‘There you go,’ he said, placing the glass down and sliding into a seat opposite her.
‘Thanks,’ she said and then took a gulp of water. She couldn’t believe she was now sitting across from Luke Giles.TheLuke Giles. And he actually looked quite normal for someone who was famous. She had been researching him extensively these last few days and had pored over all the details she could find and stared at all the pictures that were online. His face was actually fairly unlined for someone of his age, no doubt thanks to some Botox.Andhis hair was still thick and sandy, like it belonged to someone who regularly went yachting. She had no idea, though, if he liked sailing or not. Her mum was always telling her off for making assumptions about people. As she studied his face closely, she looked for something that might be familiar. But the only passing resemblance she could detect was that he might be described as looking like the older brother of Sam Heughan fromOutlander.
‘Is that a Glasgow accent?’ he said.
She nodded, clearly surprised. She never thought her accent was particularly strong. Unless she was angry. She had inherited that trait from her mum who claimed she had inherited it from her gran. Granny Margaret got very hot under the collar at social injustices and rudeness. Of which there seemed to be a lot in the world these days. Suddenly, Bella wondered what her gran would think of her being here and quickly pushed that thought well away. Knowing Granny Margaret, she would have a few choice words to say.
‘I’ve got some good friends from Glasgow,’ he said as a way of explanation. ‘And I’ve visited a lot. It’s a great city. Everyone’s very welcoming and very friendly.’
Aye, maybe too friendly, she thought to herself.That’s perhaps been the problem.
He focused his dark blue eyes on her. ‘You said you had something you wanted to talk to me about?’
Bella gave herself a shake. She knew he didn’t have all night to hang about and he was doing her a favour by even giving her the time of day. She could be a serial killer for all he knew. His hands were clasped in front of him on the table and his fingers were long and slender. She looked down at her own hands. She had always been proud of them and her nails were always manicured. Looking up at him, she grimaced. ‘You’ve travelled the world, haven’t you?’
He nodded, looking unsure as to where she was going with her line of questioning.
‘I’m hoping to go travelling too,’ she said quickly. ‘Australia and maybe New Zealand. I’d like to go to Bail too. And Thailand.’
‘Great places,’ he said. ‘It’s good to travel while you’re young.’
‘Yes,’ she answered.
‘You were in Australia in 1999?’
He gave her a rueful smile and nodded. ‘Erm, yes, that’s right. Though I have been back since then. That was when we were on a world tour. I always wished we had stayed on to celebrate New Year there — how amazing would that have been? But by then we had to move on to do the next leg in the States. That was a very long time ago and a very crazy period in my life. In fact, it feels like a completely different lifetime, if I’m honest. A lot has happened since then.’
‘I’m sure.’ She took another sip of water, aware that he was now staring at her and waiting. ‘The thing is, that I believe you met my mother over there when you were touring.’
‘I see. Well, if I’m honest, then I meta lotof women when I was touring,’ he said, raising an eyebrow. ‘As I said, it was quite a crazy time in my life.’
‘I can only imagine,’ she said.
He had started to drum his fingers gently on the table. ‘Look, is there something specific you wanted to talk about? Do you need help with getting into the industry or something?’ He paused. ‘Or did you want an interview?’
She didn’t reply.
‘Normally I wouldn’t do this,’ he said, indicating the drink at the table, ‘just agree to have a drink with a random woman. But there is something about you that looks familiar,’ he said. ‘Do I know you from somewhere?’
Bingo, thought Bella. That wasexactlywhat she was hoping he would say. It just confirmed that she had been right to come here and confront him. She knew that there was a reason he had been in Scotland. Finding out about it had indeed been a sign. ‘Erm, yes, well the thing is . . . I have reason to believe that you are actually my dad.’
Chapter Ten
The words had tumbled from Bella’s mouth before she could stop them. And now she wished she could claw them all back. Especially as Luke’s eyes widened in utter shock. Meanwhile, the walls of the bar seemed to close in on them, making Bella feel as if they were the only two people in the room. She traced a bead of water which was running down her glass, willing him to say something.Anything.
‘Sorry . . . but can you, can you say that again?’ he whispered, looking at her in disbelief. ‘I’m not sure, I’m not quite sure I heard you properly.’ He leaned in towards her digging his nails into the table.
Bella’s heart was now thudding and her mouth felt as though it was full of marbles. She took a long drink of water and it caught the back of her throat causing her to choke and splutter.
‘Here,’ he said, reaching over and gently patting her on the back.
When she had caught her breath, her voice was soft as she repeated the words. ‘I have reason to believe you are my father . . . I think you might be my dad.’ She watched as he swallowed hard and cleared his throat several times.
‘O-k-a-a-y,’ he said, drawing the word out. ‘And what makes you think that?’ He sat back and narrowed his eyes, frowning.
‘Because you and my mum had athingmany years ago. In Australia. In Sydney, to be precise.’
Luke was looking irritated now. ‘You’re going to have to be a bit more specific than that and unless you have something particular to prove this then I think our conversation is over,’ he said curtly. ’Tell me why I should believe what you’re saying?’
