The Promise of Summer

by Bella Osborne

  ‘But this is the quiet carriage. I always travel in the quiet carriage because I like to work in peace.’

  He might have had cheekbones to die for but he was getting irritating now. Why did handsome men think they could boss women around? ‘Sorry, but it’s only a seat and I got here first. So …’ She gave a jaunty shrug and went back to her book hoping that would give him the message that the conversation was over.

  The man cleared his throat. ‘I’ve pre-booked this seat. Carriage A. Seat seventeen.’ He placed what looked like a train ticket on the table in front of Ruby and when she pulled her nose out of her book, he pointed from the ticket to a small digital display above her, which was flashing Reserved from Sheffield. Bugger, she thought. She’d not been on a train in years and hadn’t even known you could book seats.

  ‘I am really sorry. I didn’t realise,’ she said with a grimace and she picked up her water and moved across the aisle, giving him a series of apologetic expressions as she went.

  ‘Thank you,’ he said, taking the vacated seat.

  Ruby had no sooner settled herself down again then the carriage door opened and another man came in. This one was dressed in a leather jacket and jeans. He nodded at the empty seat next to hers. ‘Is that seat free?’ He gave her a hopeful smile.

  ‘Sure,’ she said, and got up to let him in.

  She retook her seat and reread the same sentence of her book for the third time. The man next to her got something out of his pocket and started fiddling with it. Her Tinder date experiences told her not to look directly at something like that – there were some things you couldn’t unsee. She glanced furtively across. He was handling a small black velvet box. It looked like a ring box and it now had her full attention. He caught her looking and beamed at her.

  ‘Excuse me,’ he said. ‘I’m not a weirdo or anything but you look like a nice sensible woman. Could I ask your opinion on something?’

  Ruby closed her book. She’d never been called a sensible anything in her life before. ‘Fire away,’ she said, giving him the once-over. He was casual but clean with a faint aroma of aftershave, no homemade knuckle tattoos and a friendly smile – it was a promising start.

  ‘I’m going to propose to my girlfriend and this is the ring. What do you think?’ He flicked open the small box and the ring inside took Ruby’s breath away. It was a simple platinum band with the biggest sparkly diamond she had ever seen, with two yellow stones on either side.

  ‘Wow, it’s beautiful.’

  ‘Thank you. I’m ridiculously nervous – I’m shaking like a leaf. These are yellow diamonds because yellow is her favourite colour.’ He pointed at the smaller stones. ‘I’ve been planning this for weeks and now it’s here I’m a mess.’ He ran a hand through his hair. ‘I’m meeting her in London and taking her on the London Eye. When we get to the top I’m going to ask her to marry me.’

  Ruby’s heart gave a flutter. Why weren’t the guys on the apps like this one? ‘I think that’s perfect … um … sorry, what was your name?’

  ‘No, that’s my fault – my head’s in a spin. I’m Lewis.’ He put the ring away and offered her a hand to shake.

  ‘Hi, Lewis; I’m Ruby.’ In her head she added, And do you happen to have a brother you could introduce me to who is as caring as you are and as sane and normal as you appear to be?

  The next few minutes flew by as Lewis waxed lyrical about his girlfriend. It was only interrupted by the occasional tut from the man who had kicked her out of her seat earlier. Although she was eternally grateful to him because Lewis was a great distraction from what lay ahead of her in London.

  Lewis was a true romantic. It was like a hero from one of her favourite books had been brought to life. He was funny, interesting and clearly besotted with his soon-to-be fiancée. He got out his phone and showed her a photograph of a pretty woman leaning against a palm tree. A picture clearly taken on holiday as she was wearing a bikini and holding a cocktail but it was the way she was laughing into the lens that caught Ruby’s attention. She wanted to swap places with the woman in the photo.

  ‘Sorry, I’m boring you,’ said Lewis, putting his phone in his pocket.

  ‘No, not at all. It’s great to see someone so happy. I hope everything goes well today.’

  ‘Thank you. You’re a lovely person,’ said Lewis and the compliment caught Ruby off-guard.

  Lewis seemed to jump and pulled his phone from his pocket. ‘Sorry I’d better take this.’ It must have been on silent as she hadn’t heard it ring but then they were in the quiet carriage. Perhaps she should have put hers on vibrate too.

  ‘Yes, that’s right … Four o’clock … What do you mean there’s a problem?’ His voice was starting to get louder. The man from across the aisle tutted and pointed at the quiet carriage sticker on the window.

  ‘Sorry, I’d better take this outside,’ said Lewis.

  ‘Outside? Don’t go leaping off the train,’ said Ruby, and then wanted to curl into a ball for being lame. Lovely Lewis gave her terrible attempt at wit a smile as she got out of her seat and let him escape.

  She sat back down again and sighed deeply. Lewis was proof that romance wasn’t dead and that maybe she shouldn’t give up on the fairy tale just yet. A few questions about her planned trip to London whirled around her mind. Was she doing the wrong thing?

  The carriage door opened and the ticket inspector came in. Ruby gasped. In her rush to catch a train buying a ticket had completely slipped her mind. Ruby could hear Lewis arguing with someone on the phone and he was sounding fraught. She tried to listen in but the door automatically slid closed.

  ‘Tickets please,’ said the inspector.

  ‘I’m really sorry,’ said Ruby. ‘You see I don’t often take the train … actually can’t remember the last time … anyway it was busy and …’ The inspector was looking bored. She flashed an apologetic smile. ‘I need a ticket please.’

  ‘You’re not meant to travel without one,’ he said.

  ‘I was cutting it fine to catch the train because of all the cancellations so I didn’t have time. Sorry,’ she said.

  He tutted. ‘Single?’ he asked in a gruff voice.

  What about her was screaming lonely singleton? ‘How did you know?’

  The ticket inspector’s eyebrows pulled together. ‘Single or return ticket to …’

  ‘Ah, right, yes. I see. Return, not single – ha. Well I am single but …’ She gave a dry laugh. ‘London please.’

  She paid with her card and sheepishly took her ticket. She saw the man in seat seventeen, across the aisle, was grinning broadly at her error and it irked her. ‘Is something funny?’ she asked him.

  He turned in her direction. ‘It wasn’t funny that you were travelling without a ticket and most likely had no intention of purchasing one unless you were caught out.’

  Ruby bristled. Thankfully the inspector was at the other end of the carriage. ‘That’s not true. Trains were being cancelled so I jumped on one quickly and anyway I bought a ticket, didn’t I?’ That should shut up the smartarse.

  ‘The only cancelled trains were going in the opposite direction to Manchester. You had no excuse not to purchase a ticket.’

  Before she had time to come up with a riposte, Lewis came into the carriage looking highly stressed. ‘My phone battery has just died on me. And there’s some issue with the booking I’ve made so the proposal is in jeopardy. Have you got a charger?’

  ‘No, but here, use my phone.’ Ruby unlocked the screen and handed it to him.

  ‘Thank you so much. You’re a life-saver.’ Lewis took the phone and left the carriage.

  The man across the aisle was shaking his head. Ruby ignored him. She got out her book and huffily turned to the right page and reread the same sentence for a fourth time which annoyed her even further. After a couple of minutes her irritation levels eased as she got back into her novel. Oddly the hero in her story now looked a lot like Lewis in her mind’s eye.

  The train began slowi
ng for the next station and lots of people started standing up and sorting out jackets and bags. Ruby was now thoroughly engrossed in her book and was only vaguely aware of people leaving the train.

  ‘Excuse me,’ said someone and she had to drag herself away from a dramatic scene to see who was speaking to her. It was the irritating man from seat seventeen leaning across the aisle.

  Ruby pointedly stuck her finger on the page where she had read to, so she didn’t end up rereading anything again, and gave him a look that she hoped conveyed her annoyance at being interrupted. As people were leaving the train she had to wait a few moments before the aisle was free and she could see him.

  ‘Yes?’ she said.

  ‘He’s still got your phone,’ said the man.

  ‘Lewis? Yeah, I know,’ said Ruby. ‘I gave it to him to use. His battery is dead.’

  Seat seventeen pursed his lips. ‘Only he’s on the platform.’ He pointed out of the window and Ruby’s eyes followed.

  She was aware of an insistent beeping noise as she stared at the sight of Lewis, still talking animatedly on her mobile phone but standing with his back to the train.

  ‘What the f …’ Ruby bolted from her seat but was halted by the closed sliding door, which took ages to open even though she was pressing the button. In the vestibule, between carriages, she hit the exit button on the door to the platform repeatedly but nothing happened. She banged on the glass.

  Lewis turned around and the look on his face went from troubled to shocked as the train started to move off.

  ‘Noooo!’ shouted Ruby. Lewis began running along at the pace of the train holding out Ruby’s phone to her as if somehow trying to return it but as the train picked up speed he slowed to a walk and disappeared from view. ‘Noooo!’

  ‘Is everything all right?’ asked seat seventeen, stepping into the vestibule to join her.

  ‘Obviously not,’ she snapped. She spun around, trying to think what to do. Next to seat seventeen’s head was a red lever and a sign saying Emergency Stop. In blind panic, Ruby lurched for it but was intercepted.

  ‘You can’t do that,’ he said blocking her.

  ‘But I need to stop the train.’ She reached around the other side and was blocked again.

  ‘But it’s only for emergencies.’

  ‘This is a bloody emergency. He’s got my phone!’ She dodged him and made another lunge for the emergency switch but missed.

  ‘Wrong sort of emergency. If you pull it you’ll get a hefty fine. And a lot of angry passengers after you.’

  ‘I don’t care.’

  ‘Even if you stop the train, they can’t exactly turn around and go back. I think maybe we should retake our seats.’ He stayed firmly in front of the switch. Her shoulders sagged as she realised he was right. It was a simple mistake not an emergency. Lewis was such a lovely romantic person who had become engrossed in sorting out his special proposal and simply forgotten he had her phone. Poor thing was probably beside himself. Seat seventeen was watching her closely with those pretty blue eyes. If he wasn’t such an arse he would be highly attractive.

  ‘Shall we?’ he suggested, ushering her back into the carriage.

  ‘I’ll have to get off at the next station and get a train back to … back to … Where the hell was that?’ She waved her arm about – it was something she did when she felt anxious.

  ‘Derby,’ said seat seventeen. ‘But why?’ He was looking at her quizzically.

  ‘Because I need my phone back.’

  ‘But it’s been stolen.’

  ‘No, it hasn’t,’ said Ruby, with a splutter.

  ‘Yes, it has.’ Seat seventeen looked confused at her response.

  ‘Lewis wasn’t planning on getting off there. He’s going to London. He had to get off because of all of those people and he didn’t get back on in time. It was an accident.’

  ‘No, it wasn’t.’

  Ruby sighed. This bloke was exasperating.

  Ruby gathered up her things and, in her haste, dropped her book on the floor and out fell her bookmark. ‘Bugger.’ She’d be rereading whole chunks of it now. She scrabbled about under the seat and her hand touched something velvety. Her fingers closed around it and she pulled it from under the seat. It was the ring box. She flicked it open and Lewis’s engagement ring sparkled back at her.

  Chapter Three

  Ruby snapped the box shut. This was a complete and utter disaster. Lewis was about to propose but she had the ring.

  ‘Is that the engagement ring?’ asked seat seventeen.

  ‘Someone was earwigging.’ She gave him a pointed look but his expression didn’t change. ‘Yeah. It’s the ring. See.’ She held it out for inspection. He took it and studied it closely.

  ‘It certainly looks real.’

  ‘Of course it’s real. And I need to get off at this stop,’ she said, as the train announced its next calling point. She held her hand out for the ring. ‘Can I have it back, please?’

  Seat seventeen’s brow furrowed – he seemed deep in thought. ‘I think I should keep hold of this,’ he said.

  ‘Why? I found it.’ She was indignant.

  He stared at her and his intensity made her feel all funny. ‘It’s not finders, keepers.’

  ‘I know that. I’m going to return it and save the day. And get my phone back.’ She waved her empty palm for him to hand it back.

  ‘I don’t think you’re trustworthy,’ he said.

  ‘What?’ she snapped.

  Someone coughed and they both turned. A lady pointed at the quiet carriage sticker.

  ‘My apologies,’ said seat seventeen, popping the ring box in the pocket of a battered leather laptop bag and exiting the carriage.

  ‘Hey! You can’t just take that,’ said Ruby, hastily throwing her things into her bag and following him only to have the stupid sliding door almost take her nose off as it shut on her again. She stabbed a finger at the button, it opened and she marched into the vestibule to join him.

  ‘You have no right to call me untrustworthy without even knowing me,’ she said.

  ‘I know you don’t pay for train travel. That is an offence and that makes you untrustworthy.’

  ‘That was a simple mistake because I was rushing. I’m completely honest. I want to return the ring so Lewis can propose to his very lucky girlfriend.’ A picture of the smiling woman in the photograph swam into her mind. ‘Anyway, he has my phone.’

  ‘I would suggest your phone is worth a lot less than the ring.’ He raised one eyebrow.

  ‘For goodness’ sake. Stop being pompous and give me the ring.’ She held out her hand, her patience all but expired.

  ‘No,’ he said and he turned to face the door.

  He was infuriating. ‘Why should I trust you with the ring?’

  This got his full attention. He turned slowly to face her, which she found slightly unnerving but she tipped her chin up and held his gaze. ‘We’ve not been properly introduced. I’m Curtis Walker.’ He held out his hand.

  Ruby eyed it suspiciously before giving it a brief shake. ‘Ruby Edwards.’

  Curtis reached into the side pocket of his laptop bag and for a moment she thought he was going to hand her the ring. Instead he pulled out a business card. ‘My card,’ he said.

  Ruby read the details. ‘What’s a technical consultant?’

  ‘It can be quite varied. From digital strategy to large-scale technical change.’ Ruby had no idea what he’d just said. He continued. ‘But generally, that means I gather extensive amounts of data to determine the organisation’s data management and security needs, as well as potential scalability.’

  ‘Ri-ight,’ said Ruby. ‘It sounds … interesting. But that hardly makes you more qualified to return the ring than me. It was me Lewis made friends with, not you. Hand it over.’

  Curtis sighed. ‘I will return to Derby and hand it in to the lost property office. Okay?’

  ‘No!’ Her vehement response made them both jump. ‘He needs it today. He’s pr
oposing this afternoon. Just give it here.’ She tried to wrestle his laptop bag off him.

  ‘Stop!’ he said forcefully, which had the desired effect. ‘Let’s take it one step at a time.’ He checked his watch. ‘I have ample time to return to Derby, catch the later train and still be in London on time. Do you?’

  ‘Yep. I’ve left loads of time for my thing.’ Ruby felt quite smug.

  ‘Do you really want to waste your time chaperoning me?’ he asked.

  ‘Fine by me,’ said Ruby. She wasn’t going to let this guy fob her off. This was the most exciting thing to happen to her since someone pissed in her kettle.

  Curtis sighed. ‘Fine. Then we work together.’

  An announcement told them they were pulling into Long Eaton. They got off the train and watched it depart. It was a quiet little station with only a couple of people milling about.

  ‘Tickets,’ said Curtis.

  ‘Got mine.’ Ruby held hers up and gave him a cheesy grin.

  ‘We’ll need additional tickets for the trip back to Derby.’

  Ruby huffed a bit but followed him to the small ticket office where they both purchased return tickets to Derby. Curtis checked the departures board and marched off towards the bridge and the other platform. Ruby followed.

  ‘I’ve an idea,’ said Curtis. His face had changed from its resting bored accountant look to enthusiastic human.

  ‘Hmm,’ replied Ruby.

  ‘What’s your mobile number? I’ll ring it, speak to the man with your phone and resolve all this.’

  ‘Genius.’ She was impressed. ‘It’s zero seven eight three … um four no hang on two then four. Actually, I’m not sure. I changed the number to get rid of this guy who … Anyway there’s definitely a four in it.’ He gave her a pained look. ‘Stop it.’ She put her index fingers on her temples and tried to conjure up the number. ‘Right, it’s definitely zero seven eight three … bugger.’

  ‘Sorry, I don’t think I have a number for bugger. At least I don’t think I do,’ he said. He gave a flicker of a smile. ‘Do you really not know your own telephone number?’