box and Hayley burst into tears as soon as she caught sight of the flowers. This was always a special moment for Kim. She didn’t like to make people cry but happy bride tears were always the best feedback.

  ‘It’s okay then?’ she asked, prompting a lot of sniffing from Hayley.

  Hayley threw her arms around Kim and hugged her tight. ‘They’re utterly beautiful. Exactly what I dreamed of.’

  ‘That’s good then. Phew,’ she said, trying to lighten things.

  ‘Good job I’ve got waterproof mascara on,’ said Hayley, gently smearing black smudges under her eyes.

  ‘Have an amazing day, Hayley. I wish you every happiness for the future.’

  Hayley swallowed hard. ‘Thanks, Kim.’

  ‘My pleasure,’ she said and it really was. ‘Oh, and your mascara might be waterproof but I fear your eyeliner isn’t.’

  Hayley drew a sharp intake of breath and ran off squealing.

  Ruby checked the local news on her phone and almost dropped it when Lewis’s face popped up. The police were charging him with thirty-one counts of theft and there were details of how to get in touch if you’d been duped by him. She let out a sigh; he even looked good in his mugshot. Her sorry heart still longed for the person he’d pretended to be.

  Boomer barked as the shop door opened and Curtis walked in. Ruby straightened herself out. She’d gone over what Kim had said as she left but it was all a bit too late to do anything about it now. But seeing him, looking all neat and insecure, she couldn’t help but feel something stronger than friendship for him.

  ‘Hey,’ she said, putting away her phone. ‘Look about last night. I’m sorry if I upset Cordelia.’

  ‘That’s fine.’ He rolled his lips together but said nothing.

  She looked him up and down. He was wearing a diamond pattern jumper and beige chinos. She did a double take. It wasn’t what they’d bought together and, in her mind, it didn’t really suit him.

  ‘Could you give a wistful look out of that window and maybe point?’ asked Ruby, failing to hide her grin.

  Curtis gave the window a cautious glance. ‘Why?’

  ‘Because you look like you’ve stepped out of the Littlewoods catalogue.’

  Curtis frowned and shook his head. ‘You know I have no idea what you’re talking about?’

  ‘Yeah, I know.’ She was going to miss this. ‘What can I do for you?’

  ‘It’s about your resignation.’

  ‘Bugger. I meant to email you but I forgot.’ The door pinged as a smartly dressed young man walked in. She was miffed at being interrupted but went into professional mode. ‘Hello, can I help?’ she asked.

  ‘Do you sell bouquets of flowers?’ he asked.

  One day she was going to say no, we do them in buckets, bins and bumholes. ‘Yes, we do.’

  Curtis shook his head. ‘The educational system in this country is dire.’

  ‘Shhh,’ said Ruby, manoeuvring Curtis out of the way.

  ‘To take away now or for delivery?’ she asked the customer.

  ‘Can you waive the delivery charge as it’s not that far?’

  ‘No, because it’s not just the petrol. The charge is also for my time,’ she explained.

  ‘How about you take them at the same time as someone else’s – is that cheaper?’

  Ruby squeezed her eyes shut. Was this guy for real? ‘Sure thing. You leave me the address and the next time we are delivering to the house next door I’ll give you a call.’

  ‘Sweet,’ he said. There was a brief pause. ‘You’re shitting me, ain’t ya?’

  ‘Do you want to leave the address or take them now?’

  ‘Okay. I’ll take them with me.’

  ‘Good decision,’ said Ruby. She talked him through some options and made up the bouquet for him. He left a happy customer.

  ‘You’re really good with people,’ said Curtis.

  ‘What because I’m snarky with them? I think Human Resources would beg to differ.’

  ‘Apart from that. You’re good with people. You’re good with me.’

  Ruby was taken aback. ‘Well, apart from the wild partying and double door obsession, you’ve turned out okay I guess.’ She gave him a nudge with her elbow.

  ‘Indeed. I want to help you … with the fostering, not the artificial insemination.’

  For a moment she was thrilled and then realisation dawned. ‘But I don’t think you can do either without upsetting Cordelia.’ His face was blank. ‘She’s your partner and you need to run things like this by her now. And if it’s anything to do with me, I guarantee she’s going to say no.’

  ‘I see,’ said Curtis. ‘You mean I effectively need to choose between you and her?’

  That was it exactly but spelling it out wasn’t going to make the situation feel any better. ‘Don’t think about it like that,’ she said. ‘They’re two different things: a friend and a partner. You said yourself that you and Cordelia are a match. You have things in common. You like each other like that. You have to give that your best shot.’

  He nodded. ‘Indeed. But you’ve been guiding me. I’m not sure I’m ready to go it alone with Cordelia.’

  ‘At some point you have to. It’s kind of the law. Otherwise you have to change religion and become a Mormon or something.’

  ‘I’ll investigate that option,’ he said with a smile. ‘In the meantime …’

  ‘It’s been fun. And thanks for the job,’ cut in Ruby hastily, feeling sadness come over her in a wave.

  ‘Send me your last timesheet and if you need a reference in the future just ask.’ He held out his hand.

  They shook hands and the contact sent a shiver through her. ‘I’m not sure I’m going to make a long-term career out of being an executive assistant.’

  ‘I meant a reference for the fostering. You’ll make a superb mother.’

  Ruby was wrong-footed. She swallowed down a lump of emotion. ‘That would be great. Thank you.’

  ‘And Cordelia thought you should have this.’ He handed her a bag.

  She took it cautiously and peered inside. It was the pink teddy bear she had won for him in Cleethorpes. ‘Thanks.’

  There was an awkward silence broken by someone entering the shop. ‘I had better go,’ said Curtis.

  ‘Right. Of course. Bye then.’ She didn’t want him to leave.

  Ruby went to step forward to give him a kiss on the cheek goodbye, but the woman who had entered waved a plant in between the two of them. ‘This is beautiful. Is it a lily? Because I have a cat and they’re poisonous to cats, aren’t they? Shouldn’t it have some sort of warning on it?’

  ‘It’s not a lily, it’s a royal white orchid,’ explained Ruby as she watched Curtis disappear out of her life, taking a piece of her heart with him.

  Chapter Forty

  It had been an odd Friday in the flower shop for Kim. Ruby was still out of sorts, Boomer had eaten and thrown up a succulent and she’d spent the whole day thinking about Adrian. She was glad when she was eventually able to pack everything up and head home. She watched something dull on TV but the whole time she was watching the clock, trying to work out when she could feasibly sneak into the wedding reception and collect the centrepiece vases she needed for the next day’s wedding. Hopef
ully she would catch a glimpse of Adrian. He was worth a million Vinces.

  She showered, changed and did her hair and make-up – which felt like an odd thing to do at nine o’clock in the evening – and set off for the hotel, leaving Boomer with a chew stick and strict instructions not to eat the furniture.

  The hotel was floodlit and looked majestic against the darkening sky. As soon as she got out of the van, she could hear voices and music. She slipped inside the room where the reception was being held and surveyed the scene. Lots of very happy people dancing, chatting and generally having a good time. The tables she’d dressed earlier were now pushed to the edges of the room to make more space for dancing, making it fairly easy for her to collect the vases without disrupting anyone. She scanned the room. She was taking it all in but she was really only looking for one person. Her eyes rested briefly on Hayley. She was dancing with someone who she guessed was the groom, because he was looking at her the way Boomer looked at Kim when she was eating sausage. Hayley was beautiful in a traditional full-length wedding gown. And most importantly she looked happy.

  There were a lot of people dancing to the loud music. Kim studied the men in morning suits but Adrian wasn’t one of them.

  ‘You looking for someone?’ asked Adrian, appearing at her side.

  ‘Ge’ore, you silly sod! You made me jump,’ said Kim, shouting to be heard over the sound system and giving him a playful slap. She took a step back. He looked gorgeous in his morning suit. ‘Wow.’ She said it before she’d had time to engage her brain. ‘I mean, you scrub up well, now don’t you? You look like a film star.’

  ‘Thanks.’ He coloured a little – or that could have been the disco lights. ‘And you do too.’

  ‘Ah, but which film? King Kong?’

  ‘You shouldn’t put yourself down.’ His eyes lingered on her for a moment. ‘What do you want to drink?’ he asked.

  She waved his offer away. ‘No, I’m working and I’ve got the van. I’ll grab the vases and I’ll be out of your hair.’

  ‘We can do that at the end. Come outside.’

  Before she could protest, Adrian had taken her by the hand and something akin to a lightning bolt had shot up her arm. They weaved their way through people onto a veranda where some of the party had already spilled out.

  ‘At least it’s cooler out here,’ she said.

  ‘And quieter,’ said Adrian. He was still holding her hand and she wasn’t sure if she should point that fact out or just enjoy it.

  ‘Did everything go okay? Your speech?’

  ‘Kim, it’s been an amazing day. But do you know the two things that made me cry?’

  ‘Happy tears, I hope.’ She smiled.

  ‘Yep, both times. The first was when Hayley walked downstairs. It took my breath away that my little girl could grow up into such a beautiful woman.’

  ‘That’s lovely. And the second?’

  ‘After the service, Hayley and I walked around to Justine’s grave so she could lay her bouquet there.’

  ‘Ah,’ said Kim, knowing what was coming next.

  ‘And someone had laid the most beautiful bouquet of yellow roses.’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘And I burst into tears.’

  ‘That might have been me,’ said Kim. ‘I didn’t know Hayley was going to do that with her bouquet and I didn’t want Justine to miss out on her flowers this week. Sorry they made you cry.’

  ‘Do you know why?’ She shook her head. Adrian took her other hand and held them both in front of him. ‘Because I knew right at that moment how much you mean to me. You are a beautiful human being, Kim, and I want you in my life.’ Kim felt a surge of happiness.

  But there was one issue. ‘What about Hayley?’ she asked.

  ‘She’s going to have to get used to it.’

  There was an inaudible announcement from the DJ and everyone seemed to tumble outside. Hayley made a beeline for her father. Kim tried to pull away before Hayley reached them but Adrian squeezed her hands reassuringly.

  ‘Kim!’ Hayley seemed a little tipsy. She gave Kim a one-armed hug as she was holding on to the groom with her other hand. ‘You are amazing. Thank you sooooooo much for everything.’ Kim glanced at Adrian. This was a turn-up for the books. Hayley whispered in Kim’s ear. ‘I’m sorry I was such a mardy cow.’ She was then propelled away by her new husband. ‘Come on, Dad,’ she called over her shoulder. ‘Fireworks!’

  Kim and Adrian walked hand in hand down some old stone steps and onto a perfectly manicured lawn. The July evening was warm and fragrant. The floodlights went out and the fireworks began. Kim only saw the first few because while everyone was watching them Adrian kissed her and everything else melted away.

  Ruby was thoroughly fed up. She’d done the right thing. She’d let Curtis go but it hurt like hell. As it turned out she had inadvertently developed quite strong feelings for him. It was an unexpected and inconvenient crush. Ruby told herself it was simply because he was no longer available, like when they cross something off the specials board in the pub and then that’s all you want to eat. But even more than that, the friendship they’d grown was more special to her than she’d realised and she was missing him terribly.

  Ruby was curled up on her sofa cuddling the garish pink teddy when her phone pinged with a text. Seymour glared at it and so did Ruby. She tapped the screen and a message from Curtis popped up.

  One last task. Please can you join me in London on Monday for Post Implementation Review Meeting? Need someone I trust to take notes. Have ordered your train tickets. Curtis.

  Technically she was still employed by him as she’d not got around to sending in the last spreadsheet. Monday was her day off from the florist and she had nothing else planned. Cordelia could hardly object. Oh, what the hell, she thought.

  Sure. Ruby x

  She looked at her reply, removed the kiss and sent it.

  On Monday morning Ruby looked for Curtis at Sheffield station but there was no sign of him. She checked the time on her prebooked ticket. She’d sent him a text but got no reply. As the train pulled in, she hesitated; if he didn’t get on the train with her, she could end up in London on her own. Then she had a thought that perhaps he was already there. Maybe he’d gone down on Sunday and stayed overnight with Cordelia. She banished thoughts of Cordelia and got on the train. She went through to the quiet carriage and sat in her allocated seat. She looked around at the grey faces. Nobody spoke. She sighed. She’d read for a bit and then worry about how she was going to find her way from St Pancras station to the offices when they got a bit closer to London.

  Ruby opened her book. It was a new one and immediately she envied the heroine her inevitable happy ending. She was aware of people moving around the carriage but she stayed focused on her novel.

  ‘I think you’re in my seat.’ She recognised the voice but couldn’t quite believe it. She looked up to see Curtis standing next to her. The sight of him made her heart skip. She’d missed him.

  ‘Curtis. I thought you’d missed the train.’ She looked him up and down. He was wearing the shirt and jeans they’d bought together and carrying a takeaway cup and his laptop bag.

  She put down her book. ‘You’re not dressed for the office.’

  ‘No. Perhaps I could sit there?’ He pointed to the empty seat next to her. ‘And I’ll explain.’

  She moved next to the window so he could have the aisle seat.

  ‘What’s going on, Curtis?’

  ‘I got you these,’ he said, handing her the cup before producing something from his bag.

  ‘Hot chocolate and a Greggs sausage roll.’ She pounced on the paper bag. ‘You read my mind; I only had a cereal bar for breakfast. I’m starved,’ she said in between mouthfuls. ‘Mmm this is delicious. Haven’t you got one?’

  ‘Not really my thing.’

  She finished her sausage roll and licked her fingers. ‘You could have told me it was dress-down Monday.’ She indicated his outfit.

  ‘Yes, my apologies. I didn’t think of t
hat. But you do look lovely. You always do.’ He was giving her outfit the once-over. She was pleased with her charity shop Fifties swing dress.

  ‘Thanks.’ She felt some warmth in her cheeks. ‘Have you issued an agenda because I haven’t seen anything and—’

  He held up a palm to halt her. ‘Ruby, I do have an agenda.’ Curtis pulled a typed sheet from his bag and laid it out on the table in front of both of them.

  Ruby scanned it and her heart gave a flutter. At the top of the sheet it said ‘Ruby’s Fun Day Out’.

  ‘What’s this?’ she asked, her mouth going dry.

  ‘I wanted you to have a fun day out like the ones you took me on.’

  Ruby reread the page. Everything on the list sounded amazing but there was an obvious issue. ‘Does Cordelia know about this?’

  ‘We have agreed to keep things on a purely professional level.’ Curtis pressed his lips together. ‘She bought me a new laptop bag.’

  ‘And that’s a chuckable offence because …’

  ‘I like my laptop bag. I’ve had it years. It’s the last present from Harry and Ayida before Ayida died. Cordelia expected me to stop using it and use the new one. And I realised it wouldn’t stop at the bag; she’d want me to change all the old things in my life … including you.’

  ‘Hey! I’m not that old.’

  ‘That wasn’t what I meant. But she wanted me to change and it didn’t feel right.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Curtis. Do you not think maybe you’re reading too much into this and that perhaps you need to persevere?’ It wasn’t that she wanted to convince him to get back with Cordelia but she didn’t want him to regret anything.

  ‘I’m afraid there’s no point.’

  She couldn’t deny she felt a certain sense of relief. ‘Why ever not?’ she asked.

  ‘I have analysed my relationship with Cordelia.’

  ‘Why does that not surprise me?’ she said with a chuckle.

  ‘Because I like to analyse things … Oh I see, that was sarcasm.’

  ‘Correct. And what did you deduce from your analysis?’ asked Ruby.

  ‘That the reason I was interested in pursuing a long-term relationship was because of you.’