“Thanks.”
They reached Grace’s garden gate, and Stanley once more demonstrated that he’d remembered this was where she lived, pausing while she opened the latch before barrelling up the path. Once she’d unlocked the door and unclipped Stanley’s lead so he could hurry inside and have a good sniff around, Ryan handed her the dog bed, which she tucked inside the hallway while they said goodnight.
“Thanks again for inviting me over for dinner, Ryan,” she said. “And please thank your grandmother again for her delicious cooking.”
“Thank you for treating us to chocolate cake for dessert,” Ryan said, and patted his stomach. “Although I think tomorrow’s pleasant stroll on the South Downs might have to turn into a proper hike to work it off.”
Grace laughed, enjoying the amusement in his eyes. “Good night, Ryan.”
“Good night, Grace.”
That was her cue to step inside her house and close the door, and yet she found herself still standing there, looking up intoRyan’s eyes. The laughter she’d noticed dancing there a moment ago was suddenly nowhere in sight as his expression shifted and his gaze darkened. Grace wondered what it would be like to reach out and take his hand and…
“See you later,” she said instead, her words a jumbled rush as she backed up the steps and into her house, feeling rather foolish for making an idiot of herself.
Ryan smiled, and frowned too, Grace couldn’t help noticing, before throwing her a quick wave goodbye and heading back through the gate and off along Foxglove Street.
When Grace closed the front door behind her, she fell against it with a sigh. Stanley appeared in the hallway and plonked himself down in front of her and let out a muffled yap.
“Well, what just happened?” Grace said to the dog.
Stanley replied with another soft bark.
“Yeah, your guess is as good as mine,” she muttered with a laugh. “I think the bad news I got today at work has left me with scrambled eggs for brains.”
The dog cocked his head at her and wagged his tail. She was glad to have the little creature for company tonight, making the house feel less quiet.
Making her feel less alone.
“Come on then, Stanley. Let’s see if there’s anything good on television before we call it a night.”
The signature chuntering noise he made in response told her Stanley was on board with the plan.
