Page 34 of The Lottery Win
He nods. ‘It’ll probably fit in my boot. I could follow youhome if you like.’
‘Oh. But you can’t drive. You’ve been drinking.’
He holds up his glass. ‘Alcohol-free lager. I’ve got todrive somewhere later.’
‘Ooh, very mysterious.’
I smile at him teasingly, but his eyes slide away from mine.He holds up his hand to attract the attention of the waiter. ‘Shall we get thebill?’
‘Yes. Good idea.’ I’ve already told him I’ll pay and he cansettle up with me next time. ‘But I don’t want to hold you up if you havesomewhere else you need to be?’
He shakes his head. ‘I can be late. It’s not a problem.’ Hesignals to the waiter, who comes over with our bill. ‘I’ll go and get my oldrust-bucket and meet you out on the high street, okay?’
‘Oh. Okay.’ Distracted by the waiter, it’s only when I getoutside and I’m standing on the pavement by my car, waiting for Doug, that itsuddenly occurs to me that he might not come back.
What if he just wanted a free meal and I won’t see himagain?
He’s certainly taking a long time, if all he’s doing iscollecting his car.
A hollow feeling grips my insides. The lovely warmth of theevening has been replaced by chilly reality. It’s just like what happened theother night when I met up with Ryan.
I can’t have fallen into the same trap again, can I?
Then an old blue Peugeot rounds the corner – its faultyexhaust announcing its presence ahead of its actual appearance – and my heartgives a relieved jolt when I see that Doug is driving it. He pulls up and getsout, and we transfer the fountain into his boot. It fits perfectly, with roomto spare, and he leaps back behind the wheel and we set off, the Peugeotfollowing me all the way back to Rose Quartz Cottage. Doug is so tall, his headis touching the roof of the little car, and I suddenly feel like a show-off inmy gleaming red sports car.
I invite him in and make him coffee, and he wanders aroundadmiring the kitchen-diner.
‘I can give you a tour if you like,’ I smile, and weexchange a look that’s definitely flirtatious on both sides.
I can see him hesitating. Then he looks at his watch andsays, ‘Tempting though that is, I’d really better go. But I’d love to see youagain, Krystle.’ Looking at him, with his floppy hair and sudden air of vulnerability,my happy heart squeezes with longing.
He takes a step towards me and I do the same. And then we’rekissing, deeply and passionately. I can feel his hands against my lower back,pressing me against him as I explore his body, my hands moving over his chestand his lovely broad shoulders, weaving through his hair at the base of hisneck.
‘I’d like to see you, too,’ I manage at last, when wefinally pull apart.
‘Thank goodness for that.’ He smiles a little shyly, thattouch of vulnerability in his eyes again. ‘Listen, you can say no if you like.I’m probably being far too forward, especially since we hardly know each other,but I’ve got to pick up a car for someone tomorrow and I’ve booked to stayovernight in Edinburgh before driving it back the next morning.’ He shrugs. ‘Itwould be much more fun if you came with me.’
‘Oh.’ My heart lurches at the thought of spending all thattime with him. But then I hear Carrie’s voice in my ear.What if he forgetshis wallet and you end up paying for everything again?‘Can I...have a think about it and text you later? It’s just... I’vegot a few things to do tomorrow.’
He nods. ‘Of course. Of course. Probably a daft idea. As Isaid. Anyway, I’d better go.’
I follow him to the front door in an agony of indecisionabout his invitation.
He kisses me gently on the lips, tells me to take care andwalks out to the car. Then he turns back.
‘If you do decide you’d like to come with me tomorrow, I’mpaying for the hotel rooms, okay?’
Smiling, I nod, noting he used the plural of ‘room. ‘Okay.’Then as he’s getting into his car, I call on impulse, ‘Doug? Count me in. I’d loveto come with you.’
‘Yeah?’ He beams at me. ‘That’s great. So I’ll text you thearrangements later, okay?’
‘Okay.’
I stand at the door as he drives away, watching until thelittle Peugeot disappears from view. It’s obvious from where he lives and thecar that he drives that he’s not a wealthy man. But that just makes me like himeven more. I’ve been on both sides of the fence and I know what it’s like tohave dreams but not be able to fulfil them because of lack of money. I didn’tstick in at school like Carrie did, so I never went to college or university,and I just drifted into bar and café work after I left because I had no ideawhat I wanted to do with my life back then.
Now, the thought of training to be an interior designer isquite an exciting prospect. And I really hope Doug gets the chance to start uphis classic car business.
Was I too hasty in saying I’d go to Edinburgh with himtomorrow? Probably. But telling him I’d have to think about it was really justme playing hard to get.
