Page 177 of From Best Friend to Bride
“Of course. Who do you think gave her the line?” She patted her chest and grinned at me. “See? You’ll be fine. You’ve always been the most important people to each other. The longer you stay silent because of your fear, the more likely you are to lose her.”
I pressed my lips together into a grim line and nodded before finally letting the corners of my lips curve upwards. “Yeah, I know. I’ll talk to her in the morning. Thanks, Mel.”
“Anytime.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket. “All right, that’ll be one hundred for the therapy session, please.”
“You’ll win enough money from the betting ring you’ve got going on.”
“Aw, man, how did you know about that?”
“Granny is as subtle as a herd of wildebeest,” I replied. “And I just had to pay up to Max and Will.”
She laughed, heading for the door. “Fair enough. I won’t charge you for now. I’ll be content with the fact that my big bro is a big ol’ scaredy-cat.”
“You do that,” I said, smiling as she walked through the door.
Mel looked back over her shoulder. “Don’t stay up too late. You’ll make her worry if she wakes up and you aren’t there.”
“Yeah, I know. Go back to bed now.”
“Yes, my lord.” She gave me a mock curtsey and disappeared down the hallway, leaving me alone with my whisky and my divorce papers.
I sipped the alcohol while staring at the papers, then slumped forwards and rested my forehead on my arms. I pushed the papers away from me and sighed, briefly closing my eyes.
The next time I opened them, it was to the sight of Deli sitting on the other side of my desk.
Holding the divorce papers in her hands.
“Deli?” I whispered.
“Well,” she said softly, tears blurring her eyes. “I didn’t take you for someone who’d fuck me then divorce me the next morning, Fred.”
36
DELILAH
Sunlight filtered over my face, and I groaned, smacking my arm out to the side. “Freeed. Shut the curtains.”
Nothing.
No movement, no reply, still the sun glaring at me offensively.
“Fred?” I shaded my eyes from the brightness with my hand and forced them open.
There was no Fred.
I was completely alone.
I frowned and looked at the clock. It was seven in the morning. Aside from the fact this was the literal middle of the night for me, even this wasn’t his usual wake-up time.
Where the heck was he?
Surely, he hadn’t been in his office all night. Even though he’d said nothing was more important than me…
My cheeks flushed at the memory, and I slapped my hands against my face just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
Last night had really happened.
I’d really had sex with Fred.
