Beauty and the Brit -Chapter 7 (Patreon)

 CHAPTER SEVEN: AN APPOINTMENT

The next day, on Monday, Paige awoke with a smile having had pleasant dreams from being in such a good mood yesterday with Derick’s visit to her shop and subsequent lunch together.

Rae teased her friend over breakfast where Paige was buttering her toast humming a soft tune and moving her shoulders and hips subtly. “I like seeing you in love!” Rae burst out over her morning coffee.

Paige blushed but her smile didn’t falter. That is, until she realized that one: Derick was meant to fly back to what was presumably England today, two: he said he’d stop by her shop before he went but three: she didn’t work today. In fact, she had a dentist appointment.

“Oh fudgesicle!” she cried out as she dropped her half-eaten toast onto her plate in sad defeat.

“Whoa watch the language!” Rae responded immediately, looking shocked. “It’s not like we have any fudgsicles around here to satisfy that craving you’re putting into both of our heads!”

“No, no! Oh Rae Derick is going home today and I… I totally forgot I don’t even work today! I won’t be able to see him,” she went on when her friend looked quite confused, “I have a dentist appointment at Willow Gardens at one and Derick said he’d be dropping into the store before he leaves to say goodbye!”

“So then hang around the store until your appointment,” her friend pointed out, “and tell whoever’s on staff to call you if and when he shows up. Tell them to let him know the situation with you,” she went on in conclusion.

“Oh my gosh,” Paige sighed in relief, “Jeeze what would I do without you!? That makes perfect sense. Gee sorry,” she exhaled again.

“Girl you’d still be living at that shitty apartment enduring sexual harassment and not be pining over some sexy-ass lover who is about to fly off into the sunset unless you dramatically run after his car,” Rae joked, flipping her waves of hair with her wrist.

“Oh my goodness Rae I’m not going to be running after his car!” Paige blushed as she raised her teacup to her lips, “I have a bike, remember?”

The two friends relished in the resulting laughter.

Paige pulled up to the hospital’s dentistry wing and dismounted her purple vehicle with ease. It was cheaper to come here for dental appointments since the dentists working on her here were still students studying under the guidance of experienced, practiced dentists. Besides, she generally only needed check-ups and the typical teeth cleaning or flouride treatment anyway. It was best to save money where she could to put it towards her store or her home, Redford Manor, now.

Paige found a willow tree to lean her bike against and with practiced motions wrapped her bike lock around the tree and the bike before pushing the two pieces together and turning the dials to bolt it.

“Is that your bike?” a familiar voice asked with surprise.

It was Paige’s turn now to be surprised as she stood and turned to face Derick DeBurgh who was some couple feet behind her now. “Derick! What’re you doing here!?”

He laughed softly. “I had an appointment. But I could ask you the same thing—” he went on in amusement.

“Oh uh same!” she admitted, “Dentist!”

“Ah! Mine was with some hospital officials,” Derick replied, “Not quite as exciting… Or perhaps so, depending on the nature of your appointment,” he considered.

Paige couldn’t help but laugh as simultaneously she noted his style of dress was indeed formal: dress pants, a pale button down shirt and tie. “Just a check up,” she replied.

“Ah lovely!” He smiled.

“I’m glad I caught you,” Derick went on, “I was just about to make my way over to your store to see you,” he admitted.

“Oh really!? Yeah I’m so glad you caught me too! I completely forgot I don’t work today otherwise I would’ve told you yesterday! I was worried you’d come by when I was at my appointment.”

“Almost did!” he mused, “Fate thought it kind to do otherwise.”

“Thank goodness for her,” Paige mumbled shyly.

“Anyhow I actually had some news I was coming to deliver to you,” he went on, “Uh, so I’m actually not going to be leaving town tonight. I’ve extended my stay until the weekend so that I can oversee some new things here at the hospital,” he explained.

“Oh!” Paige exclaimed with surprise, her heart doing a little leap.

“So ehm you might see me around a couple more times at least,” he mused.

She couldn’t bring herself to tell him how much excitement that news brought her. “Oh that’s great!” she exclaimed instead, “I hope you bring a lot of great things to the hospital or they present a lot of good stuff for you… or whatever,” she stammered.

“Thanks!” Derick didn’t seem to mind her fumbling over words. “Anyway uh I don’t want to make you late for your appointment,” he went on a moment later, “I’ll walk you to the doors.”

“Oh! Thanks! I’m a bit early so no need to worry but that’s nice sure.” Paige tried to keep an outward calm appearance meanwhile inside she was feeling absolutely elated. Not only was Derick sticking around town a little while longer that she might catch a glimpse of his handsome face now and again but now he was offering like a perfect gentleman to walk her up to the doors of her appointment.

“I, uh, was going to go back to ‘Jerry’s’ for lunch today,” he admitted, “but the hospital was already doing a luncheon with me so I couldn’t. But, it was very tasty anyway and now that I’m delayed going back to London I’m looking forward to still getting to try out ‘Jerry’s’ one more time hopefully,” Derick admitted.

His companion grinned. “I certainly hope you get to. I’m glad you liked it so much!”

“Definitely did!” he beamed.

“So, what are your plans for the rest of the day then?” he asked her in curiosity.

“Um… not really much,” she shrugged, “You?”

“About the same!” he chuckled, “Now that I’m staying I just have to make a few emails and phone calls and then I’ve got time free until tomorrow when I come back to the hospital for my first official sit-in on a district-wide presentation and then I’ll be doing some tours tomorrow afternoon in some of the wards.”

“That sounds nice,” Paige responded.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he nodded with agreement. There was a beat of silence as they got only feet away from the doors she needed.

“Say, uh… after your appointment would you like to...go for a walk with me?” he asked a little nervously.

“Sure!” Paige responded without even having to think about it, “Sure,” she repeated a little less boisterously, “that’d be really nice.”

“Great!” he exclaimed in relief. “Well uh...what time shall I meet you back here then?” he wondered. Paige told him she should be out no later than an hour and a half.

Derick assured her he was fine to come after that long; he had other things he could take care of meanwhile and then come back. “So, I’ll see you then.”

“See ya!” Paige exclaimed as she went into the offices and felt her heart start pounding. 

She was going to hang out with Derick… Again!

After the dentist, she headed nervously out to see Derick seated on a bench and hearing the door he looked up with a smile. “Hey!”

“Hi!” she greeted.

“How’d it go?”

“Oh uh good!” she laughed. She noted he was now dressed in a different shirt: deep emerald green under his unzipped coat. She guessed it was a tshirt by the neckline but didn’t dare ask. The colour was nice on him though she wondered whether she preferred him in the blue he’d donned yesterday… ‘Oh God don’t start, brain!’

“Well, shall we?” he invited after a few seconds, gesturing that they begin their walk together. She nodded, trying not to blush at her internal thoughts about him and they proceeded side by side.

“Do you work tomorrow?” he wondered, trying desperately to think of what to talk about.

“Uh yeah,” she nodded.

“Oh nice!”

“And you?” she asked politely.

“Coming back here,” he responded with a smile.

“Oh gosh right! Sorry!” She felt herself start to blush. 

He laughed good-naturedly. “Isn’t that the way we tend to work in society?” he spoke, “We just try to repeat pre-ingrained politeness automatically without even thinking about it? I do it all the time and when I catch myself I hate it! Like I was saying to you that uh one time —gosh that was you I was talking to I hope—” he seemed to blush, “but how we just discuss the weather or work or love lives?”

“Yeah that was with me,” she encouraged.

“Oh good!” he gushed in relief. “But yeah we just… I don’t mind it but at the same time I feel so...silly sometimes when I catch myself doing it…”

“Don’t worry; so do I,” Paige replied easily, “Though I tend to attribute mine to good customer service practices to be friendly and interested in my customers.”

“Ah that’s great! Mine is generally to fill the time with sometimes dull and boring people at meetings or these galas. I don’t mean to complain but I wish people could talk more commonly about more passionate ideas than just the same few topics. I’d like to get to know some of them better even if some are decades older than me but… Well I dunno,” he trailed off with a sigh.

“You should just ask them then,” she encouraged.

“You think it’s that easy?” he returned as they made their way into the courtyard that had been used Saturday evening for the gala.

“And why shouldn’t it be?” Paige posed much the same as Derick had done for her the night they’d met, “Maybe prime it with small talk to ease into it and then just say ‘what’s your favourite pastime’ or whatever it is you want to know about them,” she declared.

The resulting grin on Derick’s face was enough to give her butterflies. “You’re right, Paige Wilkinson! I am truly blessed to have made such a friend who is intelligent, kind and wise!”

She blushed but softly thanked him for his compliment.

“Well, you and I have spoken about our passions to some extent already,” he went on a moment later, “So… let’s speak about…” He paused to think and she waited with bated breath for him to speak again. “Ah would you look at that!” he exclaimed suddenly as they turned towards another section of the hospital instead of going through the courtyard and he spotted the sign indicating which building this was. Paige looked up to try and figure out what he was seeing that had sparked such an exclamation. Derick explained, “See that there?” he pointed, “It just reminded me of something. Do you mind if I tell you a story?”

“Be my guest!” she invited.

“Do you recall how I told you that I grew up in England and here in America?” She nodded quietly. “Well there’s a reason in part for that. you see, my grandmother was a nurse at this hospital. They named the Margaret Anne Intensive Care Wing after her, just there.” 

“Oh my goodness really?!”

“Oh yes I wouldn’t fib about that!” he exclaimed and she internally felt warmed by the use of the word ‘fib’. 

Derick was such a dork. He may be rich, and handsome, and definitely way out of her league but when he fumbled his words or spoke somewhat archaically she couldn’t help but fall in love with him just a bit more and her heart couldn’t help but hope that maybe just maybe she had a chance to start up a friendship or more with him.; that he wasn’t entirely above her in some small way. But she kept these thoughts to herself as he kept talking,

“Yes she worked here for… gosh I’ve forgotten the number now,” he gushed in some embarrassment, “but the people were kind enough to honour her with the renaming of the ward in her namesake. I suppose it helped that she and my grandfather had, by then, made a substantial donation to help the entire hospital out. It’s why to this day DeBurgh Endowments still donates here and why I by extension was invited to ‘The Gala’ and all that and why I’m staying to oversee some new projects,” he explained then chuckled nervously. “Sorry rambled a bit; gave you a lot there.”

“Oh don’t apologize that’s all such amazing stuff!” she retorted and wished she’d used a different word than ‘stuff’. Too late now.

Derick smiled at her fondly.

“That’s amazing that your family has such history here,” Paige went on once she found her head again some few seconds later.

“I can’t agree more. You know, despite that history I’ve actually rarely ever been to this town,” he disclosed openly, “Admitting it now I feel a bit ashamed. But I suppose it’s just how life went.”

She nodded at that; an acknowledgement and an understanding. “Well you’re visiting it now.”

“Yes quite so!” he smiled warmly. “Have you ever visited abroad? London in particular?”

She shook her head, dark strands of hair shaking with the movement and being caught by the breeze. “I’d love to travel someday but at the moment I’ve focussed on my career and my new house.”

“New house? Oh that’s brilliant congratulations!”

“Thanks,” she gushed, “my friend Rae and I just bought it. It’s the true definition of a ‘fixer-upper’ but it’s going to look gorgeous once we’re done. We got such an amazing deal on it because of its state and as a result we were able to afford a house instead of sharing a basement suite or something. I think we both needed the change.”

“Oh?” he responded with some curiosity.

“Rae applied and got a position as an ‘Artist-in-Residence’ at the college here. Meanwhile I was unhappy with where I was living and so it seemed like a blessing that she was going to be arriving so we could go in on rent together. And then the universe threw ‘Redford Manor’ into our laps and it was like a fresh start for both of us to just… I don’t know, spend time together just enjoying this new chapter. Granted, we have a lot of work to be done around the house but most of what needs doing immediately has been done already since we moved in. So it’s a nice thing to come home to; space and peace and quiet  —unless of course Rae wants to play her music!” Paige laughed and Derick laughed too.

“That’s certainly a blessing,” he agreed.

“You should listen to the music first before you make that assessment,” Paige returned wittily and Derick burst out into warm laughter. Paige felt her cheeks warm at being so bold but her stomach felt light from such a wonderful sound coming to her ears as Derick laughed beside her.

“You’re completely right!” he responded breathlessly a few moments later. “Ok so tell me more. Please,” he amended.

“Um well…” She paused to think of what to say.

“It sounds like you and Rae have known each other awhile?”

“Yeah I think it’s going on like… seven years now?” she guessed, “People have always said from the outside our friendship looks so odd just by the way our personalities and styles are but we just...fit. She gets me, I get her and our differences meet in the middle quite nicely.” Paige shrugged, unsure of how to explain the unspoken bond she and Rae had always seemed to share.

“That’s brilliant, it must be nice then to share your lives in the same town,” he put forward.

“It’s so great!” she agreed, “It was hard being away from each other for school and stuff but now we can just be right here for each other every night and every day. It’s so great not to catch up over the phone or an internet video call!”

“I know that feeling though it tends to rear towards business not pleasure in friends,” Derick lamented. “I mean I do still talk to friends but most of my calls and all that are for my work in most cases.”

The two turned a little again having circled the edge of two more wards and silently moving towards another little courtyard.

“Speaking of pleasure so what does one do for fun out here?” he mused.

“Oh well depending on who ‘one’ is!” she exhaled with a slight laugh, “If you’re referring to me it might be a different answer to someone else.”

“Then I’d like your opinion on both,” he smiled warmly. “What does Paige do?”

“Well uh… sometimes a movie, sometimes the bowling alley… But mostly I read,” she blushed.

“I should have guessed!” he grinned, “A worthy pastime. And what might someone else do?”

“Um… if it were Rae she’d try and finish a new painting. She’ll be opening up a pop-up gallery in a couple of months I think in the fall and she’ll want pieces available. And she enjoys it anyway. She likes listening to music and on occasion goes out to the bars. There aren’t many here but they’re pretty good or so she tells me. I have gone a couple of times with her but I have almost nothing to compare them to and I don’t like to go out drinking anyway unless it’s to dance.”

“Ah dancing,” he murmured with pleasure.

“And uh there are a few pools around town and um… a small paintball place just opened up for its second year,” she went on slowly, “Um…” She felt embarrassed that she had to think so hard. She generally enjoyed a few small things and now she felt like a recluse admitting it to Derick.

For his part though, he seemed to be listening still with interest and without judgement.

“Sometimes the local college and high schools put on drama productions. Sadly though I think they tend to do late November and a mid-spring schedule. I think the professional theatre though has shows going year round,” she offered.

“That’s brilliant. It’s been so long since I’ve gone to a show and longer still since I’ve gone to one that wasn’t with a work arrangement or something. Do they have dinner theatre here?” he asked curiously.

“Oh! Actually they do!” Paige nodded enthusiastically as they circled through the small courtyard for a second time. “I’m not actually sure what’s playing now, though.”

“It’s no worries. I was curious is all.” He smiled and breathed in the air. 

“I know I said let’s take a walk but do you mind if we pause here to sit on the bench? It just seems too lovely to pass up,” he expressed.

Since Paige didn’t disagree the two settled themselves on the bench which had enough room for at least three but they spaced out so that there was a bit of room to each side; their bodies seated closer to the middle than to the armrests.

The two remained silent for a few moments, enjoying the quiet of this space. 

Paige’s eyes wandered towards the hospital for a moment. “Derick may I ask you about your grandmother? The one who worked here?”

“Go right ahead,” he invited.

“Was she born and raised here or did she move here for her nursing?”

“Oh! Ehm… Gosh that’s a great question and I suddenly can’t recall,” he admitted bashfully. “Just give me a moment.” He closed his eyes which gave her ample opportunity to appreciate his features as she waited for him to find his answer. “I am quite sure that she grew up here,” he settled on finally, “As to where my grandmother was born I don’t think I’ve ever known or heard the story,” he admitted with some surprise. “I’ll have to find out sometime next week when I get back to England.”

She smiled and nodded. “Still that’s interesting history! You have an American grandmother.”

“Yes. She was of Welsh descent though if I recall. There was some debate one time with my great uncles when I was a boy about that and whether or not they were in support of that. My family is unapologetically English sometimes.”

“Ah yeah so far as I understand Welsh and English are considered very different things.”

“Quite,” he chuckled, “They have their own flag, their own language… It’s a big thing.”

The two shared soft laughter.

“So how’d your grandfather meet her then if he was from England? Or am I just assuming that he was?”

“Oh no he was. My father’s line can be traced back pretty far actually. Ehm he was here in America for… holiday and it just so happened that one of his schoolmates had spent most of his childhood in this town and my grandfather and his mates decided to take a detour to this town with the guy. As you can imagine, a bunch of college fellows can get up to some fun and shenanigans. There was an incident at a drive-in movie and my grandmother so happened to be attending with her friends. She patched grandfather’s friend up —the story has changed over time as to the injury by the way— and as a precaution they went to the hospital. Grandmother rode in the car with the injured man, my grandfather and another two of his mates. Grandfather sat in the back with his future wife and her patient and came to find he fancied her. She apparently fancied him back. Some say it was the accent but I find that to be bollocks— oh sorry!” he blushed at the cussing, “I personally think it’s rubbish because there were three Englishmen in the vehicle with her. She could have fancied all of them but for whatever reason— several of which she told us over time— she liked my grandfather best. It was a bit of a surprise and shock for her when she got engaged and found out just the extent of his wealth. They had some hard times of course with people not wishing them to wed due to his circumstances and hers but she moved to England and worked as a nurse and that hushed some people up. She wasn’t after the family money. And she’d have little to no access to it anyhow.

“By their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary people saw they were truly in love with one other. By their fiftieth I think pretty much everyone except us in the immediate family of course had forgotten the brief scandal of my grandfather falling in love with a working American girl. She did so much for others that it negated any talk of class barriers. By my father’s time people were a bit more relaxed but my father had already fallen for the girl of his dreams at uni. So there wasn’t much talk then since she was from a well-off family as well.” Derick shrugged.

“Gosh that’s… I thought class differences had gone out around or shortly after World War Two,” Paige admitted.

“Eh well the English, and I can comfortably say this as I am right in the mix of it as an Englishman myself, they’re a bit stuffy especially when it comes to tradition and families that have wealth and have had for a century or more. If you’re rich you’re supposed to have a stiff upper lip as they say. But I don’t really find that to be so true anymore amongst various peers. I’ve just learned it through studies and the occasional...what would you call it? Spoiled brat at school? Yeah sounds about right!” he laughed.

“It’s all so fascinating,” Paige exhaled with a shy smile.

“It’s… It is interesting, yes. I also find too that people with money in general tend to behave differently not because they’re expected to but because they think they’re expected to. It comes back to my wish to discuss people’s passions. I can see that underneath the tight, restrained conversation that some people are just making the words because they want to be perceived as polite and I dunno proper. Myself included in that hence why I haven’t really spoken up to break out of that mold and discover more about them.

“But I think I’m going to take your advice; I should,” he spoke confidently, with a smile at Paige that she returned, though shyly.

“You should...let me know how that goes,” she murmured bashfully.

“I definitely will!” he promised. “Will you be at the store? I can pop in to update you.”

“Oh! Uh yeah I will but only until five.”

“That might be tight but I’ll do my best to arrive for you,” he smiled.

“Oh gee no don’t rush on account of me!” she blushed, holding out her hands a little in opposition to the idea and shaking her head.

“I’d like to see you!” he exclaimed back without hesitation. They both felt bashful at his honest declaration.

“Well then...see you by five,” she murmured softly, tucking some stray hair out of her face.

“I should, ehm, probably let you get going,” he exhaled suddenly after losing himself for a moment in the peaceful setting of sitting here so calmly and freely with her, “You’ve probably got things to do with your house and all…”

“Oh it’s no worries,” she dismissed humbly, “We do what we can unless our neighbour is going to help with a specific project.”

“Oh brilliant is he —or she— a handyman— sorry handyperson?”

“He is,” Paige acknowledged. “We’ve been lucky that Nate has so many talents and is between contracts right now so he can help us. I try my best to make sure he has food and drink since he won’t accept us paying him. He says he’s admired the house for so long and should have bought it himself so now he’s just wanting something to do that is helpful and will ‘bring the house to its glory,’ as he puts it,” she smiled.

“That’s incredibly kind of him,” Derick agreed. “I’d love to meet him some day; perhaps I can have him help with a project I had in mind for the hospital though of course I’d insist we pay him,” Derick spoke firmly.

“Oh that’s… wow yeah um… I’m sure he’d really appreciate that,” Paige nodded. “If you want to pass your information to me I’ll get it to him,” she offered.

“Is this your way of getting my number?” Derick asked with a look of skepticism on his face.

Paige felt her cheeks flush with heat immediately and she went to stammer an answer but Derick was already laughing,

“I’m so sorry forgive me that was cruel! I don’t know what came over me I just blurted it out. Gosh it’s just something about being out here that makes me feel like… I dunno. Please, forget I said anything and ehm take this,” he offered, pulling out his wallet and a business card. “You can take down the number and email too if you would actually like and… Bollocks I’ve messed this all up and now we’re both blushing. I’m sorry. I’m sorry Paige.” Derick looked like he could sink into the bench and never return and Paige’s heart went out to him.

“I’ll save you the trouble of asking,” Paige found herself saying shakily as with her heart pounding in her ears she grabbed her own business card from her purse where she’d placed Derick’s carefully so as not to lose it.

Derick looked at her with curiosity until he realized what it was and smiled. “Quiet Books— sorry Quiet Village,” he murmured.

Feeling suddenly brave (because she had averted her eyes from Derick’s shining blue orbs), Paige pulled out a pen, purple, and wrote something on the back of the card before she passed it to him, “I-If you can’t reach me at the store feel free to text or call,” she murmured as she extended the card to him with her heart pounding so loudly in her ears that she thought she might be deaf from the sound.

“Oh that’s kind,” he responded gently as he placed her card safely into his wallet, cheeks flushed a little from exhilaration.

“I-I didn’t want you to embarrass yourself even more for asking for the store’s number since uh... and um… just in case you Googled the wrong thing,” she stammered awkwardly but it made him chuckle a little though sounding still a bit nervous and knowing she wasn’t the only one trying to recover she felt a little better.

“I appreciate you being patient with my mouth— my— uh… Thank you for taking pity on me and my terrible un-American and un-English manners too for that matter,” Derick expressed with a sound of sheepish embarrassment. “May I make it up to you and walk you back to your bike?”

“Oh! Yeah. Sure. Of course,” she agreed haltingly. Though she felt a bit disappointed that they’d be departing from each other so soon now perhaps it was for the best.

She was nervous now and for whatever reason (she’d have to try and overthink it all later) he seemed to be nervous as well. But it wasn’t because he had wanted to give her his number and not just pass it on to Nate for future contract work! No, he was just embarrassed for making such a bold but silly joke about her wanting it. ‘Yeah…’

Little did she know that it was a mixture of the former and the latter. Derick was entirely nervous around Paige and though he’d managed to keep it in check he was starting to see he might be unable to. She made him feel bold and yet timid all at the same time. Best to cut this short before he made a complete git out of himself.

“Well I hope you have a lovely evening and a great shift tomorrow at your shop,” he told her as they got back to where she’d locked her purple bi-pedal, “If I can’t make it by I’ll...uh make use of that number and give you a little text or something to let you know how I did with tomorrow and trying to make better conversation with people,” he proclaimed, internally cringing at the memory of his behaviour mere minutes ago.

“Sure!” she smiled as she got the bike unlocked, noting her hands were no longer trembling in nervousness.

“And don’t worry I always make sure that any in-going or outgoing calls and texts and such don’t come through with international charges when I’m abroad from England,” he reassured, “If your phone company does charge you please send me the bill with my full apologies that things got messed up; I’ll cover the costs.”

“Oh! Thanks. I’m sure it’ll be fine if you’ve got everything prearranged,” she put forward, standing to full height again now that the lock was wrapped strictly around her bike and she was ready to go save for putting on her helmet. But not in front of Derick, if she could help it…

“I do yeah,” he responded and the two slipped into silence. “Well, uh, thank you so much for coming for a little walk with me. I’m sure I waffled on way too much but it was nice to just have a moment of… casual conversation,” he admitted.

“No, I liked it too; thanks for the offer; the invitation. You’re right: it was nice!”

He smiled with evident relief. “Well, goodnight— good afternoon I guess it is still,” he corrected himself, scrunching his face a little as he realized his error.

“Good afternoon and goodnight to you too, Derick. Thank you again. I’ll be sure to get your information to Nate as well for the contracting.” She pat her purse that was against her hip.

“Oh right yes thank you! I greatly appreciate you doing that. Tell him there’s no rush to call or email or whatever route he chooses.”

“Will do.”

It was here she decided to bite the bullet and just put her helmet on —doing so with quick and deft movements; practiced.

Derick smiled a little and cleared his throat, hands now going into his pockets. “Drive safe; ride safe I mean—”

“I will. Same to you; have a great night and I guess...talk to you tomorrow possibly. Good luck with everything! B-bye Derick!” she stammered before quickly mounting her bike and pedalling away; heart in her ears again.

With every beat it seemed to say ‘Derick. Derick. Derick.’ It was quite insistent!