Page 103 of New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe
Ryan, back?Now that was a curveball Leo hadn’t been expecting. He put his phone down and sat up in bed. Talk about bad timing. After such a great date, to wake up today and find that everything had changed overnight, was… well, it was a shock. A huge one. Leo pulled on a T-shirt and shorts and padded down the stairs to find Tinkerbell licking her paws, waiting for him in the kitchen. ‘Oh, Tinks, what am I going to do?’ he said, scooping the cat up into his arms. ‘I finally find the perfect woman and her ex turns up the next day.’ Tinkerbell purred in response. ‘Look at me,’ he said, putting her down on the floor and reaching for the kibble jar, ‘I’m asking a cat for relationship advice.’ Had he been naïve to tell Tori how he felt about her? It wasn’t like him; he wasn’t usually the one doing the chasing. If anything, he was normally the one making the excuses so he could get back to being free and single. Perhaps it was all for the best. If Tori was considering reconciling with her ex, he didn’t want to be her back-up plan. He’d make things simple for her and take himself out of the picture.
Tori arrived at the Apple Tree at exactly seven o’clock, and nerves were bubbling up inside her. She spotted Ryan instantly, sitting in one of the corner booths. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a grey shirt, which showed off his glowing tan and drew Tori’s eyes to his glossy dark hair and brooding eyes. God, he looked good. Really good. She pulled up a chair and Ryan leaned across the table to kiss her on the cheek, casting a glance around the room nervously. Ryan cleared his throat.
‘Thanks for agreeing to see me – I promise you won’t regret it. I got you a drink in,’ he said, nodding towards the G and T on the table.
‘Thanks.’ She placed her handbag on the floor, folding her arms in front of her. ‘So, where do you want to start?’
‘By saying I’m sorry,’ replied Ryan, tapping his leg against the table. ‘I know sorry doesn’t cover it, but I screwed up, Tori.’
‘That’s an understatement,’ said Tori, through gritted teeth.
‘I know it is.’ Ryan hung his head. ‘It doesn’t come close. We’d had such a great time travelling, the thought of it coming to an end, of us coming back home and buying a place together, marriage and babies, well, I’m ashamed to say, I panicked. It felt like everything was happening too quickly – I didn’t feel ready.’ Regret was etched on his face.
Tori breathed deeply, trying to compose herself. ‘So why didn’t you say that to me? Why just dump me and leave me to come home by myself?’
Ryan shrugged. ‘Because I’m an idiot? Because I didn’t know how lucky I was to have you? I took what we had for granted, Tori, I know I didn’t appreciate you,’ he continued, wringing his hands.
‘Do you understand what it’s been like for me, Ryan? Coming back here, trying to figure out what I’d done wrong, why you’d ended things? Having to tell everyone that we were over but not knowing why? I didn’t have any answers… it was eating me up inside.’
‘If it makes you feel any better, I’ve been miserable withoutyou, Tori.’ Ryan looked so sincere, and she felt a pang of sympathy for him.
‘It makes me feel alittlebetter,’ she replied, her voice softening. She swirled the ice in her G and T, deep in thought. ‘I don’t understand what’s changed, though. If you weren’t up for buying a house together, for marriage and kids, then what’s different now?’
‘I’ve realized that I can’t be without you, Tori. And if that means I need to go all in, that’s what I’m prepared to do. Whatever it takes,’ he said, taking a long, deep breath.
Tori studied his face; he looked in pain.
‘But it’s not what you want, though, is it? You’d only be going through the motions to keep me happy?’
‘Whatever it takes, I’m willing to do.’ He reached across the table for her hand. ‘What do you say?’
‘Honestly?’ She shrugged, taking a deep, steadying breath. ‘I appreciate the explanation, but I think it might be too late. You hurt me, Ryan… I’m not sure sorry is enough, and I want to be with someone who truly wants the same future as I do,’ she said, pushing the remainder of her drink aside and making to leave.
‘Before you go,’ Ryan said hurriedly, ‘I know it’s going to take time to rebuild your trust. I’m not going anywhere though, Tori, I’m not giving up – I’m here and I want to be with you, isn’t that what’s important?’
‘I need some space, Ryan. I need time to think.’
‘Understood.’ He nodded. ‘Well, you know where I am if you want to talk,’ he said, gesturing to the bar.
‘Aren’t you going back to London to see your family?’
Ryan shook his head.
‘Not this time. I’m staying right here. I’m hoping I’m still welcome at the café for a cuppa?’
‘It’s a free country,’ said Tori, shrugging.
‘Like I said, I’m not giving up,’ Ryan repeated.
As Tori got up to leave, a few of the locals threw her furtive glances as she made towards the door.
‘Tori, can I have a quick word?’ asked Pete, the pub’s landlord.
‘Yeah, sure.’
‘Listen, you know we’ve got Ryan staying but I don’t want you to think Beth and I have taken his side. If I had my way, I would have sent him packing after the way he treated you,’ said Pete, casting a furious look in Ryan’s direction. ‘But apparently that’s not good business sense, according to Beth.’
‘And Beth’s right,’ said Tori, placing a hand on his arm. ‘Don’t get yourself in trouble on my account.’
