Page 20 of Coming Home to Crumbleton

This picture was what had convinced him that it would be safe for him to see her again. It looked nothing like the Ruby Hutchinson he remembered – the bookworm who’d helped him drag his English grade up far enough for him to win his coveted sports scholarship. That Ruby had turned out to be funny, feisty and so incredibly kind that Oli had fallen head-over-heels for her the first time they’d faced each other over his study notes. A complication his father definitely hadn’t seen coming when he’d suggested private tutoring.

It hadn’t taken long before their study sessions – long evenings and weekends pouring over Jane Austen’s Persuasion and endless pages of Shakespeare - became Oli’s favourite time of the week. He loved spending time with Ruby, but he hadn’t been expecting to fall for the subject too. There was something about the way Ruby approached books - and reading - that made him see it differently. It came to life under her gentle touch… a bit like he did too.

By the time Oli sat his exams, he was cheating on sports with English Lit. In fact, the lure of the track and field scholarship – something he’d been working towards for years – had lost all its charm. When Oli announced that he didn’t want to go to America after all - that he wanted to study English at a British university instead – his dad had taken matters into his own hands.

‘And the rest, as they say, is history,’ muttered Oli.

As usual, his dad had got his own way. Oli won his scholarship and went to America. He’d “run track” as they’d called it over there. He’d even had a shot at competing in the Olympics. He’d done it all with a broken heart – because the minute he boarded that plane, Ruby had disappeared from his life.

Oli let out a long sigh. Rehashing the past was pointless. His dad was gone now – but at least he’d tried to put things right first – and at least Oli had had the chance to say goodbye.

Now, armed with that truth and a reason to finally draw Ruby back to Crumbleton, maybe there was a chance to… to…

To what? Make her fall back in love with him? Convince a talented, celebrated author that she could love a small-town bookseller who’d once had his own shot at stardom and walked away from it?

‘You’re an idiot!’ said Oli.

It had all backfired so spectacularly. She’d looked so horrified to see him. He’d never wanted her to feel like she’d been tricked into coming back. He’d wanted it to be her choice!

Oli stared at the author photograph again, searching Ruby’s eyes as though he might find an answer there. It didn’t help. It really didn’t look like her. The woman he’d come face-to-face just now hadn’t changed a jot, though. Other than looking a bit tired and freaked out, she was as gorgeous as she’d always been.

‘And then you made her run away!’ he muttered.

Oli could kick himself for joking around with her like that in the café. He’d thought it would be funny – but in his defence, he’d thought she was in on the joke! How come Caroline hadn’t told her that he’d bought the bookshop?! The pair of them had been friends forever.

It wasn’t his cousin’s fault, though. She’d warned him years ago that Ruby had flat-out banned her from even mentioning his name. She’d put up so many barriers that she basically lived in a Crumbleton-free fortress. A fortress Oli had been well and truly locked out of.

Oli sighed and carefully placed the book back down onto the top of the pile, wondering if they’d ever see her signature now. In fact… that was something he really needed to find out! Maybe he should call her publicity team. Maybe he should-

Oli’s eyes landed on the patchwork armchair… and the large rucksack leaning against it.

Ruby’s bag! She must have forgotten it in her hurry to get away from him.

Dashing to the door, he wrenched it open and stepped out onto the high street, staring first up the hill and then down. He spotted Stuart from Bendall’s nipping into the café, and further down the hill, he could just see Iris Tait tugging her wheeled trolly over the cobbles. But there was no sign of Ruby.

Heading back inside the shop, Oli shut the door behind him and flipped the sign to “Closed” – popping the little “back in 10 minutes” card he kept handy just below it.

Then he headed over to the counter, grabbed a sheet of paper from the printer tray, and picked up a pen.

Dear Ruby…

CHAPTER 10

RUBY

The minute she was back out on the high street, Ruby decided that she couldn’t be bothered with any more shortcuts. There wasn’t much point sneaking around now that her worst nightmare had already come true, was there?

Drama queen!

Caroline’s words echoed in her head, and she broke into a grin. Perhaps her friend was right.

Tying her jumper around her waist, Ruby route-marched up the cobbles, nodding and smiling at the various locals who greeted her as she went. After all – she might as well get used to it. Caroline had made her promise that she wouldn’t pull a disappearing act before the pair of them had had the chance for a longer catch-up – preferably with a stiff drink in front of them.

It didn’t take her long to reach the entrance to the little alleyway that led to her parents’ house. As she turned off the high street and made her way between the two ancient buildings, Ruby’s steps faltered. She was nervous. Perhaps it would have been a better idea to grab herself a room down at the Dolphin and Anchor instead of asking her parents if she could stay in her childhood bedroom. After such a long time away, she wasn’t sure how she was going to feel about being back.

Coming to a halt in front of the peeling, dark red front door, Ruby smiled ruefully to herself. Her mum might not exactly be your typical parent… but even she might have something to say about her only daughter staying somewhere else on her first visit home in six years!

Taking a deep breath, Ruby did her best to steady her nerves and prepare herself for what was waiting inside. Her parents – and reminders of her childhood around every corner. Or… maybe not. They might have renovated the entire place for all she knew.

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