31
Ryan steeredthe car into the car park attached to the quaint country pub his grandmother had chosen for lunch. It was located a few miles outside of Hamblehurst, with views across the South Downs to the south and meandering woodland to the north. There was a large beer garden outside facing towards the woods, but as the afternoon had turned overcast and cool, they opted for a table indoors once they confirmed the pub was dog friendly.
While his grandmother and Grace found a table near the windows with a view across the grassy landscape, and got Stanley settled beside them on the floor, Ryan bought drinks at the bar. As he waited for the barman to prepare his order, he thought about what Grace had said during their walk around the lake at the country park.
He thought about what she’d said about her feelings towards him, and about her growing fondness for Stanley, and how much she’d enjoyed the time they’d all spent together lately.
And he thought, too, about what she’d said about how all those things now left her conflicted about the job opportunity that had arisen in York.
Ryan was glad he’d admitted to Grace that he’d miss her if she left Hamblehurst for a job elsewhere. He didn’t have to spend any more time with her than he already had to know it was true. And while the last thing he wanted was to dissuade Grace from pursuing a career opportunity that was important to her, he was also glad that his grandmother had pushed him into being honest about his feelings.
Well, almost honest. If he was being completely honest, he would’ve told Grace he was… already falling in love with her.
Because that was the simple truth of it.
Fearing that such an admission might just send her running for the hills in alarm, and leaving him feeling foolish, Ryan thought it wise to be cautious. What he’d already admitted about his feelings was more than he’d imagined possible after only a few days spent in Grace’s company.
Whatever happened next was, he sensed, very much in Grace’s hands. She was the one with the decision to make about the job opportunity in York. She was also the one with the decision to make about whether she wanted to keep Stanley in her life.
And Ryan, too.
It was also true what Grace had said about how this past week had been out of the ordinary and a big change from their usual routines. They’d both been in holiday mode, Grace while she’d taken annual leave from work, and Ryan while he’d enjoyed downtime after completing his latest songwriting project and spending time with his grandmother.
Things might look and feel very different for them both once the routines of work and life returned. Perhaps once they had returned to their busy work schedules, things might fizzle out between them.
Ryan hated that idea the moment it popped into his head.
Still, he couldn’t deny the possibility of it happening.
He also couldn’t deny that his endless internal monologue was becoming rather too gloomy.
Ryan carried the drinks to the table by the window, where he found his grandmother and Grace studying the menu with interest, while Stanley snoozed on the floor. Once they’d settled on their choices and placed their food order, the conversation continued to flow easily as Miriam chatted to Grace about the cousin she was going to visit later that day and the travel arrangements she’d made that morning.
“I thought you were staying with Ryan for another week,” Grace said.
“That was the plan originally,” Miriam said. “But when the opportunity popped up for an impromptu visit to see my lovely cousin, I decided to switch things around.”
She gave Ryan a conspiratorial wink as she said this, which, he was relieved to see, Grace didn’t appear to notice.
“Perhaps you can keep Ryan company in my absence until I get back?” Miriam added, making Ryan emit a groan. His grandmother was about as subtle as a sledgehammer. “How much more time off work do you have, dear?”
“Just tomorrow, and then I’m back on shift,” Grace said.
Miriam frowned. “That’s a pity. Well, perhaps you two can arrange to share a few dinners together after your working days are done, Grace. There’s all that beef bourguignon in Ryan’s freezer, leftover from the casserole I made last week, not to mention a few servings of leftover pasta and whatnot. Ryan will forget all about it unless you are there to remind him to enjoy it.”
“I’m sure he won’t starve,” Grace laughed.
“I’m counting on you to see that he doesn’t,” Miriam said.
“Er, Grandma, I am actually a grown man who managed to feed himself just fine before you arrived.”
“Yes, on frozen pizza,” Miriam said with an exaggerated sigh. “And you know my views where frozen pizza is concerned, Ryan. It isn’t real food.”
Ryan was about to respond when he caught the amused look his grandmother gave Grace and noticed the warm sparkle in Grace’s eyes as she grinned back. She was obviously enjoying this exchange between grandmother and grandson, and seeing how kind Grace was towards Miriam, and how willing she was to indulge her antics, only made his feelings for her deepen even more.
Perhaps he was no longer just falling in love… perhaps he’d alreadyfallen.
The full force of this unbidden thought was only just penetrating his brain when an ear-splittingcrashsplit the air behind him. Jumping in his seat in alarm, he turned and saw a waitress standing with a look of horror on her face and staring at the tray of dirty plates and glasses she’d just dropped to the floor right next to their table.
