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“How young were they when they made that decision?”

“From what Mum told me about her and Dad’s relationship, they got together when they were sixteen, married at eighteen, and had me at nineteen.”

“Whoa, that is young to make that type of decision, but they did prove the doubters wrong.” Margot liked the fact that they had a successful and happy marriage. “I would’ve like to have met them.”

“They would’ve loved you, and yeah, I think it was more teenage rebellion with them walking away, but they found success here, and they loved each other until the day they died. I had a happy childhood, and I miss them a lot.”

Margot reached across the table and grabbed his hand, squeezing it. “I don’t think you ever stop missing your parents when they die.”

“Yeah. Anyway, it seems that even though the family wasn’t happy for Mum and Dad to go and do their own thing, Dad’s grandfather apparently had hope that Dad would return to the fold. My father’s family were very successful in Queensland, and my great-grandfather set up a trust for Dad, which upon his death goes to his living relatives—me. It’s worth millions.”

Margot blinked, processing what he’d just told her. “Millions?”

Damon nodded. “Before my parents married, they both changed their names, wanting to really cut ties with their families. Obviously when they got married, Mum took Dad’s last name. According to Marian, they’d been looking for Dad for the last decade. They still believed he would come crawling back. They really didn’t have any faith in him at all.”

Everything Damon was telling her about his family, she was glad that he hadn’t grown up around them. Would they have frowned upon him going into the military? It was a question that getting the answer to would be impossible.

“What about your mum’s family? Do you know anything about them?”

“No, and I haven’t looked into it. I could probably get Wilt to do so, but that’s a problem for another day. Although it seems wrong to do that, given my parents made a clean break. I did go through a few of the boxes of things my mum kept and couldn’t find any letters or cards from their estranged families. My parents worked hard and were successful in their own right, they owned this house.” He waved his hand around the modern kitchen. “I know they sunk a lot of money into the renovation to sell and downsize, but they’d died before they could do that. I’m glad that I can still live here. This house holds great memories for me.” He said the last words softly, with a nostalgic smile.

“It is a beautiful house.”

“I have to believe that Marian knows where I live, but if she knocked on the front door, I wouldn’t let her in. This house represents the lives my parents had created away from their families, I don’t want to sully it by allowing her to cross the threshold.”

“Not an unreasonable thought. I don’t think anyone would begrudge you that. But now that she’s found you, what happens next?”

Damon sighed, got up, and paced over to the door that led to a gorgeous patio and backyard. One that still looked lovingly maintained. “Marian told me I need to decide what I want to do with the trust. It’s mine, and the family lawyers want to settle the matter now that they’ve located me. It seems they’ve spent time off and on over the last decade looking for my dad.”

“Do you want it? I mean, it represents a part of your family history your parents walked away from.”

“That’s just it, I know my dad wouldn’t want it, but his grandfather, my great grandfather, had wanted Dad to be recognized as a member of the McCarthy family.” He scraped his fingers through his hair, mussing it. “I wish I knew if my father and his grandfather had a good relationship. It would make the decision easier.”

“It doesn’t have to be hard,” she said, not sure if she was about to cross a line she shouldn’t.

Damon turned, putting his hands in his pockets. “What do you mean?”

Margot got up and laid a hand on his chest, and like always, a zing of electricity sparked in her. “You can sign the paperwork, just to get your family off your back and then you can take time to think about what you want to do. You don’t even have to see them again. You have no reason to. You don’t have a relationship with them.

“With regards to the funds from the trust, you can donate it all if you want. Create something your parents were passionate about. Or you can leave it, and if you have kids, you can give them a good step up into life.” Margot just about choked on the word kids. The thought of Damon having children with someone other than her, had nausea churning in her belly.

After last night, her feelings for Damon solidified, and she accepted what she’d known for a while. It wasn’t a crush she had on the man in front of her; she loved him with her heart and soul.

“I suppose I could do that. As you said, it gets them off my back, and I can close the door on them as well. I don’t even have to see my cousin who lives here in Perth. Marian was visiting her daughter and came and saw me while she was here.”

What sort of mother was Marian? Was she soft and caring? The total opposite of the woman she’d portrayed?

It didn’t matter, it wasn’t like they were going to be seeing much of her.

“Do you know if Marian’s still here?” Margot asked.

“Maybe. She left a card with her details on it. I think I’ll do what you said and get the paperwork signed, and then decide what to do with it later. I don’t have to let them know what I’m going to do with it. It’s none of their business.” He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. She sighed into the touch, loving the fact that he was being more affectionate with her. “Thanks for listening, Little Pearl.”

Little Pearl.

He’d gone from calling her Meg to that, and she had no idea why. “Where did that come from?” she stepped away from him, but not too far that she couldn’t touch him.

“Where did what come from?”