Page 34 of Mad About You

‘I’m not scared of him,’ Harriet said, laughing weakly, as they stepped back. Cal raised his eyebrows.

‘You should probably start,’ he said, pointing at his forehead.

Harriet thought he was being relatively chill, really, given he’d been cracked in the face.

‘I assume this is why you ran out with the clothes on your back, and were calling me the second the room went online?’ Cal added.

Harriet had the full power of speech back as her heart rate slowed.

‘No! Jon’s house was so top-of-the-range and he was so opinionated about décor, I had no reason to buy things. He’s not lairy, he won’t even swear when he’s cut up by another driver. Since I ended it a few weeks ago, he’s gone off the rails. I’ve never seen him so much as angry, in two years. This is completely out of character.’

‘Oh,’ Cal said, frowning. ‘Lucky me, I suppose.’

‘Have you got any antiseptic cream for that?’ Harriet said, peering at the graze on his brow.

‘Yeah I think so.’

Cal banged about in the cupboards. ‘This sort of thing?’

He held up Savlon, and Harriet nodded.

‘What does he do for a living?’ Cal said, squeezing the liquid onto his finger, patting it on, and wincing as it made contact with broken skin.

Harriet explained Jon was Captain Gravy, both senior and well paid.

‘Good, he won’t want to be fired then. Please tell him if I see him anywhere near this house again, I’ll call the policeandhis employer. I won’t do anything about this, for my sake and your sake, rather than his.’

‘I will do. Thanks,’ Harriet said, gratitude washing through her. ‘He’ll be crippled by shame in tomorrow’s hangover, seriously.’

Cal looked dubious about this. He had perhaps started to wonder if Harriet was doing a dynamite job at covering for him.

‘You sure this isn’t a pattern? He’s never raised his hand to you? Or other men?’

‘He’s never even been slightly intimidating in his life. He’d not complain the order was wrong in a Michelin-starred restaurant.’

‘Well. Wow.’

Harriet was in a slight bind: the more she emphasised it was extraordinary, the more it implied Cal ought to be less bothered about being on the receiving end. Great news, there are no other victims!

‘What’s his name again?’

‘Jon.’

‘Iron Jon, eh. Travel Iron Jon.’

Harriet snorted.

‘… Want a drink?’ Cal said.

Harriet hesitated. She couldn’t see why Cal would want to socialise with her, given the hellfire she’d brought through his door, never mind her presence at his almost-wedding. The expression in his eyes was sincere, however.

‘There’s no catch?’ he added, with a small smile.

She let out a breath.

‘Then a world of yes please.’

17

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