Page 53 of The Lottery Win
He looks down with a sigh. And when he meets my eyes again,I suddenly see how tired and bone-weary he looks. ‘Because...whenever I meet anyone new, I’m always wondering if they genuinely want to getto know me. Or if they’ve heard things and want to scam me.’
I stare at him, completely wrong-footed. ‘Hold on. You wereworriedIwould want to scamyou?’
His lips twitch uncomfortably. ‘Don’t get me wrong. Itwasn’t that you came across as a scammer. Not at all. It’s just...well, I was born into wealth, Krystle – with a silver spoon in my mouth, Isuppose you’d say – and my experiences with people haven’t always been...positive ones.’ He shrugs. ‘Some folks, when they hear you have money, want toingratiate themselves ... ride on your coat-tails, I suppose, and help youenjoy the money. Or borrow cash from you to set up their business schemes. Butthey forget that I’m just a normal guy with normal feelings, who wants to beliked for himself, not his house or his car or his holidays abroad.’
I stare at him, too shocked to speak, feeling totallyblindsided by his heartfelt confession.
‘That woman in the nightgown was my mum. She’s been ill andI called on her to see how she was. I’ll inherit that house one day, along withapartments in London and New York and a holiday home in the Bahamas.’ He shrugsas if it means very little to him right at that moment.
‘Wow.’ My head is spinning. ‘But... ifyou’re so wealthy, why on earth do you drive an old Peugeot and live in a tinyrented flat.’
He laughs bitterly. ‘I know. It must seem really weird toyou. And actually, itisreally weird. Full stop. It’s just I have thisthing that I want people to see therealDoug Bannerman when they get toknow me – not aromanticvision of me.’ He shrugs. ‘I just want to beliked for me. That’s all.’
‘I know what you mean.’ Nodding slowly, I can feel my frozenheart starting to thaw. ‘Ryan taught me that valuable lesson...that there are people out there, on hearing that you’ve come into money, whowill want to get back in touch with you. So yes, I suppose I can understand youwanting to hide your wealth from people. But why did you pretend you’dforgotten about the lottery win that time, after I know I’d told you about it?It’s always puzzled me.’
He smiles sheepishly. ‘I didn’t want you to think your lotterywinnings were important to me. I wanted you to think I liked you just foryou.Which of course I do.’
‘Oh, my God.’ I shake my head in disbelief at all themisunderstandings. ‘And the car showroom?’
He shrugs. ‘I love cars. They’re my passion, but I keep themover at Elton House, Mum and Dad’s place. I tend to haunt that car showroom andI happened to be there when you arrived, chatting to the boss.’ He grins. ‘Whenyou asked if I worked there, it just seemed easiest to say yes. If I’d told youthe truth, that I was looking to buy an expensive car, my cover would have beenblown.’
I grin. ‘And then you had to make a sharp exit when the salesman, Mark, walked over to us. I didn’t know where the hell you’d gone.’
‘Sorry.’
‘And the Jag we went to Edinburgh to collect?’
‘It’s over at Elton House, along with a few vintage cars anda brand-new Ferrari that I also own.’
‘Right.’ I laugh in amazement. ‘I really wish you’d beenhonest with me right from the start.’
‘So do I.’ He smiles ruefully. ‘But I didn’t know you andI’d got into the habit of playing down my wealth so I could prevent a repeat ofan earlier disaster.’
‘Disaster?’
He sighs. ‘Oh, yes. I was engaged to someone once after awhirlwind romance but when I realised it wasn’t working for either of us and wewere completely incompatible, I called it off – at which point Tania’s truecharacter came out and she yelled that she’d only gone after me in the firstplace because she knew I was rich enough to pay for all the cosmetic surgeryshe’d ever need.’
‘What?’ I squeak. ‘Hell, you dodged a bullet there.’
‘I know.’ He smiles. ‘But it really affected me at the time,and since then, I guess I’ve become even more obsessed with keeping people inthe dark about my background. Until I get to know them well, of course. A fewyears ago, straight after that shattering experience with Tania, I even changedmy name. I started using my middle name, Douglas, and my mum’s maiden name. Isuppose I was desperate to shrug off the link with my privileged upbringing.’
I nod. ‘You used to be called Charles. I saw it by accidenton your wine club card.’
‘Ah, right. Yes, it was a stupidly rash thing to do. Mum washorrified at the time although she’s since forgiven me. And funnily enough,I’ve never actually regretted the change. I much prefer being called Doug.’
He looks at me and I can see how important it is to him thatI believe all he’s telling me now.
I swallow hard. ‘I like Doug, too.’
His face is full of uncertainty. ‘You mean the name, Isuppose? Not the person?’
The last of the ice around my heart melts away and my smilefinally reaches my eyes.
‘I like the name. Doug. But... well, I likethe person even more.’
The relief on his face is clear and we lock eyes and smile.Then together, we get up and meet in the middle.
My heart is racing with joy. And as Doug’s mouth descends onmine with a passion so deep and I push my hands into the hair at the nape ofhis neck to pull him closer to me, we’re holding onto each other as if we’llnever let go again...
