Chapter Twenty One

A fter catching her breath, she peered down through the loft hatch and the ladder lying on the floor of the landing. That had been a close call. Sitting with her legs dangling over the edge, she tried to think what to do. The floor was carpeted. The drop wouldn't be so bad. The ceilings weren't that high in the cottage. Even so, if she lowered herself down, she'd still end up having to hope she didn't land in a funny position or hurt herself against the metal of the ladder. Or worse, tripping and end up falling straight down the stairs.

Shifting her weight, she pulled her mobile from the back pocket of her jeans and checked the time. Her nan's club went on for two hours and she'd only been gone less than an hour. She could just wait it out. There were plenty of other photos she could look through up here, plenty to while away the time.

And a phone call she could make.

She covered her eyes with her hands. Was she going to do this? Was she going to ring Richie and explain why she'd needed things last night? Beg him to take her back? Was it okay to say such things over the phone? She didn't want to wait; she didn't want to wait another moment until she spoke to him.

Opening her eyes, she stabbed at her mobile screen, scrolling through to Richie's number. As she held her breath, waiting for him to answer, she looked across at the box. Were there other photos of her and Richie from that summer? She'd have a look after she'd spoken to him.

Her heart sank as his voicemail kicked in, ‘... please leave a message after the tone...'

Ending the call, Debbie placed her phone carefully beside her. Was he ignoring her call? She wouldn't blame him. If he'd broken up with her, she probably would do too.

She'd just have to take her chances and try to lower herself down. That way, she could go and speak to him face-to-face. Tasking a deep breath, she went to lower herself just as her mobile rang, its cheerful tone filling the small loft space. Pulling herself back up, she grabbed it, answering it quickly, ‘hello?'

‘Debbie, it's Richie. I'm sorry I missed your call. I'm at work and it's busy.'

‘Oh, right. Sorry, I didn't think.' Of course he was at work. Of course he couldn't talk to her at the moment. She'd been so consumed with the thought of speaking to him she clean forgot. ‘Can we talk later?'

‘Hold on one moment.'

Gripping the phone tightly against her ear, she listened as the background noise in the pub died down. He must have stepped outside.

‘That's better. Are you okay? After yesterday? I went to the bakery to try to speak to you, but they told me you weren't there.'

Her breath caught in her throat. His voice was full of concern, concern she didn't deserve because she'd brought this on herself. ‘I... I'm sorry. I panicked. I just thought that the long-distance relationship wouldn't work. My ex, the one who left me to move to the States... we tried, and it didn't work, but he didn't want it to work, he didn't want a relationship.'

‘But we do. Or at least I know I do. I want to be with you, Debbie. I really do.' His voice cracked.

‘I do too.'

‘You do?'

‘Yes, that's what I'm trying to say. I want to give it a go. I want to take our chances, see where things lead.' She paused before blurting out the question she desperately wanted to know the answer to. ‘Will you give me another chance? Please?'

‘Yes, yes, of course I will. I love you Debbie and I'd follow you to the ends of the earth if I had to.'

‘Okay.' Despite herself, she let out a whimper as tears flooded her eyes. ‘I'm sorry, I'm happy, I just... I was so scared you were going to say no.'

‘I'd never say no. I want us to work. I want to be with you. Just you. If...' His voice disappeared as the sound of a car drove past.

‘Sorry, I didn't hear what you said. If what?'

‘Where are you? You sound echoey. Will you come down to the pub? We can talk properly then.'

That's the one thing she wanted to do more than anything, to run down to see him, to sink into his arms, to tell him how sorry she was and to hear him tell her to face-to-face that he wanted to be with her. That he did want to give her another chance. ‘I can't.'

‘Oh, okay.' He cleared his throat. ‘You're busy?'

‘No. I want to. I want to come and see you, Richie.' She looked down at the ladder strewn across the floor again. She'd take her chances. ‘I will. Give me a few minutes and I'll be there.'

‘Great. Okay, that's great.'

‘Yep.' Putting her phone onto loudspeaker, she shifted closer to the edge of the loft hatch once more and swung her legs over but the board shifted beneath her arm and she let out a cry.

‘Debbie? Debbie, are you all right? Where are you?' Richie's voice jumped an octave as he barked questions at her.

‘I'm fine. I'm just at my nan's. I'm in my nan's loft and the ladder has fallen. I just need to try again. I'll get down.'

‘Wait, what? No, don't move a muscle. I'm coming over.'

The call ended, and she pulled herself back up once more. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hands, Debbie smiled. He forgave her. He wanted to give her, to give them, another chance. If anyone could make a long-distance relationship last, it would be them. She knew it would.

‘Debbie?' The letterbox rattled and Richie's voice was clearer this time. ‘Debbie, the door's locked.'

‘There's a key under the flowerpot by the door.' She shouted back to him, hoping he could hear her. After what felt like minutes but was probably only seconds, the noise of the front door unlocking and being pushed open filled the cottage and before she knew it Richie appeared beneath the loft hatch, moving the ladder back into position with ease.

‘There you go. Go careful now.' He held the ladder in position as she climbed down before taking her in his arms. "Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?'

‘No, I'm fine. I'm fine.' Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled him closer and leaned her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

‘Good, good.' Leaning back, Richie looked at her, waiting for their eyes to meet before he spoke again. ‘I don't want our relationship to be long-distance.'

‘You don't?' She frowned as her plummeted. ‘But you said you wanted to give us another chance. I thought you...'

‘I do. I want to give our relationship the best chance I can and that's why I've decided to stay on at the pub for a little longer. I didn't want to say anything yesterday because I was still waiting for my aunt and uncle to get back to me, but I spoke to them a few days ago and asked if they'd mind me staying in one of the rooms for a while.'

‘Really? You're being serious?' Holding her hands against his cheeks, she searched his eyes. This wasn't a joke, was it? He wasn't teasing her?

‘Yes, I'm being serious. They've said I can have a few shifts at the pub whilst I look for work too.' He grinned before cupping her cheeks and pulling her towards him.

She closed her eyes as he kissed her, and she kissed him back. He was staying in the bay!