All That Mullarkey by Sue Moorcroft Read Free Book Online Page A

spinning head.
    He whispered, ‘It could be right here. Right now.’
    She shook her head again. ‘Don’t, Justin!’ She despised herself. The next word that came out of her mouth was going to be yes .
    Slowly, slowly, he released her. And asked, casually, ‘I suppose you took the morning-after pill?’
    She stared at him, at his sharp nose and sensual lips. Slowly, she shook her head.
    He remained calm. ‘Why not?’
    She dropped her eyes. ‘I didn’t think of it.’
    He laughed, a sharp crack, without humour. ‘You’re brilliant, you are.’ Taking her phone out of his pocket he lifted her left hand, stared for a moment at her wedding rings, and dropped the phone into her palm. ‘And you’ve got bad fucking manners.’ One step back and he no longer filled Cleo’s vision. She could see Liza waiting, out of earshot. Another step back. ‘I hope, at least, that everything was to your satisfaction.’ He turned and stalked away.
    Freed of his presence, suddenly infuriated at his snooty, wounded pride, she bawled after him, ‘You got every bit as much sex as I did!’
    A passing group of lads laughed and whooped and Cleo felt mortification curl her toes; that really improved the situation.
    Justin turned back, made a pistol out of two fingers and a thumb and pointed it at her. ‘It was … fine. But let’s just keep it between us two, shall we? As you’re a married woman.’
    Silently, Liza joined Cleo, watching Justin pass the other shops until he disappeared into the darkness and was gone. ‘Phwoar!’ She whistled. ‘He’s succulent. Have you got his number?’
    Cleo shook with a sudden laugh, rubbing her arms as if to warm away goosebumps. ‘I don’t suppose it’s easy to get Justin’s number.’
    Finally, when they were back at Liza’s flat, in the familiar, tiny second bedroom with magnolia walls and no carpet, Cleo removed her make-up and undressed, waiting her turn for the bathroom.
    And when Liza appeared, looking clean and miles younger than twenty-eight, Cleo blurted, ‘What do you know about the morning-after pill?’
    Liza halted abruptly. ‘Oh shit! What have you done?’
    Cleo looked down at her hands. ‘I came off the pill. And forgot the cap. And didn’t think about condoms because I’m just not in the habit any more.’
    ‘ Cleo !’ Liza hissed. ‘You’ve got to take it within three days of having unprotected sex. The sooner, the better.’
    Cleo chewed her lip.
    ‘Or you can have a coil fitted, within five days. When exactly did you ...?’
    ‘Seven days.’
    Liza closed despairing eyes. ‘For fuck’s sake, go and get some help. Ask for an emergency appointment in the morning. Honestly.’ She shook her head. ‘Cleo! Wake up! The real world’s not as safe as a cosy marriage, you know! You’ll have to go and get sorted, first thing.’
    But, even earlier than first thing, at six in the morning, Gav phoned, fighting panic. ‘My sister’s just rung, Dad’s in hospital. He’s had a heart attack!’

Chapter Seven
    Cleo dashed home, tormented by pictures of her father-in-law, George, helpless in a hospital bed, his normally ruddy complexion as grey as his toothbrush moustache, and jumped straight into Gav’s car for the drive to Yorkshire. She was still struggling with her seat belt as Gav flung the car into Cross Street, left into Main Road, straight out of the village past slate and stone cottages and The Three Fishes. ‘How is he?’ she gasped.
    Gav’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel. ‘Not good. More than just a warning, Mum said. He’d been having pains in his arm all evening, then in the early hours he began to feel as if his chest was being crushed.’ Jerkily, he fed the car onto a large roundabout.
    ‘Poor George.’ Cleo liked both George and her mother-in-law, Pauline. A warm, twinkling Yorkshireman, George had returned to his county the minute retirement had let him; and Pauline didn’t seem to mind where they lived, so long as they were