Page 18 of Catch of a Lifetime
“Go and head him off or something, because he’s definitely going to notice the big fucking merman on your doorstep.”
“He’ll be here any minute.” The white van was rocketing up my drive. “Drag him.”
“We’ve been over that! He’s too heavy!”
I scurried to the head-end of the unconscious Dave, wrapped an arm around and under his arm, and tugged. “We’ve got to try. Come on! We don’t have to move him far. All we have to do is get his tail off the doorstep so I can close it.”
“Right. Right.” Jerry rushed up to join me. “On three?—”
“Don’tcount, for god’s sake. Do it!”
We both heaved.
Dave moved about an inch.
“Fuck,” I said.
“Think I herniated something,” Jerry said.
“Again!”
“Arrrrrrghhhh!” Jerry bellowed as we both heaved.
My feet skidded and my arse hit the floor. I didn’t let go of Dave.
“Good idea,” Jerry said, and dropped down on Dave’s other side. “Go.”
We braced our boots and heaved. Dave definitely moved. Maybe half an inch, but he moved.
In unison, we shuffled back and did it again, and then again.
“That’ll do!” I leapt to my feet and ran for the front door.
Dave’s tail fin was a thing of beauty. It was enormous. The bulk of it had made it into the house, but the frilled, gauzy edges were hanging out the door. I bent down, grabbed and folded the lot—it was like trying to gather up a satin ballgown that kept spilling out of my arms—and stuffed it in the house, then heaved the door shut, putting my back to it.
“Morning,” the DPD guy said, loping up my garden path. His van was parked at an angle, door open and engine running.
“Yep,” I gasped. “Wonderful. Hello.”
He set the small package down on my doorstep, snapped a photo, and shot me a grin. “See you?—”
He broke off.
What?
WHAT???
“You okay?” he said. “You look a bit hot and bothered.”
“Yes. Um.” I adjusted my stance into a casual lean, projecting as much nonchalance as I was capable of when I was just this side of hyperventilating with anxiety. “I’m…um. Spring cleaning. Revamping my space. Moving furniture around. Sofa. Kitchen table. You know. I’m not as fit as I used to be.”
He bounced his brows at me with a cheeky grin. “I wouldn’t say that.”
My eyes widened even as I laughed weakly.
Yes.
Great.
