21. Chapter 21
Oli glanced at his watch. Ten to four. Ruby was gone.
The afternoon train would be whisking her back to London, and then - by this time tomorrow - she’d be on the way to America.
He was happy for her. At least… he would be if he thought for one second she was excited about the trip. Talent like hers deserved every opportunity. Movie deals, press conferences, red carpets… the works! But Ruby had just looked haunted. He knew what it felt like to have other people tell you what you wanted – when the reality might be something completely different.
Oli couldn’t help but feel like he was looking into a mirror of his past… and he wasn’t sure he could deal with losing her again. This time, it would be her flying away from him rather than the other way around - but the cracks appearing in his heart certainly felt the same.
Clearing his throat, Oli did his best to ignore the heat building behind his eyes as he focused on the task at hand. Holding the bubble wrap tightly around the precious book, he grabbed a piece of tape to secure it. Then he reached for the roll of brown paper. Two minutes later, he had a neat parcel sitting on the table in front of him, complete with Ruby’s address in London. He was about to click the top back on the Sharpie when he paused.
Nope. He wasn’t doing this again. He wasn’t going to let the distance between them get so big that it would take six years to build a bridge across it. In one deft movement, he added two words across the corner of the package before standing abruptly. He glanced at his watch again. He needed to hurry.
Dashing over to the door, he quickly turned the sign over to “closed” and then turned back to his desk. He’d need to call Brian, and then…
The tinkling of the bell above the door stopped him in his tracks.
‘Sorry - I’m closed. Personal emergency!’ he muttered, turning with a frown.
‘Is that so?’