“You have no idea,” she said. And then she touched her eyebrow again. It was tender.
“I do. This doesn’t need stitches. It’s a little scrape. Stay still.”
He rifled through his giant toolbox, which was on the kitchen floor, and produced a bandage.
“I need to call my surgeon,” Goldie said.
“Ugh, okay, well, for now, how about this?” Joe Cassidy deftly opened the wrapper of a tiny bandage. On it was a picture of Cromagnet.
“I can’t get away from that guy,” Goldie muttered under her breath.
“Ha, yeah, my grandson loves those Victor Superhero movies.”
“Grandson?”
“Yeah, he’s four, had a Cromagnet on his cake.”
“Ah.”
“Sorry, so what’s your name?”
“You’re serious?”
“I am. Maybe you did hit your head harder than we thought. Not too complicated a question.”
“My name is Elizabeth Gould.”
She was in hiding, and if this guy had no idea who she was, maybe it was so much the better. Though it was annoying. How did he not know who she was? VSU wins again. If you weren’t in a superhero movie, your career was as good as dead. And if you impeded the superhero movie, well, you were the enemy.
“Well, Elizabeth, you’re all set.”
“Thank you, Mr. Cassidy.”
“Call me Joe.”
“Joe, thank you for helping me. I realize this is a mess.”
“Yep, happy to. You seem to be accident prone.”
“I’m not. I’m just off my game.”
“Ah, okay, well. So far, you nearly drowned outside and inside. Maybe you need a lifejacket around your neck at all times.”
“I appreciate your help. But I’m late.”
For some reason, Joe Cassidy’s smirk infuriated her.
“Sure, gotcha.”
“And I’m going to be checking those references. I was told I would be alone here.”
“Ha, okay, had you been alone, you’d probably be dead. But check away.”
Joe Cassidy was done with her; he took his toolbox and gave her a strange look. “Don’t use the laundry again until tomorrow. I have to replace that hose. It’s old and corroded. That’s why you had the disaster.”
“Fine.”
Despite his annoying personality, Goldie found herself staring as Joe Cassidy walked away.
