Oh shit, he was coming!
Panicked, not wanting to see or talk to the betraying bastard, Cherry jumped into the nearest taxi.
Startled, the taxi driver looked over the seat at her, his eyes taking in the tears on her face. “You all right, love?”
Hearing a muffled yell, and seeing Rick now running full pelt down the pathway, drawing dangerously close with every long-legged stride, she blurted out Maxie’s address and added “Fast! Now! Go!”
The driver’s gaze went from Cherry to Rick nearing the gate, and it was more than obvious he thought it was a lover’s tiff. Or something. Probably the something. With a shrug he put the car into gear and pulled out of the taxi rank.
Cherry caught a glimpse of Rick leaping over the fence and starting after the taxi, but the traffic closed in and she was safe. Slumping against the seat, she closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath, trying to still her pounding heart.
Any more of this shit and she wasn’t going to last the day.
Maxie wasn’t home, and Cherry sighed when she remembered that her friend had the early shift at the hospital. Sitting on the veranda, she contemplated her choices. She could go to Susie’s house, presuming she was there, or she could go into town and do some browsing. Or she could go home. She didn’t have much money on her, and she certainly couldn’t afford to take taxis everywhere. Her car was at home and she couldn’t avoid her own home forever.
After procrastinating for another twenty minutes, Cherry sighed and left her friend’s house. Crossing the street, she started the long walk home. By the time she arrived there, her feet throbbed. Flat ballerina pumps were cute, but hell for walking long distances.
A cautious peering around showed that no handsome, dark-haired, betraying doctor was lurking anywhere nearby, so she walked up the path, entered the house and locked the door behind her. Frizz peered lazily up at her from his upside-down position on the hall floor and she kicked off one shoe to rub his furry belly with her bare foot, smiling when his rumbling purr filled the air.
“You love Mummy, don’t you?” she said softly.
He scrunched his eyes closed in bliss as she continued rubbing his belly.
~*~
Refusing to pick up the phone when Rick rang, Cherry switched on the answering machine.
“Coward,” Susie stated bluntly after he’d left a message asking her to please ring him. “Just answer him.”
“He’s not worth it,” Cherry replied.
“Tell him to piss off,” Maxie suggested. “Bit of profanity might get through to him.”
“You think?” Susie snorted. “When a man has his sights set on getting back into a woman’s pants, nothing sidetracks him.”
“Delightful,” Cherry muttered.
“I’ll answer the phone,” Susie stated. “Give him a piece of my mind, the man-whore.”
Cherry glared at her.
“Oh, come on. I meant ‘man-whore’ as in he’s bouncing from you to Annabelle.”
“I hired a man-whore, remember?”
“Totally different scenario.”
“You’re not answering the phone, and you’re not talking to him about this stuff. This is between him and me, and you’re not to tell anyone or say anything.”
Susie rolled her eyes.
Cherry gritted her teeth.
“Susie won’t say anything,” Maxie assured her. “If she does, I’ll kick her arse myself.”
Susie blew out a breath and stared at the ceiling.
“What if he comes around?” Maxie queried.
“He won’t.” Cherry hoped.
“So, what? You’re not going to answer the door?” Susie crossed her legs and rocked her foot, the gold sandal caught by one strap on her big toe bobbing up and down. “You can’t hide forever, Cherry. You have a job.”
“He won’t do anything in the hospital, and by then he’ll also know I’m serious about not being interested in him.” Cherry tapped one finger against the tabletop. “I think me catching him with Annabelle showed him I’m no fool.”
“I still say I could sort him out for you.” Lower lip jutting a little, Susie bobbed her foot faster.
“I appreciate it, really, but I need to sort this out myself.” The phone rang and she jumped. Fortunately it was only telemarketing, so she ignored it.
“Oh yeah, you’re really handling it.” Susie took a self-satisfied sip of her coffee.
“Bitch,” Maxie said mildly.
Susie flipped her the middle finger.
Ignoring her, Maxie patted Cherry’s arm. “You’re doing the right thing. Ignore him enough and he’ll lose interest.”
“He wasn’t really interested to begin with.” Cherry ruthlessly ignored the little pang in her heart.