There was a heavy silence as Ryan slotted more plates into the dishwasher. When he straightened up, there was a shy smile on his face.
“And, okay, maybe I’ll admit I was doing some work this morning, too,” he said. “Sometimes when the inspiration strikes to write a song, you just have to go along with it.”
Grace was about to make another vague comment in response, but the soft look on Ryan’s face stopped her. His gaze held her still, unable to look away.
The moment spun on, strange and lovely and filled with thepossibilityof something that completely took Grace by surprise.
The possibility of what?she wondered.
Of reaching out and taking Ryan’s hand into hers and…
A smashing noise split the air, and the moment vanished. Grace looked down in horror at the plate she’d just dropped and which now lay in pieces on the floor.
“Oh, I’m so sorry!” she said. “It just slipped out of my hands. I wasn’t paying attention, and?—”
“It’s fine, it’s just a plate,” Ryan interrupted, giving her a smile as he picked up the larger of the broken pieces. “I’ll grab the brush and take care of this in no time.”
“I’m really sorry, Ryan. I’m never usually clumsy. I don’t know what happened.”
Except she did know. In that sweet moment when they’d stood so close together, their eyes locked, Grace had simply forgotten she was holding anything in her hands at all. Ryan’s proximity, and the soft look in his eyes, had wiped her brain clean of all sensible thought.
Ryan soon swept up the remains of the broken plate, while Grace occupied herself adding the last of the dishes to the dishwasher, taking care not to smash anything else to pieces. By the time the coffee maker beeped to indicate the pot was full, their chores were finished.
Grace wasn’t sure if it was her imagination or not, but she couldn’t help thinking that Ryan gave her a wide berth as they completed their work.
Maybe that was for the best.
Grace knew she had enough on her mind right now without adding unnecessary complications into her personal life—such as it was.
Once the coffee was drunk, Grace said goodbye to Miriam and hooked Stanley’s lead onto his collar. Ryan insisted on walking her home again, citing the need to carry the dog’s bed back to her house once more. As Grace had enjoyed wine again with dinner, she planned on collecting her car the next morning. The chances of finding a free space on Foxglove Street at this late hour were slim, anyway.
As Miriam waved her off at the door, it occurred to Grace that she might not see the lovely older lady again. Now that she had time to spare in order to look after Stanley until his stray situation was resolved, there would be no need for these back and forth trips to Ryan’s house.
Grace felt an unexpected pang of regret as she contemplated this. She’d enjoyed the past two evenings spent in the company of Ryan and his grandmother, and realised she would miss them.
Only the sight of Stanley gleefully enjoying Miriam’s affectionate pats on his head at the doorstop before they set off stopped Grace from feeling ridiculously emotional about the whole thing.
The summer evening was warm as they set off along Riverside Road, with a riot of pink and purple clouds reflecting the setting sun. As they turned onto Foxglove Street, the moon was visible just above the rooftops, a milky crescent against the deepening blue sky.
“So, what are you and your grandmother planning to do tomorrow, now that I’m no longer emotionally blackmailing you into looking after a stray dog?” Grace asked with a smile.
Ryan laughed. “We’re thinking of spending the day out and about around the South Downs. The weather looks good, dry but not too hot, and there are a couple of short walking options my grandma would like to test out and enjoy the scenery, before we find a nice pub somewhere for lunch.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“Why don’t you come with us?”
Grace saw from his expression that the invitation was genuine. “Thanks, but I think you and your grandmother deserve some time to yourselves.”
“She’d love it if you came along. She’s taken a real shine to you. And to Stanley, for that matter.”
“That’s a nice thing to say. I’ve taken a real shine to her, too.”
And to you, Ryan,Grace thought but wisely didn’t say.
“But I’ve got some chores to deal with tomorrow,” she said instead. “And I want to speak to the dog warden’s office and straighten things out about Stanley, and then I’ll probably dig into some study for a few hours. I’m sure I’ll feel much better about the promotion stuff tomorrow and will want to get my head back in the game.”
Ryan nodded, although his expression looked unconvinced. “For what it’s worth, I still think you should take these next few days off for yourself and do something you enjoy and leave work to the side for a while. So, if you change your mind about joining us tomorrow, just give me a call. We probably won’t set off until later in the morning. You’re welcome to come with us.”
