15. Chapter 15
‘What if she doesn’t come?’ said Oli, running his fingers through his hair for what had to be the thousandth time that morning - and it wasn’t even nine o’clock yet.
‘Dude, she’ll come,’ yawned Caroline, sinking into her office chair and rubbing her face. She looked like she’d quite fancy a nap on her desk. ‘I cannot believe you talked me into traipsing all over Crumbleton before breakfast!’
‘You owed me one,’ said Oli.
‘Erm… how exactly?’ demanded Caroline.
‘Because you’re my cousin,’ he said simply. ‘Anyway… you’re right… she’ll come…’
After more than an hour of dashing around, making sure everything was ready for his grand plan, the pair of them had retreated to Caroline’s office for a much-needed coffee. As tempting as it was, they couldn’t risk heading into the café in case they bumped into Ruby. That would spoil everything.
‘But… what if-’ Oli started again.
‘Oh my sainted granny pants!’ huffed Caroline, glaring at him. ‘If I’d known the pair of you being back in the same town was going to mean I’d end up losing sleep, I’d have talked Ruby out of coming myself!’
‘To be fair, I don’t think it would have taken much doing,’ said Oli with a sigh.
He already knew for a fact that Ruby had done everything in her power to wriggle out of coming back to Crumbleton. Her publishing team had been surprisingly open about the fact that they were having a hard time getting her to agree to it… and that was when she’d thought she’d be dealing with Reuben! If she’d known the truth, there was no way she’d be in town right now – no matter how much pressure her publishers applied.
Still - here they were. Not only was Ruby miraculously in town – but she’d agreed to spend a whole day with him.
She’s not going to show! You know she only said that to get rid of you last night.
‘Caaaar?’ he whined, fixing his cousin with a beseeching smile.
‘What?’ she muttered. ‘Actually, scratch that. Whatever it is, the answer’s “no.”’
Oli stuck his bottom lip out until Caroline let out a long sigh. ‘Fine - what?’
‘Will you text her for me? Just to put me out of my misery?’ he said.
‘And say what?’ she laughed. ‘Oh I know - “I’ve just spent the last two hours helping my idiot cousin set up the most ridiculous date ever, so you’d better turn up. Oh – and you owe me sleep.”’
‘Erm - no - definitely not that,’ said Oli. ‘Urgh, I’m so nervous!’
Caroline stared at him for a long moment, then her face softened. ‘You are the softest, daftest idiot in the world - you know that, right?’
He smiled and nodded miserably.
‘Fine,’ she sighed. ‘I know what to say.’
‘You do?’
She nodded. ‘Sure fire way to check that she’s at least planning on turning up.’
‘How?’ said Oli.
‘I’ll offer her an alternative,’ said Caroline with a little shrug. ‘I’ll invite her to have lunch with me over at Crumbleton Sands. Good plan, right?’
‘No! Terrible plan,’ said Oli, shaking his head. ‘What if she cancels on me to hang out with you?!’
‘Hmm,’ said Caroline. ‘Well then, my old chum – that would definitely give you your answer. If that happens - you’ve got even bigger problems than you think!’
‘That’s really not reassuring!’ said Oli, letting out a surprised laugh.
‘You want me to send it or not?’ said Caroline.
Oli blew out a breath and ran his fingers through his hair again.
‘You seriously need to stop doing that,’ she said, her fingers flying over her phone screen. ‘You look like a porcupine.’
‘Okay - send it!’ he said, doing his best to flatten the spikes again. ‘But if she does opt for lunch with you instead - I’m totally gate-crashing!’
Caroline snorted.
‘Actually, wait!’ said Oli. ‘I’ve changed my mind!’
‘Too late!’ crowed Caroline. ‘Already sent it.’ She tossed her phone down onto her desk and shot him a triumphant grin. ‘You know, you should be thanking me anyway. If it wasn’t for me, you and Ruby would never have even crossed paths in the first place.’
‘We totally would have!’ huffed Oli. He knew he sounded like a sulky teenager, but he couldn’t help it.
‘Yeah right!’ smirked Caroline. ‘You were never off the sports field long enough to meet any girls… other than cheerleaders. There’s no way you’d have discovered our favourite bookish waitress – especially considering she spent all of her spare time either in the bookshop or in front of that typewriter of hers!’
‘Fine… you might have a point,’ said Oli. ‘But I’m not sure about thanking you. You’re basically owning up to the fact that it’s your fault I went to America with a broken heart and never got over it.’
‘Yeah right,’ muttered Caroline. ‘I’m sure you were sad and all that, but I bet you got over it fast enough.’
Oli shook his head slowly. His cousin couldn’t be more wrong… but did he really want to go there with her right now? Did he want the biggest gob in Crumbleton to know there hadn’t been anyone in his life since Ruby?
‘You’re serious, aren’t you?’ said Caroline, watching him closely.
‘Serious?’ he hedged.
‘About Ruby,’ she said, looking like the truth was dawning on her by the second. ‘You’re still in love with her, aren’t you?’
‘Love?’ spluttered Oli. ‘I never said love.’
‘You didn’t need to!’ said Caroline. ‘Wow… and just for the record, it’s not my fault.’
‘You introduced us,’ said Oli.
‘Yeah, but I wasn’t the one who sent you off to America and made sure all ties between the pair of you were cut!’ said Caroline.
‘That’s true,’ said Oli.
‘I still can’t believe he did that,’ said Caroline.
Oli nodded slowly.
‘I know it’s mean to speak ill of the dead and all, but Uncle Mike could be such a prick sometimes!’ said Caroline.
Oli let out a surprised snort of laughter. ‘If he could hear you now, you’d be in so much trouble!’
‘Wasn’t I always?’ said Caroline with a shrug.
‘Fair point,’ said Oli. ‘You know – dad wasn’t that bad. Just strict… he always did what was best for me.’
‘He always did what he thought was best,’ countered Caroline. ‘It doesn’t mean he got it right very often.’
‘Yeah well… no point running through all the “what ifs” now,’ said Oli. ‘I’ve wasted enough time doing that, and all it does is give you a headache.’
‘Fair enough,’ said Caroline.
‘Dad told me everything, you know,’ he said. ‘Before he died, I mean.’
‘Everything?’ said Caroline.
‘That he was the one who told Ruby not to contact me,’ said Oli with a sigh. ‘He told her she’d be holding me back – ruining my life. And he basically told me I’d be doing the same to her. He admitted he was the reason she never got in touch or took my calls… that he was the one who split us up. He apologised.’
Oli paused and watched as Caroline chewed her lip – looking like she was half sorry for him and half ready to punch a wall.
‘Well,’ she huffed, ‘at least he said something.’
‘Yeah well – that’s in the past,’ said Oli. ‘The only “what if” I’m interested in right now is whether Ruby’s going to turn up today or do another runner on me.’ Oli paused and gulped down the last few mouthfuls of his already-cold coffee.
‘Well… I have to hand it to you,’ chuckled Caroline, ‘you’ve managed to time the whole thing for maximum implosion-factor if it all goes wrong!’
‘What do you mean?’ muttered Oli. He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer.
‘Just imagine how awkward tomorrow’s event will be if today’s date crashes and burns!’ said Caroline.
‘Dude… at least try saying it without that twinkle in your eye!’ said Oli.
‘My bad,’ she said with a grin, grabbing her phone as it vibrated against the desk.
‘What?’ said Oli, having to restrain himself from grabbing the thing right out of her hands. ‘Is it her? What does she say?’
‘Looks like our girl is as ridiculous as you, cuz,’ said Caroline, her eyes flicking down the screen.
‘She’s coming?’ said Oli, annoyed at how strained he sounded.
‘Looks like it!’ Caroline nodded.
Oli let out a huge sigh of relief, feeling equal measures terrified and excited. ‘I think my head’s going to explode.’
‘You’ve only got yourself to blame!’ said Caroline. ‘You’re the one who came up with this hair-brained plan!’
‘You do think she’ll like it, though?’ he said, scrambling to his feet.
‘Well…’ said Caroline, ‘I guess you’ll find out, won’t you!’