Page 115 of From Best Friend to Bride
“I always am, dear,” Granny said, lying through her teeth. “Wait, Delilah. How do you know about our day drinking? Fred said he wasn’t going to tell you.”
I looked over my shoulder at them both as my lips pulled to one side in a wry smirk. “You know of tsunamis? Those big, destructive, unmissable waves?”
“Yes,” she replied slowly.
“That’s how subtle you two tipsy tunas are.”
“Ah.”
Yes.
Ah.
As if half the estate hadn’t heard them whooping at their ‘gym bro’ videos during their little afternoon tete-a-tetes.
“Begood,” I said. “And I’ll teach you how to hook your phone up to the projector in the orangery so you can see your gym bros on a big screen.”
“That’s it,” Nana said, grabbing Granny’s arm. “We’re going sober, Maggie!”
Granny nodded in solidary. “Sober sisters!”
Bloody hell.
The sooner Fred came home to handle these two lunatics, the better.
24
FRED
Ellie batted her eyelashes at me. Her elbows were on her knees, and her hands were propping up her chin as she bore a hole in the side of my head with her gaze.
“Don’t you have a deadline?” I asked flatly, focusing on my book. “Some research or something to do?”
“Mhmm.” She nodded enthusiastically. “I’m writing a book where two best friends get fake married to get the heroine out of an arranged marriage.”
“Gee, I wonder where you got the inspiration for that.”
Her grin widened. “Freeed… Come on, help me out. I’ll dedicate the book to you.”
“I’d rather you didn’t publicise the semantics of my marriage,” I replied dryly. “And the answer is no. I have nothing to help you with.”
“But, but—”
“But, but nothing. Haven’t you already tortured me enough with that little bucket of sex toys?”
Her eyes lit up. “I have? How? Are you falling for Deli? Wait! Have you two used them?”
Having a romance author as one of my closest friends was hard work sometimes.
“Where’s Max?” I asked. “Does he know his girlfriend is bugging me with inappropriate questions?”
“Probably. He also probably doesn’t care.” She shrugged, finally sitting back on the sofa. “Besides, aren’t we friends? You helped me and Max before we got together. I just want to help you.”
“No, you want to extract information from me under the guise of help so you can get free material for your manuscript.”
She paused. “All right,fiiiine. I have a slight ulterior motive. Just a little one.” She pinched her finger and thumb together in front of her face. “I do care, though. At least tell me about the toys.”
I closed my book and pinched the bridge of my nose, resting my head back on the cushions. “Do not talk to me about that fucking bucket.”
