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)
“Vague, but okay.” I handed the car keys back to him, and he took them with a smile. “Why are you smiling at me like that?”
“You’re my wife. Isn’t that enough reason for me to smile?”
I shuddered. “It’s still a bit weird when you’re all sappy like that.”
“Get used to it. You have to deal with it foreverrrr.”
“Weirdo.” I nudged him with my elbow.
“Yeah, but I’m your weirdo.”
“I wonder if your mum accepts refunds.”
“Yours definitely doesn’t, so you’re shit out of luck there.”
“Hmm,” I said, pushing open the graveyard’s gate and holding it for him. “It’s fine. I’ll just conspire with Granny to kick you out.”
“You won’t do that,” he said confidently. He unlocked the car and looked at me meaningfully. “Or I won’t tell you where I hid the little purple magic machine.”
“You stole it again?” I yanked open the car door with a huff. “What a controlling husband.”
He laughed and started the engine. “It’s for good reason this time.”
“There’s absolutely no reason to take my favourite toy away from me. You wouldn’t take a baby’s favourite bear, would you?”
“Not even remotely comparable situations, wife,” Fred said. “Anyway, it’s because I bought a new one.”
I paused. “A new one? What’s wrong with the purple one?”
“Nothing. Max just told me they came out with a new model, that’s all. It’s got more of the vibrating patterns and it’s more powerful, so I bought it.”
“Wait.” I shifted in my seat. “More powerful? I’m not going to survive that, Fred. I’m going to end up with multiple personalities.”
“Hmm. You do have enough of those already.”
“You’re right, I—bastard!” The sound of my slap to his arm rang out around the car, and he bellowed with laughter. “Multiple personalities, my arse!”
“Stop beating up the chauffeur,” he replied. “Do you know how lucky you are to be driven around by the Earl of Coventry?”
“Oh, lah-di-dah. Do you know how lucky you are to be driving around the countess, my lord?”
“Yes, I do. The luckiest man on Earth, in fact.”
I opened my mouth ready to provide a smart-arse comment, but his words stopped me in my tracks. “That’s not fair. I wasn’t ready for that.”
He grinned, glancing across at me as he changed gear. “I do so enjoy catching you off-guard like this.”
I folded my arms across my chest and huffed, looking away. “Everyone’s out to get me this week.”
“Our families are not out to get you just because they all knew the truth about our marriage from the very beginning.”
“My mother, at least, shouldn’t have known.”
“I guess we’re worse liars than we thought,” he replied. “Are you sure you don’t want to renew our vows? We can, if you really want to.”
I shook my head and reached over, resting my hand on his thigh. “It wouldn’t feel right. It’s not like the promises we made to each other were a lie, were they?”
“You’re right. I’m sure we will continue to irritate each other for the rest of our lives.”
“We were always going to do that, but I suppose it’s far more fun to do so while living in the same house.”
“The making up part isn’t too shabby, either.”
“Especially not when you’re the one pissing me off.”
He looked over at me and grinned. “How about I piss you off in a bit then make it up to you?”
“I’m on my period.”
“That explains a lot.”
I pinched his thigh. “Bastard.”
“Well, there it is. How should I make it up to you, my lady?”
This brat.
I pursed my lips together and looked out of the window. “I want to be the little spoon tonight.”
Fred took my hand from his thigh and brought it to his lips. “Whatever you want, my pretty wife.” He set my hand back in his lap and hit the indicator, changing our direction. “Let’s stop for ibuprofen and salt and vinegar chipsticks.”
I peered across the car at him, and a slow, easy smile crept across my face.
And I couldn’t help but think how very lucky I was to have fallen in love with my best friend.