Page 43 of He's the One

Robert caught hold of his arm and squeezed hard, yanking Col against him.

“Robert, stop it.”

“I don’t want to hurt you. I love you! I don’t understand why you think I don’t.” He was shouting now. “I. Love. You. I… Hey! Shit! No! What are you doing!”

As Col registered Robert was no longer talking to him, something struck the back of Col’s head and he crashed to the ground. He could vaguely hear Robert arguing with a woman, but their words ran together.My head!It felt as if it had split open.Am I going to die?Col’s vision blurred. He wanted to run but couldn’t make his body work to even push himself up.Get under the car!As Col tried to at least get his head some place safe, the world blinked out.

When he came round, he moaned. He barely had time to register where he was before the pain in his head overwhelmed him. Col felt as if a giant hand was squeezing his skull, cracking it open. His face was wet, his breathing shaky and he could taste the coppery tang of blood. He forced his panic down, lay motionless and listened. Was he still in danger? His head was under the car and he had a sudden thought that if someone had picked up his keys, he could get run over. By the time he heard the car engine, it would be too late to get out from under the car.

Even so, Col was scared to move. It hadn’t been Robert who’d knocked him out. Robert’s wife? Who else could it be? He couldn’t stay where he was. When he tried to wriggle free, his entire body screamed at him, but he kept going until his head was away from the wheels and he could roll over. As far as he could tell, he was on his own. Col pushed himself to a sitting position, leaned back against the car and a sharp jolt of pain shot through his skull. He bit back his cry. Blood was dripping down his neck and his face. At least it was dark and he couldn’t see it.

Maybe if he sat for a while, he’d feel better. But each time he tried to get to his feet, he failed. His legs wouldn’t hold him. Col could see his keys on the ground next to a flat front tyre.Bloody Robert. Or maybe Megan.There was a spare in the boot but no way did he have the energy to change a tyre. He needed help. As he fumbled for his phone, it rang and he almost dropped it.

Even swiping to accept the call was difficult, but he managed to say, “Hi,” before Theo burst in.

“Hello, gorgeous prospective boyfriend. I’m buzzing with excitement about our first electrifying date. Except you’re a bit late. You’ll be here any minute, won’t you? Don’t tell me you’re cancelling. I’ll be psychologically damaged for life. Maybe longer. You don’t want that. Where are you? Near? Far? Wherever you are my heart mightnotgo on. And if you’ve found out what I think you might have found out, please don’t be mad at me. I can explain. There are more than forty people ahead of me in line for the throne so that’s not going to happen.”

Col had difficulty keeping up with Theo’s rapid speech. “Need…help.”

“Help? Why? What’s happened?”

“Hurt. In field. Next to…my car.”

“I’m on my way.”

Col was shaking so much he dropped his phone. There were dark wet stains on his shirt and trousers, and he squeezed his eyes shut.Don’t think about blood.He was freaked out enough as it was. He managed to open the door of his car and the interior light came on. He hoped that would help Theo to find him.

He must have lost consciousness again because it only seemed like seconds before Theo was at his side. Col was so relieved to see him that for a moment he couldn’t speak.

“Where did the blood come from?” Theo touched Col’s cheek. “Your head. Did you fall?”

“Robert h-hit me. P-pushed me. I b-banged my head. I think…his wife hit me… then.”

“Christ! Did you lose consciousness?”

“Yes.”

Theo was already dialling. “I’m calling for help. You need to go to hospital.”

Col wanted to protest and tell Theo to be careful, that the pair might still be around, but no words came out of his mouth. Tiredness swept over him. His eyes closed.

Theo gave the emergency services Asquith’s address. “The code for the main gate is 9070. We’re in the grounds below where a big marquee is set up. There are two vehicles next to each other on the grass. Mine and Col’s.”

“Is Col the person who needs help?”

“Yes.”

“Male or female?”

“Male. He’s twenty-five.”

“What’s happened?”

“I was supposed to be meeting him but he was late and I called and he said he’d been hit on his head. He lost consciousness while I was talking to him. There’s a lot of blood.”

“Is he breathing normally?”

“I think so. Are you sending someone?”

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