Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 119548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 598(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 598(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
My sister wrinkled her nose once more. “Absolutely not. Fred is far too good for them.”
“Then why can’t I marry Deli?” I asked.
“Because she’s way too good for you, idiot,” Mel replied. “Although, now that I think about it, I’m not sure anyone would be good enough for my Delilah, so maybe you’re the best option.”
Delilah stared at her like she had six eyes, then shook her head and turned her attention to her tea.
“Wow. So you’ll drag me, your own brother, down while you toot Deli’s horn, huh?”
“Someone has to toot my horn.” Deli sniffed. “God only knows there’s a whole ass orchestra inside your head tooting yours.”
“I’m very fond of the brass section.” I patted the side of my head. “They do an excellent job.”
She looked at me blankly. “I can’t believe I have to marry you.”
“I know. You’re so lucky.”
“Yeah, sure. Let’s go with that,” she said flatly. “By the way, Nana wants to know when you’re proposing to me. She keeps asking me, as if I know.”
“Maybe she wants you to propose to me.”
“Maybe you need a smack around the head to knock some sense into you.”
I laughed. “I need your ring size first.”
She held up her middle finger. “Will this one do?”
I grabbed her hand and pinched the base of her middle finger. “I can work with it. There’s usually about half a size in it… Well, it’s your fault if it doesn’t fit.”
“Idiot.” Deli snatched her hand back and wrapped it around her mug. “Just go and see her and keep her in the loop, would you? She’s driving me insane. You’re the one who said you wanted to marry me, so you have to keep her under control.”
I offered her a mock-salute. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll swing by later and sweet-talk her.”
“Make sure you tell her to leave me alone.”
“I’ll let her know you’re all nervous and excited about my proposal.”
“How sweet. You plan a wedding, and I’ll plan your funeral.”
“Only if you arrange a shared burial plot.”
“Is that permission to haunt you after death, Freddie?”
I grinned, meeting her gaze. “We’ll be together forever.”
She threw a biscuit at me.
Mel looked between us in disbelief. “I can’t believe you two are getting married.”
Deli sighed. “That’s what I keep saying.”
“What colour flowers would you like, wife?”
If looks could kill, Delilah would be guilty of murder right about now. “Call me that one more time.”
I grinned. “My wife.”
She threw the wedding magazine at me. “Will you stop this?”
“If I could, I would, but tormenting you is just too much fun.” I pulled my keys from my pocket and dangled them from my finger. “Are you ready for work?”
“No. Do you know how many people asked me if it was true we were together last night? Twenty-eight people, Fred. They were coming in and buying a drink just to ask me. Si had to send me to the staff room three times so I could calm down.” She closed the magazine and stood up. “Where do you think all these flyers came from? Heather at the flower shop on the cobble street brought me a whole-arse magazine on her wedding spreads. I think some were even from her grandma when she owned the shop. Nobody even knows we’re getting married yet. This is exhausting.”
I patted her on the head, then steered her towards the hallway. “Yes, yes, I feel very sorry for you.”
“At least try to put some oomph into your acting.”
“Why would I do that? You won’t feel better either way.”
“Ugh. It really pisses me off when you’re right.” She checked her wrist and pulled off a hairband. “Why are you even taking me to work? My car is here.”
“You have a flat tyre,” I explained.
Deli frowned. “A flat? How is that possible? It was fine on the way over here.”
“Uh…” I coughed into my fist.
“Fred.” She grabbed my arm and tugged me to a stop, holding her hair in a ponytail with her other hand. She had her hairband trapped between her teeth, and the way she glared at me told me there was a good chance she was preparing to flick me with the elastic if I didn’t speak up right now.
“Nana might have been here earlier… It seems she’s not best pleased with our secret relationship and is trying to make it public.”
“So she flattened my tyre?” Deli released my sleeve with a groan, letting her hair drop without tying it up. “Is it not public enough? Everyone knows. What does she want, a newspaper article? Front page of The Sun or something?”
“Maybe a poster on the door of the newsagents?” I suggested.
“That’s not helpful,” she replied. “And do not say that around her, lest she make it bloody well happen.”
I laughed at her obvious disgruntlement, but she had a point. I wouldn’t put it past our grandmothers to hire a blimp or one of those sky-writing planes just to tell everyone what was going on.