I park hurriedly, well into the grass verge, and get out. Myheart is hammering as I cross the road and peer along, through the open gates,to where Doug’s car is coming to a stop outside the main entrance of a largeand very pretty country house with ivy climbing the walls.
I flatten myself against the hedge, creeping along to get abetter view. Doug gets out of the car and runs up the steps to ring the belland seconds later, a smiling woman appears at the door. She has neat auburn hairand she’s wearing what looks like a floaty dress but could be nightwear, and asI hold my breath, mesmerised, Doug takes her in his arms.
She pulls him inside and the door closes.
*****
I go back to the car and sit there, motionless, for a longtime, just staring at the dashboard.
I’ve no idea who that woman was but it’s obvious they’reclose.
So that’s that, then. Mystery solved. Doug is a fortunehunter.
It’s what I was worried about when we first met, of course.But I allowed my growing feelings for him to muddy the waters and make me blindto what was really going on. It’s so obvious to me now. He heard Ryan and meshouting about the lottery win and he took his chance and followed me out ofthe bar–
A van zooms by, snapping me out of my melancholy daze. Thatdashboard needs a dust, I think, as I start the car.
Driving back to the cottage and Adam, I’m feeling so low inspirits, I’m thinking maybe I shouldn’t go home yet. Because Adam will be ableto tell in an instant that something’s happened and he’ll start askingquestions, and I don’t want to have to explain about my stupid almost-flingwith Doug...
But where do I go? The pub to drown my sorrows? Carrie’shouse? But she and Ronan will be busy.
It’s no use. I’ll have to go home and be honest with Adam.He deserves the truth. But when I arrive back, he’s gone out, leaving a notefor me on the kitchen table.
I’m cooking tonight. Your favourite paella. Gone shoppingfor seafood but back soon. Don’t answer the door! xx
I smile and read the note over again,touched by Adam’s concern for me and the way he never tries to hide it. Then Isit there, thinking about all the great times we’ve spent together. I’ve taken myrelationship with Adam for granted because we’ve always been ‘just friends’,and that’s what you tend to do with good mates. You can relax and rely on themto be there, no matter what.
But what if I’m missing out on the opportunity of alifetime, not exploring my relationship with Adam to see if it could be a wholelot more than friendship?
A frisson of excitement skitters through me.
Maybe I’ll talk to him about ‘us’ tonight over paella? Just alight-hearted chat to suss him out and see if he’s thinking along the samelines as me... that maybe we should see if by any chancewe’re romantically compatible...
That evening, I take a long shower and spend more time thanusual on make-up and getting dressed, determined to push Doug Bannerman from mymind. I deserve far more than a low-life like him. And when I finally go downto the kitchen, I get a long whistle and an admiring raise of the eyebrows fromAdam, which is a great start to the evening.
Over a delicious paella, I smile at him rather nervously,finally working up the courage to broach the subject I’ve been dreading. ‘We’veknown each other for quite a while now, haven’t we?’
He grins. ‘We have indeed. And it’s mostly been a completepleasure, Krystle Cartwright.’
‘Mostly?’ I stare at him in fake dismay.
‘Okay, it’s been a total, unqualified pleasure.’
‘Ha ha.’
‘No, I’m serious. It has. I’m so glad Imet you.’ He reaches for my hand and squeezes it. ‘We’re like soulmates, youand me. We finish each other’s sentences, and I can talk to you about anythingat all and I know you won’t judge me.’
I smile. ‘Well, Iwilljudge you, but never in a meanway.’
He nods, not joking for once. ‘Same goes, I hope.’
I swallow. I’ve never known Adam be so serious, talkingabout feelings. He normally avoids them like the plague. But maybe he’s beencoming to the same gradual realisation that I have about our relationship?
He clears his throat. ‘Actually, Krystle, speaking of beingable to talk to you about anything, I – um – need to confess something to you.’
My heart lurches. ‘Really? Ooh, this sounds serious.’
‘It is.’
