“Good.”
“How about you? How is Madi? Has she been good today? Is she settling in?”
Ethan looked round his wrecked apartment. Neither his sister nor his niece needed anything else to be anxious about. And he certainly didn’t dare confess that right now he didn’t even know where their precious dog was. He had to hope Harriet returned with her. If she didn’t—well, he’d worry about that when it happened. “She seems to be settling fine.”
“And Harriet showed up on time? Well, of course she did. I don’t know why I’m even asking that. Harriet is the most reliable person on the planet. Isn’t she gorgeous?”
Ethan thought of the way she’d scolded him for upsetting the dog. “Charming.”
“I knew you’d like her. I don’t know why this didn’t occur to me before but she’d be perfect for you.”
“What?! Debs—”
“Just trying to turbo boost your romantic life.”
“My romantic life is fine, thanks.”
“No, your sex life is fine. Your romantic life is dead.”
Ethan rolled his eyes. “I draw the line at talking about sex with my sister. And I have all the romance I want, or need.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. You were married. Been there, tried that, yada yada. But just because you and Alison ended up on the rocks doesn’t mean you can’t try again. I don’t know Harriet that well but I love what I know and I would have said you’re exactly her type.?
??
Ethan doubted Harriet would agree.
He’d never met a woman more eager to get away from him.
The more he thought about it, the more he was convinced that he was the reason she’d fled the apartment in such a hurry.
The odd thing was that she seemed familiar, and yet for the life of him he couldn’t think why. He didn’t own a dog, and he wasn’t the type of guy who forgot the women he dated. Could she be a friend of a friend? Someone he’d met in a group?
He asked a few more questions about his niece, ended the call and poured himself a whiskey. He drank it neat, but it did nothing to salve his conscience.
He had a right to be annoyed, but he didn’t have a right to make her the target of his frustration.
Since when had he been a bully?
To work off his tension, he grabbed two large garbage bags and started cleaning the apartment. He tried to look on the positive side. At least the dog didn’t seem to have bathroom issues. There was no water damage. Nothing lasting. The dog—he had to remember to call it Madi. Madi Madi—hadn’t peed.
But what if tomorrow she did?
What if tomorrow she took her boredom out on his sofa? And if she carried on howling it would make him unpopular with his neighbors. He didn’t have time to deal with aggravation in his private life. Hopefully Harriet would return with the dog, but even if she did the problem wouldn’t be solved. There was tomorrow to think about. And the next day.
He took his frustrations out on the cleaning and didn’t stop until the place was shining. No one would have guessed a dog had ever entered his apartment.
He’d cleared up the last of the mess when the doorman called up to tell him Harriet was downstairs.
Despite the fact that he was about to let the perpetrator of the mess back into his apartment, Ethan felt nothing but relief.
She’d returned with the dog and saved him difficult explanations and more stress.
He opened the door and Harriet walked straight past him, keeping her head down.
Ethan closed the door carefully, knowing he had a situation far more complicated to unravel than the one with Mrs. Crouch.
What was the best approach? Should he raise the fact that she’d stammered? Should he apologize or would that embarrass her more? No, it was probably better to pretend he hadn’t noticed. He’d keep his apology general.