Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 130255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 651(@200wpm)___ 521(@250wpm)___ 434(@300wpm)
“Mebbe,” he mumbled, closing his eyes.
I watched him until his jaw became slack. “Well, passing out is better than vomiting.”
“Amen to that.” Max flicked the lights to full beam. “He’s hammered.”
“Yeah, he’s having a rough few days.” I peered back at him. “I’m not sure he’s going to feel any better about it all in the morning, though.”
“What’s going on with him? I got the impression yesterday that you didn’t know he was coming, and you didn’t say.”
I prodded Kev’s leg, but he didn’t so much as twitch. “His boyfriend proposed, and he freaked out,” I explained. “I’m pretty sure they’ll work it out, but Kev has a bad habit of burying his head in the sand. That’s what he’s doing here.”
“That’s a long drive from London to bury your head in the sand.”
“Well, our parents have retired and spend most of the year in Portugal, so I suppose I was quite a bit closer than that.”
“Good point.” Max turned onto the road that led to the estate. “That seems quite drastic for a failed proposal.”
“To be honest, I’m not sure it did fail. Kev didn’t actually answer Aaron.”
“Ouch. That’s rough.”
“Pretty much. He’s supposed to go back tomorrow, but I’m not sure he’s in any state to.” I glanced over my shoulder at him. “I think I’ll have to call Aaron myself tomorrow and talk to him.”
“You’re going to fix it?”
“No. It’s not my mess to fix. That’s something that only Kev can do, but he and Aaron have been together for ten years. He’s like my brother, too, and I want to make sure he’s all right.”
“You’re too nice, do you know that?”
I laughed, using the footwell space to stretch out my legs. “No, I just want to make sure he’s happy, that’s all.”
He smiled, shaking his head, and parked outside the lodge. “Let’s get him inside.”
“If we can.”
It was debatable. I was pretty sure he was passed out, to be honest. I didn’t know how the hell we were supposed to get him inside without hurting him or ourselves. Especially considering that I had the upper body strength of a baby bird.
None.
I had none.
“Kev.” I reached back and thumped his leg. “Wake up!”
“Ellie!” Max whispered.
“What? I’ve done worse,” I replied, hitting my brother again. “Open your eyes!”
Kev forced his lids open and looked at me, although I wasn’t sure he had the slightest idea who I was.
I’d told him those shots were a terrible idea.
“We’re back. We’re putting you to bed,” I told him as Max got out.
“We? Is Max staying over?” he asked, fumbling for the seatbelt. “Tell him to stay with me instead. I’m way more fun than you.”
“I am so sorry,” I said to Max, getting out of the car. “I don’t think he’s been this drunk for fifteen years.”
“Shh.” Kev clung to Max and moved his finger in my direction as if he were going to press it against my mouth, but it was a good three feet away from me. “Don’t let him know how old I am.”
Jesus.
He was thirty-two.
He was hardly knocking on the door of the Department of Work and Pensions to reclaim a meagre percentage of his tax contributions, was he?
“Hello, Max. Are you sh—shore you’d like my slister over me?” Kev ran a finger down Max’s chest.
Max, for his part, seemed totally unbothered by it.
I was having the time of my life. It took three attempts to get the bloody key in the lock because I was trying so hard not to laugh.
“I think you need to stop talking, mate, before you say something you’ll regret,” Max said diplomatically.
“Aaron! I must call him!” Kev announced, raising his fist in the air. “We shall get ma-la-married henceforths!”
Oh, good.
We’d gone from slurring drunk to medieval knight drunk.
That was always fun.
“He’s probably in bed,” I told him, helping Max get him over the threshold. “Why don’t you go to sleep and speak to him tomorrow?”
“No! I must tell him my answer!”
“Okay. Hold on. I’ll call him, and if he answers, you can talk to him. If not, he’s asleep, and you’ll leave him until tomorrow. Deal?”
“Deal or no deal! Open the box!”
Lord help me.
Was that show even still on TV?
I pulled my phone out of my bag, ignoring Max’s panicked look, and pretended to dial Aaron’s number. I made a show of waiting for an answer, then after about forty-five seconds, sighed and pretended to hang up. “He’s sleeping, Kev.”
“Oh, balls. I should schleep.” He looked at me with wide eyes. “Shit, where’s my phlone?”
I had no idea why he added a random ‘l’ to words when he was drunk, but it was funny.
“I have it. It’s got no battery. I’ll charge it for you,” I promised, pulling my sandals off. “Come on, upstairs. I’ll bring you some water.”
“Yes! Yes to water!” He raised his hand again as if he were a Roman Emperor leading an army to war.