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‘Evelyn, please don’t. If I can forgive him, you can at least try.’ Angela held up her hand, half-laughing.

Wow, Rick didn’t know what to say to that. He’d hoped that she’d been thinking about his apology from when they’d rescued the cat, but he hadn’t really dared to hope that she might accept it. Which apparently she had, to the point that here she was defending him to her friends.

‘Besides—’ she shot him that sparkly-eyed, mischievous grin ‘—I’m planning on putting him to work. Hoping he can make up for my complete uselessness on the music rounds.’

‘Oh, if he’s good at music, I want him to play. That round destroyed our chances last month,’ the other woman — another pretty blonde — held out her hand. ‘Hi, I’m Liv. Evelyn you’ve just met, and Callum and Jake — our respective intendeds — are at the bar.’

‘Liv and Cal got engaged a couple of months ago.’ Angela answered his quizzical look. ‘And he’s already met Jake.’

‘Oh, you’re the one with the bald parrot?’ Evelyn asked, those strange green eyes pinning him against the seat he’d just taken. ‘How is the poor little thing?’

‘Hopefully tucked up asleep and not screaming down Bill’s.’ Rick flicked open his phone. ‘In actual fact, I should probably check. Yup—’ he showed the phone to Angela ‘—looks like she’s sound asleep.’

‘Hopefully she’ll settle as well at your flat.’

‘Hopefully.’ He was still musing on that thought when one of the last people he wanted to see pulled out a chair.

‘Evening, Sergeant Brown.’ He tried not to feel guilty, but just the policeman’s presence reminded him of how he came to be there. That, combined with Evelyn’s somewhat accusatory welcome, made him feel about two inches tall, which he probably deserved.

‘Evening, Rick. Surprised to see you here.’

‘Apparently he’s our secret weapon for the music and pop rounds.’ Evelyn grinned at him.

‘Oh, thank goodness for that. And it’s Harry when I’m out of uniform. You any good at soap operas? My wife usually picks up those questions, but she’s visiting her parents with the littluns this weekend.’

‘Awww no, no Marie? We’re doomed!’ Liv leaned forward. ‘And how is my little namesake?’

‘Growing out of clothes quicker than we can keep up. Want to see some new pictures?’

‘Obviously.’ Liv reached for the phone that had appeared in Harry’s hand.

Starting to relax, Rick sat back.

‘Make some space, please. Hi, Rick.’

He looked up to see Jake towering over him, carrying two brightly coloured pitchers. Behind him, with a stack of glasses, was the man he assumed was Callum.

‘Right.’ Putting the glasses down he held out a hand. ‘Nice to meet you, Rick. You joining us for tonight?’

‘Yeah, Angela invited me.’

‘Apparently he’s going to help us on the music, pop and soap rounds.’ Liv placed a quick kiss on Callum’s cheek as he sat next to her.

‘Red jug’s alcoholic, yellow is soft — for those of us on call.’ Callum grinned down at Liv. ‘Which one of us is it?’

Rick watched, slightly bemused as they played rock, paper, scissors, Liv triumphantly wrapping her “paper” around his “rock”. ‘Red for me please. Whatever it is.’

‘Pomegranate iced tea.’ He poured her a glass, then glanced to Rick. ‘We’re both doctors at the village surgery. So far from the hospital, we’re never really completely off-call.’

Rick nodded, thinking it must take a lot of dedication to never be able to go out and party.

‘Pretty much the same when you’re the only vet in the place.’ Jake took a sip from a red glass before handing it to Evelyn. ‘Bit sweet for me anyway.’

‘Yay for being a district nurse surrounded by other medics. Cheers.’

‘You can pour me one of those while you’ve got it.’ Harry grinned. ‘I’m off duty and there’s no risk of me being woken up by a teething tot in the morning.’

‘What about you?’ Jake asked, and Rick was aware that the conversation had stopped — all eyes were on him.