Page 119 of From Best Friend to Bride
“Yeah, I know. You two really have never had any feelings for each other. But what about now? Because if it’s more than just attraction, you’re really in the shit.”
I dragged my hand across my mouth and looked away. “I really don’t want to think about that right now. Don’t poke the bear and all that.”
“Your problem isn’t poking the bear,” Max said knowingly. “It’s what happens when that bear wakes up. Because it will. And it’ll hit you where it hurts if you don’t pay attention before it’s too late.”
I leant back and put my arm over my eyes. My phone buzzed on the table, and I was just about to grab it when Max said, “It’s Deli. Are you going to answer it?”
I shook my head and silenced the call, leaving it to go to voicemail. “Not right now. I don’t think I’ve got it in me to talk to her.”
“You know what she’s like. You should at least text her. Tell her we’re out or something.”
She called again, and I did the same thing as before. A few moments later, buzzing came from another part of the room. Max frowned and walked over to his coat.
“It’s Deli,” he said, staring at his phone. “Why’s she calling me?”
“I don’t know.”
“Maybe I should answer. Something could be—ah, she hung up.” He shrugged and sat down again. “She’ll call again, right?”
“If it’s important.”
We both stared at our phones.
Nothing.
“Guess it wasn’t important,” I murmured.
The door to the library swung open, startling us both, and Ellie filled the doorway with flushed cheeks. “Frederick Wellington, you giant pile of useless shit!”
Max and I both froze, and he recovered quicker than I did. “What did he do?”
“Your wife is on the phone!” She held the phone out to me, stomping over, and I could see the concern flashing in her eyes. “Talk to her right now.”
“It was just two ca—”
She shoved the phone against the side of my head.
“Fred, you stupid idiot!” Deli’s thick voice choked down the line.
Shit.
She was crying.
I took the phone from Ellie and perched on the edge of the sofa. “Deli? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
“You didn’t answer the phone!” she said thickly, her voice breaking on the last word. “Why didn’t you answer? You promised you would always pick up!”
“I was talking to Max, I’m sorry. What happened?”
“Nana collapsed.”
I darted to my feet, and my heart thundered in my chest. “What? Why? Is she okay?”
“Of course, she’s not okay! Idiot! Stupid idiot!”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m an idiot,” I said, lowering my head to avoid Max’s flicker of amusement. “What happened? Talk to me.”
“She had a chest infection. It’s pneumonia now. She—” Deli choked up.
