Page 53 of From Best Friend to Bride
“Nana, I’ve told you before, you can’t just go around getting your tits out like that,” Fred said, leaning against me. “What if someone complains again?”
Nana turned and blinked at us both, her t-shirt bunched up under her arms showing off her bare chest. “I don’t have my tits out, Frederick. I don’t have tits to get out.”
I dropped my chin to my chest and sighed so heavily that my shoulders heaved. “I should have left when I had the chance.”
“Well, you didn’t.” He patted the top of my head.
As if I needed him to remind me of that.
“Put your t-shirt down, Nana,” I said, shaking him off and walking into the room. I was already bloody here, wasn’t I? “Tits or no tits, it’s still not societally acceptable.”
“I don’t give a shit. I’m dying. If I want to get my non-existent tits out, I’m going to bloody well get them out.”
“But she’s not getting her tits out,” Mel said. “She’s getting her tats out.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Please don’t encourage her.”
“Ooh, I like that!” Nana clapped her hands together, and her t-shirt finally fell to cover her torso.
Well, at least she wasn’t wearing a dress this time. Last time she’d shown off her tattoos, she’d hiked her dress up and flashed her bloomers to half the pub.
Unsurprisingly, that was when we’d banned her from flaunting them. Not that she listened to us, but at least we could say we’d tried.
Fred sat next to me on the sofa and rested his arm comfortably along the back of the cushions. He relaxed his hand, and his fingers just brushed my loose hair. It took everything in me not to swat his hand away from me, so I folded my arms across my chest and tucked my hands under my armpits so I could resist the temptation.
This was going to take some getting used to.
Him rubbing my feet or shoulders was fine—but this casual, flippant contact was a bit unnerving.
“Relax,” he muttered in my ear as Nana turned her attention to something on Mel’s phone. “Unless you want us to get caught.”
“I kind of do,” I replied under my breath.
He laughed and shook his head. I didn’t know what was so funny. I wasn’t lying. Getting caught would be one way to put an end to this farce before we truly passed the point of no return.
Nana looked over at us, her eyes crinkling as she smiled. “There’s no need to look so uncomfortable, Lala.”
“She’s just not used to it,” Fred answered before I could open my mouth and say something stupid. “Besides, she’s not exactly a public display of affection person like these two.” He nodded towards Mel and Henry.
“There’s nothing wrong with that!” Mel huffed, but she got up and sat on my other side, grabbing my arm. She hugged it and tugged me against her, and I leant to the right into her hold. “See? She doesn’t mind when I do it.”
“She’smygirlfriend,” Fred said dryly, staring at her. “Honestly, are you sure you’re in your twenties? You’re acting like you’re about eight and I’m taking away your favourite teddy bear.”
Mel glared at him. “You’re going to ruin her life if you marry her. I won’t let it happen.”
Fred wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me towards him, and I leant to the left this time. “If I was going to ruin her life, I’ve had ample opportunities over the past thirty years. If anything, I will be making her life exponentially better.”
“You would say that. Your ego is the size of Mount Everest. You couldn’t possibly think you do anything wrong.” She reached over and wrapped her arm around my waist.
Great.
Now I was sandwiched between the two of them.
Even Henry looked confused. “Babe, I know she’s your best friend, but isn’t this a bit much?”
“Treason,” Mel said flatly. “This is the greatest act of treason you could commit against our relationship, Henry.”
He held his hands up. “I’m just saying that marriage takes consent from both parties, you know? Fred is hardly kidnapping her and forcing her to be his wife.” He stopped. “They’re not even engaged yet.”
