Page 104 of Four Weddings and a Funeral Director
‘The Grief Guys,’ Lily had exclaimed triumphantly, waggling her chair back and forth in front of the grille. ‘They’d be the perfect roommates.’
There’d been a pause as Mort had considered this. ‘Therearethree spare bedrooms,’ he’d mused. ‘And plenty of room for Sausage.’
‘And Gramps would have a plumber and a quasi-electrician under one roof. Plus whatever Duggo does.’
‘Cooks a mean spaghetti, apparently,’ came Mort’s voice.
‘And they all want the company, right? It’s perfect.’
Itwasperfect. Lily was more proud of the idea than she’d been of any of the highly elaborate weddings she’d cooked up over the past year.
While Lily had been cooped up, Mort had set the ball rolling. When not hosting a wake or a graveside vigil, he’d spent the week helping transport the Grief Guys’ furniture up to Gramps’s in the hearse. (Apparently a hearse with roof racks and a couch on top was a sight to behold, and had caused quite the chatter on the Nextdoor group.)
‘Lily, are you decent?’ asked Mort. ‘If so, can I get your help?’
Lily looked up from the endless stack of apology cards she’d been writing to Venus’s guests (and which she’d been pairing with the various gifts that had to be returned). She touched gently at her lip, which finally felt human again, then glanced down at her outfit: pink linen trousers and a sheer chiffon top with daisies embroidered on it. She was more than decent – she looked fabulous.
‘Do I need to wear sensible shoes?’ she called.
‘I would never ask that of you,’ promised Mort.
‘Well then, let’s do it.’
‘I’ll meet you at the hearse in five.’
Wearing her favourite heeled sneakers (yellow, with a rainbow decal), Lily trotted down the laneway that led to the parking lot. It was a perfect evening, the way it always was in Mirage-by-the-Sea: luminous where the waning sun met the twinkling fairy lights, fragrant with flower baskets and baking, the air gently nudged by a mischievous ocean breeze. Lily couldn’t help but grin. Shelovedit here, the way she’d never loved living anywhere before. The quaint shops, the warmly eccentric people, the sheer beauty of the place.
And Mort. Of course, Mort.
Just this morning she’d received a text from Angela about her lease, and for the first time she hadn’t felt that weird itchy flight response that told her that it was time to move on for the next thing.
I’d love to stay, if you’ll have me, she’d texted back.But what about the next business?
Leave it to me, Angela had responded cryptically.
Speaking of Mort … There he was, leaning against the hearse in a way so sexy that it seemed improper. The Funeral Board could have his head for that, surely.
As she approached, Mort broke into a grin of his own – that slightly shy grin that set his whole face alight. He produced a bouquet of wildflowers tied with a twine bow.
‘For you,’ he said gently.
‘You needed some help carrying these, huh?’ Lily took them and buried her face in them, admiring their heady mix of colours and textures and aromas. ‘I guess you’ve been slacking on the gym.’
‘Wrong. Flower picking works the small muscles you never knew you had.’ Mort opened her door for her. ‘Anyway, I needed your help as my date tonight.’
Lily smacked him with the flowers. ‘Your date?’
Mort raised an eyebrow. ‘That was before I knew you were abusive.’
Chuckling, Lily climbed into her seat and – before Mort could say anything about car accident statistics – buckled up. ‘Sorry, I was just surprised. I would love to be your date. Depending on the destination. And what kind of food is involved.’
Checking that the fuel gauge showed a full tank and that the oil level was more than acceptable, Mort pulled the hearse out of its spot at his usual excruciatingly slow pace. ‘A picnic under the stars. All the way up there.’
He pointed to the topmost point of the rolling hills that surrounded the picturesque town centre.
‘Solid views,’ said Lily with a whistle.
The hearse cruised around the windy roads, pulling over at the occasional turnout to let the traffic gathering behind them pass. Lily kept count of the sheep and cows they spotted, being sure to make the appropriate animal sound with each sighting.
