Page 19 of Coming Home to Crumbleton

‘Just the one?’ said Ruby, hauling herself to her feet. She was exhausted. She might have only just got back, but she felt like she’d gone ten rounds with the little town already.

‘Yeah, for now,’ said Caroline. ‘What are you going to do about your bag?’

‘Erm…’ Ruby ran her fingers through her hair. ‘Maybe… I was wondering… could you…?’

‘Double wuss!’ chuckled Caroline. ‘But fine - you go put your poor parents out of their misery. I know they’re a bit nutty - but they do love you - and I bet they’ve missed you.’

‘Deep down,’ muttered Ruby.

‘Well, yeah,’ said Caroline. ‘I’ve got to go up to the museum a bit later anyway, so I’ll nip into the bookshop and grab your bag on the way.’

‘You will?’ said Ruby.

‘Of course,’ said Caroline. ‘You know I’d do anything for you… and besides, it’ll give me a chance to get the low-down on how Oli feels about you being back in town.’

‘You wouldn’t dare?!’ said Ruby, her eyes going wide.

‘Oh come on Rubes!’ said Caroline, a decidedly naughty twinkle in her eye. ‘He’s back in town… and single. You’re back in town… and single… Just think of the possibilities!’

‘Nope. No no no,’ said Ruby, shaking her head. ‘No possibilities,’ she added firmly, even though something at the back of her brain seemed to be shifting - rearranging itself around this new bit of information.

It wasn’t that she’d never wondered about Oli’s relationship status, but she’d never dreamed of actually trying to find out.

‘No,’ she said again, more firmly. ‘I’m here for all of five minutes - then I’m gone. I don’t need you stirring things up.’

‘Spoilsport,’ pouted Caroline. ‘Well, I’ll grab your bag - but at least let me just double-check that Oli doesn’t have anyone else in the picture.’

‘Yes please to the bag,’ said Ruby grudgingly. ‘As to any digging, that’s nothing to do with me.’

‘Oh come on, admit it. You want all the gossip about my idiot cousin!’ said Caroline with a grin.

‘Fine. I do,’ sighed Ruby. ‘But don’t mention me… and just make sure it’s-’

‘Yeah, yeah, off the record,’ said Caroline, rolling her eyes.

CHAPTER 9

OLI

Pushing himself up off the counter – where he’d spent the last ten minutes with his head in his hands - Oli scrubbed at his face and stared around the shop.

How had that just gone so spectacularly wrong?

He’d always known that inviting Ruby Hutchinson to do an event at the bookshop was a huge risk – both business and personal. For one thing, she hadn’t set foot in town since he’d moved to America – a fact that Caroline had rather grumpily verified on numerous occasions. For another – he wasn’t entirely sure how she’d feel about the fact that he’d bought the bookshop from Reuben.

He’d turned these things over and over in his mind for days before approaching her publisher – adding in his worries about their history together – but eventually, he’d decided to go ahead and do it anyway. Oli had been more than prepared for Ruby to turn the whole thing down flat, so it had been a wonderful surprise when her publisher had been downright excited about the idea of her finishing off the tour in her hometown.

According to them, the whole team was on board – Crumbleton Bookshop would be the perfect final stop for their new star author. All they had to do was get her to agree. Which she did. Eventually.

Oli had been bouncing between nervous, excited, hopeful and shocked ever since. He couldn’t quite believe Ruby had agreed to it!

‘It all makes sense now, though,’ he sighed.

Ruby hadn’t agreed to come to his shop after all. She’d thought she was teaming up with Reuben. Hell, she hadn’t even expected to find him back in town.

‘Gah!’ he grunted, getting to his feet and pacing to the other side of the shop, where he stopped and eyeballed the dozens of copies of Every Little Dream that were stacked up neatly, ready for her signature.

Picking one up, he flipped it over and stared at the author photograph on the back cover – just as he’d done about a thousand times already.

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