‘Oh.’ Harry looked crestfallen.
Ruby pulled her hand free from his and took out her phone. ‘Right, you talk and I’ll type.’
It was Wednesday and Ruby was very aware that tonight’s party was likely to be the clincher between Curtis and Cordelia. Kim had done her best to keep Ruby busy all day and to her credit the day had flown by in a flurry of online orders and deliveries. Kim had promised her a night out and now she was quite looking forward to it, if only to take her mind off Project Cordelia. The taxi dropped Ruby off and she knocked for Kim. She hadn’t been out out for a while, so she’d made an effort and done her hair and make-up.
‘You look nice,’ said Kim, exiting the house.
‘Thanks. So do you.’
‘Ta. I think I’ve lost a couple of pounds already thanks to Boomer taking me for a walk every day. I’ve not worn this dress in ages.’
‘It suits you,’ said Ruby as they began to walk towards the pub.
‘Right. Confession time,’ said Kim.
‘Oh dear. What have you done?’
‘It’s more what I’m about to do.’ Kim scrunched up her shoulders. ‘It’s speed dating night.’
‘Oh, Kim. No. I wanted to have a good girly natter. Not spend the evening being judged by some chancers looking for a quick hook-up.’
‘Trust me. It’s not the usual cheap and tacky set-up,’ said Kim.
‘They’re all cheap and tacky.’ Ruby shook her head, she couldn’t hide her disappointment.
‘This one is twenty quid and it’s VIP dating.’
‘Does that stand for Vomit-Inducing Plonker?’
‘Hey. I’ve paid your twenty quid. Don’t go slagging it off until we’ve at least checked it out. Tony behind the bar said it was bringing people in from all over. He’s expecting a bumper night. And I thought it would be a giggle. Goodness knows we could both do with one.’
Ruby huffed out a breath. ‘I don’t know.’
‘Aw, go on. We’ll have a laugh and if it’s rubbish then I promise we’ll leave. Please,’ begged Kim.
‘You’ve given up on Vince and Adrian then?’ asked Ruby.
‘Vince comes with more complicated add-ons than satellite TV and I’ve not heard anything from Adrian. I saw the speed dating poster and thought it would be fun. Fun is what we both need right now.’
‘Fun? There speaks the voice of a woman who hasn’t had all her optimism trampled on by cocky middle-aged men in Marks and Spencer’s brogues.’
‘Come on,’ said Kim, linking arms with Ruby and picking up the pace. ‘Let’s find you a man.’
They were about to go into the pub when Ruby’s phone lit up.
‘Just a sec, it’s Curtis,’ she told Kim as she accepted the FaceTime call.
Noise instantly blared out and Curtis’s moving face blurred across the screen. ‘Hellooooo from Londinium!’
Was he drunk? ‘And hello to you,’ she said, finding herself chuckling at the sight of Curtis letting his neat hair down.
Cordelia appeared at his shoulder and waved. ‘Where are you, Ruby?’ she asked, her voice sounding slightly slurred too.
‘I’m in Sheffield. Are you all having a good time?’ She could see that they were and she suddenly wished she’d gone. That feeling dissolved when Cordelia rested her head on Curtis’s shoulder and he didn’t flinch. She screenshotted it in her mind. It was hard to hear them over the general noise of the party.
‘Yes, I’m having a time with lovely Curtis … I mean a lovely time with Curtis.’ She hiccupped, which seemed to surprise her and she disappeared from view.
‘This is Martin.’ Curtis angled his phone at a snogging couple. ‘I think you may have missed your opportunity there.’
‘Never mind.’ She shrugged.
‘What?’ he asked, clearly having trouble hearing her.
‘I said. NEVER. MIND.’
‘Shhh,’ said Curtis, putting his finger to his lips and giggling like a child. ‘I’ve found more double doors.’
She couldn’t help but laugh along. ‘Curtis, you’re becoming obsessed.’
‘I know. But you’re right. You feel amazing when you walk through them. I’ll show you.’
She caught a glimpse of people chatting, a waiter, and then they were somewhere slightly quieter. She stood up straighter, glued to the screen. Two double doors with port holes appeared.
‘I’ll turn you around for the full experience,’ said Curtis. He pushed on the doors. ‘Ta-dah!’ There was a loud crash and Ruby caught a brief glimpse of a waiter lying on the floor covered in what looked like mini quiches. ‘I am sooo sorry. Ruby, I’ve got to go.’ He ended the call.
Inside the pub was actually quite nice. It had had a makeover since the last time Ruby had visited and although she wasn’t going to let on to Kim, the few men already at the bar looked quite hopeful. Maybe this was what she needed. The discounted rate on her dating app had only brought in a new bargain basement of disappointment. What did she have to lose? Apart from a couple of hours and another drop of pride?
‘Ooh, cocktails are half price,’ said Kim, picking up a menu. ‘Well, a few of them are.’ She passed it to Ruby.
Ruby read them out. ‘A Slow Comfortable Screw, Sex On The Beach, Screaming Orgasm and Slippery Nipple. Just the suggestively titled ones then.’ Maybe this wasn’t quite the classy VIP dating evening Kim had been sold.
‘I like a Slippery Nipple,’ Kim declared.
‘Ladies, are you here for our VIP evening?’ asked the barman.
‘Yes,’ said Kim, getting out her tickets.
‘Excellent. Here’s your score sheet. There’s three rounds and a break after each one. I’ll get you some drinks and then you can make your way through to the back room. What can I get you?’
Ruby sighed. The nice-looking guys at the bar probably weren’t there for the dating. ‘I’ll have a white wine, thanks,’ said Ruby. She turned to Kim. ‘If it’s rubbish we leave after round one.’
Kim pondered. ‘That’s like three pounds a bloke.’ Ruby raised her eyebrows. ‘Okay, fine. If there’s nobody you score more than half marks, we’ll decamp into here for a natter instead. Deal?’
‘Okay.’ Ruby scanned the score sheet. Marks were to be awarded out of ten for Appearance & Hygiene, Personality, Conversation, and Sense of Humour. ‘This is harsh.’
They took their drinks and wandered through to the other room. Ruby was still studying the score card and wondering how she would fare. She was freshly showered and doused in deodorant but she wasn’t feeling particularly witty. She wished she was at the party with Curtis.
The woman on the door took their tickets, wrote their names on stickers and directed them to tables explaining that to start with they needed to sit facing the wall and then turn around when the bell sounded. A few other women were already sitting down facing the wall like they were in detention.
‘Where are the men?’ asked Ruby, suddenly thinking Kim might have signed them up for lesbian night.
‘They have to wait at the bar.’
Ruby’s enthusiasm lifted a little. After a few minutes the woman announced that the men were joining them and then the bell would sound and the first round of dating would start. She got that little squiggle of something in her gut. Was it excitement, anticipation or merely fear? She wasn’t sure but right then and there she decided this was the last time she was going to put herself through something like this. All the judgement, the scrutiny and the whiff of desperation needed to end and tonight was that night. She immediately felt better about it all.
‘Just enjoy it,’ said Kim, reaching across and giving her arm a friendly squeeze.
Ruby heard footsteps enter the room and her pulse started to quicken. This was crazy but she had to admit it was quite exciting. The bell sounded. Ruby took a deep breath. She saw Kim turn slightly ahead of her.
Ruby turned around fully to face her first date. The man was putting his phone away. It was his jacket she noticed first and then the hair. He
looked up. She couldn’t quite believe it.
‘Lewis?’ It couldn’t be, could it?
Can’t wait to see what happens next? Click here to find out what happens in part four …
Keep Reading …
At long last everything is falling into place, but there is just one problem …
Click here to find out how it ends in part four …
A big family. A whole lot of secrets. A Christmas to remember …
Click here to find out more.
Regan is holding a winning lottery ticket.
Goodbye to the boyfriend who never had her back, and so long to the job she can’t stand!
Except it’s all a bit too good to be true …
Click here to find out more.
Life’s not always a walk in the park …
Click here to find out more.
Join Daisy Wickens as she returns to Ottercombe Bay …
Click here to find out more.
Escape to the Cotswolds with Beth and Leo …
Click here to find out more.
Tempted to read another heart-warming romance by Bella Osborne?
Click here to find out more.
As the sun begins to set on Sunset Cottage, an unlikely friendship begins to blossom …
Click here to find out more.
About the Author
Bella Osborne has been jotting down stories as far back as she can remember but decided that 2013 would be the year that she finished a full-length novel.
In 2016, her debut novel, It Started at Sunset Cottage, was shortlisted for the Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year and RNA Joan Hessayon New Writers Award.
Bella’s stories are about friendship, love and coping with what life throws at you. She likes to find the humour in the darker moments of life and weaves these into her stories. Bella believes that writing your own story really is the best fun ever, closely followed by talking, eating chocolate, drinking fizz and planning holidays.
She lives in the Midlands, UK with her lovely husband and wonderful daughter, who thankfully, both accept her as she is (with mad morning hair and a penchant for skipping).
Also by Bella Osborne:
It Started at Sunset Cottage
A Family Holiday
Escape to Willow Cottage
Coming Home to Ottercombe Bay
A Walk in Wildflower Park
Meet Me at Pebble Beach
One Family Christmas
Other titles in The Promise of Summer serialisation:
Part One: With this Ring …
Part Two: A Dog’s Life
Part Four: Here Comes The Sun
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers Australia Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower
22 Adelaide Street West, 41st Floor
Toronto, Ontario M5H 4E3, Canada
www.harpercollins.ca
India
HarperCollins India
A 75, Sector 57
Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201 301, India
www.harpercollins.co.in
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
Unit D1, 63 Apollo Drive
Rosedale 0632
Auckland, New Zealand
www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF, UK
www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
www.harpercollins.com
The Promise of Summer, Part 3 Page 9
