‘Oh!’
Ruby laughed.
‘It’s not that surprising, is it? To love your fiancé?’
‘No, but it’s a bit of a turnaround. That’s all. I might just need a bit of time to get my head round this.’
Laura could take all the time she liked. Ruby knew she would never tire of saying those three little words to Finn or to anyone else who might listen, making up for all the lost time when she’d been unable to find the words.
Laura smiled, shaking her head, as though she still couldn’t quite believe what Ruby was telling her.
‘Oh, Ruby, come here,’ she said, leaning over the table for a hug. ‘I think this is mad, absolutely mad, but I just want what’s best for you and, I have to admit, looking at you now, seeing how happy you are makes me think this is the best thing for you after all.’
‘So does that mean you won’t boycott the wedding after all?’ said Ruby, with a mischievous smile.
‘I never had any intention of doing that anyway. I’m your best friend. I would have turned up if you’d been marrying a zombie. Not that I’m saying Finn is a zombie, you understand, but I’m always going to be there for you, Ruby, whatever decision you make. Besides you should know by now not to take my advice when it comes to matters of the heart.’ She reached across the table and threaded her fingers through her friend’s hand. ‘Listen, now we’ve got your love life sorted maybe we should have a go at sorting out mine.’
‘Definitely. Your turn next,’ agreed Ruby. ‘You know it means everything to me having you on side.’
‘Always. You know that!’ said Laura. ‘Come on,’ she said, standing up and collecting the bill to pay. ‘I’ve had enough coffee and cake to last me a lifetime. Let’s go and find some proper sustenance. We need to do some proper celebrating. Next stop the wine bar. What do you reckon?’
Chapter Nineteen
‘Shall we go?’
Finn was standing in the kitchen overseeing the packing of a large wicker picnic basket. Ruby peered over his shoulder and gasped at the array of goodies in front of her. Scotch eggs, salads, a selection of dips, strawberries, an apple and cinnamon loaf cake and a bottle of champagne were all visible, with other enticing foil-wrapped packages peeping out from below.
‘Where to?’ asked Ruby, who’d already made her own plans for the day.
‘Down to the boat.’
‘Really? But I thought you had some viewings today. I was going to go over to the flat to do some clearing out. I need to start packing up some boxes or else it will never get done.’
They’d decided there was no point in keeping on Ruby’s flat any longer. They’d be married in a couple of weeks’ time and it had always been the intention that Ruby would then move in with Finn. She’d spent every single night since the accident at his flat as it was and however much she’d always loved her own place it didn’t make sense to be paying for two homes. Besides, Finn’s previously high standards of cleanliness had lapsed of late, much to her relief, and so his flat was looking less like a show home and more like somewhere Ruby could feel relaxed in. The gradual addition of her belongings— scented candles, bold cushions and her brightly coloured crockery—added to the homely feel too.
‘We can do that tomorrow. I’ll come and help you. I just thought it might be nice to share some time down at the boat. I don’t know how many more opportunities we’ll have after today.’
That was what worried Ruby. She knew it was only a matter of time before the boat was sold and, while she knew it was inevitable, the thought filled her with sadness. She’d rather not be involved in meeting the new owners. Imagining someone else living out their dream in a place that held so many happy memories for Ruby was something she’d rather avoid if possible. It had been such a huge part of Finn’s routine for the last few weeks she knew he’d miss it enormously too. She looked from the picnic basket to him, his expression full of boyish enthusiasm.
‘And the picnic is for what exactly?’
‘Well, it’s like selling a house, isn’t it? You’re not just selling the property, or a boat in this case, you’re selling a lifestyle. So I thought a little bit of light staging along the lines of “la dolce vita” might help pave the way.’
‘Right, I see.’
‘Besides, it’s a beautiful day out there. We might as well make the most of it.’
***
Ruby suspected the boat wouldn’t need a lot of staging, especially not on a day like today. The sun was shining and the newly planted wooden trugs and baskets that she’d helped to fill were billowing over with petunias and geraniums. It was as if they’d been especially primed to look at their most beautiful for the occasion. Roxie, who had done her usual manic dashing up and down of the towpath, had now collapsed in a heap on the deck and was basking in the sun. Ruby, trying to ignore the bittersweet sensations fluttering in her tummy, was working on a painting of the canal at the point where it veered to the right underneath the arched bridge in the distance, the outline of the city just visible in the background.
She could never imagine tiring of this scene and, although she had already painted many different versions of this particularly beautiful spot, she still had so many other scenarios she wanted to commit to paper. Luckily for her, there seemed to be an ongoing market for her work. Fiona had already sold the pieces she’d taken for her shop and was asking for more, and Ruby had her own private order book that was growing by the day. A couple of the paintings she would keep. For the time being they would go in the living room of Finn’s flat until they moved into their first home together where they would find their own special spot, perhaps in their rustic kitchen, a constant reminder of this magical time in their lives. An especially magical time because it had so very nearly been lost for ever.
Ruby realised how lucky she was. When she thought how close she’d come to walking away from the love of her life it made her shudder. She couldn’t imagine her life now without Finn and Roxie in it and yet she’d been a hair’s breadth away from doing that. What was she thinking about? She’d done that terrible deed. Told Finn that their relationship was over, but by some awful quirk of fate, or wonderful quirk of fate, whichever way you looked at it and from where Ruby was standing she was erring on the wonderful side now, the terrible accident he’d suffered had robbed him of the memory of that regrettable moment.
She wouldn’t have wished something like that on her worst enemy, but she couldn’t help thinking that the accident had happened for a reason. If it hadn’t happened, would they still be together now?
She doubted it. It was the thought that woke her up in the middle of the night, her hands clammy, her heart racing. She wondered if the awful memories of that night would ever leave her, but she knew it was her penance for what she’d put Finn through. Sometimes she had to stop herself from shaking Finn awake and spilling out the news of what really happened, but what would that achieve? It would only cause hurt and confusion and tension between them and hadn’t they had enough of that to last them a lifetime?
No, it would have to be her little secret for ever more. Her big secret for ever more. She only hoped the disturbing memories wouldn’t still be waking her up in three months’ time or three years’ time or thirty years down the line.
Finn poked his head up from the cabin below.
‘Lunch will be served shortly, madam!’
‘Ooh, how lovely,’ she gasped, packing the thoughts away tightly again until the next time they raised their ugly heads.
She looked at the small rickety table that he’d covered with a white lace tablecloth, borrowed from the boat next door. In the middle was an old brown mug that had lost its handle, which had been filled with daisies. Two glasses of champagne had been poured with a strawberry floating in the top of each. The hamper basket was on the floor to the side of them, all the tempting goodies laid bare. She had to give it to him: he couldn’t have staged it better if he’d tried.
‘What time are they coming, the people to
view the boat?’ she asked as she popped a green olive in her mouth.
‘We didn’t say a definite time. Around about lunchtime. There’s no hurry, is there?’
‘No, I suppose not.’ It was just that Ruby couldn’t fully relax knowing at any moment strangers might turn up to interrupt their afternoon idyll. The sooner they came, looked at the boat, decided they didn’t want it—which was unlikely, she knew—and then went home, the better as far as she was concerned. ‘Where are they coming from?’
‘Umm, Hampshire, Berkshire, Ayrshire, somewhere like that?’
Ruby gave a rueful smile. Finn was being annoyingly vague and relaxed about the whole thing. It was one of the many changes she’d noticed in him. Before the accident he would have been pacing up and down looking at his watch, focused intently on getting the job in hand done. Now he was just revelling in the moment, his face held up to the sun, not looking as though he much cared one way or another whether or not they turned up.
‘I spoke to Bo yesterday. They’re quite keen to get the boat sold as quickly as possible. They’ve seen a house they want to buy up there, a little cottage. The money from the boat would go towards the deposit.’
‘Well, we’ll keep our fingers crossed that these people coming will be as smitten as we are with it, then. I can’t see any reason why they wouldn’t be after all our hard work.’ Ruby said the words brightly, but she didn’t think Finn believed her for a moment. He knew how much she loved it here too. As much as him even. She had no cause to complain. They’d had the benefit of the boat for a good few weeks now and although Finn had done his bit in helping out with odd jobs that needed doing, for the pair of them it hadn’t felt like work at all. It had felt like an impromptu holiday that was about to come to a crashing end.
‘I know someone else who is going to miss this place,’ she said, looking down at Roxie, who hadn’t moved in the last half an hour. Although she wouldn’t be without the dog now, she’d been right when she’d told Finn that the flat was no place for a dog. Roxie needed to be outside in the fresh air, not cooped up inside a faceless apartment block.
‘She’ll be fine. Dogs are very adaptable, you know.’
Yes, much more adaptable than people, Ruby mused. She didn’t want things to change. For the first time in a long while her life was perfect as it was. To change it might mean altering things for the worse.
‘Do you really think she’s all right?’ Ruby stretched a hand down to stroke Roxie’s fur and was rewarded with a pair of soulful dark eyes turning to look up at her. ‘She’s been a bit lethargic lately. You don’t think she’s ill, do you? Or perhaps she’s missing Bo and Katy. I wonder if she’s pining for them.’
‘It’s probably just this weather, Ruby. She looks happy enough to me. We’ll see how she goes. If you’re still worried about her in a couple of days’ time then we can always take her to the vet.’
Ruby nodded, that feeling of unease visiting her again. She was happy and she wanted everyone else to be happy too, Roxie and Finn particularly.
Finn lifted his champagne glass.
‘A toast. To us. To finding this beautiful boat the best possible home.’
‘I’ll drink to that.’ Ruby raised her glass to meet his. ‘Wherever it might be.’
Finn sat back in his seat, his long legs stretched out in front of him, his eyes closed to the sun for a moment and Ruby watched him, thinking how peaceful he looked, until his eyes suddenly pinged open and he sat up straight, turning directly to look at her.
‘Sorry, I can’t do this any more.’
‘Do what?’ asked Ruby, perplexed.
‘This,’ he said, opening his arms wide to the sky. ‘It’s not for real. It’s all an elaborate charade. “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, When first we practise to deceive.” Isn’t that right, Ruby?’
‘Finn, stop it. I don’t know what you’re going on about.’
He laughed, looking at her through narrowed eyes, and she felt her skin crawl with fear under the intensity of his gaze. Nausea rose in the back of her throat. She didn’t like this; she didn’t like it one bit. What was Finn about to spring on her now? Who was deceiving who here?
She looked away, trying to achieve the nonchalant ‘enjoying her lunch’ vibe from earlier, but it eluded her. Clutching onto the edge of the table to steady herself, she swallowed hard, wondering if it was possible to get seasickness even if you weren’t strictly at sea or on a moving boat. If not, she was suffering from something very similar. And it was threatening to overwhelm her right now. Where were those bloody people who were meant to be coming to view the boat? She wanted them here and she wanted them now.
‘Hey, there’s no need to look so worried,’ said Finn, losing that slightly manic look in his eye. ‘I was only teasing you.’
‘You were?’ She sighed, inwardly rattled. Finn’s idea of a little joke wasn’t sitting well with her right at the moment.
‘Yes, there are no people coming to look at the boat today. It was just a ruse to get you down here. I mean, isn’t this a much better thing to be doing than being cooped up in your flat packing away boxes?’ He raised his glass of wine to her.
‘Oh, Finn!’ She wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or disappointed. Or downright angry now she came to think of it. Finn was definitely unpredictable these days. There was no way she could second-guess what he was about to do next. And while it was lovely being here with Finn, or at least it had been until a few moments ago when he’d put the fear of the Lord up her making her believe that he might somehow have found out her big secret, she did actually have a hundred and one other jobs she could have been getting on with. She took a deep breath, steadying her breathing. ‘So what happened? Did they cancel or something?’
‘No, I had to cancel them. The boat, I should have told you, it was sold yesterday.’
‘Oh, no!’ She felt the air rush out of her chest. Now she understood. This was the reason he’d dragged her down here. The boat had already found a new owner. She felt inexplicably sad knowing this might be the last actual time they’d spend down here. ‘Well, that’s good, isn’t it? That’s brilliant news, in fact. Although it’s sad obviously for us, on a personal level, but we always knew this was going to happen, didn’t we? Hey, I bet Bo and Katy are thrilled.’
‘They are. They’re really happy that they’ve sold it so quickly and to such a good home too.’ Finn raised an eyebrow and gave that mischievous half-smile as though he was practising his James Bond impression. ‘They wanted to thank you in person, you know, for helping out down here. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve invited them to the wedding. I checked with Mum and she said it would be fine. There’s room on the guest list.’
‘Yes, of course,’ she said, wondering why he’d asked his mum and not her.
‘I’ve said they could stay on the boat when they come down.’
‘The boat? But…’ She looked at him, confused, but noticed his eyes were full of warm affection, the sparkle in them teasing her as she tried, but failed, to make sense of his words. ‘Finn, I thought…’
He threw back his head, chuckling.
‘Have you not got it yet, Rubes? I’ve been dropping enough hints. I’ve bought the boat. I’ve bought it for us. We are the new owners.’ He gave a satisfied sighed, holding his arms wide. ‘Honestly, I felt just the same as you. I didn’t want to see it go. I know how much it’s come to mean to you and to Roxie too. I couldn’t see my two favourite girls upset, could I?’
‘Finn!’ Ruby shrieked, jumping up from her seat and throwing her arms round Finn’s neck. The commotion startled Roxie too, who leapt up at the same time, wagging her tail furiously, to see what all the fuss was about. ‘Do you really mean it?’
‘Of course, I mean it. I know I said there’d be no more surprises, but this was something I just had to do. Really, Rubes, what did you expect me to do? We don’t have to make any decisions about it at the moment, but at least it’s ours and it will stay here for the time being. It mea
ns you’ll still be able to come down here to do your paintings, if you want to, and I’ve got some ideas for a few more projects I want to complete on the lower decks. You never know, we might even decide we want to do the grand tour one day.’
Ruby shook her head, smiling, her hands still around his face as she looked at him indulgently.
‘Blimey, Finn, I’m not sure how many more of these sorts of surprises I can take. It’s not good for my blood pressure. I mean, talking like a man from a different continent is one thing, but I never know what you’re going to do from one day to the next. First you take on a random dog, then you throw in your job, which is your dream job, the one you’ve worked so hard to attain for years and then, just as randomly, you buy a boat, when you’ve never showed any interest in boats before. You have to admit it’s all a bit…’ she struggled to find a better word ‘…random.’
‘Random’s good though, or would you prefer it if I hadn’t done any of those things?’
‘No, I’m not saying that.’ She stood on tiptoes, her lips finding his. ‘I am so happy that we’re keeping the boat. Really I am. I’d just prefer it if in future you could give me some idea as to what you’re going to do next. Or otherwise I’m going to have to write a book about your exploits. What Finn Did Next.’
‘Well, I’d read it,’ he said, with a smile.
‘Seriously though, Finn, we are getting married. We should start making these sorts of decisions together.’
‘Okay.’ He kissed her back. ‘I’ll see if I can remember to do that. It’s just that my memory these days isn’t as good as it was. Come on, there’s something I need to show you.’
He took her by the hand and led her down into the cabin. He undid the pretty ties of the gingham curtains, pulling them closed and shutting out the afternoon sunshine.
Hopelessly Devoted to You Page 17
