Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery Read Online Free

the note, picked up his bag and walked out. Raf locked the door, and pulled down the blind.
    I’d just about stopped crying, but I was still at the choking, hiccupping stage.
    He handed me a clean tissue, and put his arm around me.
    â€˜It’ll be fine,’ he said, his voice soft and soothing . . . almost hypnotic. I remembered that film where Robert Redford tames foaming wild fillies by snuffling in their ears.
The Horse Whisperer
, it’s called, and it always makes my mum cry. I wished Raf would snuffle in my ears.
    I blew my nose. ‘Sorry. You must think I’m mad.’
    He reached out his hand, almost as though he didn’t know what he was doing, and tucked a strand of my curly hair behind my ear. His hand brushed against my cheek.
    â€˜No,’ he said, ‘of course not. Not mad. You’ve had a shock. But Lia, this is something really special. Your life will never be the same again. Some row with your mum – that’s nothing, it won’t matter, I’m sure.’
    His hand was still touching my hair. His other arm was soft on my shoulders. I held my breath. He was so close I could feel his breath on my skin. He leaned even closer . . . gazing with those silver-grey eyes . . . magical eyes. . . Oh. My. God. Was he going to kiss me?
    Then someone hammered at the door, and Raf jumped away from me, like I was poison.
    The door burst open. A man with his own key – a furious man shouting, ‘What the hell are you playing at? What’s going on? Why is the door locked?’
    He looked like Raf, this man – the same dark hair and grey eyes, but older and burlier, face covered with stubble, the same dark shadows under his eyes, same pale skin. A much older brother? A really young father? He was in his thirties, I reckoned. Head of the werewolf pack,clearly, and furious enough to morph any minute.
    I shivered. He’d noticed me.
    â€˜Aha. Right. I see. You’ve got a
girlfriend
here. Well, no wonder you forgot that the opening hours are actually until 2 am.’
    His voice was softly amused – mocking even. I hated him instantly. Raf looked away, his fists clenched tight. For a moment I thought he was going to explode into violence.
    â€˜You don’t know
everything
, Jasper,’ he said. ‘Actually, you don’t know
anything
about me.’
    Their eyes locked for a furious ten seconds. Then Jasper said, slowly and deliberately, ‘I know what I’m worried about,’ and Raf looked away.
    Of course I was desperate to hear more. But it seemed a bit mean not to help Raf out.
    â€˜It was my fault,’ I said, ‘not Raf’s. I fainted. He was going to walk me home. But it’s OK, I can go by myself.’
    â€˜No, no, no,’ said Jasper, suddenly super-friendly. ‘It’s fine. Forgive me. I overreacted. Raf – I’ll see you at home later.’
    â€˜Maybe,’ said Raf.
    â€˜Definitely,’ said Jasper.
    Raf sighed. ‘Yes,
OK
. . .’ he said, his voice littlemore than a hiss. And he shrugged on his jacket, unlocked the door and said, ‘Come on, Lia, let’s go.’
    We walked along the Broadway . . . past Latimer’s Loaves, past the Hard as Nails manicure bar, past the Post Office. My mind was churning – Raf! The money! Raf! Eight million! OMG! OMG!
    Raf suddenly seemed to remember that I was there. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘You must think I’m rude. Are you all right with going home? Maybe you should call your friend? Shazia? I’ve seen you with her.’
    He’d been watching me. Raf’d been watching me. He knew who I was friends with. I didn’t think that was stalker-ish behaviour – and who was I to complain if it was, considering how I’d trailed him virtually to his doorstep? I thought it was sweet.
    He knows who my friends are, I thought. Wow. . . Eight million pounds! Eight million pounds!
    The annoying thing was that