Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 119548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 598(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 598(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
I held her gaze for a moment. She was right, of course. I knew all that. Just because I couldn’t fathom having feelings for Deli right now didn’t mean that would always be the case.
After all, I knew better than anyone how lovable she could be.
Granny smoothed her hands across her blouse. “Remember that you’re the ones who will have to live with the consequences of your decision, not Judy. As much as I wish for her to be happy in her final months, her happiness should not come at the cost of your own. She wouldn’t want that, either.” She paused for a moment. “Now, I’ve said my bit. We’ll discuss this again once you’ve both thought it all through.”
She left on those words, and I turned to Deli. Her hands were in her lap, and she was completely focused on picking at a bit of dead skin by her nail.
“Stop.” I covered her hand with mine. “You’ll make it bleed, then you’ll complain that it stings every time you wash your hands at work.”
She stilled, then separated her hands with a sigh. “You’re right.”
“I’m sorry.”
“What for?” She turned her head, and the sun glinted off her brown eyes, almost making them glint like the purest copper. “You haven’t done anything wrong.”
“I suggested something stupid.” I took her hand in mine and squeezed it. “Granny’s right—it’s not as simple as getting married and getting an annulment in several months. We joked about it, but…”
Deli tilted her head to the side. “Does that mean you’re withdrawing your offer?”
“No. It still stands. If you really want to get married to make Nana happy, then that’s fine.” I met her gaze. “But I won’t let you marry anyone other than me.”
She didn’t move for a moment, and I was all too aware of the soft warmth of her hand in mine. Even her gaze didn’t waver, almost as if she was letting my words sink in.
I meant them.
She couldn’t marry anyone other than me. Not for this.
If she tried, I’d crash the wedding.
“All right.” She sighed and got to her feet, shaking off my hand. “Granny is right. It’s not a decision we should make in a split second. I am kind of surprised she’s on our side, though.”
“I’m not sure she’s on our side. It’s more like she recognises that we’re adults capable of making a choice and she’ll support us, even if she doesn’t agree with us.”
Because she didn’t.
My grandmother absolutely did not agree with it, no matter how many jokes she threw out about grandchildren.
I knew she would love nothing more than if Deli and I did get married for real. If there was even a sliver of agreement within Granny’s body, it was the part of her that was hanging onto a thread of hope that a fake marriage might become something more.
“You’re right.” Deli grabbed her bag and walked over to the door, stopping there and looking back at me just as Granny had. “We have time. Nana isn’t making her final decision until she sees Dr Anthony next week, so there’s no need to rush. I can hold her off with her delusions until then.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yep.” She smiled, and a bit of her usual sunshine disposition appeared in her eyes again. “And Fred?”
“What?”
“I wouldn’t want to fake marry anyone but you, either.”
I smiled, and she flounced off out of my study as soon as the final word left her lips. She pulled the door closed behind her, and as it clicked shut, I rested my head on the back of the sofa and shut my eyes.
Fuck.
Why did I get the feeling I’d just opened myself up to something stupid?
5
* * *
DELILAH
“Jess, can you clear table three?” I tossed a towel in her direction. “If I go over there, Danny is only going to hit on me again.”
She caught the towel and tilted her head to the side, making her black-and-blue highlighted ponytail swing. “You should go out with him, you know. He’s pretty hot.”
“Then by all means, you take him,” I replied.
“Is he still bugging you?”
I turned at the sound of my boss’ voice. “Mm, not as much. I think he’s taking a different approach other than asking me out every time he sees me. His friend reckons he’s doing what he should have done at the start and is trying to get to know me now.”
Si narrowed his dark eyes. “He’ll get to know me if he doesn’t leave you alone.”
I laughed and nudged him out of the way. “It’s fine. It doesn’t bother me. He’s just a mild nuisance.”
“I said that about Harvey.” My sister sipped on her virgin cocktail. “Now look at me. I’m married and pregnant.”
“I remember when you said that,” Si said, nodding at Lucy.
With a sigh, I cleared the empty glasses from the spot next to her. “Yes, but you admitted from the start that Harvey was husband material. I harbour no such feelings about Danny. He’s too young for me.”