The Promise of Summer: the new heartwarming and uplifting romance for summer 2021

by Bella Osborne

‘Let us mull over everything and hopefully we’ll see you again very soon. Thanks,’ said Ruby and she gave Curtis a tug to get him moving.

  Outside she let out a puff of a breath. Curtis still appeared somewhat stunned. ‘You okay?’ He blinked. She realised he had a smudge of her lipstick across his top lip. ‘You might want to …’ She pointed and he seemed to snap out of his trance.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Lipstick. Sorry.’ Although she wasn’t that sorry. His lips had been soft and she’d caught a hint of a rather nice aftershave. ‘That was a big waste of time.’

  He rubbed a thumb over his lips. ‘And now we can never take the ring back because they’ll know we were lying all along.’

  He had a point.

  Kim had had a quiet morning in the shop. Mondays always were. But it was a good day to do admin. It was surprising how much admin there was with a florist – it definitely wasn’t all petals and bows. She’d not heard from Adrian since Saturday. After Hayley had arrived it had all felt a bit awkward. Hayley had said ‘Hello’ but after that she’d pretty much monopolised her father. If Kim was being paranoid she would have said Hayley was actively excluding her. Kim had made her apologies and left.

  She’d been doing a lot of thinking about Boomerang and as the only other person who had seen him, she would have liked to have chatted things over with Adrian but she reminded herself theirs was simply a casual friendship, as Adrian wasn’t ready to move on from Justine, so she decided to leave it.

  There was a flurry of activity at lunchtime and then it went quiet again, giving her time to make a phone call.

  ‘Hi, Margaret. It’s Kim. I visited your rescue centre on Saturday.’

  ‘Hello. Now have you made a decision? Is it the yorkie? I’ve got a ten-pence bet on with myself that it’s the Yorkshire terrier.’

  ‘She is lovely but no. I wanted to have a bit of a chat. You see I can’t get Boomerang out of my mind and I know you’re going to say he has issues but I really want to give him a home.’

  There was a long pause. ‘Kim, I’ll be honest with you. A part of me wants to hand him over immediately but I’m desperate for him to have a forever home. And that’s the issue. The last two homes couldn’t cope and each time he comes back he’s a bit more damaged.’ Kim’s heart actually ached. ‘We’ve been here twice before and I can’t do it to him again.’

  ‘Okay. How about you coach me?’ Kim was making it up on the spot but she’d never felt like this about an animal before. ‘I can come to the kennels every evening and all day on a Sunday, if that helps, and we’ll do whatever we have to do to help Boomerang adjust.’

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Margaret.

  ‘And I’ll only bring him home if and when you’re happy that it’s going to be his forever home. What have you got to lose?’ Kim could sense Margaret was wavering.

  ‘I guess we could give it a try. Kim, this isn’t going to be easy. He’s a very troubled little chap.’

  ‘I know but I’m up for the challenge. Thanks, Margaret, you won’t regret this. I’ll see you later.’ Kim was over the moon.

  Chapter Seventeen

  It was Tuesday lunch break and Ruby and Kim were catching up on each other’s time off as they always did on a Tuesday. Ruby had brought Kim up to speed on yesterday’s Leeds trip and had now fully explained about the part-time admin she was doing for Curtis and thankfully Kim was fine about it. Ruby was logging all her hours in one of the many spreadsheets Curtis had shared. He had travelled down to London this morning to set things up for the testing but was continually sending her emails, so she’d switched off her phone.

  ‘Wow, you’re getting a dog?’ asked Ruby, pausing briefly in between eating her sandwich.

  ‘It’s going to be a slow process. I saw him last night and he won’t stay still unless he’s eating. I fed him. Margaret said it would help the bonding process. But he just hoovered it up, had a poo and went back to being crazy.’

  ‘Sounds like a typical bloke to me,’ said Ruby with a chuckle.

  ‘Not all men are like that.’

  Ruby hoped any Curtis found for her were an improvement on her past experiences. ‘You never know, I might meet someone in my new executive assistant role.’

  ‘Ooh, how about Curtis?’ Kim was leaning forward.

  ‘No, not Curtis.’ The memory of her kissing him flashed into her mind. ‘It opens me up to meeting new people that’s all. And I have a backup plan if that doesn’t work.’ She liked having two plans – it made her feel in control of her life, something she hadn’t felt for a while.

  ‘Another dating app?’ asked Kim.

  ‘No. It’s a sperm donor.’ Ruby fixed her smile and watched the one on Kim’s face slide away to leave something resembling stunned mullet. Kim opened her mouth a couple of times but closed it again. ‘Well, say something,’ Ruby prompted.

  ‘Sorry, Ruby. It’s just, a sperm donor … that feels like something someone does as a last resort.’

  ‘It is. I’ve mined the dating cesspool and it’s full of crap. IVF is too expensive. This way works better.’

  ‘But you’re still young. I’m sure if you keep looking you’ll find someone.’

  ‘I don’t feel young. I’m almost thirty-five and I know you’re trying to help but the soul-mate connection thing you and Vince had is one in a million. Most have to settle for someone who is far from ideal and I don’t want to settle. I don’t want to muddle along with someone who is bearable, because inevitably it’ll end and then I’ll not only be a single mum, I’ll also have an idiot ex I have to see regularly. Most likely someone I now detest and who loathes me but despite that we’ll slap on fake smiles every Friday when we hand over the poor kid. I’ll spend the weekends thinking about what lies and junk food he’s feeding them. We’ll argue over who should pay for school uniform and then he’ll go over the top with Christmas and birthday presents just to make me feel bad. And then he’ll find “the one” and she’ll be amazing and my child will end up wanting to be with their new mummy more than me.’ Ruby stopped because she could feel panic rising.

  ‘Wow, you really paint a picture don’t you?’ said Kim, her eyes wide.

  ‘If I can’t have the full-on fairy-tale romance then I’ll do it my way.’

  ‘With a donor? What will they put on the birth certificate for the father?’ Kim was looking pained.

  ‘Same as they would if it was any one of my exes – just another wanker,’ said Ruby with a smirk. ‘I didn’t find me a Vince so …’

  ‘Right.’ Kim was giving her an odd look. ‘The thing about Vince and me is …’

  But the door chimed and Ruby leaped to her feet. ‘I’ll go.’ She didn’t want to give Kim an opportunity to pull apart her backup plan. Despite her protestations she was on very wobbly ground with the sperm donor idea but the more she thought about it the more she felt it was the right answer. Dating was exhausting: the constant being on show and having to feign interest and be charming and funny. And how long into a relationship before you knew it was right enough to start a family? That could take years.

  The customer was Dean. ‘Ruby, you’re back. Hallelujah! I’m at the “I want you to know I think you’re special” stage, you know?’

  ‘Kim said you were in on Friday but this sounds like it’s moving fast.’ Dean usually spent a lot longer in the wooing stage, which proved lucrative for the flower shop.

  ‘But when you know, you know. What can I say? She’s special,’ said Dean, going all coy.

  ‘Then we need lilies and lots of them. As long as she doesn’t have a cat.’ Ruby paused.

  ‘No, she’s got tropical fish. Why do you ask?’

  ‘Lilies are very poisonous to cats.’

  ‘Ah, Ruby, you think of everything.’ Dean got out his wallet and Ruby set to work selecting the prettiest blooms for the bouquet. She wondered what went wrong with Dean’s relationships. He always seemed thoughtful and attentive and yet they always ended. ‘And something extra special on
the card. Okay?’

  ‘Sure,’ said Ruby, clicking on her pen. At least she was helping someone get their fairy tale even if she couldn’t sort one for Lewis and she wasn’t likely to get one herself.

  That evening Ruby couldn’t decide on anything to watch so was quite pleased when Curtis called. He’d been quiet after she’d kissed him in the jeweller’s, which was a bit awkward. She’d been looking at old photographs – always a double-edged sword. The memories made her smile but also brought on what she called happy-sad tears. Making her feel happy and incredibly grateful to have had the loving mother she’d had but they also brought her grief to the surface. A picture of Ruby as a toddler on the beach with a bucket on her head was on the top of the photo pile; it was a photograph she couldn’t remember being taken although her mother had told her the story so many times she could picture every detail, almost smell the salt in the air and hear the seagulls. It gave her an idea.

  Curtis gave her an update on a number of things she didn’t understand but it made her feel like part of the team and it was still better than binge-watching something for the sake of it.

  ‘Both Bob and Cordelia have asked after you,’ he said.

  Now she was interested. ‘What did they ask?’

  ‘Only mundane and perfunctory matters but I think it’s a good sign from Bob. I know he’s a little shorter than your ideal but would you like me to make enquiries on your behalf about his likelihood to engage romantically with you?’

  ‘No, thank you.’ She was already becoming practised in responding in a calmer manner to Curtis’s unconventional suggestions. He was only trying to help.

  They covered off a few things on the spreadsheet and Curtis seemed satisfied, although it was hard to tell – he was never going to go over the top with praise.

  ‘Are you happy with what I’m doing so far, Curtis?’

  ‘Happy?’ She’d clearly used the wrong word.

  ‘Is it okay?’ She was pretty sure he would say if things weren’t up to scratch.

  ‘Yes. Your work is of an acceptable standard. I would even say good in places. You are definitely saving me time and I am happy with our arrangement. Although, I feel I may be failing on my side as we don’t have many prospective males as yet.’

  ‘That’s fine, Curtis. It’s only day two and it was always a long shot.’

  ‘Bye then.’

  ‘Hang on,’ said Ruby. ‘I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday. About not having fun and working all the time. And I don’t think it’s good for you.’

  ‘I’m not sure I follow.’ She could sense the tension in his tone.

  ‘I think you need to have more fun and I’m adding it to my spreadsheet.’

  ‘And what exactly will it entail?’ he asked. She was pleased that it wasn’t a straight no.

  ‘I haven’t decided yet but it’s not healthy to work all the time. The brain can’t operate at that level for long periods. I read somewhere that taking a break means you come back better than before, meaning it would be beneficial to you to have a day off. Especially as you’ve got some long hours coming up with the testing in London,’ said Ruby, feeling that she’d put forward a good case. There was silence from Curtis and she could imagine him considering her argument. ‘I’ve pencilled in Sunday as your day off.’ She went into his calendar and updated it as she spoke.

  ‘Right. Okay. I’ll not do any work on Sunday. Thank you … I think.’

  ‘You won’t regret it!’

  ‘I strongly suspect that I will.’

  Kim wasn’t sure why she kept putting off telling Ruby about Vince. She’d had a couple of opportunities but when she’d tried to get the words right in her head they seemed like a jumble. And then the moment had passed. She knew what was really stopping her – she was afraid of what Ruby would think of her. She didn’t like what she thought of herself, let alone what Ruby would make of it.

  Kim knew lying all this time hadn’t been the smart thing to do but the longer it had gone on the harder it was to come clean. Like Adrian, she’d valued being able to talk about Vince in the way she wanted to remember him – the loving and attentive husband. She hadn’t wanted to face the fact that at some point she must have stopped making him happy. Or maybe the acupuncturist made him happier – she’d never know. Over time things had felt better and she had moved on. What she needed to do now was work out what she was going to say to Ruby and just do it. But that was easier said than done.

  She was now visiting Boomerang every day after work and, although it was early days, she felt they were making a tiny bit of progress. He’d taken a couple of morsels of food out of Kim’s hand and he’d stood still long enough for her to give him a bit of a fuss – she’d felt like she’d won the lottery. It was baby steps but it was progress and she was content to go at a pace that suited Boomerang. There was no rush.

  Friday came around and with it a flurry of customers. Some days it was completely straightforward and others it was anything but. Kim was dealing with a miserable-looking man in his forties who was there because, in his words, he needed ‘something to get the wife off my back’.

  Kim had suggested all manner of floral arrangements and plants and they were now back at the cheapest bunch, which was where they’d started twenty minutes ago.

  ‘Maybe I should get her something else. I mean flowers are going to die anyway right?’

  She gave him her best fake smile. ‘Yes, and so are we.’ Some of us sooner than we planned if you don’t make a decision, she thought. Her menopausal rage was rising. ‘What’s it to be, flowers or no flowers?’ She gritted her teeth.

  ‘Go on then.’ He made it sound like he was doing her a favour. ‘But I want ones that’ll last, not just what you want to get rid of.’

  ‘Right.’ Kim took his money and began putting together a mixed spray – he wouldn’t be getting a penny more than what he was paying for.

  ‘You can put some more leaves in,’ he said pointing to the myrtle. ‘They’re free, aren’t they?’

  ‘No, it’s a filler but it still costs money.’

  ‘But if you get it free out of fields you shouldn’t be charging for it,’ he said.

  ‘Myrtle doesn’t grow wild in this country. I buy it from the wholesaler the same as the blooms. Do you want extra myrtle or not?’ The snap in her voice made them both flinch.

  ‘No, it’s okay.’

  Kim finished the spray, wrapped it in cellophane and floral paper and handed it over.

  ‘What, no bow?’

  She was ready to shove the flowers somewhere uncomfortable when in walked Adrian and with him came an air of positivity. He waited while she finished serving the awkward customer.

  ‘Sorry, no bow with the basic bunch. Anything else?’

  ‘No.’ He turned to leave.

  ‘Have a lovely weekend and I hope your wife enjoys her flowers.’

  ‘Another happy customer?’ asked Adrian as the grumpy man left.

  ‘Something like that. What can I do for you?’

  ‘A couple of things. Did you see in the local paper there have been a spate of burglaries?’

  ‘Yeah, it was the talk of the bakery when I went to buy lunch. Not much to nick from a florist though and I cash up every night.’

  ‘Still, be careful,’ said Adrian, giving her a look that made her feel that he really cared about her welfare.

  She felt a bit self-conscious. ‘Anyway. We’ve got some beautiful pale pink peonies in. Would you like some of those for Justine’s bouquet? Maybe with a couple of roses and some gypsophila?’

  ‘Sounds terrific.’ He hovered nearby while she made up the bouquet. ‘Actually, Kim, I saw an advert for something I thought you might be interested in. They’re streaming a couple of Michael Frayn plays live to cinemas and I wondered if it was your sort of thing. It’s cheaper than the theatre … but that’s not why I’m asking. I’d happily pay for the theatre. It’s just …’

  Kim watched his colour rise and felt som
ething flutter in her gut. Then she gave herself a mental shake. They were friends, nothing more, despite her wishing that they could be. ‘Sure, when are they?’

  Adrian took a breath. ‘This Sunday is the next one.’

  ‘I’d love to.’

  ‘Then I’ll get tickets.’

  ‘If you’re paying for those, then I’ll shout us a pizza beforehand.’ Kim always liked to pay her way.

  ‘Great.’ He beamed a smile and she felt herself mirror him. It was contagious. ‘I could pick you up at six?’

  ‘Ah, that kind of clashes with my daily Boomerang visit. But it’s Sunday so I could go earlier.’

  Adrian smiled. ‘How about I pick you up at five, we visit Boomerang and then go for a bite to eat before the show?’

  ‘That sounds great.’ Kim tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and made a mental note to do more with her hair.

  Adrian paid and took his flowers. Kim watched him leave.

  ‘Wa-hey! Someone has a date,’ said Ruby, emerging from the back room and flinging the beads wide, attempting to make a grand entrance but failing badly as she got tied up in them.

  ‘It’s not a date. He’s a friend.’

  ‘A friend you go on dates with,’ said Ruby, twisting out of the grasp of one string of beads only to get wrapped in another – this time her hair got caught. ‘Argh! Help, I’m stuck.’

  ‘Serves you right,’ said Kim, wondering if there was anything suitable in her wardrobe for a non-date.

  ‘If you help me escape, I’ll show you the super-cute chicken toy I bought for Boomerang.’

  ‘That’s sweet of you.’

  ‘You see I’m a good person who needs to not be tied up in these things.’ Ruby rattled the beads like they were chains.

  ‘But it might be a bit early for toys for Boomerang. Could you keep hold of it and you can give it to him when he’s a bit calmer?’

  ‘Sure. Can you untangle me … please?’ asked Ruby.

  ‘I’ll think about it.’

  ‘Kim!’

  Chapter Eighteen

  By the time Sunday came around Ruby was beyond excited. She had done some planning and had got lots of things lined up. She had loaded up her car and double-checked she had everything they needed. It was just after nine when she buzzed the bell on Curtis’s hotel room. Ruby rocked on her heels as pent-up excitement threatened to overflow. She was about to ring it again when she heard the lock turn and got the distinct sense she was being peered at through the spyhole. She leaned in and grinned. The door opened a fraction.