26
For the secondday in a row, Grace accompanied Ryan and Miriam on their excursion, with Stanley tagging along, too. Any concerns she had that she was encroaching on the special time that Ryan was spending with his grandmother were quickly dismissed when she received a surprise phone call from Miriam that morning to say they were leaving for a day at the seaside at nine o’clock on the dot, and Grace and Stanley were expected to join them.
Before she could protest, Miriam had hung up the phone, the matter settled.
Grace was glad the no-nonsense older lady had taken charge and told her what’s what. She couldn’t wait to spend another day in Ryan’s company. After their day out roaming around the South Downs countryside, a day at the seaside sounded like the perfect contrast. With the weather forecast to be bright and sunny again, and not too warm, they were set for perfect conditions.
Miriam chose a seaside location southwest of Chichester, where there was a stretch of golden sandy beach and an attractive promenade, along with plenty of cafes and bistros and shops in the small town nearby. They spent a pleasant hourwalking along the beach while Stanley raced in and out of the waves lapping against the shore, followed by an inevitable pit stop at a beachfront café for late morning coffee and cake.
After visiting the little museum in the town where Miriam wanted to learn more about the maritime history of the local area, they enjoyed another walk along the beach in the opposite direction from their earlier route, and which led them to a small coastal nature reserve where there were all manner of seabirds to observe from a viewing platform.
Miriam chose an attractive seafood bistro for lunch, and Ryan treated them all to an indulgent three-course meal of crab cakes, fish pie, and homemade ice cream for dessert. As they sat outside admiring the views from the restaurant across the English Channel, Stanley snaffled on the gravy bones Grace had brought along in a bag for the little dog, and behaved himself beautifully as he lay beneath the table.
The delicious food required yet another short walk along the beach to work off their excesses. After visiting some of the local shops and making purchases to support the local businesses, they piled back into Ryan’s car for the drive home.
Miriam opted for the back seat this time, explaining that the seaside walks and fresh air had left her on the cusp of a nap. Before they’d even left behind the little seaside town where they’d spent the day, Grace could already hear Miriam’s gentle snoring coming from the back of the car, alongside Stanley’s far noisier snores emanating from the boot.
As Ryan drove the winding country roads towards home, they kept conversation to a minimum, not wanting to wake Miriam up. The silence between them was comfortable, more comfortable than Grace imagined it could be after only knowing Ryan for a few days. They exchanged amused smiles as Miriam and Stanley snored in stereo in the back of the car, and when Grace reached across to squeeze Ryan’s free hand as he steeredwith the other, she couldn’t mistake the heat that flashed across her skin as his fingers squeezed hers in return.
It was a perfect day, Grace thought as they drove back into Hamblehurst a little while later. Two perfect days in a row with Ryan… and with his grandmother, of course.
A week ago, the idea of spending time with a new man in whom she was interested,along with his grandmother, would’ve struck Grace as completely bizarre. It was certainly unconventional.
And yet it felt nothing other than lovely being with the two of them. Miriam was a sweet and charismatic woman who made her feel entirely welcome in their company. When they’d all been walking along the beach together, and then checking out the little museum and the nature reserve, Grace had caught the way Miriam had looked at the two of them as she’d strolled hand-in-hand with Ryan.
The pleasure on Miriam’s face was clear to see. Knowing that Miriam liked Grace as much as she liked her brought satisfaction, and knowing she seemed to enjoy seeing her grandson in Grace’s company made her feel like she was a welcome addition to their little day-tripping unit.
By the time they returned to Ryan’s house on Riverside Road, it was almost six o’clock in the evening. As no one was remotely hungry after the huge lunch they’d enjoyed, they agreed to skip dinner and see how they felt about something to eat later. At Miriam’s request, Ryan boiled the kettle so that his grandmother could have a cup of her beloved Earl Grey tea.
“I’m still rather sleepy, despite my nap in the car on the way home,” Miriam said, taking the tea mug Ryan passed to her. “If you two don’t mind, I’m going to enjoy this brew while stretched out upstairs on my guest bed, and I may even close my eyes for half an hour.”
“That’s fine with us, Grandma,” Ryan replied. “Just give us a shout if you need anything.”
“Will do.” Miriam headed for the kitchen door, but stopped when she got there and turned back. “Oh, Grace, you simply must ask Ryan to play the new song he wrote last night. It’s really rather beautiful.”
“How do you know about the song I wrote last night?” Ryan asked with a frown.
“Like you said yesterday, Ryan, I have the hearing of a bat,” Miriam said with a wink.
“But I kept it quiet down here while I was playing the guitar because I didn’t want to wake you.”
“You didn’t wake me. But I recognised the tune as the same as the one you were playing before, and I couldn’t help listening while you worked on it. I think it’s lovely, Ryan, and I’m sure Grace will think so, too.”
Miriam gave Ryan a sly wink as she left, and when he turned around to face her, Grace saw the blush on his cheeks.
“She’s a meddler, that woman,” Ryan laughed, still frowning but obviously amused, too. “And she definitely has some sort of supernatural hearing ability, if she could hear what I was playing down here last night while she was up in her room.”
“So, will you play the song for me?” Grace asked. “If it’s as good as your grandmother claims, then I can’t wait to be one of the first to listen to it.”
Ryan waved a hand and looked uncomfortable. “I’m not sure it’s ready yet. It still needs some work.”
“That’s okay. I can make allowances for any rubbish bits.”
Her humorous remark drew a smile from Ryan, and when Stanley came barrelling over from where he’d been lapping at his water dish and began barking at him, as if adding his own encouragement into the mix, Grace sensed his defences weakening.
“Fine. I’ll play it for you. But I’m only playing the music, not singing the lyrics.”
“Oh, that’s a pity. Why won’t you sing?”
